Australian Business Weekly is advising families on how to make the most of their planned vacation for the upcoming school holiday season without spending too much money.
As Australian families prepare to take their young ones on adventures all over the Oceanic landscape, following a few simple tips can help them maximize their enjoyment while also being carefree about the trip’s expenses. The first order of business is to ascertain the dates of the Spring school holidays as they vary by province. For example, NSW schoolchildren will be on vacation from 26th September to 7th October while those in Tasmania will be free to spend time with their families from 3rd October to 14th October.
Planning well in advance and making travel reservations during off-peak periods are going to be key cost-savers. Flight tickets and accommodation reservations will spike up when the holiday season nears, leaving those who waited too long to schedule an itinerary at a disadvantage. This planning should not just be limited to travel and hotel bookings but can also help families save money on activities.
The top 5 online portals in Australia for travel and leisure, according to SimilarWeb.com, are Booking.com, Qantas.com, TripAdvisor.com.au, JetStar.com, and AirBnB.com.au. Vacation planners are encouraged to bookmark these websites and regularly visit them to spot the occasional deals that can reduce the cost for the entire trip. Serviced apartments, such as those offered by Airbnb, are a great option for families who don’t mind spending time doing some basic chores to save big. Another option is going for budget Australian hotel chains such as Travelodge, IBIS, Golden Chain, and Choice Hotels.
Vacationers will also be tempted to go shopping when they are out and about. A spokesperson for the national business magazine explains the golden rule of saving money while vacationing by saying, “One of the best money hacks to save on a family holiday is to know what your money is going towards. To make sure that you don’t spend more than what is absolutely necessary, have a budget ready at the start of the trip. Once you have a budget, track your spending closely to determine if you are going off course. If you end up saving money when the trip is nearly over, you can even reward yourself with a souvenir to get reminded of the great time you had with your loved ones. Unless you track your spending, you will either part ways with more money than what you are comfortable with, or you will miss out on some great experiences that you could have easily afforded. We recommend downloading apps onto your phone to see where the money is being spent. The best budgeting apps in Australia include Frollo, Goodbudget, Spriggy, and MoneyBrilliant.”
Australian Business Weekly also advises families to be shrewd about packing for the trip. The magazine points to tips offered by beauty and lifestyle blogger Melissa Jayne on her blog. Melissa is a big proponent of making detailed lists of all the necessities. This includes clothes that match the weather and activities at the destination, toiletries, and essential items such as cell phones with chargers and international plugs, medications, and passports. Forgetting to pack must-have items for the strip will lead to undue expenses that could have been avoided.
Melissa also asks families to set aside some time to rest between different legs of the trip as children need some downtime to avoid burning out. Vacation activities should also be evenly split between high-intensity ones and opportunities to just lay back and soak in the destination’s vibes. This may mean heading to the beach to rejuvenate after a whole day of something strenuous such as white-water rafting.
Australian Business Weekly provides news, analysis, and opinion on the latest developments in areas such as business, finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, taxation, trade, infrastructure development, corporate governance, and economics in Australia. It also regularly features interviews with high-profile business leaders and policymakers.