Planning your dream holiday? Five expert tips for bagging a bargain in the January sales

The January sales are a time-served tradition in this country, with department stores and online retailers offering amazing deals on everything from kitchenware to designer shirts.

Already planning your dream getaway? We recently sat down with Holiday Gems’ resident travel expert, Neil Latham, to find out how you could save even more on your next holiday by shopping in the January sales.

Be quick to grab the best deals

The second and third weeks of January are usually the busiest times for booking a holiday, due to it being the first payday after Christmas.

If you’re going to be booking a holiday around this time, we recommend putting aside a little bit of extra Christmas cash. You can expect most of these offers to be gone by the end of the month, so act fast!

Being flexible can cut the cost of your holiday

January is without doubt the best time to save money on a holiday. But if you really want to secure the deal of a century, you’ve got to be flexible.

That means flying at unsociable hours and from a larger airport that’s not necessarily local to you, like Birmingham, London Gatwick or Manchester.

Often it’s the price of flying that has the biggest impact on the overall cost of your holiday, so keep an open mind and be prepared to travel.

Sign up to mailing lists for special offers from holiday companies

Are you one of those people that always says no to receiving marketing emails and newsletters? While your inbox may already be brimming with spam, emails from holiday companies are often filled with deals.

Often travel agents will send out their best deals via this method. You may find yourself receiving exclusive holiday offers before the general public, just for being a subscriber.

Don’t assume self-catering is cheaper than all-inclusive

It’s fair to say most of us assume an all-inclusive holiday is more expensive than going self-catering.

But don’t be fooled, January is the holy grail of holiday deals, with discounts across all board types.

All-inclusive breaks can sometimes work out more cost-effective; especially when you consider the money you’ll be saving on eating, drinking and hotel activities.

When it comes to destinations, think outside the box

The January sales are a great opportunity to book a holiday to somewhere you wouldn’t usually visit, including long-haul holidays that can often hold their price.

And while Spain and Majorca will always be popular, lesser-known destinations like Croatia and Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast are often where you’ll find the best holiday savings.

There are so many spectacular places out there that get overlooked. Keep an eye on these hidden gems, you never know, you may fall in love with somewhere completely different.