Taking children on a family holiday for quality time and creating positive memories is something all parents look forward to but, despite a UK economy in recovery, over half of parents (53 per cent) struggle to afford one.
A survey of over 2,000 parents by award-winning insurer for campervans, motorhomes and caravans, comfort-insurance.co.uk, found over half (54 per cent) think their financial situation isn’t back to the same state it was pre-recession. Holidays are one of the top three things which suffer when families feel stretched. Almost two-thirds of parents (64 per cent) say cost is the biggest factor when planning a family holiday, with 5 in 10 admitting they’ve avoided booking a holiday due to cost. Almost three-quarters of parents (70 per cent) seek value for money above anything else.
Leisure vehicle holiday could provide the cost effective solution – saving £1,000!
With the increase in popularity of VW campervans over the recent years and the potential to save over £1,000* compared to a standard family package holiday, leisure vehicles are a serious holiday contender. Over 68 per cent of parents say their children would enjoy the freedom and flexibility of a motorhome, campervan or caravan holiday. Of course, this would also mean children could also bring their pet along with them – one of the top three things children would most love to bring on holiday, according to comfort-insurance.co.uk findings.
“Leisure vehicle holidays have the potential to save families thousands over the years, which could really benefit parents whilst they are still feeling the pinch. They’re a great investment, hold their value, last for years and even allow you to take the dog with you to join in on the fun!” says Pete Cue, founder and director of Comfort Insurance.
Top Tips
Peter Cue, shares some of his knowledge, experience and expertise from his twenty-five years in the business to give you some top tips on how to make your family’s leisure vehicle holiday as cost-effective as possible.
Time of year
Travelling during certain times of the year will vary in cost. The peak season (between June and August) will be generally cost more in comparison to May and September because most families plan to get away during the school holidays. Avoid these higher costs by planning your holiday during the low season.
Plan your route
Where you go can affect the overall cost of a holiday, for example, it will be more expensive to visit a popular beach resort during the summer months instead of driving to a less well-known place. Therefore, it is important to plan your route and locations so that you can maximise the cost-effective places to explore.
Create an itinerary
Plan what you’re going to do each day of your holiday so you can allocate your spending budget accordingly. The cost of entry to local attractions, souvenirs, food and drink for the day and any other extras, can really add up! Therefore, planning what activities your family will be doing in advance will give you an idea of how much money you’ll spend.
Save on fuel
Selecting where you fill up is vital. Generally, supermarket fuel stations offer the cheapest prices. However, large chains are reacting and becoming more competitive with their pricing strategy.
Buying fuel at motorway services will no doubt be more expensive than any other fuel station – mainly because drivers will have little choice to stop there to refill, therefore you should avoid these places.
Look after you vehicle
Keep your motorhome, campervan or caravan well maintained and looked after (e.g. oil level, water level & tyre pressure). This will help to avoid any damages whilst on holiday which could ultimately save you having to claim on your insurance.
Cook family meals in your leisure vehicle
Aim to cook a few family meals in your leisure vehicle to avoid pricey meals out. Buying food from the supermarket could save you a lot of pennies!
*Saving of over £1,000 based on below calculations for family of four for one week (seven days):
- Motorhome or campervan holiday = £308.38
- London to Dorset (301.8 miles round trip)
- Newlands Holiday Park (newlandsholidays.co.uk) mid-season (grass with electric hook-up) – 1-5 May, 27 May-23 July, 31 August-12 Sept and 24-31 October (newlandsholidays.co.uk/Tariff/Camping-and-Touring.aspx) = £23 per day/£161 in total
- Fuel = £100
- Gas = £10 (will last a month)
- Cost of motorhome/Campervan based on
- Second-hand Swift Escape 664 diesel motorhome
- If sold after 3 years loses approximate value of £5,000
- 1 week = £32
- Fully comprehensive insurance, inc breakdown cover with www.comfort-insurance.co.uk (1 week – based on £280 for 1 year) = £5.38
- Average package holiday = £1,516 (inc travel insurance £1,564)
- London Gatwick to Tenerife (inc flight, transfers, 15kg luggage each & resort service)
- Mid-season 1st-8th September
- Family Garden Compostela Beach hotel (self-catering 1 bedroom apartment)
- ATOL protection
- Priced on 16/02/2015 – http://bit.ly/1zZHxGJ
- Holiday travel insurance (standard travel cover from the Post Office) = £48
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This article is taken from Dadzclub.com
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