How To Save Money On A Trip To Australia

As with all vacations a little planning ahead is always a good thing, especially when visiting a country like Australia that has seen its prices go up and up in the last ten years. There's no doubt that by controlling all aspects of your trip, from when and where you want to go will help keep your budget under control.

Here are a few tips on how to save money on a trip Down Under:

Flights

It is a long flight to Australia and unfortunately those flights are usually expensive. If you plan ahead, you can be on the lookout for deals. If you are flexible with your dates, this will increase your chances of finding a cheaper flight than if you have restrictive dates.

Accommodations

Once your flight is booked, you can start planning which parts of the country you want to visit. Again, a good way of saving money is looking for promotions and deals. Hotels offer discounts and when you have time to look for these, you will be able to save a few bucks.

Be sure to look at alternativessuch as camping, B&B's or maybe even renting an apartment if you're planning to stay a bit longer in one spot. Caravan parks often offer cabins to rent for the night besides camping sites. These days you should also look at sites like Airbnb as they offer rooms that are usually cheaper than hotels.

Another good idea is to look outside of the bigger cities. I'm not saying to skip cities like Sydneyor Melbourne, but try to minimize your stay there and enjoy the activities the surrounding areas have to offer. Most likely you will find that the accommodations are cheaper there too.

Food

As the lifestyle in Australia is pretty expensive, you can expect to pay anywhere from $10-20 AUS for lunch and around $30 AUS for an evening meal depending on your dining preference. To keep costs down you should consider visiting the supermarket a bit more often to make your own meals.

A popular option during the summer months is to enjoy a picnic or BBQ in one of the many outdoor dining areas provided in parks and at beaches around the country. This way you only have to buy some meat and vegetables and you can enjoy the outdoors while saving money at the same time.

Oh and Australia is famous for its pies and sausage rolls, so take advantage of those as a cheap and quick meal.

Attractions

Not everything you want to see has to cost a lot of money. Australia is a beautiful country and lots of it you can see for free. For example both Sydney and Melbourne offer free walking tours. Do some research in advance and you will notice that there are lots of things for free including: the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, Adelaide Central Market and so much more. Also visit museums while in the larger cities, as most of them are free to enter.

What is your best money saving tip for visiting Australia?

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.