The idea of going away on a holiday is an exciting one. But the idea of saving for a holiday, well, that's not nearly as thrilling.
It can really feel like a hit on your lifestyle when you are putting money aside to travel – sometimes it can even be tempting to take money out of that savings pile to grab a coffee with your coworkers. But we're here to tell you that saving doesn't have to be a total drag. There are plenty of tips and tricks out there that make saving easy, and most importantly, that won't impede too much on your routine.
Pick a destination, any destination and follow our top four unique tips to help you save up for your next trip.
1. Create a competition with your mates
If you're going away on holiday with your friends, consider making saving a competition. Who can save up the most by the end of the first month? The second month? Having goals and check points like this will help keep you motivated and deter you from sticking your hand in the old savings jar. Of course, there has to be a prize for the winner, perhaps something along the lines of the person who has the least amount saved in the first month has to buy the a round on the first night out! That'll get people saving.
2. Ask for cash gifts
If you have a birthday or holiday coming up and you know your family and friends are going to give you some presents, consider asking them to skip it and just give you cash. Some people aren't comfortable giving cash as a gift, as it feels a little impersonal, but when you explain that it is for an experience they're much more willing to help you out. To sweeten the deal, even offer to send them pictures throughout your trip so they can see what fun their money went to.
The more you put away, the faster you'll be able to get away!
3. Set up automatic transfers
Getting cold feet transferring your money into your savings account? Most banks have an option to transfer money into your savings without you even having to touch a thing. You can set up an interval that you're comfortable with so you don't even see the money leaving your account. Before you know it, you'll have more money than you thought. Even if it's just $18 a week (three bucks a day), you'll have $90 at the end of the month, and $1,080 at the end of the year. Of course, the more you put away, the faster you'll be able to get away!
4. Travel to a country with a low exchange rate
The worry about what you're going to spend once you reach your destination is a fair concern. So why not pick a place where the dollar is weaker than your own? Bali is a common destination for Australian travellers because it's relatively close and cheap once you get there. Right now, the Australian dollar is 0.000099 to one Indonesian Rupiah – that's pretty affordable if you ask us! This makes saving so much easier because you know you aren't going to need to put away as much as you might if you were going to somewhere like the States where your dollar wouldn't go as far.
Oh and one last financial tip – pre-book your parking! Once you get to the airport, leave your car with our team here at Pacific Airport Parking for the cheapest Melbourne airport parking. We'll make sure your car is in a safe place at a reasonable price. After you hand over the keys, jump aboard our free shuttle and we'll take you right to your terminal!
