Posted on December 03, 2008 by Fiona Hilliard

Want to escape hefty household bills this winter?  Here’s a novel idea-go on holiday!

According to the UK’s Office of National Statistics Family Spending survey, the average weekly household bill ( including heating, electricity and food expenditure) for 2007 was £459.  Call them opportunistic but, holiday accomodation company Artemis Travel says winter holidaymakers actually save money by going away during the winter months.

Here them out, they may have a point.  Winter breaks in cheap destinations such as Turkey not only stop you from splashing out on heating bills for a week or two, they also save you money on food expenditure.  A quick price check on the average weekly food shop for a family of four in the UK cost on average £44.10- the same shop came to just £35 in Turkey.

Right now, the best deals are to be found outside of the Eurozone.  Artemis Travel chief executive Nigel Harris says:
“We all know food costs have gone up substantially this year and the current weakness in the pound against the Euro also makes many countries more expensive.”
“But get out of the Eurozone to places like Turkey, which has been enjoying a boom in popularity with British travellers for the last couple of years, and the reduction in the cost of living is quite dramatic.”

Hmmm…I predict a mass exodus…last one out, switch off the lights!