Hi Lexilex,You dont say which part of Turkey you are going to,as certain parts are dearer than others.I would firstly buy a couple of bottles from dutyfree for you and your partner to enjoy on your balcony before you go out in the evening~buy your mixers from any little supermarket that keeps them in the fridge,most do anyway.I think even with a small budget,again you dont say how small I think it will be doable.We always buy freshly baked bread from the bakeries and it is really cheap(pop a few items in your case like tins of ham etc.....)this would do for lunches.Book a couple of allinclusive boat trips here you will get all your drinks and a nice lunch too.For evenings I suggest the local Pide places,tasty good food at cheap prices.Also look out for set meal deals lots of restaurants offer them.I think with it just being the two of you that it is sooooo much easier to do things more cheaply.Enjoy yourselves.I know others will be along shortly to offer more help. Hopefully you will find a job soon also.

Can you take a travel kettle with you and maybe half a dozen pot noodles? I know they are not the most ideal thing in the world but with a bit of bread, and a packet of biscuits??

At least you will be able to have a hearty breakfast which can hopefully keep you going until mid afternoon.

I've never been to Turkey so cannot offer any specific tips but the following have helped me when on a budget.

Always eat from the fixed menu if they have one rather than a la carte

Most countries with tourist industries do have some sort of fixed price/dish of the day/menu el dia system and this is usually the cheapest way to eat out.

Have your main meal at lunchtime/early afternoon if eating out

In most countries it is possible to eat main courses much cheaper at lunchtime than in the evening so fill-up at breakfast (you've paid for it!) and then eat as late as you can from the lunchtime menus. This means that you can get away with just a snack or nibbles later on with your duty free drinks.

Think 'Snack' rather than main meal when eating out

My local Turkish restaurant does brilliant meze platters for sharing. I assume that restaurants and bars in Turkey are likely to do the same. It's usually very filling and even if you double-up on portions it usually works out cheaper than a main course per person. And leaves room for baklava or similar for 'afters'. A starter and a pudding is often cheaper than just a main course and can be more filling.

Drink the local drinks rather than expensive imports

The local 'brew' is always likely to be cheaper and if you are drinking spirits with mixers then does it make all that much difference? Local brands of beer will almost always be cheaper than imported bottled or draught beers. Likewise, local or supermarket own brands of soft drinks will always be much cheaper than big name brands even at home.

Eat and shop like a local

Markets will usually be cheaper than shops than almost anywhere in the world. Avoid shops that sell mainly imported brands aimed at tourists and watch which shops are frequented by the locals who are unlikely to ever pay more than they have to. This might mean having to walk farther but treat it as a part of the days activities. When we go away as a family to La Gomera, my nieces have always enjoyed the morning donder from baker to grocer to charcuterie helping choose what we'll eat and practising their Spanish.

Think 'Picnic' when eating in your room

Even though you won't have cooking facilities there's still a lot you can do when it comes to 'eating-in' if you think 'picnic'. A few roles, some sliced meat or cheese, a bit of salad and some fresh fruit can make a delicious meal and if you shop where the locals shop then it is usually cheaper than shops specifically aimed at tourists.

Hope you find these tips helpful.

SM

Failing that you could always put your holiday back without losing the deposit, I have done that myself in the past. I have no idea how tight the budget actually is but being short of money is bad enough without being in a red hot country short of money and I'm not sure that the experience would be enjoyable.

Whatever you decide I hope that it all works out for you.

If you were made redundant officially (with paperwork) your insurance ought to cover any losses due to cancellation minus the excess.

Your comment about bread prices raises a question, was this the bread the locals eat or a british looking sliced loaf in a bag? As SMa said, shop like a local. On the Algarve I've seen sliced loaves on shelves in supermarkets for about 4 times what the local bakery chraged for the same weight of their different shaped bread.

On the Algarve I've seen sliced loaves on shelves in supermarkets for about 4 times what the local bakery chraged for the same weight of their different shaped bread.

And I bet the bread from the baker tasted nicer than the sliced loaf from the supermarket too

SM

So sorry you've lost your job & hope you get another soon, Lexie.

Like yourself I'd be tempted to go ahead with the holiday. I 2nd the poster who recommended the Pide restaurants: Pide is delicious, cheap & filling.....a Turkish pizza. . . Also the donner kebabs are good. Obviously if you want to you can find expensive restaurants but we preferred to eat the excellent local food & we didn't find eating out dear in Turkey. There are plenty of restauruants where you can go up to the refrigerated counter & choose a selection of reasonably priced meze dishes & share. Wine is expensive relatively speakng to the price of your meal but I think beer (efes) is affordable.
Hunt out a supermarket with prices marked & you'll find everything you need to make cheap pasta dishes.

Hope you have lovely time!

Wow thanks for the replies so far, some fab ideas.

My job was temporary and came to an end. I had an interview yesterday which went well so hopefully something may come of that, but I am trying to plan for all eventualities. To be completely honest, having this holiday to look forward to is the only thing keeping me going at the moment, though the thought of returning home to no job fills be with dread.

I haven't really got much of an idea how much money we will have for spending. We normally take £300 each a fortnight. It may end up around £600ish for the two of us for the whole holiday but I don't know exactly, it will just be however much we can save between now and then.

We aren't wine drinkers, normally we like to have a few cocktails. I have been thinking about buying a couple of bottles of spirits in duty free though, should save us a lot of money.

