Save money by going on holiday

Going on holiday can actually help consumers save money says a travel firm specialising in holidays to Turkey.

Popular destinations such as Turkey, which is outside the Eurozone, enable families to eat more cheaply than they can at home, points out holiday accommodation specialist Artemis Travel. And by travelling in the winter, consumers can also save money by turning off their heating and lighting for a week or two.

“We all know food costs have gone up substantially this year and the current weakness of the pound against the Euro also makes many countries much more expensive,” says Artemis Travel chief executive, Nigel Harris.

“But get out of the Eurozone to places like Turkey, which has been enjoying a boom in popularity with British travellers for the last couple of years, and the reduction in the cost of living is quite dramatic,” Harris adds.

The latest Family Spending Survey from the Office of National Statistics this week showed that the average weekly household bill stood at £459. This figure covers 2007 and does not reflect the substantial increases in food and energy bills seen this year.

While in 2007 families were spending an average of £44.10 on food, Artemis says that in Turkey a weekly food shop for a family of four could be around £35. Bread costs between 10p and 20p, a whole chicken about £1.25 and a basket of fruit and vegetables, including half a kilo each of potatoes, three green vegetables, apples, oranges, bananas, mushrooms and salad, is priced at £6.25.

Artemis Travel operates three self-catering resorts with apartments, penthouses and villas near Didim in the Aegean Coast area of south-west Turkey. Next year families will be able to book accommodation on a nightly basis and choose any length of holiday.

Prices start at £4 per person per night for a two-bedroom apartment, sleeping up to six people. This means that a group of six could enjoy a fully-equipped, modern apartment for as little as £24 a night.

“We’re not seriously saying you can save money by going on holiday. But if travellers shop around for flights and head for Turkey, what they save on food effectively reduces the holiday cost still further. Go in winter, when the weather on the Aegean Coast is still very pleasant, you can turn off the central heating at home and save even more,” concludes Harris.

Written by: Nick Purdom

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