A new YouGov survey has revealed ten ways that Brits make their holiday money go further - essential reading when holidays to Europe are approximately 10% more expensive than before the Brexit vote.
The survey, commissioned by iCarhireinsurance.com, a leading provider of stand-alone car hire excess insurance (which can save travellers approximately £100 on average for a week’s car hire cover compared with a policy from a rental car company*) identified the following money-saving tricks:
- Wearing extra clothes on the flight: Over one in ten (12%) have worn clothes from their suitcase to avoid paying excess baggage charges.
- Weighing down hand luggage rather than the suitcase: 19% have put heavy items in their hand luggage to avoid paying excess baggage charges
- Not buying the airline’s food: One in four (25%) have taken a packed lunch on a flight to avoid buying in-flight refreshments.
- Making lunch from the breakfast buffet: 1 in 4 have taken food from the breakfast buffet to be used for lunch.
- Taking the kids out of school: One in ten have gone on holiday during term time even though it meant the children missing some school.
- Boozing on the balcony before going out: 29% have drunk alcohol in their room before going out in the evening.
- Lying about child’s age to save entrance money: One in 20 (5%) have lied about a child’s age to get cheaper entry to an attraction.
- Stock up on drinks / ice cream from the local supermarket: 45% have bought ice-cream/bottled water from a local supermarket instead of the more expensive, touristy small shops and kiosks.
- Fibbed about it being a special occasion: 6% have said the holiday was to celebrate a special occasion, perhaps an anniversary or birthday, in order to receive a perk.
- Complaining to get a freebie: 1% have naughtily made a false complaint to get something in return.
From smuggling that cheese and ham sandwich out under your jumper for lunch to telling the hotel it’s your honeymoon, many of us are guilty of occasionally stretching the truth when we’re on holiday,
said Ernesto Suarez, CEO and founder of iCarhireinsurance.com. Saving the pennies is also important when you’re hiring a car. Make sure you don’t pay through the nose for over-priced car hire excess insurance from the car hire company when you could save approximately 70% with a more comprehensive policy from us. Always buy before you fly.
* iCarhireinsurance.com surveyed the costs to hire a compact in Tenerife, Nice, Faro, Larnaca and Barcelona with five hire car companies, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt , for a week's hire from 28 May to 4 June. The average cost charged by the rental companies for an excess/waiver policy was £119. iCarhireinsurance.com car hire excess insurance is from £2.99 a day for European cover. A seven day policy costs £23.92, instead of £119 from the rental car company.
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2088 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 28th - 29th April 2016. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).