Surely you spend hours planning all this?

Sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t. There is an excitement in planning trips, however sometimes the thrill of just rolling with it on a trip can be an adventure in itself. However, there are some elements that you should always pay attention to the planning of - the basics!

• Transfers. Have a plan to get from the airport / port / train station to your hotel. There may not be taxis, there may be four different trains with different prices, you might even be able to walk (hello Pisa). You do not want to start off stood outside an airport in the rain, agonising over a £75 taxi ride. Airport websites (google translated if needed) are the obvious starting point. We have used Bolt/Uber a few times - the premium charged is balanced by the stress level reduction (e.g. am I getting fleeced by the taxi driver), and often the time saved especially on a short trip.

• Accommodation. This probably takes up most planning time - as it is important to get a balance between location, distance from airport, reviews and price. Plus a terrible stay can make or break a trip. However, some cross referencing of popular travel websites (Booking, Hotels, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews) can quite quickly show you where to avoid. Don’t be scared of these reviews, use them to form a broad opinion.

• Phone Data. Switch to a contract where data roaming is free - they still exist and save £2 a day. It is always important to know that you’ll be able to get online upon arrival - especially if needed to check transport routes or order a bolt/uber. This is one of those things where it is completely worth the money to know you can just turn off flight mode and be connected. You will read a lot about eSims and how much they save money - but in the grand scheme of things they are only really worth it for longer (e.g. month plus) trips.

• Money. It is always worth checking if a country is mostly card, mostly cash, or a bit of both. Sometimes it is hard to get paper currency pre-arrival, and knowing that a bank machine charges you a fiver to withdraw (everytime, Albania!) is good to know.

• Electrics. Check what plugs are used in the country you’re going to. We learnt this the hard way in Switzerland…

How do you afford it?

As well as looking for good deals (see below), saving sensibly, and opting to travel short and often, we make some calculated life choices:

• No takeaway months. We all love a takeaway - but at times it is very easy to slip into a pattern of one or two a week, especially when running around with clubs, sports etc. Having a no takeaway month - this includes a “cheeky cheeseburger” and impromptu chips and curry sauces - can save £100 a month. Over two months that’s the price of our flights for a weekend trip! The added benefit is that we eat healthier, and the inevitable takeaway tasted even better you can even make a family meal night of it.

• Vinted. Sell stuff on Vinted - we’ve tried eBay and other platforms, and Vinted is definitely the best. There’s a whole piece on that here. In 2024 we made over £600 from selling what is essentially stuff we don’t need or use any more.

• TopCashBack. In total we’ve earned over £2,000 from using this platform. It’s really simple and most major (and not so major) retailers offer cash back for shopping with them via the portal. Sometimes you get a big dividend (3% on a Sumer holiday for example), sometimes it’s small (5% on some airport parking), however it all adds up. In this case there is a bit of a payback - use this link and everyone gets a little extra bonus: TopCashBack Referral. Learn more here.

How do you get the best deals?

The short answer he is “we don’t”. There was a time when we would spend ages over getting the very best deal - however there is a balance between stress levels and cost. You may be able to get another £10 off that hotel - but is it really worth the three hours of searching? Remember that if it feels like good value to you - and you have done a basic level of due diligence in your search - then it is good value!

For example, you will very rarely beat Booking.com (I am on no commission whatsoever), even through that hotel website that offers “the very best rate”, however it sometimes can be good to book direct as you may get free breakfast or something similar for joining that hotel brand’s loyalty programme for free.

Similarly, rebooking just before the cancellation window to a non-refundable rate (it will be non-refundable anyway once your cancellation window ends) can reduce the price of your hotel. See this blog for more details.

Check out the tips blogs for more information about how to find good hotel, flight and other deals.

Do you have detailed itineraries?

Yes and no. We will usually set off with a list of DOs (what we want to see) and EATs (where we want to eat); and then construct a plan once we arrive. This allows a balance of feeling prepared, but not stressing about having to be in certain places at certain times (what if the plane gets delayed, what if we find something better to do etc).

Things like poor weather and the value of finding some local guidance can amend plans last minute. The exceptions here would be where there is a need to pre-book tickets for an activity, or sometimes a table in a restaurant.

What if it goes wrong?

It very rarely does - however it you have your passports (abroad), insurance and access to money (including for example an emergency credit card) you can always find a way to enjoy the trip. I tell myself everytime we set off on a trip that as long as we have the passports and a wallet, we can have a amazing time whatever the journey, weather or barriers that might appear.