Our Top Tips for a Thrifty Family Holiday

Let’s face it, a family holiday can be a costly exercise and it doesn’t just stop when you’ve found somewhere to stay.  Days out, feeding everyone and treats along the way all add up.  Well, here’s our top tips for finding a holiday cottage to suit your budget and getting the most from your pennies whilst you’re here in Suffolk.

1.    Search outside the hotspots.  Like everywhere, Suffolk has its popular destinations, Southwold and Aldeburgh perhaps being the most well-known.  But staying in a holiday cottage just a short drive away from those areas can get you more cottage for your pound.  There are many delightful villages and market towns waiting to be discovered between the popular seaside resorts of Southwold and Aldeburgh that are ideal for a family holiday, and let’s not forget the traditional seaside towns of Lowestoft and Felixstowe with their golden sandy beaches and glittering amusement arcades, where accommodation prices tend to be a little lower.  

2.    Check out our special offers page for cancellation bargains.  Sometimes life gets in the way of best laid plans and holidays have to be cancelled.  This means that there’s cottages out there than need to be filled and therefore there are some great deals to be had.  Take a look to see what’s available at the moment.

3.    Keep your eyes peeled for new properties.  Here at Suffolk Secrets we are always adding new properties to our portfolio and often these are launched with a special offer in place, particularly those launched close to the summer season.  See our latest properties here.

4.    Holiday with others.  Bringing the grandparents or uncles and aunties along for an extended family holiday provides so much opportunity for quality time and memory making, but can often make your holiday more cost effective too.  Booking a larger property for more people can bring down the cost per person. 

5.    Use our collection of local discount vouchers.  We’ve negotiated some really great special offers with various local partners including places to eat, days out and shopping.  When you book a cottage holiday with Suffolk Secrets these vouchers will be emailed to you 7 days before your arrival.

6.    Pack your picnic stuff.  There’s lots to remember when packing for a family holiday, but to enjoy your days out and look after the pennies, don’t forget to pack your picnic rug, cool bag and ice packs. Buying lunch out every day can really blow the budget.

7.    Make the most of the beach.  For kids there’s nothing better than a day at the seaside and the good news is it’s completely free!  For sandcastles and soft shelving sea perfect for body boarding and splashing around check out Lowestoft where the beach is just magical and seems to go on for ever.

8.    Geocaching.  If you’ve never heard of it, Geocaching is like modern day treasure hunting.  There are millions of ‘caches’ of all shapes and sizes hidden all over the world and Suffolk has more than its fair share.  Simply download the Geocach app (which costs a few pounds) decide which ‘treasure’ you want to find and start your quest.  Once you’ve found it, put it back safely for the next person, log it on your app, then start your quest to find another one.  It’s amazing fun for the whole family, a cunning way to disguise a walk if your child is one that groans at the mention of the ‘w’ word, and a great way to explore Suffolk.

9.    Bring the kids to a Suffolk Secrets Beach Camp.  Enjoying the beach safely is really important and over the summer holidays, we’ll be running a series of free beach fun sessions with Waveney Surf Life Saving Club to teach kids about how to avoid the dangers of the sea and the beach.  There will be games, splashing around, goody bags and certificates!  More information will be available very soon, so watch this space.

10.    Buy quality bacon.  Crabbing is something that many children have fond holiday memories of, and Walberswick is the place to do it.  The crabs are savvy little fellows and there are may lines to choose from over the summer, so a top tip for a full day of fun is don’t scrimp on the bait – a decent think cut bacon will buy you a whole day of fun!

And there you have it.  If you have any other top tips for enjoying Suffolk on a budget we’d love to hear them!