Holiday Celebrate (Creative Commons)

It’s that time again. The sun’s starting to come out, it’s getting warmer, birds are singing and trees are blossoming. Forget work, start thinking about holidays! Holidays can of course have huge costs, and so to make sure you get the best from your holiday, it’s worth keeping these tips in mind before you leave the grind behind.

Insure yourself

Although it is an initial outlay cost, the worth of it could be massive. You can insure yourself very cheaply nowadays, and if anything does happen while abroad, your insurance should cover it and so the cost to you would be far lower than without insurance. For those Europeans staying within Europe, it’s worth making sure that you have a valid European Health Insurance Card, which will make medical treatment cheaper, and you may be able to claim back some costs when you return home.

Bare minimum for your trip (Creative Commons)

Exchange foreign currency before you go abroad

Currency exchange rates are usually better if you exchange in advance, and there are various website that can compare the best providers. Never exchange at the airport – the rates there are usually among the worst you can get, and when you want to make the most of your money, that extra commission charge, or worse exchange rate, can make a huge difference if you’re exchanging a large amount of money.

Consider taking out a personal loan

If you’ve got your dream holiday planned in your mind, but you can’t quite afford it, then as long as you know you will be able to pay it off, you may wish to consider taking out a loan. There are a number of companies that can offer loans, such as Lend Me personal loans brokers, and brokers there will go through your credit history to ensure that your finances are good enough for you to be able to pay off the loan. While some may advise that it would be better to wait until you can afford it, you can say, “Whatever happened to seize the day?”

Plan ahead

Your holiday technically starts from the moment you decide to go on holiday! By planning ahead you can get the best prices on flights and hotels, and even some attractions. As well as the logistics of the holiday, it’s also worth working out what you’re going to want to do once you get out there, so buy a cheap guidebook at home and really research what you want to see and do – and maybe even book transport ahead. A well-planned holiday is far less stressful and often costs far less, and I find that when I’m planning my holiday I’m already excited before I even leave my home!

Travelling around the world is one of those things easily considered to be the true spice of life. The more one sees of the world, the more one realizes what a big, wonderful place it truly is. However, for some homeowners who trek around the globe on vacation, they end up returning home to disastrous situations. And these situations aren’t always centered on criminals who broke in or kids who decided to paint the town by trashing your house. Some of these issues include flooding and other serious types of property damage due to neglect.

There is a huge difference in leaving your home unattended and in leaving it unprotected. From tips to reduce flood damage to helpful advice that will reduce your risks of break-ins or vandalism, here are a few different ways to fully secure your home while travelling.

Different Ways to Fully Secure Your Home While Away

1: Locking Up

What does locking up your home really mean? When you’re running off to the store or going to work, locking your door is typically enough. But when you’re leaving for weeks or months, locking up takes on a completely different meaning. Make sure you truly secure your home by locking:

• Your doors
• Your windows
• Your garage
• Your basement
• Any type of access panels
• Your skylights, or any other potential entry point
• Your spare automobiles
• Your storage shed

Though criminals are notorious for breaking down doors and windows, the statistics suggest that forced entry crimes are statistically rare versus unlawful entry crimes (where a door, window or 2^nd floor French door was left unlocked). And, of course, nothing beats a good security system.

2: Shutting Down

Taking steps to avoid a break-in is essential, but it’s not only criminals and vandals that cause damage. What if you leave the gas on and something causes a spark? What if a pipe bursts, heavy rains hit, or a tap suddenly gives way? Locking up is smart, but actually shutting down your home can prevent serious property damage. Shut down your home by:

• Turning all the gas sources off
• Shutting down the main water supply
• Fortifying the basement against heavy rains
• Making sure your drainage systems are functional

There is a flipside to shutting down. Some things  you may want to leave on. For instance:

• You may want to leave your lights on for periodic use (see securing a lookout below)
• You may want to leave your land line active with a message that states “Stepped out for a bit, be back shortly, etc.”
• If you have a weekly lawn care visit, you may want to keep it

