The 1p bag hack you need to use for packing jewellery in your suitcase and it'll save you hours of faff when you land
1. Write a list
Think about all the essentials you need to take with you; suncream, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything in one list, which you can tick off as you add it to your suitcase.
Or for complete ease, try Google's AI app - Gemini - which will create a list for you and help you not over pack.
2. Involve your kids
Jemma said: 'My girls are getting older, they're 11 and nine, and they enjoy helping to pack. So I send them a list, and say 'this is what you need' and they follow the list.
'And then I give them a rucksack each - and say to them 'you can have whatever you want in there as long as it's not liquid', and they can take that on the plane. And that's their 'home away from home' items.'
3. Try a hack or two
She said: "I think they all work, but for different reasons - and you've just got to pick the right one for your trip.
"Rolling your clothes is really good to stop your clothes from getting creases. And if you're trying to get a lot of items into your case, it's a space saver.
'Packing cubes are great - for example, I'm going on holiday with my three kids and we're all using the same suitcase for our clothes.
"These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and tech into designated cubes, maximising luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked.
"I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my kids can easily take charge of their own items once we've arrived."
4. Decant beauty products
Do you really need to take full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner with you? The beauty industry has evolved so much, you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets - which are much lighter and smaller.
Or, if you'll be popping to the shops when you're abroad, consider buying some items when you arrive.
5. Get organised before you come home
Jemma said: 'When you repack on holiday [before coming home], the trick is to separate clean from dirty clothes.
'Also pack it in some form of order - so lights, darks, colours for items that need washing, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person.
"Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do it straight away, don't leave it."
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The Sun
3 minutes ago
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I bagged half-price Butlin's break with booking trick… but my cash-saving tips will save you even MORE when you're there
WE all love to be beside the seaside - and Butlin's has been a go-to for my family's bucket-and-spade staycays for as long as I can remember. Even though the holiday park already offers fantastic deals for families, with packages that start from £43 for four days, return visitors to Butlin's know that you can save even more money with insider tips and tricks. 9 9 9 For families on a budget, it pays to know the ways to save, as prices can shoot up in the school holidays. As a budget-conscious mum and cheap holiday expert, I've tried all the tricks of the trade over the years to get the most bang for my buck. Here are 15 ways to bag a bargain Butlin's break... 1. Make the most of inset days and out-of-sync school holidays October half-term can be a great time to look for a cheap break as the UK school holidays tend to be staggered over three weeks. This means sometimes your kids can be off while everyone else is back in the classroom. One year, our county was the only one off at the very end of October, which meant the Butlin's Mid-Week Term Time prices were being offered. We ended up paying £150, which was half what we would have paid if we had booked the week before. You can see the price differences by going to and selecting 'all-breaks'. By doing this, you can also compare the prices at the three Butlin's resorts: Bognor Regis, Skegness and Minehead. 2. Blue Light Card and other discount schemes I've saved hundreds over the years using our Blue Light Card to book breaks away. Butlin's reveals new £1.8million soft play attraction with three floors of activities It usually takes about £30 off each Butlin's holiday, which can soon add up if you're visiting once or twice a year. This card, which costs £5 for two years, is designed for people who work in the public sector, including education, emergency services and the military. Once you're logged in on the Blue Light Card website, you click through to the Butlin's page, and it gives you a code that you can use to access the Butlin's Privilege Club. This is where you'll find the reduced prices. If you're not eligible for a Blue Light Card, there are loads of other schemes that cover carers, public sector workers and other employers that are also signed up to the Butlin's Privilege Club. It's worth checking whether you can access a rewards scheme to help you save a bit of cash on your holidays. 3. All-inclusive and dining packages If your idea of a great holiday involves tucking into an all-you-can-eat buffet and grabbing a cheeky cocktail whenever you fancy it, Butlin's range of drink and dining packages could end up saving you a stash of cash. The dining plans at Butlin's include eating breakfast and dinner at the food court for £15 a day for children aged 6-14 and £25 per adult. If you want more flexibility, the DineAround option allows you to choose which restaurant you'll eat at and whether you'll eat lunch or dinner under the plan. That costs £21.45 for juniors aged 6-14 and £35.95 for adults. We tried out the all-inclusive offer at Easter, and it was a total game-changer for my family of five. Even if you're only having three or four drinks a day, the prices quickly add up if you're paying at the bar. The all-inclusive wristband, which starts at £25.95 per adult per day, can prove excellent value for money. You don't have to drink that much to get your money's worth. If you enjoy a coffee or two during the day and then soft drinks and alcohol while watching the shows, you will easily reach £25 in no time. 4. Cashback schemes Sign up to a cashback site like Quidco or Topcashback to see if you can get a percentage of your break back if you book using the link or code provided. These sites work on business partnerships between the companies, and your purchase is tracked through an affiliate link. They get paid a fee for recommending you, and some of the money they get is passed back to you. Sometimes you'll also find there's a flash sale in certain categories, like holidays, which can earn you a bonus of £10 or £20 if you opt in. Just be aware that it can take a bit of time for cashback to come through, and there's also a risk that your cashback could be declined, so