50% of travel products are cheaper when temperatures rise; £578 of savings to be made, if holidaymakers buy them at the right time of the year. Around a third (31%) of holiday essentials are at their lowest in school summer holidays.
Travelling home or abroad during the school holidays has just got that little bit cheaper, as new research into the price of travel essentials such as cameras, Kindles and tablets reveals that half are surprisingly cheaper during the summer months.
A 12-month study* of pricing data and consumer demand by leading shopping price comparison site idealo.co.uk, examined over 750,000 products across 16 travel categories to discover if British holidaymakers are paying through the nose in the height of summer.
With many holidaymakers expecting retailers to bump up their prices before or during the school holidays, the research reveals the complete opposite. Tents are at their lowest price in July, with campers and festival goers able to save £66 on average. August boasts the most summer savings with tablets, travel cots, backpacks and even swimming googles plummeting in cost at this time of year.
The two biggest savings in and around the school holidays are on cameras and tablets. Those looking to pick up a new camera can save £79 on average if they purchase in July and a whopping £125 if they splash the cash when holidaying in September to escape the kids. The most expensive time to buy a camera is May, when prices rocket to £1,025 on average. Tablets are available for £347 on average in August when prices are at their lowest – a £73 saving on January when they are available for £420.
It’s not just big-ticket electrical items where savings can be made, with cheaper essentials such as swimming goggles reduced during the summer months. Goggles are at their average lowest price of £15 in August but they climb to £24 in May – a saving of £9.
Idealo’s Katy Phillips commented on the findings: “Finally some good news in the heat of Brexit and bad weather! It’s refreshing to discover that most travel essentials are at their cheapest price during the summer months when many shoppers may panic buy before their trip away.
“Our research hopefully provides respite for hard-hit parents who typically have to fork out more for a holiday when the schools are off and travel companies inflate their prices. The fact that they can save £201 on travel essentials in July and August alone, should soften the blow to the holiday finances.”
Despite the good news for holidaymakers looking to buy essentials just before they travel, the research reveals that shopper demand for 38% of travel products is at its highest in November as many are hoping to snap up a cheap deal on Black Friday. Unfortunately, only six per cent of travel essentials are cheaper in November when Black Friday falls.
Organised holidaymakers could save a healthy £578 on their travel essentials if they are savvy and shop at the time of the year when each essential is at its cheapest. The following table shows when demand is highest for more expensive product categories versus when they are cheapest:
Product category |
Highest demand |
Cheapest month |
Cameras |
November |
September |
Tablets |
November |
August |
Sat Navs |
July |
September |
Sunglasses |
July |
November |
Travel cots |
August |
August |
Suitcases |
January |
June |
Tents |
July |
July |
Headphones |
November |
June |
Kindles/Ereaders |
November |
June |
Handheld game consoles |
November |
May |
Backpacks |
August |
August |
Katy from idealo added: “Although many holidaymakers trust Black Friday, our research shows you don’t always get the cheapest deal on the big discount day of the year. Our study reinforces that prices fluctuate throughout the year which is why our advice is to stay savvy all year round and continually compare to make sure you get the best deal.”
The cheapest and most expensive months for all the travel essential products over the last 12 months:
Product category |
Cheapest month |
Average price |
Most expensive month |
Average price |
Variance |
Cameras |
September |
£900 |
May |
£1,025 |
£125 |
Tablets |
August |
£347 |
January |
£420 |
£73 |
Sat Navs |
September |
£222 |
February |
£268 |
£46 |
Sunglasses |
November |
£94 |
February |
£110 |
£16 |
Travel cots |
August |
£58 |
November |
£88 |
£30 |
Suitcases |
June |
£90 |
February |
£115 |
£25 |
Tents |
July |
£225 |
February |
£291 |
£66 |
Headphones |
June |
£134 |
February |
£168 |
£34 |
Kindles/Ereaders |
June |
£113 |
October |
£155 |
£42 |
Handheld game consoles |
May |
£241 |
October |
£284 |
£43 |
Backpacks |
August |
£60 |
February |
£83 |
£23 |
Sandals |
January |
£37 |
February |
£49 |
£12 |
Armbands |
December |
£14 |
November |
£21 |
£7 |
Inflatables (water toys) |
October |
£33 |
March |
£54 |
£21 |
Swimming goggles |
August |
£15 |
May |
£24 |
£9 |
Trunkis |
September |
£24 |
February |
£30 |
£6 |
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.