Swimwear can become a huge holiday expense for any family before you have even hit the tarmac and caught a glimpse of your hotel pool!
With kids growing out of everything you buy in what seems like minutes and with swimwear never seeming to last more than one week away, it all quickly adds up.
If you’re looking to save a bit of money on your next family trip away, then it’s a great place to start. When it comes to family holidays, some parts of the budget are just unavoidable but we can always look to save money in the places we can.
We've put together some tried and tested tips to help your family save money on that annual swimwear expense!
Mix & Match Bikinis
It may be something you’ve considered for yourself but did you know you can also mix-and-match styles in children’s swimwear too!?
Not only does it look cute, but it also means your tops and bottoms can be paired with something different, and means you still have a full set if one piece gets lost or ruined.
It’s also great to buy plain coloured mix and match swimwear sets from stores like Vertbaudet so if by next holiday, one part doesn’t fit or has gotten damaged, you can always replace it with another design in the same colour!
Embrace Hand Me Downs
Most kids only get one or two wears out of swimwear on a family holiday, so hand-me-downs are a great way to completely cut out having to spend on new clothing!
If your children have older siblings or cousins then you can almost guarantee some free swimwear for the next holiday.
Another fantastic way to get barely used children's swimwear at a fraction of the cost is by searching on pre-loved sites. Places like Vinted, Facebook Marketplace and eBay amazing swimwear sets to choose from at amazing prices and are updated daily!
Shop Out of Season
Just like all other clothing, swimwear and holiday clothes go out of season around September time so it’s a great time to start browsing for future trips.
Not only do most stores and online clothing sites launch huge summer sales around this time, but you can also normally find great summer pieces in the year-round sales too.
As swimwear is only in season for such a short space of time, they are guaranteed to go down in price for the rest of the year. Plan in advance and buy your family swimwear the year before your next holiday from stores like Matalan!
Take Good Care of It
We all know how crazy it can be on holiday making sure the kids have enough sun cream and ice creams to last the day!
Swimwear can easily be taken off and thrown into the corner until it’s time for the next wash. Due to the delicate fabric of swimwear, it’s all too easy to get caught on rough surfaces which pull and bobble the material.
Make sure you take extra good care of your swimwear each time it's worn and it should last you a lot longer than usual!
Buy High Quality
When we’re planning a holiday on a budget, it’s so tempting to opt for the cheapest option when it comes to buying things like bikinis, swimming costumes and trunks.
However, like most clothing, if you buy cheap then you may end up buying twice! Spending just a little more on better quality swimwear from stores like Marks and Spencer means it can last for next year's holiday too.
Even if the kids grow out of it in that time, it should still be in good enough condition to hand down to other family members or to sell online!
Always Try On
The quickest and easiest way to shop for anything is always online.
Sometimes we realise the clothing just doesn’t fit quite right and by that time, it’s too late to return! Make sure you try on your swimwear as soon as it arrives so you have plenty of time to send it back. You definitely don’t want to wait until you’re on holiday to realise it doesn’t fit and then end up having to buy a more expensive alternative abroad.
A great tip is to take your family to try on swimwear at stores such as House of Fraser and then order online once you’ve found a great discount code!
Choose Staple Pieces
It can be so tempting to go for the most fashionable designs when we’re looking to buy holiday swimwear!
Unfortunately, as with all fashion pieces, they just never seem to come back around the following year and you’ll be stuck with swimwear you don’t want to use again.
Rather than going for trending patterns and prints, we would always recommend buying swimwear with block colours like black from stores like Boohoo. These styles won’t ever date and you’ll be able to wear them year after year!
We would also suggest avoiding strappy and cut-out swimwear. They may look great but they leave tricky tan lines, which usually means they only get worn a few times.
Buy Swimwear They Can Grow Into
When shopping for all the family it’s important to consider that your kids will grow out of whatever you choose to buy very quickly!
Although they may be slightly more expensive to start with, if you can find swimwear from stores such as Speedo that grows with your children, you’re saving in the long run. Details such as adjustable waistbands, adjustable bikini straps and drawstring swimming shorts means you can buy bigger.
You can tighten them for the first year and then let them out for the next holiday - getting one or two extra years out of one piece of swimwear!
