Planning a Memorable But Cheap Holiday

I'm sure you have dreamed about taking that perfect vacation. You've thought about traveling to exotic countries or considered taking a month or two from work to go backpacking. While it might not be possible to travel around the world or be away from work for more than 2 weeks because of time or financial constraints, it doesn't mean you can't have a great vacation. There are several things you can do to have a cheap holiday that's both satisfying and memorable.

• Look for cheap flights: With patience and careful planning, you can score some affordable tickets. Regularly check travel websites or an airline's homepage for special deals. This might mean you'll be booking your flight well in advance or you'll be traveling at the last minute, but the savings you'll get are amazing. Traveling during the off-season also means big savings.

• Learn to pack and travel light: If you're only going away for a few days, use a backpack or any hand luggage. Just bring the essentials and leave behind non-essential items like a hair dryer. You'll save a lot of time and money if you don't have to check-in or pay the baggage fee.

• Eat where the locals eat: Food is one of the biggest expenses a person makes when on holiday. Eating out can set you back a pretty penny, unless you eat where the locals do. Ask where the best local restaurant is and you'll eat well during your cheap holiday.

• Do your research and look for places you can go to for free: Before deciding on where you want to go, Google it and search for places and activities that you can go to for free or for a minimal fee. For example, look for free museums, parks, organic markets or open air performances.

Schengen Visa - Get It First Time

Applying for a Schengen visa to visit any of the 26 countries in the Schengen Zone can be a hit and miss affair. It should be quite a straight forward process - you apply for an appointment at the embassy or visa application centre a few weeks before your travel date and once at the embassy or visa application centre you hand in your documents. After a few days you go back to retrieve your passport with the Schengen visa enclosed in your passport. Now you can visit Europe and spend your hard-earned cash and do your bit for the Euro.

In our experience it is far from straight forward. Here's why:

Finding out what documents are required is like trying to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Most of the embassy websites don't have a full list of Schengen visa requirements and if they do there will be some ambiguity in what documents are needed. A common concern amongst applicants is whether the documents should be the original or copies of the original.

The majority of the embassies don't have a contact number for Schengen visa applicants to dial should they want any clarity on anything in relation to obtaining the European visa. Some embassies have a premium rate number while others outsource the visa application process to a third-party which are usually quite poor in offering advice on the visa application process.

There are also various questions like how much money is required in bank accounts, are internet bank statements adequate for proof of funds, is a Schengen visa required by spouses of EU nationals or is it a problem that my UK visa or work permit is in an old passport?