3: Securing a Lookout

Unless you live in a secluded location, trusted neighbors can be a big help while you’re away. Having one trusted neighbor tasked with keeping an eye on the home allows your home to appear occupied to those looking for abandoned houses. It also puts someone in and around the home in case it starts to flood, a fire starts, or some other unfortunate circumstance arises. A lookout can help you in numerous ways, including:

• Turning your lights on periodically to ensure a lived-in look
• Checking  your pipes and drainage systems
• Making sure no one has attempted to break in
• Storing some of your more valuable pieces
• Handling any visitors to the home

A lookout gives you extra peace of mind and guards against any smaller problems becoming much larger problems over time.

4: Removing “Secret” Entry Points

Hiding a spare key under that fake rock, the door mat or under some leaves is really dangerous at any time, particularly while you’re away for extended periods. Likewise with having a back door lock that you can shimmy open in a pinch. These might stand as secret conveniences to you, but they’re no safeguard against someone who wants to break in.

Make sure you take security seriously and remove and fix these “secret” entry points that so many homeowners have.

5: Delaying Your Mail

When your mail stacks up, it doesn’t matter that your phone is still active or that your lights come on periodically. Anyone on the lookout for empty houses will take that as a sign that your home is ripe for the picking. If you don’t have a neighbor coming over to collect your mail, make sure you cancel it for the length of your vacation, have it sent to a P.O. box, or some other solution.

Also, have any papers cancelled and don’t order any packages that may arrive while you’re away.

Securing your home is a matter of great importance, even if your trip is on the short side. You never know when a pipe will malfunction, when a flood or fire will occur, or when that friendly neighborhood cat burglar is on the prowl. The more steps you take to guard against damage and break-ins, the safer you’ll be.

Going on a holiday should always be about enjoying yourself and spending some quality time with someone you your friends or family. However, it is not always so easy and sometimes organizing the holiday itself gives you more headaches than it should. Finding the best transportation deal, the best accommodation deal and having to organize everything can be quite stressful, which takes the whole point out of a holiday. However, you may want to know the fact that there is a better solution and if you want to learn more about it and about the benefits all-inclusive holidays can bring you, then do read on.

No Headaches

One of the first and most important benefits that all-inclusive holidays can bring you is precisely avoiding all the hassle of organizing an actual holiday. With an all-inclusive holiday, all you have to do is select the location and the date and you will be arranged with the best transportation option and with the best accommodation option out there. No more phone calls and e-mails, no more confusion and no more having to face the risk of being scammed by bad holiday service providers!

Isola Bella Taormina, Sicilia, Italy, Creative Commons

Know Your Budget

Secondly, an all-inclusive holiday gives you the chance to organize your money better. Not everybody out there can actually afford spending limitless amounts of money when going on holiday and it is important that you can approximate your spending as much as possible if you are travelling on a lower budget. Since you will not have to face surprises when it comes to transportation, accommodation and some of your meals when travelling on an all-inclusive ticket, you will get a better idea of how much “pocket money” you should be taking with you in order to feel good, but not have to spend a fortune.

Save Money

Last, but most certainly not least, do take into consideration the fact that it may sometimes be much less expensive to go on an all-inclusive holiday and that is because travel agencies work on a discount. Since they have a large number of people they accommodate in certain places, they can receive discounts from those hotels and thus they can provide you with a better price for the entire service. Furthermore, they always know which the peak season is in a certain location and they will make sure to come up with all-inclusive offers that do not fall necessary within that period of time.

All in all, going for an all-inclusive holiday can be much, much more comfortable than trying to organize everything yourself. If you are a busy person, you know how much time it can take to call all the service providers, to book everything, to make the calculations and to make sure that everything is covered. With an all-inclusive ticket, everything will be much easier: you will know for sure that there are certain things included in your ticket and that you will have to take some money with you for the other things.

