Top tips for a budget break

Parents planning a trip to Europe for them and the kids for this half-term break may be interested to hear that Tesco Travel Insurance has offered a number of tips to keep holiday costs to a minimum.

As well as booking cheap flights to Madrid or Paris, parents have been told not to leave transfers till the last minute but to negotiate them while organising the vacation in order to reduce airport taxi costs.

In addition, holidaymakers have been advised to familiarise themselves with current currency conversions to better keep track of their spending.

Other cost-cutting measures recommended by the group include hiring a bicycle or using public transport rather than booking a hire car and packing a picnic for day trips instead of dining at pricey cafes.

Rachel Cutler, head of Tesco Travel Insurance, said: "Holidays don't have to be expensive, with a little planning and some clever cost cutting you can still enjoy a happy half term together without fearing for your finances - even during the credit crunch."

Meanwhile, ski holidays in France are still proving popular with Britons, according to OnTheSnow.com

Book cheap flights to Madrid airport online from Jet2.com, the low cost airline.