Seven tips to travel on a budget

Careful planning can help you enjoy a great holiday, whatever your budget

Does it feel like ages since your last holiday? Maybe with responsibilities like paying off your credit card, saving for your first home, or paying back your university fees, your next holiday still seems a long way off…

Well, don’t despair. There are plenty of ways to take a break without breaking the budget.

Go social—Check out travel hubs like Trip Advisor and The Savvy Backpacker to decide where to go, what to look for and how to get the best bargains once you arrive.
Keep your eye on the exchange rate—Before booking an overseas holiday work out what your Aussie dollar is worth in other currencies. Why? The recent fall in the value of our dollar means holidaying overseas may be more expensive than you realise. It may be worth looking at local holiday options too.

Get the best deal—Compare prices using online aggregators like Skyscanner, Webjet and Wotif and sign up for e-newsletters from travel providers to find out about specials. Check out Channel Nine’s hottest Getaway travel deals, which feature different holiday deals on a weekly basis.
Go at the right time—Take advantage of earlybird deals and avoid school or public holidays.
Travel with friends or family—More people can mean more savings on tours, car hire and hotel rooms.
Package it up—Combine airfares with accommodation, day tours and even meals to save money ahead of time and avoid nasty surprises if the exchange rate changes.
Start saving—Become savvy at saving by looking at how successful savers go about it. It’s worth checking out the AMP Saver Account on www.amp.com.au to reach your holiday savings goals sooner. Then why not use some handy tools to help you along, like AMP’s savings calculator, MoneySmart’s TrackMySPEND app or check out Money Brilliant, all of which can help you organise your personal finances.

And don’t forget wherever you’re going next—planning makes perfect!

By AMP, originally published on 18/3/15 amp.com.au/insights