How to make your money go further on holiday this summer

A nine-night holiday abroad now costs the average UK adult around £1,389 all-in, and for a family of four the total typically comes to somewhere around £3,900. Those numbers are already stretching a lot of budgets, and that’s before the additional costs get added on top: airport exchange rates, card fees, roaming charges and the rest.

The good news is that several of the biggest holiday money mistakes are genuinely easy to fix, and they can save you a meaningful amount without changing the holiday itself. Here are some of the things to watch out for that can free up cash to make the memories that really count.

Avoid airport exchange rates if you can help it

Airport bureaux de change are convenient, but that convenience comes at a high price. The exchange rate on offer at the airport is often the worst available in the UK, sometimes significantly so. Online travel money providers typically offer better rates, and ordering in advance means you can compare before you commit.

The rule of thumb is simple: the less time you leave it before your trip, the fewer options you have, and providers who know you are about to board a plane are not competing very hard for your business.

How to get a better exchange rate

Compare rates from multiple online providers using a comparison site like Moneysupermarket before you order. Tesco Travel Money, the Post Office, and specialist providers all offer online rates that beat the airport. Most offer home delivery or click-and-collect. Even a 3% difference on £500 of currency saves you £15.

A hotel near the airport with parking included can cost less than the parking alone

Airport car parking is one of the costs that catches people out most. At the UK's busiest airports, on-site parking for two weeks can run to £150 or more if left to the last minute. But a hotel near the airport that includes parking for the duration of your trip often works out cheaper, and gives you a much more relaxed start to the holiday on top of it.

The way it works is simple. You book a hotel near the airport for the night before your flight, your car stays in the hotel's car park while you are away, and a shuttle takes you to the terminal in the morning. When you land, the shuttle collects you and brings you back to your car. For families with an early departure, it also means no 3am alarm and a long motorway drive with tired children in tow.

What to check when booking a park and fly package

• Shuttle: confirm whether the transfer to and from the terminal is included in the price and how frequently it runs. Some hotels charge separately or operate only at set times.

• Overnight parking: check whether the car park fee for the night of your stay is included, as some packages price it separately. Duration: make sure the included parking covers your full trip length. A two-week holiday needs 14 or 15 nights of parking depending on your departure and return days.

• Book early: prices on these packages rise closer to the date, and popular summer departures sell out well in advance.

Comparison sites list park and fly packages by airport with prices updated daily, and it is worth comparing a few dates either side of your planned departure if you have any flexibility, as prices can vary significantly day to day.

Taking the train to the airport cuts out parking costs entirely

If you are flying from Manchester or one of the London airports, the train is worth seriously considering because the connections are genuinely fast, frequent and cheap - and they remove the cost and stress of airport parking in one go.

At Manchester, the airport has its own dedicated train station sitting directly between Terminals 2 and 3, with a covered walkway connecting to the terminal buildings. Trains run as regularly as every ten minutes from around 4am to 1am, seven days a week, operated by TransPennine Express and Northern Rail. The journey from Manchester city centre takes around 20 minutes, and direct services also run from Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, York and Doncaster, meaning the airport is within easy reach for much of the North. Advance tickets booked online are significantly cheaper than walk-up fares, and if your flight home is delayed you can catch any TransPennine Express service up to three hours after your booked train's departure time at no extra cost.

For London, the options depend on which airport you are flying from. The Elizabeth line runs directly into Heathrow from central London in around 29 minutes, with fares of around £14.70 for an adult using a contactless card. It is worth knowing that the Heathrow Express runs the same route in 15 minutes but charges around £26 for a standard single on the day - roughly £11 more for 14 minutes of time saved. If you are not in a rush, the Elizabeth line is the better value option by some distance. For Gatwick, Thameslink and Southern trains run from multiple central London stations from around £12.90 and take roughly 35 minutes from London Bridge - a considerably cheaper alternative to the Gatwick Express, which charges around £24 for the same journey.

