Whether you can believe it or not, we’ll be getting ready to say welcome in December by this time next week.
And that also means in won’t be long before 2024 arrives either.
2023 has been quite the year, and with the working world getting ready to wind down for the festive season, many are no doubt already looking ahead to the new year, and planning all the holidays and time off work they want to book.
Fancy making the most of it though? For those looking to play their cards right and hack the system a little bit, travel insurance price comparison platform PayingTooMuch has worked out a way to secure yourself a whopping 55 days off work using just 25 days of your annual leave allowance – and it’s pretty impressive.
With most full-time employees who work a five-day week having a minimum of 28 days (5.6 weeks) of paid annual leave each year, travel experts at the company have figured out how these people can effectively double their time off in 2024.
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Here’s how it works.
There’s a way to get 55 days off in 2024 using only 25 days of annual leave / Credit: Behnam Norouzi | Marissa Grootes (via Unsplash)
January
Saturday 30 December 2023 to Sunday 7 January 2024 – To extend your new year celebrations, you’ll want to book four days off at the start of the year for a total of nine days off.
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Easter
Saturday 23 March to Sunday 7 April – With Good Friday falling on 29 March next year, you can enjoy a long Easter break of 16 days by only booking eight days off.
May
Saturday 4 May to Monday 12 May or Saturday 25 May to Sunday 2 June – Thanks to the two bank holidays in May, there’s two ways for you to enjoy nine days off in a row by only using four days of annual leave.
August
Saturday 24 August to Sunday 1 September – Here you can book just four days off in August to gain nine days off for a summer holiday.
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December
Saturday 21 December 2024 to Tuesday 1 January 2025 – To end the year on a high and give yourself the chance to properly enjoy the festive period with family and friends, you can book five days of annual leave to gain 12 days off in total.
There’s also loads of health-boosting benefits about taking time off from work / Credit: Towfiqu Barbhuiya (via Unsplash)
PayingTooMuch also spoke to Wellbeing Coach Lorna Wilkins to explore the health-boosting benefits of going on holiday and taking time off from work.
“One of the key health benefits of going on holiday is that it reduces stress,” Lorna explains.
“Having a break from your daily routine can make you feel more relaxed and therefore improve your mental wellbeing.
“A change of environment and getting away from the pressures of day-to-day life not only helps you to clear your mind but can also help to improve your sleep quality as you’ll be feeling more relaxed.”
Data reveals Manchester hotel prices have ALREADY surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates
Emily Sergeant
Manchester hotel prices have apparently already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates, some new data has revealed.
Of course, absolutely nothing is set in stone yet and we are still yet to receive any form of announcement.
But with rumours having been swirling for months now that Oasis will be touring again in 2027, and several videos shared on the band’s social media platforms this week also hinting at that, it’s been revealed that searches for ‘when are Oasis tickets going on sale?’ have soared by 5,000% in the last seven days alone.
After recent data has pointed towards soaring searches for tickets, the experts at SeatPick decided to analyse the average cost of accommodation in Manchester on the suspected concert nights in June 2027 to uncover if prices have surged along with the searches.
Data reveals that Manchester hotel prices have already surged by 462% on rumoured Oasis tour dates / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Press Picture)
And lo and behold, it appears that they have.
The ticketing platform has revealed that hotel prices have surged by up to 462% during Oasis’ rumoured concert nights in Manchester.
The rumoured weekend date of 19 and 20 June has experienced the most noticeable price surge – with a two-star hotel costing an average of £216 for just one overnight stay.
The data also reveals that the rumoured finale on the 27 June has just a £95 difference between two-star hotels (£200) and five-star hotels (£295).
“Our analysis uncovered an enormous markup for local accommodation on nights that Oasis is rumoured to perform in Manchester,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO at ticket platform SeatPick.
“Being aware of these accommodation costs and additional expenses can help fans plan and avoid being caught off guard by inflated prices on concert nights.
“To find the best deals on hotels, concertgoers should scan budget chains in the city or look slightly outside of the centre in hotspots served by local bus routes or regional trains, such as Salford and Trafford.
“Booking early might also be beneficial for fans dedicated to seeing the band perform.
“You can opt for free cancellation options, in case rumoured dates change, or you’re no longer able to attend.”
Featured Image – Point3D (via Unsplash)
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Aldi confirms ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll, once again, be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours this year.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Saturday 2 January 2027.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Sunday 27 through to Wednesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rachel Geary, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time for our customers, but it is also one of the busiest periods of the year for our teams.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to ensure customers can pick up everything they need ahead of the big day.
“We never take that effort for granted. Closing our stores on Boxing Day is one way of saying thank you and giving colleagues a proper chance to rest, switch off and spend more time with the people closest to them.”
Emily Sergeant -
24th November 2023 
