All this rain is driving us inside to our computers and the internet. And what are we spending our time looking at? Winter sun packages. It’s hardly surprising that bad weather in the UK, after a rather uninspiring summer, should have us all dreaming of a hot and sunny Christmas. But budgetary constraints are rather restrictive this year, but this shouldn’t mean your dreams say in wonderland, you can transport yourself to wonderland in reality if you know what to look for.

Firstly, wait until the last minute. Although this can be near impossible to do in practice, especially if you have a family to think about, let alone asking your boss for time off work in times of need, you are almost guaranteed to bag a bargain. This is because holiday companies get even more anxious than you; if they don’t sell their allocation they make a loss and nobody wants to lose money on an investment.

Secondly, think long and hard about when you want to travel. The first thing you’ll notice when looking at winter sun holidays is the peaks and troughs around certain dates. Prices sky rocket, rather unsurprisingly, over Christmas and New Year, but also throughout February to cover staggered half-term holidays and also over Easter, which is late in 2011 on the 22 to 25 April. Right after New Year in January and again at the beginning of March, prices plummet to very affordable levels.

Pick your location wisely. If you really want a winter sun break without splashing out on the Caribbean or Australia, then the best value for money with the highest temperatures is to be found in Egypt. You can also choose between culture in Cairo or beach bliss in Sharm-el-Sheikh; if you have longer to spare you could even consider combining both and have two holidays for the price of one.

To make your budget stretch as far as possible and to avoid constant spending whilst away, book an all-inclusive package. Although the initial expenditure will be higher as you are paying for all your meals and some drinks up front, you won’t have to spend a penny on location. Seeing as many all-inc packages now include alcoholic drinks, this is a great way to travel.

Thomas Cook offers great value Egypt holidays to suit a range of budgets and personal preferences.