3 tips for saving on overseas travel
The Christmas break sees many Australians jetting overseas to exotic lands.
About 5.8 million Australians travelled abroad for a holiday in 2015-2016, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Unsurprisingly, the most popular month of departure was December, also coinciding with the most Australians travelling internationally for three weeks or more.
While we might save for months to backpack around Southeast Asia, asides from getting travel insurance, how many of us have strategies in place to lessen the burden on our wallets once we get there?
At Border Bank, we want to encourage you to make the most of your time overseas. Here’s is a list of things you can do to save an extra bit abroad:
- Seek alternative accommodation
Despite only being around since 2007, over 15 million guests used AirBnB during their stay in 2015, growing 353 times over in just the last five years. While the likes of AirBnB and Couchsurfers are changing the hotel industry, there are even cheaper alternatives for people unafraid to get their hands dirty. Sites like Work Away connect people offering a room with travellers willing to provide a few hours of work in exchange for free board and food.
The advantage of staying somewhere other than a hotel is that you often share accommodation with locals. It’s a great way to get a firsthand experience of a new culture without spending a fortune.
- Take local transport
Taxiing might be a good way to move around a confusing city, but there’s nothing quite like the adventure of working it out on your own. Public trains and buses often offer weekly or monthly digital passes, so there’s no reason not to use them for all they’re worth. It’ll be cheaper, too. Hiring a bike is another cost effective and easy option, and there’s a certain romance to cycling around a foreign city.
- Eat smarter
Food is one of the many reasons people travel to a particular destination, but eating every meal out is a bit overindulgent on your wallet. Just as it’s cheaper to cook for yourself at home, consider doing the same as much as possible while overseas. You’ll still get to sample the full range of cuisine, but without the unnecessary strain on your budget.
Whether you’re setting off for a week or a month, we want to make sure you have a great time overseas. Get in touch with the team at Border Bank today to find out how
