We share tips for how to plan a budget holiday with your children — plus find out how to get our Holidays From £9.50
TRAVELLING with kids can be fun and memorable – but can cost a packet, too.
In fact, the average price of a week-long family holiday is just shy of £3,000, according to M&S Bank.
Here, we team up with mother-of-two and founder Hollie Gregersen to find out how to save a little cash on your next trip.
- Pack the basics. Take key items such as sun cream and shampoo to avoid expensive shop prices when you get to your destination.
- Explore the outdoors. Find out where the nearest parks are. Children can enjoy simple pleasures such as cloud-spotting, daisy chain-making and building a den there.
- Plan meals in advance. Always take a packed lunch. Places such as theme parks make their money from the high cost of food and drink.
- Teach kids about money. Give the children a small amount of spending money for the day on the understanding that once they’ve spent it, it’s gone. It will stop children asking for treats every two minutes.
- Take advantage of open days. Search local council websites to see if there are any taster sessions or open days at museums and galleries. These could be arts and crafts-related or a great way to try new sports for free while you are away.
- Look out for offers. Take up any deals available to help cut costs. Collect coupons on cereal boxes or use loyalty card points to save money on family tickets to theme parks and attractions.
- Use free apps. Explore a new city with children for less by using free apps, such as Geocaching. This is a global outdoor treasure hunt game. It’s a great way to keep older children entertained, and encourages siblings to work together without spending any money on expensive attractions.
Save Big
YOUR little one will love this high-back booster car seat with characters from movie Frozen.
For tots 9kg to 36kg and available at Mothercare.
WAS: £69.99
NOW: £34.99
SAVE: £35.00
Save Small
BOOTS has a deal on Huggies nappies for little swimmers 7kg to 15kg.
They have special absorbent material that won’t swell up like a normal nappy.
WAS: £5.50
NOW: £4
SAVE: £1.50
Reader's Tip
MARY MIDDLETON from Brighton, a travel blogger on and mother of one, says: “Book as soon as you can if you’re restricted to school holidays.
"Ask the school for a copy of the next academic year calendar.
"Go for super early and late flights – they are least popular. For example, I’ve flown back to the UK on a 6am flight and gone straight to the office!"
- Prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
The Sun's Holidays From £9.50
EVERYONE’S favourite bargain breaks are back.
We have sent millions of Sun readers on holiday over an impressive 28 years and you too can join in the fun. This time we have new locations, more dates and more availability than ever before.
There are an incredible 326 parks to choose from, all across the UK as well as in top European destinations such as France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Croatia. Holidays run from February to November 2018.
You can book a three-night weekend break or those of you who are able to go Monday – Friday can take advantage of our special midweek offer and get four nights for the price of three. Make sure you are signed up to Sun Savers our brilliant rewards club.
It’s easy to join and is the quickest way to book your Hols from £9.50. Sign up today using the app or at , then collect NINE Sun Savers codes from those printed daily until January 30. You will need to opt in to the promotion by clicking ‘start collecting’ in the offers section and then collect your nine codes.
The best holidays go quickly, so make sure you get in early to book yours.
- Price per person based on four sharing. Subject to availability. Code collect. Terms and conditions and date restrictions apply.
'Every break is like a big adventure'
SUN saver Miranda Washington can’t get over the unbeatable value-for-money of our amazing Sun Holidays.
The 32-year-old full-time mum started going on the bargain breaks last year with hubby James and their three-year-old son, Devon – and has since been away three times.
She thought the getaways were too good to be true after a friend recommended them on Facebook.
“It sounded ridiculous,” admits, Miranda, who lives in Worthing, West Sussex. “How could you get a decent holiday for such a small amount of money? But we thought we would give it a go. And our trip to Parkdean Resorts Vauxhall in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, couldn’t have been better.
“Devon was in his element. We love going on coastal walks as a family and if there is anything for him to climb, he can’t get enough of it. That’s why he really likes the adventure playgrounds. We tend to choose locations that are near beaches as he also really likes splashing in the sea.
“We found the entertainment is excellent and Devon is not shy when it comes to entering competitions – the staff put so much effort into making sure children have fun.
“It’s great for us to see Devon mixing with the other kids. It means we get the chance to sit back, relax and enjoy ourselves as well.”
Miranda has also been to Bunn Leisure Holiday Park in Selsey, West Sussex, with her pal Rachael Tyson, 33.
Miranda says: “I had such a good experience the first time that when Rachael suggested a few days away, I piped up with a Sun Holiday.
“It was a chance for us to have a break and it did us the world of good.”
But Devon and James weren’t going to miss out on another Sun Holiday so the family headed to Butlin’s Bognor Regis, also in West Sussex, at the end of last year.
Miranda says: “There was so much for Devon to do. He didn’t stop, from the moment we unpacked. He found the whole stay one spectacular adventure.
“He is excited to go again so it’s a good job the Sun codes have just started. And now using the money that I have earned with Sun Savers, the cost of the holiday is going to be even cheaper.”
It was a chance for us to have a break and it did us the world of good
Miranda Washington
James, 37, a security control room manager, adds: “I work long hours so appreciate the quality time I get to have with Devon on a Sun Holiday. We bundle everything into the car and off we go. The holiday starts as soon as we close our front door.
“As for the cost, Miranda has hit on a winner. She certainly knows a bargain when she sees one.”
