It is now that time of year again when many of us are thinking of booking our spring or summer holidays, but with many people still reeling from the cost of Christmas and New Year you may find that you are on a pretty tight budget when it comes to your next holiday. Still, despite the cost most of us need a break to recharge our batteries and shake off the winter blues, and the good news is that are ways in which you can save a considerable amount of money on your holiday.

Below are five top tips on saving money on the cost of your holiday:

1. Don't assume that late bookings are always best. If you do not plan to jet off until later in the year then it is worth looking around for early bird offers on flights, hotels, and package holidays. Late bookings can be effective if you do not have a particular destination in mind, but if you already know exactly where you want to go you could enjoy big savings if you start looking early before airlines and tour operators hike up their prices.

2. If you plan to go away as quickly as possible and do not mind which destination you go to then a late booking can be an effective way to save money. You need to book the time off work in the usual way, and then simply browse the travel websites for late deals - you will usually find a wide range of holidays to a variety of places that are leaving within a week or two, and the last minute nature of these deals means that you can save a packet.

3. Package holidays are not necessarily cheaper. Although you can get some good deal on package holidays, you should remember that you may be able to save money by booking your flights and hotels separately, and this is definitely something you should look into. Check prices with a range of airlines - or look at deals offered by airline consolidators who often have access to some great deals from different airlines. Then compare prices on hotels in the area that you want to stay - there are many travel sites that will enable you to look at cheap hotels and special deals.

4. Consider a UK break. If your budget won't stretch as far as flights and hotels abroad then you will find some perfectly wonderful places to visit within the UK itself, and they won't necessarily cost a fortune. If you book a holiday to somewhere like the Lake District you can drive there yourself, saving a packet on travel, cater for yourself, and enjoy the beauty and natural delights that areas like this have to offer.

5. Use the Internet to compare deals. As with anything else you need to make sure that you compare deals in order to get the best prices on flights, hotels, and package deals, and this is where the Internet can prove invaluable. You no longer have to pay expensive brochure prices through a travel agent, as you can utilise the Internet and more or less tailor make your own holiday without having to break the bank.