Top 5 Money Saving Tips for School Trips

School trips can be the most fun parts of the school year, and of course provide students with key educational opportunities away from the classroom. However, in recent years, high travel costs, lack of budget and additional expenses have forced schools to cut back on essential trips. But with some careful planning, this doesn’t need to mean that school trips are entirely off the menu. There are plenty of ways to keep costs down while ensuring you and your students have a good time, and we’ve compiled the best ones.

1. Plan further in advance

Prices tend to be higher closer to your travel date – we've all tried to book a train ticket home days before a big holiday and realised the cost was much higher than expected. As a teacher, you will be used to planning in advance, but it may be time to start planning even earlier. The further in advance you can plan, the better, so make sure to get approval for your school trips as early as possible and book immediately, to take advantage of low rates for transport, accommodation and attractions. There’s also something to be said for when you book – according to our research, if you book on a Sunday, transport tickets tend to be a little bit cheaper!

2. Avoid travelling in peak season

Unless you’re going somewhere that you specifically need to see in and around the summer term, avoid it entirely. The high demand during this time from other travellers means that the cost of transport and accommodation is likely to be significantly higher. You also run the risk of attractions being booked out. Travelling between September and March gives you the opportunity to take advantage of cheaper transport and accommodation, and you might even get access to off-season deals. Another benefit is that you’re much less likely to run into crowds, so you’ll be able to enjoy your destination in peace.

3. Choose where to spend and where to save

It’s a fact of life that when travelling, you will have to spend some money. But the most important part of budgeting is deciding what to spend your money on. For example, if the transport tickets are expensive, do you need to consider cheaper accommodation and free entertainment options? And if you want to visit a tourist attraction, do they have a cheaper option, or is it worth it to pay more to skip the queues? When choosing a cheaper option you might end up paying for it by the time you spend, so consider if there’s compromises you’re happy to make.

4. Search for cheaper accommodation

Accommodation is one of the things that can really make the price of your trip soar. If you book a luxury hotel in the heart of the city you’re visiting, the chances are it’s going to be overpriced. If you’re willing to stay a little further out, you’re likely to be able to find better priced accommodation that still offers a lot of the luxuries that make a trip worthwhile. And if you do some research and make sure that your hotel or hostel is easily accessible by public transport, you might not even notice too much of a difference. In some cities, public transport can even double as an extra sightseeing opportunity. Also, don’t forget that if you’re booking in bulk, some hotels and hostels will offer discounts, so don’t forget to ask.

5. Choose the most convenient payment options

When going abroad on a school trip, it can be easy to forget the impact that exchange rates will have on your spend. And while it may be tempting to bring cash to pay for your expenses, the risk of losing it or having your wallet stolen can put a damper on the trip. Using a pre-loadable card from Caxton ensures that you get the best exchange rates with no fees, and no risk of your money going missing – if you lose your card or it gets stolen, you can easily block it and protect your money. Not only does this help cut costs, but the automated expense management system also saves you time when doing expenses at the end of the trip.

If you’d like to know how we can support your school and help you save even more on school trips, why not book a quick call?