With its spectacular fireworks display on the banks of the river Thames and massive parties, London is of course an obvious choice for a New Year’s Eve celebration. However, for those seeking an alternative, there’s a wealth of possibility outside the UK’s capital.

In Edinburgh, thousands of revellers will take to the streets to celebrate Hogmanay, singing Auld Lang Syne and enjoying a street party of epic proportions. For a spot of Scottish tradition, there’s the world’s largest outdoor ceilidh, while the annual ‘Concert in the Gardens’ will this year see the Pet Shop Boys perform, supported by The 1975 and Nina Nesbitt. All these New Year’s Eve festivities will be preceded by a torchlight procession on 30th December, with more than 30,000 people expected to attend.

For those hoping to spend the night in warmer climes, the southern hemisphere hosts some excellent parties. The fireworks and party in Sydney, Australia are well-renowned, but for something a little different, Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, is an attractive option. The city has a festive atmosphere in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve as the competitors of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race arrive, with people gathering at the waterfront of Battery Point to welcome the sailors. Then, on 31st December, the city hosts the 25th anniversary edition of the annual Taste of Tasmania NYE bash, featuring two sets of fireworks, music, and delicious locally produced food and drink.

A little closer to home, New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam is a feast of music, champagne and deep-fried pastry snacks called oliebollen. At De Oosterdok, in front of the city’s Maritime Museum, a giant sing-along has been organised before the official countdown to midnight. To start off 2014, numerous parties will be held around the city – the largest ones will be at the Nieuwmarkt, Museumplein and Damplein. Alternatively, the night could be enjoyed on a rented boat on one of Amsterdam’s many canals.

To get to any of these locations, there’s no easier way than using a British Airways American Express credit card. Not only will you receive Avios points to put towards your next flight for almost every pound spent using the card, but other benefits include automatic membership of the British Airways Executive Club – giving you great perks like priority boarding and access to airport lounges to make your next trip extra special.

Casinos hold a lot of appeal for professionals and for those who are just starting to discover the appeal of the games of chance. Whether you are up for a game of high stake poker, slot machines with huge jackpots, or an exciting play at the roulette tables, it would be awesome to choose a casino which is not just a great venue for a change of luck but also a place where you can relish the ambiance. These days, finding a casino that looks like a vacation spot is not difficult but if you are looking for suggestions as to the best stops, here are some of the best places to check out.

1. Ibiza Gran Hotel, Ibiza, Spain

For party goers and those who are looking for an exquisite island adventure in Europe, Ibiza is the perfect stopover and the casino here is definitely a good one. The nightlife in the island is definitely exuberant and the gambling joints offer an experience in its own right. The Ibiza Gran Hotel which houses Casino de Ibiza is a sophisticated venue for a casino and it is a great place for a change in scenery if parties are starting to be a bit boring for your tastes. With its perfect setting that overlooks the Mediterranean and the Old Town, you would have a pretty background while trying your luck on the tables and on the slot machines. The full service spa and the indulgent suites would surely be a great way to unwind before or after you hit the casino.

2. The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino, Las Vegas, USA

A gambler at heart would surely be at home anywhere in Las Vegas with the sheer number of places to play a game of chance but if one is looking for utmost indulgence, The Palazzo is the perfect venue for it. This casino happens to be a sister property of another popular casino, The Venetian. This all-suite hotel has boutique-like qualities that are inspired by casinos in Europe. Any gambler would relish the palatial décor and the tasteful ambiance together with the high limit poker tables and the race and sports book.

3. Place du Casino, Monte Carlo, Monaco

High rollers on a holiday would find Monaco as a great venue to appreciate the scenery and to gamble. The Place du Casino is connected to one of the best lodgings in the country, Hotel de Paris. Plus, the wine selections and the cuisine are incomparable. Once you’ve had your fill, you would definitely fancy a trip to the setting of Casino Royale, the first James Bond novel, which is none other than Casino de Monte-Carlo in Place du Casino.

