Finally, getting away!

Friday 5th September, 2008 - £7,926.83 in debt…

We’re all going on a Winter holiday - no more worries for a week or… well, just a week. Can’t afford two.

Yes, I’ve booked my little break, and I already feel better for it. At the end of November, we’ll be going on a cheap holiday to Prague - not Spain, as per the initial plan, so it’s a good thing my Spanish never got past ‘hola’.

Like the diligent money-saver I am, I compared flight prices first on SkyScanner.net, which is great as it can give you an idiot-proof little bar chart of prices throughout the month, allowing you to pick your dates if price is your main concern.

SkyScanner told me that EasyJet would be my best option - not only were the prices dead cheap, but I could fly from Bristol at a sensible time of day (about 1pm).

A couple of things you should look out for if you’re booking a flight with EasyJet:

1) When you’ve picked your flights, you’ll be taken to a page that will explain the prices of all the extras you “might need”. Don’t assume that you have to choose these individually, as travel insurance and a baggage fee will have already been added to your total. You must un-tick these if you don’t want them (for instance, you might already have travel insurance through your credit card or bank account and, even if you don’t, the EasyJet rate is not the cheapest around).

2) If you want to put luggage in the hold, you’ll have to pay an extra £6 per journey, per person. If you’re booking a return for two adults, this means an extra £24, so bear this in mind when you’re comparing flight prices against other airlines who might not charge for luggage.

So, I’ve got my flights sorted out - now I’ve just got to organise the hotel, car parking, a guide book, a phrase book, and a new winter wardrobe in case it snows. Cheap holidays are great.