A few things to know before you book Book train tickets in advance rather than on the day - advance fares can be significantly cheaper than walk-up prices, particularly from further afield. If you have a Railcard, it gives you a third off most fares, which adds up quickly for a family. For London journeys, paying with a contactless card or Oyster is usually the simplest approach and is covered by the daily fare cap, so you will not overpay even if your plans change. For Manchester, contactless payment works within the Greater Manchester Bee Network area, but if you are travelling from further afield you will need to buy a ticket in advance or at the station.

An airport lounge pass can cost less than buying food and drink in the terminal

According to Holiday Extras data, the average person spends £36.88 at the airport before boarding. A lounge day pass at major UK airports starts from around £26 to £45 per person and typically includes food, hot and cold drinks, Wi-Fi, access to charges, views of the runway, and comfortable seating. For a family of four planning to eat and drink before a flight, the comparison is worth doing.

The maths works most clearly when you have a couple of hours to fill and would be buying a meal anyway. A coffee and a sandwich at a major UK airport easily comes to £12 to £15 per person. Add a drink for the adults and something for the children and you are well past the cost of a lounge pass before you have sat down.

How to find the cheapest lounge pass for your airport Do not walk up to the lounge desk and pay on the day. Walk-in prices are almost always the most expensive option. Book in advance through a comparison site or the airport's own website, where passes are typically 20 to 40% cheaper. Which? found the lowest prices were usually through the airport's own site or the lounge operator directly. At Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted and most major UK airports, passes booked in advance start from around £26 to £36 per adult.

One practical note: lounges have capacity limits and do fill up during busy summer periods. Booking a few days ahead rather than on the morning of travel secures your place and usually gives you the better price.

Holiday scams are more common than most people expect

⚠ Common holiday money scams to know about

Fake currency: always count notes before leaving the bureau and be wary of unfamiliar denominations.

ATM skimming: use ATMs attached to bank branches rather than standalone machines where possible, and cover the keypad when entering your PIN.

Card cloning: report any unrecognised transactions to your bank immediately, as the rules around refunds for fraudulent transactions are stronger than many people realise.

Fake WiFi hotspots: avoid making payments or logging into banking apps on public WiFi in airports, hotels or restaurants.

If you are scammed or something goes wrong with a purchase, reporting it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 creates a record that supports any subsequent dispute with your bank or card provider.

A few simple things that help your spending money go further

Once you are there, the choices that make the most difference are often the most obvious ones, but they are worth spelling out because the holiday mindset can make it easy to stop tracking.

• Eating and drinking one street back from the beach or main square typically costs 20 to 40% less at the same quality. Tourist areas price for people who are not coming back.

• Buying water, snacks and breakfast items from a local supermarket rather than the hotel or beach vendors can save £10 to £20 a day for a family of four without any real sacrifice in experience.

• Setting a daily spending limit on your phone before you travel helps you keep track of what you are spending in real time.

• Tipping culture varies significantly by country. In many European destinations a tip is appreciated but not expected in the way it is in the US, and understanding the local norm before you arrive means you are not over-tipping out of habit. If you are all-inclusive but planning to tip staff, doing it at the start of the trip can get you a more premium service

• If you are hiring a car, third-party excess insurance from a specialist provider typically costs around £5 to £10 per day, compared to £15 to £25 per day at the rental desk. It covers the same excess.

Before you travel: things worth sorting in the next few weeks

The further ahead you sort these, the more options you have and the less rushed the decisions.

• Order travel money online now while you have time to compare rates. Most providers offer free home delivery on orders over £500, and you can lock in today's rate rather than scrambling at the airport.

• Check whether your current account charges foreign transaction fees before you travel, as many standard accounts add around 2.75% to every purchase made abroad. If yours does, it is worth looking into whether your provider offers a fee-free option for overseas spending.

• Check your travel insurance covers the activities you are planning. Basic policies often exclude things like scooter hire, water sports, and hiking above a certain altitude. Reading the exclusions before you travel is much easier than arguing about them afterwards.

• Let your existing bank know you are travelling. Some providers still block foreign transactions without advance notice, and having a blocked card abroad is a stressful experience that is easily avoided.

• Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your return date. Many countries require this even if technically your passport has not expired.