step 1

Think outside the square

Tourism is a global industry these days, and it can be easy to rack up a huge bill for an international holiday or even a local one. Once you’ve got your destination picked, you should start saving, and shouldn’t be afraid to do a little bit of creative thinking so you don’t end up charged the earth.

Consider things like travelling during off peak periods, giving the hotel food package a miss and opting for more affordable local alternatives, avoiding expensive tourist traps and attractions to better experience the local culture.

By not just falling into the typical patterns of tourist behaviour, you’ll find there are significant savings to be made.

step 2

Sort your money before you leave

If you’re planning a holiday which will have you crossing multiple borders and needing to access multiple currencies, you might want to think about organising your travel money before leaving home. This has the added advantage of letting you choose when to buy foreign currency, so you can lock in a favourable exchange rate.

  1. Foreign Cash

    Greater Bank offers customers access to over 100 currencies in the form of Foreign Cash. You can place an order through Greater Bank and have your cash delivered to your nearest branch – no muss, no fuss.

    Find out more about Foreign Cash

  2. Multi Currency Cash Passport

    Or if you prefer not to carry cash, a Multi Currency Cash Passport might be just the thing. Once you purchase your Cash Passport, you can load it with the currency of your choice, and can reload it anytime, anywhere in the world via their online portal. Plus, you can use it in any location worldwide where MasterCard is accepted.

    Find out more about Cash Passport

step 3

Use the online tools available

It can be a hard habit to break, but if you’re confident enough to plan your holiday yourself online rather than delegating it to an agent, you might be able to make significant savings. Every aspect of the travel industry is now online, and with the plethora of travel comparison sites available offering discounts for bundling, and using limited-time promotions, it might be time you logged on and cleaned up.

You can even subscribe to travel comparison site newsletters or set up Google Alerts for key search terms such as “airfare sale”, or “hotels limited time offer” so that you’re kept on top of when these comparison sites are launching their serious promotions.

step 4

Protect yourself

If you’re travelling on a tighter budget, or are planning to visit countries where there aren’t even too many 5 star options to speak of, you might want to consider your insurance options before hitting the open road.

Often when we’re younger, or when we get older and our family commitments keep us busy, it can be easy to overlook travel insurance as none of us like to think the worst will happen while we’re enjoying time away.

But if you’re backpacking through Nepal and break your ankle approaching the foothills of the Himalayas, or if you have a prang on your moped trying to navigate the streets of Bangkok, it’s nice to know your expenses will be covered.