A few years ago my dad went to our local pub to support a charity auction. He came back with a limo rental for the night (don’t ask) and a vacation to the South of France. I don’t remember how much he paid for his vacation, but I do remember thinking he was a bargain. His flights were not included, I booked them separately through a budget airline. I did the same with the rental car. What he did win at the auction was two weeks in a fantastic villa in a remote part of the south of France. It had a pool, it was close to the beach and it was very well kept because it was someone’s vacation home.
Fast forward a few years and Christmas auctions are becoming more common. I haven’t seen one at a charity auction since (and trust me, I’ve looked everywhere!), but there are quite a few websites online where people auction off a vacation home stay or timeshare. As with my dad’s bargain, these types of auctions don’t usually include his flights. That said, though, with budget airlines springing up all over the place, flights don’t tend to cost you too much. It’s also worth renting a car if you’re staying in someone’s private apartment. They are usually a bit far from the main tourist areas.
Other websites allow you to bid on a hotel stay. Once again, flights are often not included. You should make sure you read the fine print if you are going to bid on these types of auctions. Often, you have to pay to bid, and the highest bid over a certain (undisclosed) amount will win. Before you bid, you must be absolutely sure that you want to win the auction or make sure that you are under no obligation to pay if you win your bid. The most reputable sites will never force you to pay if you later decide you don’t want the vacation.
More recently, it has become possible to win a vacation through an auction with the lowest single bid. These are similar to regular auctions, but instead of the highest bid, the lowest bid that only one person placed will win the auction. Reputable companies with the lowest one-time offers will pay for your travel and accommodation. Again, a fee is charged to enter these auctions. The fee can range from £1 to £10 and more. Be sure to set a budget if you’re going to try to win your vacation at an auction with the lowest single bid. Winning becomes easier the more bids you make, because you will be informed of the status of each bid so you can determine which is the lowest single bid. However, if you opt for a company that charges £10 per offer, the cost of participation may soon increase.
If you’re thinking of going on vacation, it’s definitely worth shopping around and considering some of these more unusual ways to buy (or earn) your vacation.
