This question may be in your mind for months before the holiday season. How to afford a holiday and not return home with an empty wallet? Be sure it’s possible to spend summer holiday with a smaller budget and enjoy every day. It first depends on the way and time of booking and budget planning. In Halkidiki you have at your disposal various categories of catering facilities, restaurants and supermarkets, so you have plenty of possibilities to save.
In this text, we give you several ways to reduce costs, and not have to give up on vacation. When you apply at least half of the tips, we are sure you can reduce your budget by around 20%. So consider now how you can apply them.
Travel out of season
One of the first tips would be to travel out of season. This way, you will get the accommodation at a better price, because it is in the interest of the owners of the accommodation (whether the apartments or the hotels) to offer some more favorable offers, only to have their capacities filled in before the season and after the season. But what if they do not allow you to do this at work or a children’s holiday so you are forced to spend summer holiday in the high season? Of course, there are also ways to reduce costs at that time.
First and last minute offers
First minute and last minute deals can help you save at least 20% of the standard price. That would mean that you have to know where and when you want to go and also that you can react quickly and decide at the last minute. In both cases, you and owner of the accommodation are on the winning (or agency if you choose to use the services of the agency). You will save, and the other side will have guaranteed filled places.
If you are a regular guest, you may be given a discount for the next time
Loyalty is always rewarded, so the owners of the accommodation are ready to lower the price if you re-define yourself for their services. The amount of discount that can be made depends on the owner, but our experience says that it is usually 10%, which is not negligible for the entire amount of the price.
Rent a house for more than two people or at least two families
The discount on quantity applies in tourism. It will be more convenient if you rent a house for more people or two families. The advantage is that you will be surrounded by people you know and with whom you will be able to organize yourself in a space that is yours only. If the house is better equipped than standard apartments then it is approximately the same price, and if the house is average equipped, you can save up to 20% in total.
Plan your budget before departure
Most of us just do it. When we plan the budget, we deduct mandatory costs and then reserve. Budget planning means food, deck chairs, parasols and shopping. Today it’s not hard to make precise calculations when we have at our disposal so many websites, blogs and other sources of information.
What can be packed?
If you are traveling by car and you can bring your umbrella and deck chairs, you have already saved. It’s enough that you only have a umbrella and you will save several tens of euros already. You can also buy umbrella in the place where you stay or somewhere along the way.
Plan your meals
The most reliable way to save is to plan your meals well. Although in our country we have the term “tomato tourists”, we know that we are not the only ones, the same is happening in Spain and Greece. You can always bring canned food, biscuits, something that can sustain transport and high temperatures. If you are traveling with your family, count on spending a lot of food and so plan on buying larger packages. There is always an old good gyros for meals. Do not forget also the Greek pie, and everything that Greek bakers offer. But diet can not be reduced to this only, especially if you go with children. Here you can see the current prices of basic foods in supermarkets. You can get it for a period of few days and so prepare the most diverse meals.
Ask on the spot
You can always ask owners of accommodation where to eat good food for reasonable money. Or with local people coming to the beach. Avoid eating in restaurants located in the main streets and in the busiest places. They do not have to work around traffic and it is very possible that they do not have high quality food. So be curious and open to peek into side streets because they usually hide excellent restaurants, pastry shops and bars.
Do not overdo the shopping
We all love to bring souvenirs and have memories of this kind. But often the purchase of souvenirs and some fascinating little things brings more money than we planned. Separate the budget for shopping before holiday starts, because on the spot we can spend much more. Everything is appealing to us and it seems that we need it or that it not expensive. It’s the same with the purchase of gifts. Do not buy souvenirs at gas stations or in the busiest places. If you have an opportunity in your place of stay, take a walk and look for some different and cheaper souvenirs.
Get information on other sites and blogs
If you are not interested in exploring yourself on the spot, then get in touch on websites or blogs. Ask people who were already there. Now, the coverage of the Internet is so good that you can always connect and find what you are interested in on a site.
These are just some of the ways that you can save money on your vacation, and still enjoy it equally. Whether you will apply some of it depends only on you. It is important that you manage to adapt and at the same time fulfill your expectations and needs. If you have any further concerns, you can always contact us for advice. We will be happy to help you organize your holidays according to your wishes.