16 Nov 2017
There’s nothing quite like getting away with family and friends during the summer holidays!
While Christmas is a joyous time (the best time!), the festive season can be stressful and can really be a stretch on your finances.
To help you out, we've pulled together some of the different ways to save money on your next holiday without sacrificing any of the Christmas cheer!
Travel to a Holiday Park
We might be a bit biased on this one – but we think there’s no better budget friendly place to travel than a holiday park! Whether you want to stay on a site or in a cabin, chances are our accommodation will be more affordable than a hotel. Plus with all the facilities a holiday park has to offer - kids’ activities, camp kitchens, pools, tennis courts - you’re bound to save money on expensive activities and eating out.
Be Flexible
Christmas is one of the priciest times of year to travel. If you can be flexible with your schedule and travel the weeks leading up to Christmas or at the end of the school holidays, you’ll be sure to save a dollar or two on your stay.
Make a Budget
It sounds obvious, but many people forget to stick to a budget when on holiday and we can’t blame them! But if you want your holiday to be kind to the wallet, a budget will make sure that there isn’t any extra frivolous spending.
Borrow
While it’s tempting to purchase shiny new camping or holiday equipment, try to buy as little as possible and borrow all that you can. Plus this way, you can test things out and make sure that you really need something before you invest your hard earned money in it.
Buy It Used
Websites like Gumtree are great for hunting down a bargain. Often things have only been used once or twice and you can pick up something awesome for a steal.
Secret Santa
If you’re heading away during the summer holidays with a big group of friends and family, present giving can be quite costly. Instead of buying presents for everyone, funnel your resources into Secret Santa and set a budget for people to spend.
Plan Your Menu In Advance
By planning ahead you can think through how to simplify recipes for campground cooking and also avoid heading out to the pub every night when you can’t decide what to cook. Try cooking as much in advance as possible such as pancake mix or cook up some bolognaise sauce or stew and freeze it. This will save you time at the campground and money.
Make a List & Stick To It
There’s nothing worse than arriving at the campsite and realising you forgot the matches or the glad wrap or the towels, forcing you to pay a premium for it at the local shop. Making a checklist in advance will avoid this pesky problem.
Plan for a Rainy Day
Even though the Aussie Christmas is during Summer, there’s always a chance of rain on your holiday. Instead of letting rain send you to the movies and dinner out in a nearby town, take some rainy day items such as board games, cards and arts or crafts for the kids.
Save your dollars and cents these summer holidays, and stay before the Christmas tree is up. Book your holiday today.
