5 tips for travelling on a budget

Estimated reading time
 5 min

In this article

• 5 travel tips to keep your dream holiday on track
• How to budget for your upcoming holiday like a pro
• Access to a downloadable holiday budget planner

Jetting off to a Mediterranean island? Taking the family to have some fun in the States? Off on a right-of-passage tour? Lucky you!

We’ve pulled together a list of five travel tips to keep your dream vacay (and holiday budget) on track - so you can focus on soaking up the experience.

There’s also a downloadable holiday budget planner below to help you plan your upcoming spend like a seasoned traveller – just input each item you’d like to account for, and the cost, and our budget planner will do the work for you!

Budget for your upcoming holiday like a pro

Make your dream holiday a reality with our handy holiday budget planner! Pop in your costs and watch it tally up your spending.

Download now

1. Fly at less popular times of the week

Whether it’s a red-eye flight or a trip with a few extra stopovers, flying at less-desirable times (and days) can significantly cut down costs if you’re travelling on a budget. An easy way to find cheap flights is to look on a comparison website and filter for ‘cheapest’.  

Before you book your flight, check out the Australian Government’s Smart Traveller website – there’s advice for travelling to more than 175 countries, including any warnings, visa requirements or other things you need to know about.

2. Use frequent flyer points (or a combination of points and cash)

If you’ve been accumulating airline points through a credit or rewards card, why not put them towards your trip? You might be able to get your entire flight for ‘free’ (well, excluding the taxes) – or use a combination of points and cash to pay, meaning less comes out of your pocket. This can help keep your budget on track – whether it’s a homegrown holiday or an international trip.

3. Opt for cheaper accommodation

If you’re planning how much to spend on accommodation, opting for a hostel, homestay or cheaper hotel is a great way to save a few bucks. And the reality is, you’ll be busy exploring anyway – so who cares if you have a bubble bath or not? If you’re unsure, do some online research and look at reviews and ratings from other travellers.

If you’re heading to multiple destinations, travelling overnight can also save you a night’s accommodation (and save you wasting precious time!).

4. Walk or cycle like a local

Taking a walk or ride through the streets of a new city isn’t only a good way to travel on a budget – but it’s also one of the best ways to explore (and keep you fit and healthy!). It’s a common way of getting around in many countries – whether you’re strolling the banks of the Seine River in Paris or riding to sites across Amsterdam, being your own mode of transport certainly has many perks. Many cities and towns (around the world) have free walking tours, too.  

5. See if your credit card comes with travel insurance

Did you know, many credit cards come with travel insurance included? Before you go out and purchase insurance, check and see if you’re already covered. But remember, always check the product disclosure statement (PDS) to see if there are any specific requirements or exclusions before using. Check out ANZ’s credit cards page to view their range of features.

At the end of the day, travel is an exciting and eye-opening experience – and while it’s essential to have a budget, you want to make sure you enjoy yourself, too.

For other travel resources, including a foreign exchange calculator – check out ANZ’s travel and international information page.