I used to work as a travel agent. One of the reasons I loved to book my clients on cruises or into all-inclusive resorts was because there’s a special kind of relaxation which only occurs when you don’t need to constantly open your wallet on holiday.

My clients would come back beaming, and talking about the buffets, “free drinks” and the activities which were included in their holiday. I secretly longed to do the same. After years of traveling through Asia, staying in hostels and cheap hotels, and having what seems like a million “extras” to pay for, the idea of lying on the beach and knowing I can eat and drink whatever I want, maybe go snorkelling or kayaking, and won’t need to open my wallet? Well that sounds like bliss.

And on Sunday I’ll be doing just that. I’m going to go on an all inclusive holiday of my own. Part of the holiday won’t be all inclusive and I’ll need to pay for accommodation, food, drinks, and entertainment separately. And while it’s always great to go away, and I count myself lucky to be able to travel at all, there’s just something special about the words “all-inclusive” which makes me more excited than I’ve been in a long time.

Here’s the thing, I love getting off the beaten path, exploring ruins in Cambodia, temples in Thailand, and markets in China. But when I’m really desperate for a relaxing holiday, and I know that all I want to do is chill on the beach, the idea of leaving my wallet in my room and only worrying about which book to read next sounds pretty appealing.

I always thought that an all-inclusive holiday would be completely expensive. But it turns out that you can actually save money by having all of your needs included in one price.

The First Choice All Inclusive Calculator can give you a great indication of how much you can save in different locations and the comparison between self catering holidays and all-inclusive holidays.

The calculator asks you questions about how many people you’ll be traveling with, where you’d like to go, and even how much ice cream you think you’d eat. This means it’s a great way to compare how expensive a holiday would be if you’re paying for everything separately, and how much it would be to pay all-inclusive.

Often when you’re traveling, the little things quickly add up. Transportation is a big one, while many all-inclusive resorts will offer free shuttles and pick up from the airport, handling a taxi yourself can be stressful and expensive, and you may find yourself paying “tourist tax”. Another one is tipping. Many resorts which are all-inclusive mean that you literally don’t need to pay for anything else. This includes staff, as the price of tips are included in the overall price.

When I compare the prices, I estimate that I’m saving hundreds of dollars by choosing an all-inclusive holiday. I eat and drink a lot while I’m on holiday, and the fact that I won’t need to go and look for restaurants or pay extra for food will be saving me both money and time.