With the cost of living crisis continuing, many people are ready to put off their summer holidays abroad and opt for a staycation in the UK. However, to fulfil a new year's resolution of travelling to a country I had never been to, I decided to set myself a challenge of having a budget trip abroad without spending more than £100.
During the school holidays can be an expensive time to travel, but many airlines start the year with sales that give you a chance to make the most of the winter sun at a fraction of the price of summer flights. I decided to travel to Dublin on January 14, with the flight leaving East Midlands Airport (EMA) at 8.25am with a return flight booked for 11pm, arriving back at EMA for 11.55pm.
The cost of both flights combined was £25.99 with Ryanair, but it was an additional £4 for seat reservations on the flight there and £6 for the flight back, making the total cost of flying to Dublin and back £35.99. This was already a hefty chunk of my budget, and I thought the challenge might be impossible when I saw the car parking prices for the airport, which would have cost more than the flights.