I usually prioritise an actual discount at the point of payment over the possibility of cashback at some future date. 9 9 5. Last-minute deals I love a last-minute deal and have been known to leave it until the night before to book our break, which saves a hefty amount on the original price. As an example, if I book to go to Bognor next week, a comfort room for four people will cost £500, compared to £800 for the same week next year. And for a cheeky midweek getaway, it is really satisfying knowing that you've only paid £50 or £60. Especially when you see the advertised prices for the same week the following year are often five or six times as much. You do need to keep your eyes peeled though, and have an idea of when to book, as if you leave it too late, someone else could grab that bargain break before you do. As soon as you see a price that's right for you, it's best to lock it in so you don't miss out. You can then use the price promise to make sure you haven't paid over the odds for your stay. 6. Be aware of the price promise Some Butlin's breaks come with a lowest price guarantee. This means that if you see the same holiday offered for sale at a lower price at any time before you arrive at the resort, you will be eligible for a refund of the price difference or a reduction in cost to meet the new price. 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But for £164, you could get three-bedroom accommodation that sleeps five. So as long as the children are happy to share, both adults could have their own room and split the accommodation cost, so it would only be £82 per family unit. 8. Going direct vs private ownership At both Skegness and Minehead, there are private caravans on site that you can hire directly from the owners. This can save you money, but it can also be a bit of a risky business, especially if you don't know the person you're renting from. Some people have handed over hundreds, only to find that they've fallen for a scam when they turn up on holiday. Lots of guests do prefer private caravans, though and end up booking with the same owners year after year. It pays to ask for recommendations from family and friends if you're considering this route. 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Self-catering vs room only It's unusual now to visit a UK holiday park and not have cooking facilities, but back in the day at Butlin's, all the chalets were room-only and everyone ate in the dining halls. This means, you do need to be careful what accommodation you book for Butlin's, as some of the rooms still come without kitchen facilities. This is also true in the Butlin's hotels. It can be a saving to book room-only, midweek at Minehead in October half term. A standard room for four costs £113, whereas an apartment with a kitchen and a lounge costs £152. But eating out or adding on a dining plan does pile the pounds onto your budget break, so plan your dinner and drink strategy in advance. I like to take my trusty £10 health grill to rustle up basic warm meals like bacon baps or hot dogs. A plug-in cool box can keep milk chilled for breakfast cereal or cheese and sliced meat for sandwich fillings. Then you need to splash out on takeaways or a sit-down meal once or twice during your break to keep food costs low. You can sometimes find deals like kids eat for £1 with a paying adult at Butlin's restaurants, so it's worth checking out what deals there are on site and where else you can eat nearby. 11. Join the Premier Club If you're a big Butlin's fan and visit three or more times over a three-year period, you become eligible for its own rewards scheme, known as the Premier Club. There are different levels to this, depending on how often you've stayed, but all members of the loyalty scheme get a five per cent discount on their next break and early check-in. Silver and gold members even receive a voucher worth between £10 and £50 to spend on site. And there's even a bottle of bubbly for its top members. 12. Cost-compare the different sites With three locations on different coasts, it's worth looking at all of the resorts if you're after a particular week and aren't fussed where you go. There can be a massive price difference between the sites for the same week and level of accommodation. Looking for a four-night break over October half term, a comfort room for a family of four would cost £126 at Minehead, £205 at Skegness or a whopping £385 at Bognor Regis. While we love the fairground, pool and Playxperience at Bognor, I'm not sure I'd pay three times as much to stay there when I could go to Minehead instead. Butlin's recently spent £2.5m installing its iconic Skypark at Minehead, with tall twisting towers and interactive play equipment that children love. I also love the golden sands of the beach at Minehead, compared to the shingle at Bognor. It's also worth looking at the shows and entertainment. If there is something on that you know the family will love, such as the Gladiators Show, it might be worth paying extra so you can experience it. 13. Early rebooking There are holiday shops on resort at Butlin's that sometimes offer extra discounts, so it's worth looking at getting your next stay booked while you're still on your holiday. You can also get money off if you re-book online within 30 days of your last break. It's a great way to beat the post-holiday blues if you've already got your next break in the bag. Re-booking within a month of the last day of your break means you'll get 10 per cent off on school holiday stays and five per cent off the rest of the time. This could be a good deal for you if you like to book in advance, especially if you remember to activate the price promise if your holiday cost does drop closer to your dates. 9 9 14. Spread the cost of Butlin's breaks One great way to keep your holiday spend under control is to book in advance, pay a deposit and then set up a payment plan to spread the costs over multiple months. This can work particularly well if you are also interested in add-ons, such as dining and drinks packages, the all-action pass for activities like go-karts, pool and bowling or tokens to pay for the Playxperience, archery or aerial adventure at Bognor. Instead of paying a large sum in one go, you can split the cost into smaller amounts and then finish paying for your break ten weeks before you arrive. This gives you a bit of time to build up a holiday fund for souvenirs, days out off-site and transport costs like petrol. 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Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
First glimpse of Universal Studios Bedford revealed - as furious locals demand free theme park tickets
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