A frugal life is an easy life!

Anyone who has tried to book a holiday during the school holidays will know exactly what I am talking about here, rip off Britain at its finest!

Spent 3 hours last night finding a holiday location.
Then went around the various websites.

The smaller independants, just wanted to drop cookies on my computer so they could grab a commission for "selling" a holiday to the bigger companies, failed because I am wise to their game and always book over the phone.

The bigger companies, usually owned by one big corporate business behind the scenes, as I soon discovered First Choice and Thomas Cook are (owned by a corporate called TUI) making them all part of the same company, all of which was regardless, as they were asking ridiculous prices for what amounts to a bedsit for 7 days, all of a similar price, give or take ten quid or so. Rubbish.

In my anger, as it was after midnight, the better half was getting steadily drunk watching Ray Donovan, blurting out random thoughts/places/airports, then nothing for 15 minutes (usually while Mr Donovan was involved in a shower scene or something similar that involved him removing clothing) I was given a smaller travel agent's website to try.
Why not I thought, I was getting nowhere with my efforts.

A pleasant surprise greeted me as I went through the search process.
Selected flights - reasonable, selected hotel, again very reasonable, even the transfers were cheap... here we go... "Your deal reference number is..."

I hit the sack, relaxed in the knowledge that I could awake, book and let the holiday fairy paint pretty pictures in my swede.
I awoke, picked up the phone, all set to go with my deal reference number.
After the initial shock of a £44 charge for one suitcase (who goes on holiday with no clothing?) not to worry, I was in the game!
".... errrr hold on a moment please...."
Ok.
"... errrr we can't get you on a return flight, can we change the dates please?"
Ok. Flexible I am.
"Almost a week later, but we've got the flights and the hotel you wanted, along with the transfers, it comes to a grand total of...."

Over £300 than the original "deal"
Nope, not having that, that just puts me back at the price of the corporate travel companies, which is taking the wass!
Then came the inevitable sales person bull...

"It's because everybody wants to go to [insert your location here] because it's good value!" - Not at that price it isn't!
"Schools go back a week later that's why the same flight 3 days later costs £150 per person, less!" - Nonsense! The flights were £120 last night, now this morning they are £240 per person, for the same flight!
"I will try and get you with another budget airline, hold on a mo..."

Everyone who has tried to book a holiday without being ripped off knows where this is going...
"The cheapest flights with other airlines are £760!" - Yet my deal, the flights were only £360 for all of us?
The fact is that other airlines have higher prices, then when the cheapo airline is full, they bump up the prices (even more) of their flights going on the same day! (Theory being that you miss the flight you lose your holiday, so you will pay it to keep your family sweet)

I'm not against making profits but a 50% rise in prices because another airline the same day has sold out, smells to me like collusion!
Yet another regulator failing.
Factor in when a price for the same flight and the same hotel is only about £10 difference from two supposedly different companies (but owned by the same corporate behind the scenes) you feel my pain.

Holiday in the UK some say, not much better I'm afraid.
Those hoping to rent their 2nd property located in a beautiful scenic area of the UK, check what prices are being charged for abroad and tailor their prices to a few quid below.
No sun and fewer things to do for almost the same price? Don't think so!

It's time this great British holiday rip off was sorted out once and for all, it's a hard enough life as it is, without making it damned near impossible to find a cheap break in the sun to recover.