5 tips for making your Easter holiday cheaper

Travel can get expensive very quickly, especially when it comes to holidaying during peak times like Easter and school holidays. Whether you’re taking a small road trip to get away from the mundane or planning a more elaborate holiday abroad with the family, have a look at our five tips to help get more bang for your buck these Easter holidays.

1. Planning is key!
   The excitement of spontaneous travel might be appealing, but from deciding on a destination to parking at the airport, being prepared pays this Easter. Know your holiday budget before you even start, then you can start finding cheap deals on everything from rental cars to theme park tickets by booking and pre-paying online. 
   
   For example, if you’re parking your car at the international terminal in Sydney for a week, you could save a fair amount by pre-booking online. Plus, by booking and paying for the big things in advance, you’ll have a better idea of how much of your budget is leftover for spending while you’re away.
2. Check out the exchange rates
   When you plan your holiday budget, don’t forget to check out the foreign exchange rates for your destination to find out just how much your Australian dollar is really buying you. This could work in your favour - at the moment Aussie $1,000 will buy you as much as $1059.40 in New Zealand - or it might put a huge dent in your budget - that same $1,000 will get you about $518.37 British pounds. It might even change your mind about where you’re heading to!
   
3. Find your own travel insurance
   We all know that travel insurance is one of the most important things you can pack on your holiday, right? Right. But don’t just let your travel agent sell you on their latest must-have travel insurance recommendation, because chances are, that’s just the one they’ll earn a bigger commission on. You’re usually better off finding a suitable option yourself - for example, you can use Mozo’s free travel insurance search tool to find cover for planned break.
   
4. Use the right travel card
   A lot of us are so used to the convenience of credit and debit cards that we don’t think twice before taking that handy piece of plastic out of our wallet. But that could be a big mistake while you’re abroad. Mozo’s Fee Finder shows that most card providers will hit you with a 2-3% surcharge for foreign transactions, not to mention a fee of around $5 each time you use the ATM.
   
   To prevent this, grab yourself a prepaid travel card as part of your holiday planning. Not only will this allow you to skip the conversion fees, because the money on the card has already been converted, but you can also lock in an exchange rate to make budgeting easier and avoid market fluctuations.
5. Live like a local
   These days, it’s no secret that tourist traps are the worst. Group tours are crowded and overpriced, the food is inauthentic and expensive, the souvenirs are mass-produced and, you guessed it, pricey again. That’s why they’re called ‘traps’.
   
   So to avoid the high price tag that comes with being a tourist, live like a local instead. Take yourself on a walking tour of the city, or use public transport. Chat to locals and find out where they like to eat and shop. Besides saving you money, this could lead to some of the best travel experiences you’ll ever have.

So what are you waiting for? Check out our travel insurance hub to find out how you can protect yourself on your Easter getaway.