by Eleanor O'Donnell

Created on: July 21, 2008   Last Updated: October 25, 2008

There are lots of places to look for last minute holiday deals. Hundreds of websites all claiming to have the "best deals" and the "lowest possible prices". Then there are the travel agents who claim to have special "insider rates" not to mention the ebay sellers trying to convince you that their timeshare is different to the everyone else's. So where should you be looking to get the deal that's right for you? Well that depends on the kind of person you are and the kind of holiday you'd like to take.

Do You Want It All Planned For You?

If you don't like messing around and doing-it-yourself to save a few extra pennies then your best bet is to head straight for the high street. With more and more people turning to the internet to book their holidays, travel agents have had to become more competitive than ever to keep their businesses going. When it comes to having spaces left over in hotels or on flights with only a few weeks to go they slash their prices pretty low to encourage last-minute holiday makers through the door. After all, it's better to have a low paying guest than none at all.

You might find you pay a little bit more by booking in the high street than if you booked online, but if you want to be secure in the holiday you've booked and are after a complete package then you will often find the High Street is the best deal for you.

Similarly you can try Teletext Holidays by viewing the teletext pages on your television or by looking them up on the internet. As with travel agents, Teletext Holidays offer complete packages at competitive rates in a bid to fill empty rooms.

Do You Want See How It Goes?

If you want to get away as soon as possible with no particular kind of holiday or destination in mind then check out the cheap flights available online and book up a hotel or hotels separately. Sites like expedia.co.uk and lastminute.com offer an easy to use search database to help you find a last-minute deal tailored to any one of a series of search requirements. To get the cheapest deal possible, try booking a return flight and a single night hotel stay on arrival then scout the local area the next day to find a true last-minute deal. If there's nothing going in the town you land in catch a bus to the next one! This kind of holiday is ideally suited to younger singles or couples who don't mind taking life as it comes. It's certainly not an ideal plan for families where reliability and routine are more important factors to consider.

If it's excitement you're after

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