How (And Where) to Go on a Budget Friendly Holiday
Are you looking for a cheap holiday destination? Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean a holiday is out of the question. It just means you need to consider your options more carefully. Read on to find tips and tricks for you to learn how (and where) to go on a budget friendly holiday.
Overview:
- How to go on a budget friendly holiday
- How to afford a cheap holiday?
- Where to go on holiday?
- What is the cheapest month to go on holiday?
- Is paying all inclusive worth it?
How to go on a budget friendly holiday?
The keyword to focus on is budget. The easiest way to keep your holiday affordable is to plan out what you are going to do, for how many days, and how much you are going to spend on each activity. It’s always good to have a budget in mind for holidays and have a little extra just in case of emergencies.
Once you know your budget and the location of the holiday with a bit of research you should be able to find well-priced accommodation, activities, and affordable food places to create an awesome budget-friendly holiday.
Pick up some extra tips from our guide on how to create a personal budget in 5 steps. Need a little extra help budgeting out your holiday? A holiday loan can help give you a quick cash boost to see you through.
How to afford a cheap holiday
These are 5 of the best tips to go on an affordable and cheap holiday so you, your friends, and your family can enjoy your holiday within a budget.
1. Camping
Camping is an excellent option for making a more budget friendly holiday. There are tons of holiday parks around Australia that are at a good price allowing you to camp in a safe place. To make camping even more budget friendly, join friends/family on their camping or ask to borrow camping gear to make the holiday fit into your budget and still allow you to have a great time. If you are looking for a cheap holiday destination, but not a cheap location, camping is a great idea!
Check out this list of caravan parks to get you started thinking about destinations that would be near enough to you for a long weekend.
2. Find a hotel deal
If camping just isn’t your thing or you don’t own any equipment, then try your hand at getting a really good deal at accommodation of your choice that allows you to stay within your budget. Try out deal sites like Wotif or Hotels Combined to find a great deal on your hotel for the weekend. Some of the best budget friendly holiday destinations are less popular but still offer amazing things to do!
Another option is looking for hotel package deals on sites like Scoopon or Groupon. Here you can find deals that might include meals in a variety of locations around Australia. If you can be flexible on your dates, you’ll have even better luck scoring the best price. Research a few different places and you’re also likely to get a better deal on your hotel.
3. Find free activities to do
When deciding on a location, don’t only think about where you’re going to stay, but consider what you want to do while on holiday. In what areas can you save money and explore the area for free? Is your destination near the beach? That’s free. Is it near lots of hiking? That’s also free.
Take a look at this list and see if any of the locations lineup with places you can get to for a long weekend and have good deals on either hotels or holiday parks. This way you know upfront that much of your daytime activities are going to be free so you can budget and focus on your expenses on the food and meals you have on holiday.
4. Think about meals
One of the quickest ways to overspend on holiday is to buy as much food/meals as possible. Saving money on food is an easy way to have a budget friendly holiday. While you should enjoy your time away, think about what you’re planning and how much you want to spend just on food.
Go out on the first day and buy some food for a cheap breakfast in your hotel room and then go out and spend the money on a nice lunch. Just because you’re on holiday doesn’t mean you have to go out to a restaurant for every meal. Or if you’re camping, then you might be able to bring along most of your food from home, saving lots of money.
5. Start saving
Start a savings account that is specifically for a holiday and transfer a bit of money there with every paycheck. You’ll find yourself ready for a good, cheap weekend away before you know it, especially if you follow the above advice and find an awesome deal.
Saving even $10 or $25 a paycheck adds up quickly and you’ll be heading out on your holiday soon enough.
Where to go on a budget friendly holiday?
When it comes to cheap holiday destinations in Australia, each state has something different to offer. Whether that is exploring the great barrier reef in North Queensland, wandering around Kangaroo Island in South Australia or adventuring to the national parks of Tasmania. All of these activities are cheap and a fun experience at the same time. With a bit of research, you can also find cheap places to go overseas as well including Thailand, Hawaii, New Zealand and Fiji.
Check out more cheap holiday destinations using our blog: 22 Cheap Places To Travel.
What is the cheapest month to go on holiday?
When going on holiday the cheapest time to go is during the winter colder months. When planning to go on holiday within Australia, the cheapest months to go are June to August.
When booking a holiday overseas the best months to go are January and February for the colder weather and fewer tourists.
Is it worth paying all inclusive?
There are pros and cons to an all inclusive holiday. Where you go, your plans while on holiday, and your budget will all determine if an all inclusive is worth it. If your plan for a holiday is to stay in a resort or on a cruise ship all day then an all inclusive would be perfect, allowing you to have a clear price in mind to save up for.
On the other hand, you may want a more adventurous exploration around the city, towns and bushlands. Then it would be more realistic to pay as you go, allowing you to change your mind and explore what you want and when.
Still need some extra cash to go on holiday? Swoosh has you covered!
If life happens and you’ve had to dip into your holiday account to pay for an unexpected expense, then don’t fret. Take out a quick holiday loan from Swoosh, and you’ll still be on your way. You know right away if you are approved, and you will know upfront how long it will take to pay it off.
So head out on your holiday and enjoy it rather than stressing over it!
