Avoid paying over the odds for a half-term family holiday

Half-term is almost upon us and for most parents who want to get away that means forking out for an expensive family holiday, as everyone knows that package prices soar through the roof outside term times.

Typically family holidays cost about a third more during school holidays than term-times and it's not unusual for prices to increase by 50 per cent.

Now that education authorities are clamping down on term-time holidays, and even issuing parents with penalty notices and fines for taking their children out of school, it can be hard for parents to afford a family holiday.

One tip is to avoid expensive package holidays and build a trip yourself, which could save you several hundred pounds. Book your flights months in advance to get the cheapest flights but wait until the last minute to book accommodation and you could pick up a room for a knock down price.

Try sites like lastminute.com for late rooms or, if you're happy to go self-catering, try holiday home websites like www.holidaylettings.co.uk

Otherwise avoid the need to pay for accommodation altogether by swapping homes with someone in the destination you're planning to visit.

You can find people who want to swap through websites like HomeLink International (www.homelink.org.uk) and Intervac (www.intervac.co.uk).

Jon Connolly, who runs Homelink, says thousands of British families swap their homes every year - some even include their cars in the swap to save money on rental fees.

Before swapping your home, you'll need to inform your house insurance broker and check that it's okay. Most don't object as they prefer to have the property occupied than left empty.

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