Australia is known for its golden sand beaches, sunny weather & beautiful coastline. What better place to spend summer than in a country that has it all year round. You may be thinking it’ll be too expensive, but an Australian summer break can be done on a budget. You’ll want budget accommodation like a shared dorm or cheap hostels. Find a food court for lunch rather than a fancy restaurant. There are heaps of do’s and don’ts when it comes to travel to Australia on a budget and we’ve pulled most of them together for this article. Read on and get ready for summer
Food & Drink
Eating can be one of the biggest expenses you incur while traveling. Eating out at restaurants, pubs and bars is a big don’t so try and keep the splurging to a minimum. Preparing your own is the best way to save cash but here are a few more ideas saving on that budget:
Do: Free Water
Australian water is fine to drink and you can usually fill up your drink bottle at a public water fountain or in the kitchen of your budget accommodation.
Don’t: Buy Bottled Water
Once you have a water bottle avoid buying bottled water. There is no point and it can put a big unnecessary dent in your wallet.
Do: Shopping Mall Food Courts
Try and head to a shopping mall food court around closing time. Many places will hook you up with a meal that is a fraction of the price as they try to get rid of their left overs.
Don’t: Restaurants
Try and limit how often you go out to a restaurant for dinner. Dinner meals are expensive and can be recreated in the kitchen in cheap hostels for a fraction of the price.
Shopping Tips
Shopping on holiday is almost a given. This will obviously hurt your budget but if it must be done follow these tips.
Do: Factory Outlets
Australia is littered with factory outlets, usually referred to as DFO’s. These stores are great for saving big bucks on any shopping you ‘need’ to do.
Don’t: High End Shops
Although they may look good but these are the shops you want to avoid while travelling on a budget. Save your money for the travelling and leave the high-end shopping for when you’re back home.
Do: Aldi Supermarket
Aldi is a chain of discount supermarkets spread throughout Australia. They have all the same stuff you are used to but under a different brand and at half the price. If you’re cooking your own food, this is the place to go.
Don’t: Woolworths
Woolworths is generally considered the most expensive of Australia’s major supermarkets so you’d do good to avoid this one in favour of the cheaper alternatives
Things to Do
Choosing the right activities, events and sights will be a major factor for your travel budget. Luckily there are plenty of free and cheap things to do in Australia.
Do: Cheap Hostels Events
Most budget accommodation providers and cheap hostels have heaps of free events on most nights of the week. Make sure you take advantage of this. One of the most popular is a walking tour, which is a great way to learn about your chosen destination.
Don’t: Get Boozed Every night
The absolute quickest way to burn through all your travel money is to spend it on booze. We’ll let you have a few nights out as you can definitely drink on the cheap, but keep it to a minimum and focus on other things.
Do: Hit the Beach
One of Australia’s best attractions are its golden sand beaches. The best thing about them? They are absolutely free. If you’re travelling Australia you’re more than likely nice and close to a beach. Head down there and see what all the fuss is about.
There are lots of things you can do to make sure you have a successful summer break on a budget. Start off by choosing a budget accommodation provider like https://www.discoverymelbourne.com/ and then follow all the tips in this article. You Australia summer will be better than ever and you’ll still have money in the bank.
