How To Get A Cheap Holiday With A Unique Twist

Summer – us Brits love it! Well, we love it when we actually get to enjoy glorious sunshine on a beautiful summer’s day. With the warm weather fast approaching, AshleyPark Financial Solutions have decided to give you a few tips for ways to find a cheap holiday.

Over the last few years you could easily confuse our summer wardrobe with our winter one – big coats, wellies and umbrellas – the weather has certainly not been on our side.

Although the British tourist board fought valiantly to endorse holidaying on our own fair isle, the sun worshipers that we are headed for the nearest cheapest deal for a dose of sun, sea and sangria!

 However, what happens when funds are low and we can’t afford to get away to exotic destination?

Well, house swapping has been around for decades but, until recently, it was a niche market. The economic climate has changed all of that, forcing many families to reconsider their options in order to have a holiday without breaking the bank.

The scheme involves allowing a stranger to stay in your home for a weekend, week or fortnight and in return, you stay in their home during the same period. There is no cost involved – other than the plane tickets – and both parties agree in advance what will be included in the price. For example, you may negotiate to borrow each other's cars, but if you are uncomfortable with that arrangement, you simply have to specify what is excluded.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, you might be wondering how you get started and no, you don't have to find random strangers yourself to swap homes with! There are several agencies who offer the service, the majority of which charge a membership to join. However, in many cases, the fee is just nominal and charities such as the National Childbirth Trust even have a house swap scheme, which has been running since 1976.

To register your home on the site, you need to take photos so any prospective guest will know exactly what your property looks like and where it is. If successful, you will need to be prepared to clear some of your personal belongings away temporarily, to make space for your guests' stuff when they arrive.

UK home insurers as a general rule are very supportive of the initiative, as it prevents properties being left unoccupied during the holiday season, but the majority will ask to be kept informed.

This could be a totally new holidaying experience for you – you could end up somewhere you ordinarily wouldn’t have chosen as a holiday destination and love it!

The best idea is to stick with affordable destinations if you’re desperate to get away – just make sure that you can really afford it.

If you have any money worries, please visit the Ashley Park Financial Solutions website for our full range of services. For regular updates, follow us on Twitter. 

Money Saving Tips for Expectant Parents

Ashley Park Financial Solutions: What to expect when you're expecting:

Finding out you’re going to be a parent can hit you like a freight train. Suddenly there are a million concerns and one of them is how you’re going to pay for everything once your little one comes into this world. Ashley Park Financial Solutions reckon it's best for expectant parents to start saving as soon as possible.

Raising children can be an expensive business. Experts say that supporting a child until they’re 21 and ready to leave the nest will set you back a total of £201, 809 exactly. Estimates suggest that it costs £9,610 a year to feed, clothe and educate a child. It can be stressful to think about where you might get this extra cash, especially if this is an unexpected pregnancy, but where there's a will there's a way. 

You can start saving while you're pregnant. That way by the time your child is born you’ll be able to provide them with everything they need right from the get go.

Budgeting is definitely the way forward here. Everybody needs to budget at some point and it’s a great way to make sure you can save up some extra for your new arrival. Simply look at the money you have going in and coming out and think about where you can make cuts. Do you need to drive everywhere? Could you save on the food budget? For more tips, click here. 

It’s also worth checking out charity shops. The reality is that you don’t need to go out and buy designer threads for your baby - they really won't notice the difference! Charity shops check all their products so only the ones in decent condition make the shop floor and you can find some top quality bargains. 

You could also ask family and friends who already have children. Babies grow so quickly what fits them one month probably won't the next, so you're constantly updating their wardrobes. People you know will have gone through the same thing, which means they might be willing to give you their old stuff. It’s quite common actually, especially among family members and it saves a lot of money.

Think about making your own baby food. It’s surprisingly easy to do, just cook vegetables then toss them in a blender with a little liquid. You can cook a big batch and freeze it so you've got ready meals for weeks ahead of time. A lot cheaper than baby food!

If you're worried about money or mounting debts, give the team at Ashley Park Financial Solutions a call or check out our website for the full range of our services. You can also follow us on Twitter for regular updates and tips. 

Keeping the Kids Busy For Free!

At Ashley Park Financial Solutions we know that with summer coming up, you’re going to have to find a way to keep the kids busy. However with rising prices this is easier said than done. So how can you keep the kids busy and happy this summer for free!

Being a parent is such a thankless job isn’t it? You’ve got so many commitments to meet that often it’s seems easier to leave the kids sat in front of the telly, just so you can get everything done. However when you do get time to spend with your kids, everything that really seems fun seems like a drain on the bank balance. A drain you don’t need when you’ve got a thousand other costs to think about.

But the great thing about kids is that they’re imaginative. The whole world can be amazing to them; all you have to do is tap into that innate awe and wonder. Why not try taking them on a nature walk? It’s free, and the natural beauty of the landscape is sure to have them awestruck in no time.

How about going one step further though. Get your kids to collect things from the nature walk; stray leaves, small twigs, pieces of bark etc. Then when you get home, find a few spare notepads and some glue (with kids you have to have glue in the house to keep it in one piece) and task them with making a scrapbook. Give them carte blanche to make any pattern they want and they’ll be occupied for hours.

Or if this isn’t for you, then why not try something tried and tested; the beach. The beach is 100% free, you can work their imaginations by helping them build various structures out of sand and the sea means you can even give them free swimming lessons. Talk about a bargain.

Of course we don’t all have that option; not everybody lives by the sea. So why not try to get your kids thinking instead. Take them to a museum. Most cities have museums these days which have something especially designed for kids and these museums tend to have days where you can get in for free; or at a heavy discount.

At Ashley Park Financial solutions we know your spare  time with your kids is precious; don’t let money get in the way of that, take advantage of these 100% free ways to keep your kids happy and occupied.