saveholidaycosts

BE LIKE RICH PEOPLE.. CUT THE COSTS OF HOLIDAYS

SAVE SERIOUS MONEY ON YOUR HOLIDAY IN SCOTLAND.

When rich people visit 5 star hotels they are nearly always paid for by a company. But when they go on holiday with their families paying with their own money they use these lower cost ideas. That’s how they get rich.

SAVE ON TRAVEL COSTS IN SCOTLAND Book your tickets a long way in advance. Most last minute tickets are sold at full price – although a stand-by ticket might cost less, it is too risky.

Low cost rail travel Cheapest rail tickets bought in advance and off peak. Uk and international www.thetrainline.com

Low cost air travel all airline low prices compared

Low cost airlines Ryanair flies to Prestwick Glasgow or Easyjet flies to Edinburgh and Glasgow also try Flybe

Low cost ferries uk to overseas. Cheaper ferrydeals compared

Low cost bus journeys Find the lowest cost bus service

Lower the cost of car journeys. Buy the lowest price petrol in each area.

Cheap parking. Private and commercial owners offer their cheaper driveways, and car parks

SELF-CATERING COTTAGES AND LARGER HOUSES

A very high proportion of professional people use self-catering properties, doctors, teachers, accountants, lawyers. There is a good reason. Here are twelve top class properties around Scotland, very reasonably priced

Without a shadow of doubt, self-catering properties offer the finest value for money in the accommodation business. If you choose your property properly after searching then the price per person per night is less, yes less than you would pay in a youth hostel. Yet these properties are professionally run to the highest of standards and are fully equipped with everything you need. Some have 4 star ratings.

For example if you fill Bobbin Mill, a 4 star rated Millhouse in Perthshire in glorious surroundings in April you would be paying only £11 per head per night. Our own Glencoe cottage at peak season is £18 per person per night ½ a local B+B cost!.

You can eat out in different local hostelries if you don’t want to cook, and you are free of stifling hotel regulations. (Breakfast finishing at 9.30 etc)

You cannot negotiate lower self catering rates in the peak season, because good properties are nearly always full. But you might negotiate with some properties in the low season. (Not with us at Bayview, I’m afraid, sorry)

Try this independent site for late deals and this one for short self catering breaks and last minute offers.

BOOKING AGENCIES FOR SCOTLAND ARE EXPENSIVE

Be warned you will not get the best deal if you use an online booking agency. Some of their prices are up to 30% higher than the owner would charge you direct but they will not give you access to the owners’ site nor their address or telephone number. You can guess why not.

SAVING MONEY WITH SCOTTISH HOTELS

Each hotel offers masses of different rates most of them hidden. The highest are charged to people who walk in through the door. Here is how to dig them out.

First you need to specify the rooms you want and know what the normal rate is what rooms are on offer and what the deal includes – breakfast etc. Best to do this from their web site or with a preparatory phone call. If you don’t and you try and negotiate a low rate without pinning them down on what you want they’ll book you into the night porter’s room at the back, the one they can’t sell.

Best to try it on several hotels in the area first and get a general idea of where your chosen hotel is on price. If it is their peak season you might have difficulty but at either end of the peak or the low season it will be easier.

You could tell them what you want to pay and ask them if they will do it for that. They won’t but they might reduce their price a bit. if you only get a small discount then you can ask for free extras to be included. Quiet polite persistence usually pays off. You can tell them of another hotel’s lower price you've been offered.

Compare hotel prices, uk and overseas for the best hotel deals, even five star.

You can offer them a price online Also more low price hotel deals, up to 70% off.

Swap holidays with someone else.

This is what rich people do. They swap houses in exotic locations at no cost to themselves. This site will find exchanges for you overseas.

SAVING ON HOLIDAY SHOPPING

Outdoor clothes sold on E-bay - new as well as second hand

Good price comparison sites for all kinds of comparisons outdoor products sold on-line.

HOLIDAY PHONE BILLS

Cut your phone bill to shreds, no rental charges, totally free calls. Load the Skype program into your computer, and call to any other Skype user anywhere in the world for nothing. Calls to landlines are very very reasonable in price - without question the cheapest, just pence.. Get your friends and family to put no cost Skype into their computers

EATING OUT AT LESS COST

Eat out for less. Sign up to either or www.toptable.co.uk to make a last minute booking at a good restaurant and get vouchers as well. City centres really.

VISITSCOTLAND, THE EXPENSIVE AND FAILING BOOKING SERVICE

An expensive national service for owners who must charge the costs back in their prices. Booking through VisitScotland is subject to a 10% margin loading plus a booking fee. The number of owners using VS is dimiinishing.