Category Archives: travel

7 ways to save money when travelling

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It can take a lot of time to save up enough money to go on holiday. 

And when you do, you often end up spending more than you expected or needed to.

So for those of you looking to cut down on travel costs, here are seven super tips.

  • Look for free activities 

If you do a little bit of research, you’ll find that there are lots of fun activities you can do for free whilst travelling. Start by looking at community calendars to see if there are any special events going on, such as festivals and ceremonies. You could also download a free tour app such as GPSmyCity and head on a self-guided walk around your destination. 

  • Use a travel credit card 

When you use a travel credit card to pay for a trip, you’ll earn rewards for your spending which can go towards future travel costs. Depending on your provider, you might also enjoy perks such as lounge access and free seat upgrades. It’s basically like getting money for nothing as you’ll be paying for purchases anyway. 

  • Go incognito 

When you’re looking for flights and accommodation, websites can use cookies to track your visits and inflate the price each time you return to pressure you into purchasing. However, you can avoid these cheeky cookies by browsing from an incognito tab. 

  • Watch where you eat 

Restaurants that are close to tourist destinations often charge disproportionately high prices for food. It’s therefore worth heading a few blocks out and enjoying a much fairer price. 

  • Book accommodation with cooking facilities 

Sampling authentic cuisine at fancy restaurants and other food outlets is one of the best parts of travel. But it’s an expensive hobby, so choose an accommodation with kitchen facilities such as an Airbnb apartment. This way, you’ll have the facilities to cook your own healthy and affordable meals and save eating out as a treat. 

  • Pre-book your parking 

When you’ve got heavy luggage, driving is usually the most convenient way to travel to the airport. However, airports are notorious for changing a small fortune for parking. Thankfully, you can bag yourself a bargain by using comparison site Looking4.com – it has early-bird deals for UK hubs such as Birmingham and Bristol. 

  • Book a hidden city flight

Hidden city flights work on the assumption that fares are determined by consumer demand rather than distance. For example, if you wanted to fly to Boston, you might book Manchester to Boston to New York and skip the last leg, because it’s cheaper than flying direct to Boston. If you can’t be bothered putting the work in, airfare search engine Skiplagged does it all for you. 

Follow these seven tip-top tips and you’ll be able to slash your travel costs in half – you’re welcome! 

How else can you save money when travelling? Shared your thoughts in the comments section.

What to Do in Orlando with Kids

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This one is almost a no brainer, the whole reason you come to Orlando is to take the kids somewhere right? Or is it because secretly you’ve always wanted a reason to go on the rides but don’t want to admit it, its fine we’ve all been there.

There are so many more pleasures to be had in and around Orlando than simply the theme parks, but they are a necessity.

A day trip to Cape Canaveral could be first on the agenda, this is ground zero for NASA, the Kennedy space centre calls this place its landing pad. The centre is filled to the brim with shuttles and artefacts from missions into the great unknown, satellites that are out of commission and the astronaut training experience. On the website for the Kennedy space centre there is a ticker, if you time your trip just right you can watch one of these great flying machines jettisoning into space, tell me a child that won’t remember that for the rest of their lives? 

Save yourself money and convince yourself that the more you do before getting to the theme parks the greater the appreciation will be once you arrive. Keeping this in mind another trip ahead, that is closer to central Orlando and still just as exciting, is to the statewide maybe even globally famous Gatorworld. A wander around the grounds will give you the opportunity to have your photo taken with a big one (Safely), hold a little one and feed one off the walk over bridge.

Now that you have seen more than just the theme parks it’s time to dive into the thematic atmosphere. When it comes to these theme parks a lot of them have package deals where you can stay in a hotel that offers you coach trips to and from the front door every day, great if you are wanting to sit back and let them do the driving however Orlando is a huge place and mostly only accessible via car so at least compare the prices first on enjoycarhire.com  to make sure you get the best option for your family holiday. 

With Star Wars being such a huge part of every child’s life then you will want to start with Galaxy’s Edge, situated inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios, here you can touch the millennium falcon, hug a Wookie and engage in a lightsaber duel with a storm trooper. Most other Disney theme parks are part of this establishment.

It’s not all Disney though as Universal Orlando Resort holds another child favourite, home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, if you don’t take your muggle legs here then your wizard children may expelliarmus you all the way home.

7 Airport survival tips for Heathrow flyers

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With the warmer months approaching, you’ve probably started planning a family getaway, which means super exciting times are coming! However, before you arrive in your dream destination, you’ll have to overcome various obstacles at the airport. And when you’re flying from Heathrow – the UK’s busiest airport, those challenges will be multiplied.

To help you on your way, here are seven airport survival tips. 

 

  • Arrive early

 

Why on earth would you want to spend more time at the airport than necessary? You wouldn’t really, but when it comes to airports, it’s better to be safe than sorry, otherwise you could end up missing your flight. So rather than following the two hour rule, arrive a little earlier and enjoy a more relaxed trip through Heathrow. 

 

  • Join Heathrow Rewards

 

Joining the Heathrow Rewards scheme allows you to earn points on pretty much everything you buy at the airport from food to shopping to currency. And you can use your points to pay for future travel expenses such as parking and flights. So if you’d like to be rewarded for your custom at Heathrow, head to the official website to sign up.  

 

  • Book fast-track security

 

Can you think of a worse part of the airport than the security checkpoint? From the massive queues to the invasive and ever-changing checks, it’s a real pain. However, you can speed things up a little by booking fast-track security and enjoy more time to explore the airport shops and restaurants before your flight. 

 

  • Install the Heathrow Airport app

 

Not many airports can boast having their own app – Heathrow can. So if you’re looking for a little bit of assistance with getting through the airport, installing the Heathrow Airport app is a must. You can use this clever little app to pre-order food and drink, and reserve goods from the airport shops – it even provides live flight updates. 

 

  • Dress in layers 

 

You can never be sure what the temperature’s going to be like at the airport or on your flight. It’s therefore a good idea to wear thin layers, so you can easily adjust your outfit to suit the varying climates you might encounter. 

 

  • Book airport parking early 

 

Airport stress often kicks in before you’ve even left the house. Booking your airport parking in advance is one way to minimise this stress because it gives you one less thing to worry about and saves you looking around for a spot when you arrive. One of the best places to find Heathrow Airport parking deals is comparison site SkyParkSecure.com. 

 

  • Keep an eye on the time 

 

With so much going on around you and a family to look after, it’s easy to lose track of time in the airport. So remember to keep an eye on the time and set an alarm to remind you to head to your gate. It’s also worth locating your gate in advance so you know exactly where to go. 

Follow these seven tip-top tips and you and your family will pass through the airport with ease, next time you fly from Heathrow. 

That’s our list! Share you own airport survival tips in the comments section.