A mum believe she's saved £600 on their holiday, all thanks to a £12 lunch trick.

Nicola Lewis, a 50-year-old mother of two, prides herself on getting the most value for her money during holidays. One of her top budget-friendly tips is to book a half-board holiday and prepare a lunch during breakfast to take with you.

Nicola, a professional organiser from Epping, Essex, revealed that she and her husband, Graham Lewis, also 50 and a freelance creative producer, always make a sandwich and grab a piece of fruit from their breakfast buffet to eat later in the day.

She explained that thanks to a set of £12 collapsible food containers, she can easily slip them into her bag and take the food away without any mess.

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Nicola, who runs her business 'This Girl Can Organise', estimates that this strategy saved her and Graham £600 on their recent week-long trip to Cyprus, as they didn't need to go out and spend on a meal for both of them at lunch, which typically costs them £85 a day.

She said: "I do check with the hotel that it's allowed beforehand - and I've never been told no. Looking at the reduction of waste, those buffets are always overstocked - and you've paid for it if it was available at breakfast.

"Some people have five plates of food at breakfast - but we're not big eaters so we can't have that much there and then. Holidays are so expensive now already, and spending extra on a lunchtime meal is a big expense."

Nicola recalled that as a child, her parents would always pack a picnic from the breakfast. Now a mum to two children of her own, aged 21 and 17, she follows the same practice.

As they don't have a heavy breakfast, they pack a modest lunch. Typically, they opt for a bread roll filled with meats or cheeses and some salad, along with a piece of fruit, which fits nicely into their collapsible boxes.

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They either take these boxes on their day trips or store them in their hotel fridge to eat in their room at lunchtime.

She revealed: "When Graham and I went away this year, we saved £600 on a one-week holiday. If we had gone out for a meal at lunch, I reckon we would have spent £85 per meal - for 7 days - it really adds up."

Nicola explained that they work hard to afford a trip away, so they're budget-conscious and prefer to save money for other things, such as cocktails or day excursions. Thanks to her savvy online purchases before their trips, she manages to do just that.

She shared: "I bought a pack of collapsible food containers from Amazon for £12 and I slip them into my bag as I go down for breakfast. The same with taking a reusable water bottle down to fill up too, since you often have to pay for water abroad. You can wash them in your hotel room sink so they're ready for the next day - it's a clever idea to save money."