When it comes to all-inclusive holidays, I used to be a total snob. I figured they were just for old rich white dudes who could afford to throw money around. Turns out, I’m wrong.
When I looked online at the possibilities I was surprised by what I found. A few clicks on the new First Choice All Inclusive Calculator showed me that I could get an incredible all-inclusive holiday for a cheaper price than what I would spend on accommodation, food, transportation and drinks.
If there’s one thing that stresses me out, it’s budgeting for expenses on holiday and forgetting that I need to include tipping, transport, drinks, or something else. I hate going over budget and returning home knowing that I’ll have to live on peanut butter toast in order to pay my rent. As if getting back to the real world after a holiday isn’t bad enough.
It wasn’t as if I hadn’t heard amazing things about all-inclusive holidays. I had listened enviously to people who lay by the beach and pool and got to have drinks bought to them, sit at the buffet and even do activities without having to pay a cent.
The awesome new calculator allows you to choose how many people will be travelling, where you’d like to go, if you want all meals and drinks included or just some of them, and even how many ice creams you think you’ll eat. From there, it calculates whether you should take a self-catering holiday or an all-inclusive one.
I was surprised to see that I could save almost £200 just by choosing all-inclusive, along with a bunch of stress and time that I would probably spend comparing different restaurants and bars in order to get a deal while on holiday.
One of the things that bother me about going on holiday is when I make a budget and somehow end up blowing it, realising that I’ll be lucky if I can afford to feed myself when I get home. Often I don’t even know what I’ve spent the money on until I think about all the small things we often don’t consider, such as transportation, tips, snacks, and even water activities like snorkelling which is often included in all-inclusive prices.
I’m also no good at tipping. I’m not American, so I find it awkward and embarrassing. I never know how much to tip, so end up giving too much or too little, and I’ll often choose countries where tipping isn’t expected just to avoid the awkwardness. However with many all-inclusive resorts, guests don’t need to tip staff as this is included in the price. This is a huge plus for me, as it means guests are usually all treated the same, and not based on what they’ve tipped, and it’s one less thing to worry about when I’m supposed to be relaxing and having a good time.
So the next time you go on holiday, consider choosing the all-inclusive option and saving money, time, and stress.
