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Ways to Save Money
Language holidays represent an opportunity for enormous enrichment. The learner is surrounded by the language and therefore learns it more easily than at home. In addition, these trips offer the chance for new experiences and a way to learn about foreign cultures and the mentality of the people. In order to be able to afford the language holiday, it is important to compare both the language course offers and the accommodation prices. Here are some suggestions for saving money on your language holiday.
How to select the means of travel
Types of travel
Calling from abroad
Insurance
Discounts and rebates
HOW TO SELECT THE MEANS OF TRAVEL
Driving
Driving your own car to a specific resort is the easiest but not always the cheapest way to travel. Many different criteria should be considered before you make the final decision:
Am I going to drive alone or with family and friends?
If you drive alone to a holiday destination, your car is not always the most favourable means of transportation. The high price of gasoline and maintenance costs, tolls and road-use fees abroad and the depreciation of the car should always be taken into consideration before the final decision is made. Travelling by car is only worthwhile if you are travelling with someone else (e.g. travelling with friends, family vacation, etc). Usually a better option for single travelers or couples is to take advantage of offers from discount airlines or trains.
Where would I like to go?
The journey by car is often limited by geographical peculiarities. Some countries have an unusually high criminal rate, meaning that driving could represent an additional risk. If the destination has a well-developed infrastructure such as a subway and bus system, you might find it more convenient to leave your car at home and use public transportation instead.
How flexible do I want to be?
Do I want to drive around a lot? Do I want to decide for myself when, where and how to travel? If the answer to these questions is yes, it is recommended to drive your own car. Renting a car can be a favourable alternative but this always depends on the duration of your vacation.
Is it possible to save money on fuel costs?
German drivers are charged extremely high oil taxes - to the point where gasoline has becomed a luxury possession. If you do not want to leave your car at home, stay informed about the gasoline prices on your travel route. Compared to Germany, gasoline prices are lower in Luxembourg, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic and Switzerland. Therefore, one should use the possibility to refuel fully in these countries
It is hard to believe but it is true: there are countries which have even higher gasoline prices than Germany, e.g. Denmark, Great Britain and the Netherlands.
Travelling by train
When going to different cities, some interesting and attractive offers can be found by travelling by train. After all, when you can't take advantage of last-minute flighs, train travil still offers an uncomplicated possibility to arrive at the desired destination. Advantages: some offers are favourable; no need for early reservation; suitable for short distances.
Disadvantages: not suitable for long distances; high expenditure of time; in comparison to cheap flights, the train fares are often more expensive.
Flying
Flying is no longer a luxury and air transportation is no longer reserved only for managers, stars and successful business people. In the last few years, the competition between airlines has risen to such a level that discount airlines are now giving everyone the possibility to fly. Airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Germanwings, Hapag Lloyd Express, German BA, Air Berlin, VLM, buzz, Go and Niki offer attractive flights to and from lots of different cities. But be careful: Flights with discount airlines are not always as favourable as they might seem. Important factors like distance to the airport, distance from the airport to your hotel or apartment, and the associated costs should be considered. Those who live near the airport have the possibility to travel with discount airlines and can take advantage of discounts. Others should think twice about the offers due to the following facts:
- Discount airlines usually fly to airports that are located pretty far away from resorts. Time and costs must be taken into consideration
- The price for the tickets are often published without included taxes and fees
- Usually only a small contingent is available - you should book well in advance
Conclusion: Compare all offers on the Internet carefully. The offers from different discount airlines and their destinations change constantly.
Advantages: very favourable prices; short journey duration to the destination.
Disadvantages: favourable flights are not always available; little flexibility
Agencies for arranged travel
If you are a very flexible traveller, a better alternative than taking the train or searching for a flight is to look for appropriate offers in the so-called agencies for arranged travel or "ride share". These agencies coordinate several people, who are going to the same place to share a vehicle and the costs. Costs vary upon destination, number of people and the means of transportation. Some agencies require a fee for their services, others are free. Costs depend on distance, gasoline consumption and duty fees. If you decide and opt for this kind of travel, remember that your travelling partner should be registered at the agency for arranged travel, so that you feel safe during your trip. Advantages: favourable travel by cost division.