It's food that is bothering me the most, though I love the picnic idea, and we will be taking a travel kettle. My plan is to fill up on breakfast (as much as you can on a Turkish breakfast!) eat one meal in the room and then eat out once a day.

If anyone has any ideas of food we could get to take with us that would be great! Any other ££ saving tips would be fab too.

Oh, and it's Oludeniz by the way, not the cheapest of resorts I believe (have done Marmaris and Alanya before).

eat one meal in the room

Forgot to say that you'll find picnicing in your room easier if you can squeeze into your cases a couple of plastic plates and remember to keep hold of the plastic cutlery from any meal on the plane. Or else pack a couple of knives, forks and spoons. And a swiss army knife comes in very handy in these circumstances too - make sure it has a tin-opener on it!

SM

We were in Olu Deniz last summer and I'm sorry to say that I found it rather expensive. I can only second what another poster resommended that you take a couple of boat trips as they are really good value for money. You can take a cheap day cruise where your food is included in the price and you'll have fun too- remember to take your own drinks bought from the supermarket as they are expensive on the boats.

I think you'll probably have to steer away from the cocktails as they are pricey, as are most other drinks apart from the local beer and spirits. Although we tried many places for food in the evenings none of them were cheap apart from the one little kiosk we found selling kebabs and snacks at the side of the main strip. We weren't particularly hungry one evening so bought a kebab each from there (there were a few plastic tables and chairs where you could sit) and enjoyed them whils people watching, although we weren't in a decent restaurant lol.

I hope you manage to enjoy your holiday. I don't know how doable 2 weeks will be on £600 for you both as we normally spend that much each but then again we have been lucky enough not to have had to holiday on a tight budget.
Good Luck!

I've been having a think this afternoon about things we could take which wouldn't require cooking. So far I have:

Tuna
Couscous
Pot Noodley type things (I've seen some little pasta snack dishes I think)
Hot dogs (if I can find some with actual meat content)
Some sort of tinned meat (again only if it contains real meat)

I am so hoping I find work before we go, my favourite thing about Turkey is eating out and the food Missing out on that lovely food would kill me.

Loads of little kebab huts when we were in Turkey, huge kebabs at cheap prices. Last time we went on holidays we bought baguettes and eggs, and had sliced hard boiled eggs in rolls. Tasty and filling.

Sorry about your job situation.

As has been said, Pot Noodles and bread can fill an empty stomach! Tuna, etc, all can be packed!

How about filling up at breakfast and just having a few biscuits or pretsels for a snack around lunch and then an evening meal.
Drink your own drinks around the pool! Just pop to the supermarket and get them and hide them by your sunbed!
I've never been to Turkey but if it's anything like Spain then your evening meals will be between £5 and £12 so maybe you can aim to do this every other day!

In Homebargains they sell something called 'mug shots'. These are Pasta meals that you just put in a mug and fill up with boiling water. They are surprisingly filling and will be great for a lunch time snack. They are about 32p each !

Now here's the BIGGEST way you will be saving money that no one has mentioned yet!!!
Just remember that if you stayed at home you'd obviously be spending money on your food/drink etc for those two weeks anyway! Also it'll be 2 weeks without Petrol in your cars which these days is probably quite a big amount!
So if you normally spend £50 per week at home + maybe £15 petrol that'll be £130 over two weeks X 2 if your partner does the same! You won't be spending it in the uk so you can add it to your holiday money! £260 ish there!

I'll try and think of some more!

A lot of the hotels in Turkey wouldn't be happy if you took your own food around the pool and drinks would be a complete no no. Some hotels actually check you haven't brought your own drinks on to their premises. I think it might be best to check your hotels policy on this. Which hotel is it?

If you have room in your suitcase for a small-ish cool bag take ham and cheese etc for sarnies...just buy bread/buns and make your own up for cheap lunches

Agree with Minione about taking drinks around the pool(a definate no no with your turkish hosts, this is how they make their money afterall)but if there is a fridge in your room then I would take it as read that you are allowed to bring in your own food and drink to be consumed in your room or on your balcony,nicer on the balcony.Shopping at the market also you will pick up lovely fruit for snacks also.

I think every single hotel I've ever stayed in has not allowed your own drinks around the pool! Never stopped me!!! Nor most other people! I'm not saying I don't drink from the bar, just not all the time! Especially drinking water during the day. 50 cents from the shop will do me fine thank you very much!

As Shirley said eating/drinking at Olu Deniz can be expensive but short dolmus ride back up the mountain to Hisaronu and there are HEAPS of restuarants/bars. Towards the end of Hisaronu..on the rhs..upstairs is a chinese restaurant that used to be very good and cheap. In fact we always stayed in Hisaronu and dolmus down to the beach. The public beach is quite stoney but backed by restaurants. The lagoon you have to pay a small admittance fee and there used to be just one eating place there. We used to get free transport from where the dolmus drops you off to another beach just around the corner - takes you to far side of lagoon where it is sandy and very nice place to eat.

Take a cool bag with you and buy water/coke and use this for drinks on the beach. We always took a few ice blocks with us and all our B&B's used to let us put them in their freezer overnight - no problem.

really feel bad for you, hope you find something soon.

You mention that the food is a big part of what you enjoy when away, I have to say we are the same- we plan our days around the next meal! Could you delay your trip until Sept? It will still be hot, a bit quieter and maybe give you chance to either find work or save a little more.