Planning a holiday? Here are some top tips to make sure you don't go over budget

NEW research from ATOL, the holiday protection scheme, has found Scottish families are willing to spend 18% more on their holiday this year compared to last year, with a family of four now set to spend an average of £3,625¹ on their annual break.

However, the research into holiday spending habits also revealed unexpected holiday costs can leave travellers in the red on their return. A family of four holidaying abroad should set aside an average of £407.40², to cover unexpected costs.

The data revealed that half of Scottish holiday makers (49 per cent) struggle with budgeting on holiday. As families relax into their holiday it also seems they relax their purse strings with more than one in ten (11 per cent) admitting they don’t keep track of what they are spending and then get a shock when they come to settle the bill at the end of the trip.

Scottish holidaymakers are also the most likely to get caught out by having to pay for additional food and drink outside of their original booking, and by charges when withdrawing money abroad. Nearly a fifth of holiday makers (18 per cent) have at some point had to pay for replacement accommodation, and a sixth (16 per cent) have had to pay for new flights.

The top 10 unexpected holiday costs:

Food and drink bills
Charges when withdrawing money
Parking charges
Airport transfers and shuttles
Internet charges
Airplane food and drink
Excess baggage
Additional car hire costs
Phone roaming charges
Pool / beach towels

Don’t want to get caught out by extra charges? Here are some top tips from finance expert Simon Read for keeping your holiday budget on track

When comparing flights make sure you take into account ‘hidden’ costs such as baggage or seat selection.
Always check what is actually included within a full-board holiday, especially smaller items such as food and drink.
When booking make sure that your break is ATOL-protected. Look for the ATOL symbol on travel company websites or brochures and don’t forget to take your certificate with you.
Ensure you know your holiday budget before you go and use a foreign currency pre-payment card to know exactly what exchange rate you’ve paid.
Make sure you check the airport and resort fees – some resorts charge up to £10 a day which can prove an eye-watering £140 extra per person on a two-week break.