When we think of the winter, we tend to think of the cold and grey days in England. However, according to a recent article by holiday provider EasyJet, this isn’t necessarily the case! The travel company recently released a news story to suggest that spending time abroad during the winter will save people hundreds on their energy bills.
Today, we will be reviewing this suggestion to see if people can truly benefit from spending time abroad this winter!
Your accommodation options
If you’re considering spending the winter abroad, it’s important to do some research on the destination and accommodation options. Here are some of the best accommodation options for spending time abroad during the winter:
- Hotels in warm climates
- Apartments with a kitchen for cooking your own meals
- AirBnB or other short term rentals (with a kitchen)
- Hostels (for those who want an economical stay)
Three reasons its cheaper to travel
Staycations are overrated. What’s more, they’re not always the cheapest option. After crunching the numbers, it turns out that this winter you can save some serious cash by packing your bags and jetting off to destinations in Europe. Here are three reasons why now might be a great time to take a winter holiday abroad:
- You’ll save on flights – flights to European destinations can often be cheaper than those domestically in the UK
- The pound is worth less internationally – compared to its value in GBP, the Euro and US Dollar both have an edge
- You can avoid paying high bill prices – the average daily cost for a UK citizen this winter – including rent or mortgage, utilities, food, wireless internet, travel and entertainment streaming subscriptions – is £877
The best places to visit
On the average, if you are wishing to visit somewhere warmer where you may wear lighter jackets in the evenings, then it would be best to go to the Mediterranean – it can be Portugal or Malta. Temperatures during the day reach 15, but nighttime is around 8 degrees letting you have a pleasant day. Visiting the Mediterranean in December means you’ll find a lot to see and do; from holiday markets and fairs to festive lights, the country is overflowing with the spirit of the season. The holiday season in these predominantly religious countries is celebrated widely with numerous themed attractions.
December is the best month to visit Dubai. That is, because of the exciting atmosphere when people come together to celebrate in Dubai. There’s only one place in Dubai that has two separate Christmas markets, the Madinat Jumeirah and Festival City. Lots of malls and places, like the Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, and Wafi, decorate wonderfully and have great Santa activities for the kids which are only here for the duration of the month. Compared to December in Dubai, the weather in January and February is unpleasant because of the winter monsoons, when roads flood, and deliveries are delayed.
Home comforts whilst away
If you’re going to live abroad in winter months, you might as well bring a few of your comforts with you when you travel – some home decorations can really help to make you feel more at home.
In many grocery stores, you might find entire aisles or shelves devoted to foreign-made goods from specific countries, so depending on where you are and what country you came from, you may find it easy to restock on some of your favourite goodies from back home. Alternatively, you may be able to find small grocery stores which only sell goods from a single country.
You should try to keep in regular contact with your friends and family even if you’ve moved overseas when you’re missing home. Schedule a weekly or monthly phone call so you can stay on top of everything at home. A periodic video call could also be arranged with people you usually see socially when you are home. By doing so, you’ll be able to get the latest news from home and share your experiences living abroad.
How RHJ Accountants Can Help
We recognise more than ever that individuals and businesses from the UK and other countries may be globally mobile. We aim to make you aware of the tax-efficient opportunities, available tax relief and structure finances for life at home and abroad.
Our international team of specialists operate from offices in the UK and Portugal. We work together synergistically to provide tax efficient solutions to our clients to help them grow their business whilst keeping tax liabilities to a minimum.
Get in touch with us today to find out more, or to make use of our services.
