3 tips for the optimum half-term getaway 

The kids might be back at school, but it won’t be long until it is holiday time again. 

The October half-term period is fast around the corner and one difference is that a lot more schools are swaying away from the customary one-week break. Instead, they are stretching it to two, and subsequently cutting a week from their once-normal 6-week break in the summer. 

Ultimately, from a parental perspective, it means there is more time to fill. Even in the current situation, it means that the likelihood of going away is probably higher than it has been in most other years when most schools had just the single week of holiday over half-term. 

Unfortunately, something else that we all know are the spiraling costs of school holiday getaways. It has been a problem for years – and it’s one that will probably never go away. 

This is going to form the focus of today’s post. We will now take a look at some of the best tips you can tap into in a bid to make your October half-term break as cost efficient as possible. 

Take advantage of the two weeks 

We have made a big point of the change in approach for a lot of schools and how many are now turning to two-week breaks over October. 

Something that should not be forgotten is that this is not the same for everyone. It is something that tends to be done by area – and this can play straight into your hands. 

Quite often, one of the two weeks is much cheaper than the other. Or, you can at least save some money if you opt for a ten-day break which spans across both weeks. 

The most expensive approach is to pick the week that everybody has off. This is a guaranteed way to inflate the cost of your getaway. 

It’s all about your location 

Sometimes, you have to make compromises and your choice of hotel can be key to this. Taking in a location like Wales will get you that all important change of scene, without the crowds you’d find in other parts of the country. 

Sure, you might sometimes get a hotel in your area of choice for a knockdown rate. However, on the whole at least, you probably won’t. 

This is where you might accept that you won’t be in the thick of the action for your half-term break, and you might have to commute a little longer to attractions. This can transform your getaway into one that is grossly unaffordable, right the way to one which is actually doable. At least consider it. 

Consider taking the kids out of school 

There is a huge caveat with this final point as strictly speaking, it can be against the law. Parents can be fined for taking their kids out of school during term-time but note the word “can”. 

This is at the headteacher’s discretion, and there are plenty of anecdotes of parents speaking to the headteacher who give their permission. Sometimes, you might only need to take the kids out of school the day before term starts, and the cost savings will be enormous.