4. Marina Sands Bay, Singapore

One of the most popular things about the country is the picturesque building where decadence has been turned into reality. The infinity pool which is perched on top of this towering building is just one of the attractions of this building. The productions in the Marina Sands are definitely extravagant and those who are up for games would not be disheartened as there are over 500 tables and 2,300 slot machines to try your luck on.

5. Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, USA

Another US city which is popular for its casinos is the Atlantic City. With grandeur as the defining design of the decoration and the sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, there’s much to look forward to in this city. Those who are looking for fun can easily double their money. You can toss some coins on the slot, explore the action on the gaming tables or join some high rollers on a poker game.

Gaming would be an exciting addition to any vacation and there are tons of casinos where you can win some money and at the same time indulge in various pleasures including dining, drinking and simply watching the view.

Chicken Bus, Costa Rica by Arturo Sotillo (Creative Commons)

Exploring a new destination involves the need for two things – a good public transport network and a bit of nerve. Whilst most popular tourist resorts will be easy to get around, thanks to the whole place being geared up for foreign visitors, some destinations are off the beaten track, and those are the places that beg to be explored.

One of the biggest challenges when you first arrive in your chosen country is getting from the airport to resort. If you’ve booked through a large holiday company, such as a package break through Thomas Cook or Thomson, for example, then you’re likely to be met at the airport door by a rep, and taken to a large coach, which will whisk you to your hotel. Of course the downside of this is that many others will also be going through the same process, and the coach will probably take a while to get to your particular hotel.

I often book my holiday parts separately; I don’t tend to go down the package holiday route, and this means I book my transfer separately too. If you go for this option, be sure to choose a reputable company, I always book mine through Travel Republic, and I’ve never run into problems. A smaller shuttle bus means less stops, and that of course means you get to your hotel quicker!

Once you’re in your resort and you’ve sampled the local delights a little, I’d highly recommend putting on your exploration head. I recently jumped on the local bus on a visit to Marmaris, and went to the regional city of Mugla. Whilst we had no idea where we were going, it was easy by asking a few questions, remembering lots of pleases and thank you’s and being a bit brave! It was a great day out and no matter where you are, it’s always worth heading off and seeing what’s out and about. However, always remember to stay safe, and never venture off alone, or without telling anyone where you’re going. It’s all common sense really.

Travelling around is always the most stressful part of any holiday, but I always find the UK side of it more stressful than anything! Getting to the airport is full of pitfalls and can often be costly if you’re having to factor in taxis and public transport. Airport parking really is a godsend for anyone wanting to cut down on cost and stress. I regularly use BCP for parking at Heathrow, and I’ve never found reason to complain! This service offers many perks, and if you’re travelling with children, it certainly lowers stress levels and offers comfort. No matter where you fly from, you’ll find a service to suit. There are fantastic facilities for Manchester Airport parking, and most other regional airports too, so certainly check out what’s available near you.

Getting out and about is a must, not just an option – be brave, be safe, and go explore!

Seven, eight, nine, even twenty-odd hours on a plane? Oh no, thank you!

Long haul flying is never fun, and even though where you’re heading should be enough to get you through, it’s the mid-point that really tests your metal. ‘Why didn’t I book Spain?’ You’ll ask yourself! However, once you land and you get over the bit of jet-lag that is inevitable, you’ll forget the flight and will be too busy enjoying the sun in your far-flung resort.

If you get enough rest before you fly, you’ll give yourself a bit of a head start, and your mid-point ‘why am I doing this?’ trauma won’t last quite as long. I’ve stayed at many of the hotels near Gatwick Airport, and this idea as a whole is a fantastic suggestion for resting up before any travel plans. This is even more important with long-haul flying, even from a health point of view, and also has the huge advantage of adding a bit of extra time to your holiday. When is that ever a bad thing?

