Holidays on a budget

As the plane touched down in Dublin I wasn't surprised to see that it was raining. I had the most fantastic week in the sun but on the bright side, at least I can get a decent cup of tea at home :-)

So, how come I've just been on holidays when I harp on about saving and budgeting? The key is planning in advance!

I've always taken my holidays during the summer months (peak season) but I'm now converted to holidaying off peak. I realise this won't work for everyone - I only have another three and a half years of it until my baby goes to school and I'm restricted to school holidays. However takling a holiday in January really suited me this year. Pros include:
Cheaper flights
Off peak rates on accommodation
Less queues for attractions - the Aquamarina in Lisbon is a must-see
Less people in general (easier for taking the baby swimming, to the park, to restaurants etc)
No sunburn - the weather was lovely and I was in a skirt and short sleeve top most days but I didn't have to worry about getting burnt.

The biggest money saving tip for any holiday is planning in advance. My other half loves researching holiday destinations so this is his job. He will go online and check out attractions, trains, buses, restaurants, accommodation and even beauty spas. This is a life saver as we can avoid anything overpriced and get the best value for money.

Another tip - if you like a particular brand of nappies then bring them with you as the brands we get here tend to be pricey abroad. I brought enough for two days as I knew I'd find a supermarket by then and I bought the local brand, they were great.

The Portugese have happy hour (in some cases this was over two house, 6-8 or 8-10 in some pubs). So if you don't have a baby in tow and fancy a night out then take advantage of this.

Remember, have a savings fund for holidays and try to put a fixed amount in each week or month. Then regardless of whether you plan months in advance or snap up a last minute deal the funds are available.

The weekly shopping

Going grocery shopping without a list is like baking a cake without a recipe, you'll probably forget something. 

I've been known to wander aimlessly down the aisles trying to work out what nights we'll both be home early enough for dinner and which nights we should have a ready-meal. A baby in the house really changes things...

These days I make a meal plan. I need to know what I'm cooking and my evening plans have... let's just say life is pretty different :-)
I wish I had discovered this in my single days or in the pre-baby days because I'm saving a fortune. I do a quick list Monday to Sunday and mark any days we have plans to meet friends or family for dinner (factor it in if I'm hosting). Then I jot down a breakfast, lunch and dinner for each day. Transfer the ingredients to my shopping list, have a quick check to see if I need cleaning products, toiletries, nappies or loo roll and that's my grocery shopping list done. 


I only buy what's on the list and I'm never stuck for a meal. I don't have to throw away gone off food and more importantly I don't end up ringing a take-away in desparation when my tummy is grumbling and there is nothing to eat.

Cashing In

Let's get organised, sort out those unwanted Christmas presents and sell them. January is the best time to do this. Everyone is looking for a bargain and it's so easy to list items on the Internet. Ebay is my favourite site to sell on, make sure to set up a Pay Pal account too for secure payments.

If you don't like the idea of selling your things then try swapping with a friend or family member. I got two copies of a DVD so I swapped one with my sister for a shower gel set she doesn't like but I love :-)

Set up a rainy day fund and put whatever extra cash you earn in there. Trust me, the next time you need a few extra euro it'll come in handy :-)

New Years Resolutions

We’ve all done it. I used to swear blind over my New Year’s Eve vodka that this year I’ll stick to my resolution. They have included:

            “Starting tomorrow – no more chocolate”

            “I’ll go to the gym four times a week and I’m going to drop a dress size by Valentine’s Day”

            “No more buying crap, I’m sick of being broke”

Most years, by the 4^th of January, I was left with about 37cents in my purse because I’d spent the last of my cash on a family sized box of chocolate biscuits and a bottle of wine to wash them down with. That was the old me. Having a baby made me surprisingly money-conscious. I’m slowly but surely weaning myself off my Visa card and I’ve discovered this new thing called Saving that did not exist in my pre-baby vocabulary.

I can’t help anyone drop a dress size, turn down a glass of vino with the girls to hit the gym or stop watching the soaps on the Telly. What I can do is help make sure there is more than a cobweb in your purse the day before payday.

All you need to do is make a small change every week and this time next year you’ll have enough cash to cover the Christmas shopping without panic and maybe even something left over for the January sales…

This week – Write it down.

If Santa didn’t leave a pocket sized diary in your Christmas stocking this year then treat yourself to one in the January sales. Mine lives in my handbag and I write down everything I spend. Yes, everything, even if it’s only a euro. 

Think about it, you pop into town for an hour to grab something for dinner. You park your car in the pay parking car-park, lets estimate parking at €2, go to the supermarket to get groceries, throw in a magazine for lets say €4, at the till pick up a chocolate bar for another €2. If your meal ingredients cost €12 then you’d probably count in your head that you spent €12 on dinner. You actually spent €20.

Before you jump down my throat, there is nothing wrong with treating yourself to a magazine or chocolate and sometimes you have to park in a pay park area if there isn’t any free parking available. Just be honest with yourself, write down everything so you can see exactly how much you spend in a week on treats or non essentials. It might be better to do a big shop once a week and save on the trips to town or buy a multipack of chocolate bars instead of grabbing a bar or two at the till…

Next week – How to make extra cash in January