Holidays are great and should be taken as often as possible. But of course, money doesn’t grow on trees so holidays are sometimes not taken as often as some would like. However, with a bit of forward planning and some of these saving tips you will be surprised at how much money can be saved while on holidays:
Book Early
There are always early bird discounts available for all aspects of travel and holiday. Booking a flight while there are still many seats available will mean you are paying far less than someone who is booking the day before. The same goes for accommodation. So if you already know you want to head to the Great Ocean Road on your next holiday, for example, book your Portland accommodation in advance to secure the best package available.
Buy Your Own Food
Food can get expensive when you are buying three meals a day. Pack your own lunches, buy your own groceries if you are staying in a house or a serviced apartment and cook instead of going out every night. Even just buying a box of cereal is going to save you at least ten dollars per head per day on breakfast alone! Instead, cook when you can and save the money for the occasional, enjoyable dinner out.
Become a Coupon Queen
Keep an eye out for coupons on the back of shopping dockets, in newspapers, online or even ask your travel agent. Coupons are not only for accommodation, but you can often save money on the entry fee to tourist attractions, meals out and petrol if you are taking a driving holiday.
Also enquire at the tourist attractions about family passes or deals. Paying for single tickets can work out to be considerably more than the cost of a family pass.
Choose Location Wisely
Choosing a destination that is full of many tourist attractions and fun things to do in one spot will save you money on moving and travelling from town-to-town. Even if you stayed in the one place but had to travel far to get to anything exciting to explore, you would still need petrol and parking money or public transport fares.
Staying somewhere like in Ballarat accommodation would mean you and the family will be spoiled for choice with the amount of activities available in easy reach. Within short distances you have the option of Sovereign Hill, Kyral Castle, The Tangled Maze and even Ghost Tours. Places like Sovereign Hill are really worth their money as during peak times like school holidays, they will have special shows and attractions playing so you will have even more to see and do.
Drive Your Own Car
If you are taking a driving holiday take your own car instead of renting one. Yes, you will be putting miles on your car but you will also be saving up to $100 a day on car rental fees. Once you have reached your destination, having your car there will also save you money on transporting the family from A to B. However, this of course depends on the destination of your holiday and whether you need a car at all. If you are planning on staying in a city center where everything is in walking distance then there is no need for a car and you can save money on petrol and parking costs by leaving it at home.