After a couple years of pandemic-enforced domestic holidays, Brits are looking to spread their wings once more as they travel to Europe, and there are lots of bucket-list destinations on offer. Many will be seeking winter breaks, as well as looking ahead to next summer. But while there’s a pent-up desire to go abroad, a sizable percentage of the population will be wondering how they can afford it as prices of everyday items spiral.
But some destinations are far cheaper than others. If you’re looking for a weekend city break in Spain, for instance, it may be a good idea to opt for more affordable Spanish cities, and you can save money while you’re there too.
It’s never been more important to get the best deal possible. This is true for flights and accommodation – and managing your phone’s data roaming while abroad, because you could otherwise end up with a huge bill when you get back home.
Compare Holiday Providers
Many Brits compare holiday providers so they can bag the best deal for their holiday. They can compare several big holiday companies, look at the same destination/resort and find the best package possible.
Ensure you’re looking into physical travel stores as well as online. If you choose to mainly search online, consider using incognito mode when browsing holidays, because many booking sites track browsing habits and could increase prices depending on how much you’re shopping around for a close date.
Brits should also compare different holiday destinations. Look at all the countries across Europe and the prices compared to certain dates of the year. You could find somewhere you didn’t expect at an affordable price. The more you save with your booking, the more you can treat yourself when there.
Avoiding Data Roaming Charges in the EU
With Britain now completely out of the EU, most UK phone networks no longer provide free roaming for calls and data when in the EU. If you aren’t aware of this, you could be coming home to a hefty bill.
Operators like UK network Lebara Mobile have SIM-only deals to help people avoid excessive data roaming bills when abroad on business or holiday. They allow people to make calls and use their data in the EU without additional charges.
According to research commissioned by Lebara earlier this year, over one-third of British people said they were charged for data roaming in the EU, and some of the 2,000 respondents who took part in the survey said they were landed with bills topping £1,000.
Amid the cost-of-living crisis, this is something no Brit wants to experience after returning from holiday. So sort your data roaming beforehand and keep an eye on it when abroad to save yourself from paying a massive bill.
Lebara managing director Rajesh Dongre said: “After two years of the pandemic, British families want to get away for a well-deserved holiday abroad, but the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is hitting everyone hard. In an overstretched travel budget, roaming charges to use your network abroad are a further dampener during these difficult times,”
Those who operate on the Lebara network will avoid EU roaming charges and can use their data allowance as they would at home.