Disadvantages: dependency on supply; inflexible way to travel when there are no offers available; limited on close destinations; risky.
Last-minute travel
Trips that are booked at the last minute are often offered at a lower price than the regular price for similar offers booked well in advance. This results from the fact that tour operators try to occupy all the remaining places.
Advantages: possibility to save money
Disadvantages: flexibility is necessary; dependency on offers: sometimes there are no offers available for the desired trip
Package tours
Many carriers offer inexpensive package tours, which include various costs such as flight, overnight accommodation, food and bevarage supply, tour programmes, etc. There is a good chance to save money is if the trip is in the off-season.
Advantages: attractive offers; all-inclusive prices
Disadvantages: the quality of all-inclusive packages is not always satisfactory and this kind of holiday lacks the advantages of an individual journey
Language travel
Many language schools have very attractive offers depending on season, size of the student's group and language learning destination. However, prices can vary strongly even when it comes to language schools which are in the same city. In this case, it is advisable to select the school and course according to your personal preferences. A good idea is to evaluate all the aspects and classify which are less or more important , e.g. is it okay to attend a school outside of the city or do you prefer to be in the city centre? Will a smaller language school with weaker infrastructure be an alternative for you? Can you imagine spending time in a cheaper place for the purpose of learning language (a small city or a region outside the city)?
Generally when one plans a language holiday with the intention of staying a long time in a foreign country, it is always useful to have a mobile phone. It is an indispensable part of your luggage when you want to say hello to your friends and family from wherever you are. Unfortunately, this is also usually associated with a huge phone bill. Here are some useful tips for using a mobile phone and saving money at the same time.
Selecting the telephone network
If you can't live without your mobile phone during vacation, you can save money with some simple information. Your mobile phone abroad automatically connects to a local net operator. This automatic selection is usually not the cheapest. Look into which network operator in the area offers the most favourable rates and then select your desired network manually. Also see if there is "landline" connection available at your hotel or apartment.
Calling cards
Calling cards are recommended for longer calls and discussions. The system is quite simple: first you dial a toll-free number, then enter the pin number which is indicated on the calling card and afterwards the desired number (with pre-selection). This system offers you preferred rates.
Prepaid card
A prepaid card is a SIM card with its own mobile number so that you can be reached by your new friends abroad. At the same time it is also possible to accept foreign calls from e.g. your family and friends without any additional cost. This is often used by people making an extended stay in a foreign country.
The pitfalls of voice mail
Many are annoyed when their voice mailbox is full of messages when they return from vacation. This can be very expensive, so make sure that you always switch off your mailbox before going on holiday.
SMS
If you want to keep in touch with family and friends and be reachable at any time, you might consider using the Short Messaging Service (SMS) on your mobile phone. The prices for an SMS range from 20 to 90 cents (EURO) making it an inexpensive option to calling. Just remember to include the country code when sending messages from abroad.
The threat of becoming ill or having an accident while travelling abroad is relatively high and is covered by various types of insurance policies. These are some of the common reasons which play an important role: abrupt change of climate, unusual nutrition, possible problems with hygiene.
For this reason, travel health insurance is highly recommended. The insurance company is responsible for the financial consequences of welfare and hospital treatments. This saves you money and gives you security.
The offers from travel health insurance agencies are numerous and are really promising. Everyone has to consider some questions before he/she decides on a specific insurance policy:
- What kind of insurance coverage do I need?
- What kind of risks are already covered by my existing insurance (contents insurance, memberships)?
- Is additional insurance necessary e.g. luggage insurance?
- Is insurance for individuals/family members needed?
If you do not know the answers to these questions, you can collect offers from different agencies and find out which offer matches your requirements. Further information concerning insurance can be found on our website.
DISCOUNTS AND REBATES
Many vendors offer discounts and rebates for different occasions (birthdays, wedding etc.) or for different groups (students, retirees, etc.). You can particularly save money on family vacations through special family offers. For example, children up to a certain age usually receive free meals and accommodation, if they are with their parents.
Vendors also try to connect with customers by so-called frequent-buyer programmes and preferred customer cards. There is often a point and/or a discount system, whereby customers with customer cards receive preferred prices and/or prizes (e.g. free days when renting a car, frequent flyer miles etc.).