How To Plan A Weekend Trip On A Budget – 5 Top Tips

Last Updated on 9th July 2023

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Weekend breaks are often my favourite type of holiday as you’re able to see and enjoy a certain place in just a few days. Whether it’s travelling to somewhere in Europe, or you decide to just spend a weekend in a nearby city, weekends away are often just what we need.

I’m a firm believer that you don’t have to spend insane amounts of money on a holiday in order for you to enjoy yourself; sometimes the best places are the unexpected (and cheap!) ones.

In my guide below, I’m sharing my top tips on how to plan a weekend trip on a budget!

1. Plan ahead – how to plan a weekend trip on a budget

This may seem like a blatantly obvious point to make but it’s one that can often be overlooked. Most people get around 28 days of annual leave per year, and with the added bonus of bank holidays and weekends, it can actually be remarkably easy to sneak in plenty of trips throughout the year.

Sit down at the start of the year and work out roughly when you’d like to take a trip; take into account all the possible bank holidays and you’ll find that you have a pretty good selection of dates available to take a weekend break.

2. Do your research

There have been countless times when I’ve heard the words “Ooh, so and so is very expensive at that time of year!”. While it’s true that many of the major tourist hotspot destinations will pull on the purse strings a little bit, it’s also important to remember that there are ways around it.

Doing your research before your trip can really help you to save a few pennies without having to scrimp out on the things you want to do. Naturally, the most popular tourist places will be more expensive so it’s a good idea to look at restaurants/bars/attractions off the beaten track.

Not only will you discover something that you’d have otherwise missed, but you’ll also be saving a pretty penny too. Also, if you’re only there for a weekend then your time will be pretty precious so it’s ideal to find things that you don’t have to queue for hours to see!

3. Make sure you get the best deals on your flights

When booking flights to anywhere, whether it’s a week away in Spain or just a trip over to Budapest, Matt and I always take to the likes of Skyscanner and Google flights to find the cheapest deals. If you can be flexible with your dates, e.g. opting to go for the end of March instead of at the beginning, for example, then you can find yourself saving a decent amount of money.

It’s no secret that airlines change the prices of their flights depending on things like season and demand so making sure you’re as flexible as possible when it comes to your weekend away can really help you save.

4. Pre-book any activities or tours before you go

Our biggest mistake when we went to Amsterdam is that we didn’t think to book things before we went so it meant we missed out on the likes of the Anne Frank Museum and the Van Gogh Museum. As we were only there for a few days, it meant we should have booked beforehand as there were no available tickets on the days we tried to visit.

One of my biggest tips would definitely be to book before your trip as not only are you much more likely to be guaranteed tickets, but you’re also likely to save some money by booking online.

5. Work with your budget to get the best accommodation possible

My favourite site to use to search for accommodation options is Booking.com as there’s an incredible amount of hotels and apartments available at a range of prices. It’s also a good idea to check the likes of Airbnb as they often have incredible deals at much more affordable prices.

It’s important to look around on various websites at various times of the year as well to ensure that you get the best deal possible; sometimes it may be cheaper to go somewhere Thursday to Sunday instead of Friday to Monday, for example.

Related posts:

• 3 Days In Munich Itinerary – The Ultimate Weekend Guide
• 3 Days In Gdańsk – Best Things To Do In Gdańsk & 3 Awesome Itineraries
• The Best 2 Days In Brussels Itinerary
• Is Munich Expensive To Visit? How To Visit Munich On A Budget
• Weekend In York Itinerary – How To Spend 2 Days In York For First-Time Visitors

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What are your best tips for planning a weekend away on a budget? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter at @imjustagirl_16.