The strong Australian dollar can be used in your favour this holiday.
There's no need to take a second mortgage out on the home just to have some quality time with your children this holiday season.
With a bit of fore thought and planning your brood could be soaking up the sun in the tropics or skiing in Colorado and you can come home with change still in your pocket with Essential Baby’s top five budget holiday tips.
Home exchange
Exchanging homes is a cost effective way to save thousands of dollars on accommodation simply by house swapping with another family from Australia or overseas. Swap the keys to your Sydney home with a Melbourne family looking to do the same or exchange urban for country, inner city for beach front or even Australia for England, Switzerland and the USA.
Not only will you live like a true local but some homes come with a car and even a boat which saves money again on transport. Meanwhile your family home is occupied while you are away reducing the risk of holiday theft.
The Australian website, House Swap has an extensive variety of registered homes available for free exchange from Australia, New Zealand and around the world. Simply register your own details and start surfing for your dream holiday home location from skiing with the family in Whistler, Canada to multi-million dollar waterfront family homes in tropical Queensland.
Last minute online deals
If you’re prepared to wait till the last minute and book online then you could save hundreds of dollars off flights and hotels. Online travel companies such as www.lastminute.com.au and www.wotif.com.au offer significant discounts for travellers looking to travel within the next week. Cancellation conditions obviously apply but the ‘mystery five star hotel deals’ can be as much as fifty percent off.
An innovative Australian website www.ubid4rooms.com allows holiday makers to bid for last minute hotel rooms that would otherwise remain empty. Make a bid for the room based on your budget, not theirs, and control how much you are willing to pay. Travel Zoo www.travelzoo.com.au does the research for holidaymakers, providing the best travel deals daily from all inclusive package deals to flights and hotels. Register for their daily newsletter or simply visit the website at your leisure.
Follow the Aussie dollar
Keep an eye on the exchange rate and choose your destination based on the local currency conversion. North America is a hot destination right now with the Australian dollar sitting at ninety three cents to the US dollar and predicted to make it one for one come Christmas. Add V Australia, Delta Airlines, Qantas, Air New Zealand and United Airlines all competing for seats with super cheap flight deals and the land of Mickey Mouse and food on a stick is looking like a budget holiday.
Australians currently get more than their dollar’s worth in New Zealand with an extra ten cents to every dollar in the pocket and Asia remains the cheapest option for travellers with Australian currency. Check the currency converter website to keep track of the changing dollar. www.xe.com/ucc/
Choose your time wisely
Travelling outside of peak times obviously means paying less than peak price. Weekends are always more expensive when booking flights and accommodation so go for the mid week cheaper deals. Even flying very early morning or late at night can reduce domestic flight costs when business times are the busiest.
Check the school holiday times in other states and countries as many don’t share the same holiday dates and booking outside of their holiday time will be cheaper. The Australian Government website has up to date school term dates for each state www.australia.gov.au/topics/australian-facts-and-figures/school-term-dates
Hostel is not a dirty word
Youth hostels are not just for gap year backpackers, many offer family room options with bunk beds, televisions, ensuites for privacy and communal kitchens to cook your own food. The new look ‘flashpacker’ market means many city hostels are designer driven and bordering on luxury but still at a backpacker price.
Echo Beach hostel in Apollo Bay on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road is an eco certified hostel with roof top decks for bbqs, two self catering kitchens and rooms with balconies. The hostel is a registered with the Youth Hostel Association and has family rooms for two adults and two children from AU$98. Search the Youth Hostel Association website (www.yha.com.au) for other family friendly hostels within Australia and overseas.
Chat about your impending holiday plans with members in our Family Travel forum.