I travel regionally quite a lot, and my nearest airport is Luton. Where there are many great value fares to be found. If like you’re like me, check out the Luton Airport hotels from Holiday Extras , and check out the great range on offer, at budget-budgeting prices. Your mid-flight questioning will thank you for it! Once you arrive at your destination, acclimatise yourself with the time as quickly as possible, as this will starve off the effects of jet-lag and leave you free to enjoy the place it’s taken you so long to get to! Make sure you sleep at the time you would if you lived there, and eat at the time you would if you lived there – in short, you need to pretend you live in this paradise place! Your body will quickly realise which time zone it’s in and even though you may feel a little groggy, it will at least be manageable.

Whilst you’re stuck on the plane, wishing you could get to your destination a bit quicker, you’ll be thankful if you managed to plan some activities beforehand. Download some books onto your Kindle, a few games to play, buy some magazines, watch some films, do whatever you need to do to occupy your mind. A definite tip is not to watch the on-screen map! I once did this all the way to Orlando, and I’ve never known time go so slow! You know the saying, a watched kettle never boils? In this case, it’s true!

At the end of the day, your flight might be tough, but remember this – you’re going somewhere amazing, and every second spent on the plane is a second closer to your own personal paradise.

We all enjoy having nice memories of our holiday trips. After a lovely trip you come home and you start looking at your photos and remember the places you’ve visited, the things you’ve seen and the feelings you’ve experienced. Every memory can last forever with just a single click. That is why knowing how to take pictures may save your vacation and leave you with things to boast about when returning to your friends and family.

Taking pictures travel tips (creative commons)

The first tip for taking the best travel pictures ever is to take a step back. You’ll probably encounter many breathtaking landscapes and locations, but the most important factor is to be able to surprise an entire overview of the place.

The most beautiful photographs are the ones taken to the people you are travelling with. So don’t forget the faces. The scenery may be swell, but the most important thing is to capture the person’s reaction and their body language. You want to see how your child smiles because he’s happy that you managed to take him on such a lovely journey, or the look on your partner’s face when mesmerized by the beauty that follows the view.

Don’t forget to catch the small details. Whether it’s a flower or a bug or maybe just a fountain or a cloud, everything will express the beauty of the place you’re visiting.

Taking pictures tips (creative commons)

Also, watch out for the wildfire. Everyone loves pictures that present something unique and maybe scary so be careful to catch on camera some sort of creature or plant that can only be spotted in that region.

Learn how to capture the illusion. A useful trick is to make as many photos as possible regarding the same thing but from different angles. Later on you can crop the photos and make a good one out of many that don’t look great.

When travelling you’ll make plenty of pictures in the dark so it’s better to avoid having blank pictures. Correct the light as much as your camera allows you to.

Set the shutter speed. This is very useful especially when travelling with your children. They are playful and they definitely find it hard to stay still, so if you want to catch them properly on camera remember that life is fast.

Give everyone a camera is possible. And of course, avoid the clichés! Don’t make photos that everybody has ; try to be original and to catch on camera something that was never seen or done before.

Many people do not bother looking at top-range hotels when searching for a holiday as they automatically assume these places will be well out of their price range. Little do people know, it is actually more than possible to nab yourself a luxury hotel at a dirt-cheap price. In reality, hardly anyone actually pays the full asking price for luxury hotels anymore due to the plethora of ways in which you can game the system to get a well-priced deal. By wising up and learning a few tricks that others might not know, you could find yourself relaxing in a luxury hotel before you know it. Here are just some of the ways by which you can grab yourself, your partner or your family a great deal.

Zero in on Special Offers

Online travel agencies and travel retailers are just like their brick-and-mortar counterparts in that they often have sales were they slash prices in order to move stock. If you can be flexible with your holiday dates and timing, then it is almost always worth waiting around for a sale and seeing what bargains you can find. The trick is to act quickly: many sales on travel websites are while rooms last or limited for a certain number of hours. Keep a keen eye and you will likely stumble upon a deal that could get you into a quality hotel.

