22-07-2024 01:38 AM - edited 02-09-2024 12:20 PM
WIN BIG THIS SUMMER
From a posh picnic to a grand getaway!
Would jetting off with a friend to Europe for a fabulous 4* city break complete your summer?
Well, it’s one of the BIG prizes up for grabs in our huge summer giveaway – win 3 nights in a 4* hotel for two with return flights, private airport transfers, travel insurance and £200 spending money. And when it comes to choosing the destination, you’re the boss. Take your pick of return flights from selected UK airports to either Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dubrovnik, Lisbon, Paris, Prague, Rome or Stockholm. The prize is worth over £2,500!
That’s not all, there’s loads of these great prizes up for grabs too:
HOW CAN I WIN BIG?
It’s so easy. Just answer this question to be entered into the prize draw for your chance to bag our grand getaway or one of our other super prizes:
The Prize Draw opens 22/07/24 at 10:00 and closes on 01/09/24 at 11:59 (“Promotion Period”).
To enter the Prize Draw entrants must be a SMARTY customer and have an active plan as at the end date of the Promotion Period. Entrants must have registered for the SMARTY Community within the Promotion Period and be over 18 years of age and a UK resident (“Eligible Entrants”).
Only one entry per entrant. Winners will be selected at random.
For full terms click here.
Team SMARTY
UPDATE - COMPETITION CLOSED
The competition is now closed and we will draw the winner from all the eligible entries. Keep your fingers crossed and an eye on your Private Message inbox.
Thanks to everyone who contributed some brilliant entries. We had almost three thousand posts !
Keep up the great work everyone; the SMARTY Community belongs to us all and succeeds because of your great contributions.
24-07-2024 04:31 PM
Be creative with accommodations
24-07-2024 04:31 PM
Use the google travel explore page to find cheap flights to a random location, book some cheap accommodation and then use the rest of your cash to spend more there doing activities and making memories
24-07-2024 04:32 PM
Just book and go
24-07-2024 04:29 PM
Just book Nd
Just book and go
24-07-2024 04:34 PM
Bring an extension multi block with you so that you can charge all your devices easily
24-07-2024 04:35 PM
Pack smart, pack Smarty.
24-07-2024 04:36 PM
Make sure you put your hotel/accommodation name on your mobile Lock Screen in case you lose your phone (i.e. if found please return to …)
24-07-2024 04:36 PM
Watch the locals and follow them to the restaurants where they eat. I've done this for years and have always found great grub at the best price.
24-07-2024 04:37 PM
Never take to many clothes fatal mistake
24-07-2024 04:40 PM
Use Google trip planner to search for flights and hotels more easily!
24-07-2024 04:40 PM
Never pack to many clothes
24-07-2024 04:42 PM
Use cheap packing cubes to segregate underwear, socks, shoes etc in suitcase.
24-07-2024 04:45 PM
I pack a shampoo bar instead of having liquid shampoo and being limited to 100ml
24-07-2024 04:47 PM
Check-in last minute for the best seats
24-07-2024 04:47 PM
Download a local weather app
24-07-2024 04:48 PM
Dont forger to turn on your smarty roaming.
24-07-2024 04:50 PM
Pack light and don’t check in luggage. That will allow you to quickly exit the airport and not run the risk of loosing your luggage.
24-07-2024 04:52 PM
Head to a foreign supermarket (always a holiday highlight!) - get your own drinks and snacks, and serve them on the beach or balcony! Play some local internet radio on your phone and you’ve got all the experience of the bar for next to nothing 🙂
24-07-2024 05:03 PM
My best advice is to book the holiday for the period just before or just after peak season. Rearrange your work schedule if possible to make it happen because the benefits are well worth it: lower prices, fewer crowds, better availability and a more authentic experience once you're there with smaller crowds.
If you have children then it might be worth considering taking them out of school if it's only a short break. The best time is over a weekend, such as Fri to Mon so they miss as little school as possible, but try not to miss the start of a new term. Also check if your school issue fines for doing this - some schools do. Don't lie to the school about the reason, they will inevitably find out the truth. The experience of going on a short holiday can arguably enrich the child more than the few days of school that they miss, especially if your child rarely goes on holiday or is absent.
24-07-2024 05:12 PM
Roll your clothes when packing. It not only saves space, it stops them creasing so much.
24-07-2024 05:17 PM
Wait till schools go back…!
24-07-2024 05:17 PM
Don't forget your sandals!
24-07-2024 05:19 PM
Inform ur credit card company and bank that ur going on holiday, this way they won't stop any transactions due to suspicious activity.
24-07-2024 05:20 PM
Don’t forget a cheap mini kettle – so many countries don’t have them in the room. Start saving those little mini milk sachets/sugars, etc from coffee shops in advance of your hols then pack them with a few tea bags and hey presto, your first cuppa of the day is sorted! Also, pack plastic bags of several different sizes for all eventualities, be it saving your pastry from the breakfast buffet for later, or separating off dirty clothes or muddy shoes in your case.
24-07-2024 05:21 PM
Turn roaming off and use WiFi!
24-07-2024 05:25 PM
When I’m going trips on summer I always roll up my cloths into luggage. So it gives more room in luggage.
24-07-2024 05:27 PM
Get an international travel charger around 65w and do away with all the other charging mess in your bag. Tavel charger. Cable. Any country. Done.
24-07-2024 05:27 PM
best hack for a summer getaway is sign up to Chase bank for their debit card. Completely free to use outside the UK, choose the transaction in local currency and you get a better rate, no charge for using local ATMs. Money back (max 15gbp per month) for spending on the debit card. Four ways to best the banks!
24-07-2024 05:32 PM
Ensure my data plan is active
24-07-2024 05:33 PM
Make sure you research the place you are going to stay and places around the area so you can make a plan for family days out in advance. And if you book days out in advance you can usually save some money!
24-07-2024 05:35 PM
Travel Light & always have an active sim data plan
24-07-2024 05:37 PM
plan, but don't over plan. Leave time for being curious, following your nose and discovering surprises.
24-07-2024 05:38 PM
Always travel Light & have an active sim plan
24-07-2024 05:38 PM
Many European museums and art galleries are free to visit one day a week. Plan your trip around these and save lots of money!
24-07-2024 05:44 PM
Always paying local currency when paying on your card otherwise you get hit with a huge conversion rate
24-07-2024 05:44 PM
As well as taking photos, make some quick sound recordings on your phone too
24-07-2024 05:47 PM
Check you have the right Smarty package for your destination
24-07-2024 05:48 PM
As well as taking photos, make some quick sound recordings on your phone too
24-07-2024 05:49 PM
Give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport and if going to a foreign country, get a translator app on your phone.
24-07-2024 05:50 PM
If possible, take hand luggage only on your flight to avoid baggage reclaim queues.