Six ways to save money while on holiday

Living life large while on holiday doesn’t mean blowing your budget. It’s possible to enjoy every minute of your well-deserved break and possibly come home with cash to spare.

Here are our tips to travelling well while spending less:

1. Package it up

There was a time when the phrase ‘package deal’ made us think of budget airlines, cramped hotel rooms and noisy, sunburnt tourists. Now, thanks to companies like Luxury Escapes, it’s easy to nab a great deal to an even greater location. To save money while you’re away, look for deals that include food, pampering, activities and transfers. A word of caution: if you don’t have an all- inclusive deal, research the hotel and make sure that the dining options suit your budget. There’s no point in paying a cheap rate for a room if you’re only going to spend the equivalent on food every day.

Save: $$$$$

2. Set a budget

It sounds obvious, but set a budget before you go on holiday. Factor in things like food, alcohol, activities, travel (including hotel transfers), souvenirs, gifts and duty-free. Give yourself something like a 10% buffer so that you don’t feel the pinch if you go over. If you stick to your budget, that extra 10% or so will feel like extra money in your wallet – and you can treat yourself to a post- holiday massage as a reward.

Save: $$$

3. Get a travel money card

No one wants to come home from holiday to unexpected bank fees. Before you travel overseas, check with your bank to find out what charges you may be up for. Or consider getting a travel card. They are usually accepted everywhere a credit or debit card is accepted and you load them up with cash before you go so you can only spend what is on the card. The perks are, you avoid substantial bank fees and you can set the budget you want to stick to.

Save: $

4. Dine out

What better way to experience a new destination than to taste local food? Skip expensive hotel restaurants and head out to some local restaurants. Ask around for recommendations – and don’t just ask fellow tourists. Chat to some locals for the down-low on where to go for great cheap eats.

Save: $$

5. Stay in

You don’t have to eat every meal out. Book an apartment or room with a kitchenette and cook your own meals. Even if you just make your own breakfast or lunch a few times, you will save.

Save: $$

6. Research, research, research

Before you travel, read up on all the things you want to see and do. If you have a plan, you’re less likely to waste money on activities that turn out to be, well, a waste of time. Leaving more time –
and money – for you to sit back, have a mojito and think about the next holiday you’ll take with the savings you’ve just made.

Save: $$$