When I was a small child I had an obsession with holiday brochures and loved nothing more than forcing my mammy to play ‘Travel Agency’ with me across the coffee table.

She now says it was well worth the time and effort because she considers me her holiday booking guru, especially when it comes to finding a decently priced getaway in the high season.

Booking a decent yet affordable holiday isn’t as difficult as you’d think, even at the last minute. All you need is determination, patience and a few handy websites.

GO FISHING FOR THE BEST VALUE FLIGHTS

Getting up in the air without breaking the bank has never been easier thanks to the likes of Ryanair, who now fly to more destinations that you initially thought.

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Sure, some of the airports they service are slightly further away from your final destination than you’d like but, in general, they can’t be beaten.

Make sure you don’t rule out Aer Lingus either though, because sometimes they’ll end up being just as good value. You might pay slightly more for the flight but you can often find yourself making a massive saving in terms of airport transfers AND sometimes you’ll find yourself getting a much better deal.

If you’ve had a decent trawl through both and still can’t find what you’re looking for give SkyScanner a go. They’ll collate data from pretty much every airline on the planet to get you from A to B in no time at all.

CHANCE YOUR ARM WITH A BIT OF APARTMENT HUNTING

If there’s one thing that’s bound to cost you more than anything else it’s a place to put your head down at night.

The cost will ultimately depend on the type of accommodation you’re looking for but I always find self-catering to be your best bet for a cheap and easy break abroad.

My one stop shop for the BEST apartments would have to be HomeAway.co.uk. I know, I know, Air B’n’B is all the rage, but they’ve yet to get be on the bandwagon.

Another excellent option is FlipKey, which will guarantee the cost of your stay up to a certain amount in US Dollars. Don’t be put off by that though: You’ll find the price comes down when you throw the numbers into a currency converter.

Always get in touch with the owner before booking though, to make sure you’re getting the best deal from a decent landlord.

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And for those who prefer to do their ‘thang’ in a hotel, Trivago, Expedia, Booking.com and Hotels.com are always sure to produce some charming bargains at the last minute.

As I said above, be patient, make enquiries and compare prices. It’s worth it when you find a positively charming pad for less than €500 for the week.

NEVER SAY NO TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Getting to grips with local public transport (if there is any) is a must and will save you so many pennies on taxi fares.

Do your research before you jet off and you’ll have no bother getting around for a reasonably low price.

Of course, the longer you leave it the more limited your options will be, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find what you’re looking for – even when the summer season has already begun.

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Feature Image: Lisa Widerberg via Flickr Creative Commons