Follow Your Favourites on Social Media

Perhaps one of the problems with flash sales and last-minute deals is that people can often beat you to the punch and snap up the best hotel rooms at the best prices before you can blink. If you feel like taking a luxury break soon but are waiting for a sale, then why not keep an eye on travel retailers via social media? By following travel agents and retailers on Twitter or Facebook, you can see when the best deals are happening as soon as they happen. Most travel retailers keep their pages busy and up-to-date (as you can see here), meaning you’ll never miss out on another deal again if you keep a hawk-eye on your social media feeds. If you are not a Facebook fanatic, then you can go old-school and sign-up for an email newsletter instead!

Last-minute Specials

The big secret of the holiday industry is that no hotel—including high-end luxury hotels— wants empty rooms, and because of this prices often drop massively as you approach a certain date. Many agencies and retailers capitalise on this fact to offer great deals to last-minute holiday makers, meaning that you can often get a great deal if you don’t mind going on holiday at the drop of a hat. Checking somewhere like the lastminute.com luxury hotel picks is a great way to find some of these last minute specials for high-end hotels. Just take a look and you will be amazed at the big brand hotels you can find, often at surprisingly low prices.

Prepping your strategy

Once you have a few of these tricks up your sleeve, it should be rather easy to find yourself a quality hotel within your price range. As always with hotels, flexibility is key: if you can book your travel around your hotel and not the other way around, you are likely to save a fortune in hotel fees. So stop assuming luxury hotels are out of your price range and get online and start searching: your dream luxury holiday could be right within your grasp.

Julia Nichols is a freelance travel writer and blogger on low-budget travelling and backpacking. She is travelling the world on a shoestring budget and shares her tips with fellow travellers on various outlets.

I decided to go away at New Year; it was a great idea at the time. What I didn’t bargain on, and really I should have known better, was how much the flights cost! So to save money, I decided to book a flight from Gatwick, and headed down the day before, booking one of the many hotels on offer with AirportHotels.com, within a short distance from the terminal.

This turned out to be one of the best things I could ever have done, and in future, I will certainly be repeating the experience!

For a great quote, I stayed at one of the Gatwick hotels namely the Hilton Gatwick, perfectly situated for my flight the next day from Gatwick’s south terminal. Never again will I be travelling to the airport on the same day, rushed, stressed out and ready to scream at someone, not pausing to breathe until I’m safely past security, with my suitcase in someone else’s hands, and no need for me to panic about what I have forgotten, because it’s simply too late. In the past, my holiday hasn’t really started until I land in my resort, in fact, until I check-in to my resort hotel, but when I booked an on-site hotel, I found my holiday started earlier, which is never a bad thing, in my opinion.

There are many Gatwick Airport hotels to choose from, all offering great value for money and a relaxing atmosphere, perfect for a pre-holiday chill-out. I was treated to free wifi, so I could chat to my friends without worrying about a ticking internet cafe clock, all the bathroom facilities you would expect, meaning a relaxing, hot shower before leaving to for the airport, a TV in my room, to help me drop off to sleep, and there was even a gym but needless to say, I didn’t make use of that. I had breakfast before I left, after my shower, so I arrived at the terminal, in perfect walking distance, looking fresh-faced, hair not standing on end, clothes not crumpled, and with a smile on my face. I think it’s the first time I actually arrived at the airport without looking like I’d had a big shock, or been dragged through a hedge backwards.

You’ll find all these facilities generally as standard at airport hotels, and with the large number of year-around flights heading out of Gatwick, it makes sense there is a wide range of hotels to suit every budget, from the simple and relaxing, to the sparkling and luxurious – the choice really is yours.

My stay at the Hilton really has cemented in my mind that in the future, I will book a hotel prior to travelling, and for anyone fed up with starting their holiday rushed and stressed out, there really is no better remedy.