If you were thinking the cost of an overseas holiday would be too much, there are many ways in which you can save.  The biggest cost factors on holiday travel are for the travel fares, the accommodation and the food. If these three biggies can be reduced in some way, your holiday suddenly becomes much more affordable. And this applies to holidays in Australia, not just overseas.

Here are 10 tips to help reduce the cost of holidays.

  • If flying, watch for specials run by the airline of your choice. Be flexible so you can get packed and go at short notice when the specials come on.
  • With cruise ships, booking way ahead will often get you a great special in price. But it is also possible to get last minute deals because they want to sail with a full ship if possible and if all the cabins are not booked by a week before sailing they’ll offer them at a good rate.
  • If going by car, the way you drive can save a great deal in the cost of fuel. Braking and accelerating smoothly save fuel; jamming your foot down on the brake or accelerator waste it.
  • Watch what you buy when overseas because you’ll have to pay excess for luggage that is over the weight limit. So pack light and take an extra suitcase if you intend to get a lot of stuff, then you won’t have to buy luggage to carry all those things you bought. Luggage is quite expensive in other countries.

  • Eating in restaurants is expensive, so buy from the grocer or greengrocer and eat breakfast in your room, then have a picnic lunch in the park. This can save a great deal on restaurant meals and the kids are sure to love the park better than sitting in a restaurant.
  • Don’t pay to have your clothes washed. You can rinse out small garments in the shower or wash basin of your hotel. Larger items such as jeans can be worn for several days.
  • If you are going to theme parks, purchasing tickets online before you leave home can save money, as can getting a season ticket, especially if you want to go there more than once. Having the tickets ahead of time also saves wasting time waiting to get through the gate.
  • Use public transport wherever possible. Many cities have buses that take you around the city for free or for a minimal amount.  Driving in a strange city can be very difficult so it will also save a lot of tension.
  • Planning your route ahead of time will allow you to make the best use of trains.
  • If you have to take a taxi, be sure to get one with a meter; not all taxis have them in other countries.