Five tips and tricks for saving money this summer by travel expert Chelsea Dickenson
9 Aug 2022
It looks like Brits need a holiday now more than ever. After all, joint research by Bolt and OnePoll revealed that 50% of UK holidaymakers haven’t been abroad since before the pandemic began.
But with the cost of living crisis hitting finances hard, only 1 in 10 Brits say they’ll be more frivolous with holiday budgets this summer. The majority will be looking for economical ways to make their budgets stretch.
The study found that 49% of UK holidaymakers pack lightly to avoid additional luggage costs, 43% buy sunscreen from a £1 shop, and 45% choose self-catered accommodation to reduce expenses. 37% of respondents even suggested they’d be happy to forgo a fancy restaurant and get a takeaway instead.
Saving on transport
Interestingly, 40% of respondents said they’d look at alternative modes of transport to avoid the hike in both car hire and petrol costs.
For those looking to cut transport costs, 36% said they’d use ride-hailing apps, 34% electric scooters, and 59% would walk.
How to save money this summer
With cost-cutting clearly high on the agenda, we asked travel expert Chelsea Dickenson from @cheapholidayexp for her top tips and tricks to save money this summer:
Use ride-hailing apps — “Airport taxis can often be one of the most expensive ways of getting to your accommodation, so I always research if ride-hailing apps like Bolt are available at my destination. It removes the anxiety around being overcharged as you’re told in advance what you can expect to pay, and they’ll simply charge the card on your profile — meaning no faff and no need to find local currency as soon as you land.
Save money on your luggage — “A recent hack I showcased to save money on luggage (by using a neck pillow full of extra clothing!) has been watched over 4 million times, so people are definitely looking to try something new to save the pennies.”
Try something new — “People used to booking the same holiday every year are finding a big difference between current and pre-pandemic prices. However, this doesn’t mean they should give up on the hope of a holiday. Instead, you should use this as a chance to try something new — be that a destination, a transport type, or even food and drink whilst you’re away.”
Focus on cheap accommodation — “I’ve seen a huge increase in the number of questions I receive around saving money — particularly about cheap flights. However, I always tell people to focus on cheap accommodation and daily costs to get a great value getaway that won’t cost a fortune after you’ve booked the flight.”
Order like a local — “If you want to save money but still want to enjoy the food, independent eateries are often available on food delivery apps like Bolt. So why not order in like a local instead? And if you don’t have the space in your accommodation, why not take your meal to your closest green space or beach to tick off another experience at the same time?!”
If you need to move around hassle-free and safely this summer, download the Bolt app and check the transport options available at your next holiday destination. From ride-hailing to electric scooters (outside of the UK), there’s a Bolt waiting for you in more than 500 cities globally.
And if you are headed to one of our top destinations, enter the following promo codes into the Bolt app for a special discount!
Use SUMMERFRANCE for 8 euros off your first trip in France
Use SUMMERSPAIN for 7 euros off your first trip in Spain
Use SUMMERPORTUGAL for 6 euros off your first trip in Portugal
T&Cs: Offer valid only in France, Portugal and Spain for rides, scooters and e-bikes based on availability. No minimum spend necessary to redeem the offer. Available to first time Bolt app users only. Expires 30/09/2022. Bolt Passenger T&Cs apply.
