Budget holidays on a shoestring

Trying to organise a family holiday can be stressful without having the worry about how to pay for it?

Janet McGarry writes for Holidays with Kids all about budget holiday tips on a shoestring.

There are some useful tips and ideas so that a family holiday you have dreamed of is not that far out of reach.

Where are you off to first with these tips?

The first thing to consider is timing. If your children are under 5, then avoid school holidays! Enjoy the luxury of going when it is cheaper and less crowded – your turn to join the masses will come. With older kids, it is better to go towards the end of January, when the rush is over and you can find sometimes find camping spots or rentals discounted.

Transport and accommodation are always going to be the largest areas of expenditure. Airfares can add up and do limit the resources you can take from home – especially if you are travelling with babies and young children. A better option is to go within comfortable driving distance of home. Whilst petrol has gone up, having your own car with you is a huge saving and means you can easily change your day-to-day plans in keeping with the weather or what people want to do.

With accommodation, think outside the obvious and consider your family’s needs. With young children, you are much more likely to use a kitchen and general living area. You are also more likely to base yourself at one location for all or most of your holiday – so the facilities really do matter. That said, on fine summer days you will be out of doors a lot, so you can manage without luxurious bedrooms. Picnic areas and BBQ’s are more important.

There is a large range of accommodation types that fall loosely under the ‘budget’ heading, starting with camping and going through to rental units and hostels.

If you have done some camping with your family, then this is an excellent option for an extended trip; but for first timers, I’d recommend a short trial run first (a weekend away for instance) as camping doesn’t suit everyone. You can choose between either National Parks camp sites or caravan parks. The fees do go up in school holidays but are still very reasonable. Make sure to get a site plan and choose your spot carefully – some parks do pack people in too tightly, whereas others can have great sites backing onto bush areas for more privacy.

On site cabins and vans are another option – check the location, size and facilities included and shop around for special deals e.g. 5 nights for the price of 4 etc. Do the cabins have fans or air conditioning (it can get very hot!) and what else does the park offer kids? Can you walk to the beach, park or local shops?

There is a huge range of rental properties available, and it’s worth spending time on the internet and phone. Phone local real estate agents as they usually have properties to offer. If you are willing to be a little bit away from the main beach or attraction, you’ll pay a lot less, and often for a better-equipped property.

Finally, YHA hostels offer another great budget option and are increasingly popular with families. There are 130 YHAs around Australia, ranging from capital cities through to beach towns. Most have family rooms and all have kitchens, lounges, laundries and other facilities that will make life easier. Best of all, they offer your children the chance to meet the world – hostels are full of travellers from all corners of the planet and guest interaction is all part of the experience. Your kids will leave very enthusiastic about backpacking the world when they are older.