Have a weekend in the calendar with nothing planned? Getting a bit bored with relying on what you lined up in your queue to watch on TV all day Sunday? It's never been cheaper to pack an overnight bag, hop on a train or plane and spend a few days somewhere else in the country.

Banish the Monday blues by coming in to work and telling everyone about the amazing weekend you had in Belfast,Manchester,Cardiff or Aberdeen with some of the best ways we found to save money on a weekend trip anywhere in the UK.

Tip1: See how far you can go in a day

Did you know it possible to fly to John O'Groats and get to Lands End in the same day? Now obviously you can't directly get there quickly, but Flybe* constantly have deals and sales on seats to airports around the UK in areas you wouldn't usually first think of visiting. You can go to the likes of Anglesey and its stunning beaches or Southampton and its rich seaside culture. All it takes is one short flight and you can go directly from Aberdeen to London and back.

Tip 2: Belfast is closer than you think

We often forget it but the Irish sea is much smaller than you think. Belfast is an unbelievable place to go for a short trip. It has 2 airports that service the city brilliantly; George Best City where Flybe and British Airways* fly in to, and Belfast International which Ryanair and Easyjet* use.

Just 24 hours in the Northern Irish capital could see you doing everything from visiting Games of Thrones locations, to learning about the history of the Troubles to heading out for a great night's craic. Flying midweek from mainland UK to Belfast is surprisingly cheap, with advanced flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Belfast City averaging £65 return.

Tip 3: We're on the train more than ever

Glasgow Times:

It might not always run exactly on time, but the number of people using trains continues to go up. In 2017, the Government reported that train travel had doubled in numbers compared to 20 years ago.

And while you might hear news stories when rail fares are going up, you never hear much about being able to nab a cheap ticket for a weekend away to the likes of Manchester and Newcastle without having to worry about the long drive. Obviously everyone knows about using Trainline* but you can also save money on tickets by seeing what deals Virgin Trains and National Rail* have too.

Tip 4: Let the internet decide where to go

Glasgow Times:

Travel research can be exhausting, especially when you end up with twenty tabs open on your laptop trying to compare everything. Take the hassle out of it and just let the internet do the heavy lifting. A great place to get cheap city breaks is Secret Escapes*, where they get massive discounts from top hotels in cities across the country. 

You could see yourself staying in a 5* hotel in the Midlands for half price, living it up in London on a luxury yacht (on the actual Thames) or going on a jaunt to the countryside at luxury hotels for a fraction of the price.