Here are ten reasons to try a brilliant holiday from £9.50.
- We have been sending Sun readers on holiday for 28 years.
- We’re the biggest operator of short breaks in the UK.
- Choose from 326 great parks.
- Pay-only-£9.50 dates at 293 parks.
- Stay in the UK or head to parks in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Croatia.
- More than 48 million Sun readers have holidayed with us. That many people can’t be wrong!
- Book online for instant confirmation.
- We guarantee the best price on your holiday or will refund the difference plus £10 (T&Cs at ).
- We have something for everyone, from spas and golf courses to live entertainment and amusements.
- With dates from February to November, you are sure to find a holiday to suit you.
Holiday Q&A
WHAT IS SUN SAVERS?
Sun Savers is our new rewards club.
To register download the Sun Savers app or go online at .
You can get free cash just for buying your favourite paper.
Just pick up the paper each day to collect Sun Savers codes and once you have collected 28 we will give you £5 cash.
Plus, great extra benefits such as early booking access to Hols from £9.50.
WHY SHOULD I BOOK MY HOLIDAY FROM £9.50 THROUGH SUN SAVERS?
Sun Savers is super-simple and the only way to get early access to booking your holiday so you can get first dibs on the best dates and parks.
WHEN DOES HOLS FROM £9.50 START?
The promotion will be running in-paper from tomorrow, Saturday, January 6 to Tuesday, January 30.
Your codes will only count towards your Holiday from £9.50 from Saturday, January 6.
Once signed up to Sun Savers click offers and “start collecting” in the Hols from £9.50 promotion from Saturday, January 6.
HOW MANY SUN SAVERS CODES WILL I NEED TO BOOK MY HOLIDAY FROM £9.50?
You will need to scan a total of NINE Sun Savers codes consecutively from Saturday, January 6 to unlock booking on Sunday, January 14 – that’s one less than people collecting in-paper tokens!
I RECEIVED A HOLS FROM £9.50 BONUS CODE IN THE POST/VIA MY EMAIL BUT IT WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO ADD IT ON THE APP/WEBSITE?
Bonus codes cannot be scanned until the first day of the promotion, which is tomorrow, Saturday, January 6.
You can add it any day from then until the end of the promotion (Tuesday, January 30). As well as scanning your bonus code (only if you received one) you will also need to grab your Sun Savers code from inside the paper tomorrow.
DO I HAVE TO COLLECT WITH SUN SAVERS FOR MY HOLIDAY FROM £9.50?
No, you can still collect tokens and codewords but you will need to collect ten and you won’t get early access to booking.
How to make the most of our deals
HERE are ten top tips for finding your perfect Sun holiday.
- Book a midweek break and enjoy four fantastic nights for the price of three.
- Go midweek, off peak, for the most amazing value of all.
- If possible, avoid weekends. Demand is highest at weekends and so are prices.
- Avoid school holidays if you can, as these are always the most popular dates of all.
- Always select FOUR parks and FOUR dates.
- Choose areas with lots of amazing parks, such as East Anglia and Cornwall.
- Tick the “any park in area” box to virtually guarantee a holiday on your chosen dates.
- Go early in the year, as spring dates offer the most incredible choice and value for money.
- Choose “NO EXTRAS” dates or dates with free passes. There is loads of availability and the most amazing deals.
- Get early access and book online with Sun Savers.
'We tour whole UK... there are no limits'
HAPPY couple Lin and Pete Murphy are walking their way around Britain, thanks to their pace-setting super Sun Holidays.
Retired teaching assistant Lin had already experienced our marvellous money-saving getaways with a group of walking pals.
So after meeting Pete during an organised ten-mile singles trek, she suggested they walk out on a Sun Holiday together.
Eleven years, hundreds of miles of coastal walking and several Sun Holidays later, the couple, from Worcester, are still going strong and looking forward to collecting the latest codes to start planning their walking trips for 2018.
Lin, 66, says: “Sun Holidays are amazing value for money.
“They work brilliantly for us. We take advantage of the midweek breaks and get the chance to explore lots of different parts of the UK.
“The parks are of a good quality with excellent accommodation.
“Once we have unpacked we are free to walk or cycle to our hearts’ content. We have been on some fantastic walks and have superb memories from all the places.”
Lin adds that one of their favourite breaks was to The Causeway Coast holiday park on the North Antrim coastal route, which provided the perfect base to explore Northern Ireland’s stunning scenery. They have also been to Haven Doniford Bay in Watchet, Somerset, where they walked the eight miles to Dunster Castle and the ten-mile trek to the West Somerset Steam Railway.
Retired engineer Pete, 63, says: “The holidays actually start when you look at choosing the parks – there are so many up for grabs.
"This year we would like to go to Northumberland or even venture up to Scotland. With Sun Holidays there are no limits!”
Fancy a free fiver?
YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.
Our brilliant new rewards club will pay back our most loyal readers.
Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have collected 28.
This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.
For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.
We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.
Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at .
What is Sun Savers? Here's everything you need to know about our new rewards club
MOST READ IN MONEY
To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.
With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.
TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps.
All we’ll ask of you is your name, your date of birth and an email address to get you on the way to your first crisp fiver.
You can choose to save or cash out straight to your bank account or instantly with Paypal.
Don’t delay — join Sun Savers now!