As you guys know, I love to travel.

We make travel a big priority in our personal budget, and over time have found ways and means to make travel happen, even on a shoestring.

It does not always have to be a big lavish beach holiday somewhere overseas. It is less about the destination and more about enjoying quality time with loved ones and exploring the world around us.

Team that with some handy hacks and tips, and you can always make it happen!!

Here are my top tips for holidaying smart and being thrifty about how and where you go, as well as tips for saving some money along the way…

Go somewhere you can afford

The world is full of beautiful places. You don’t always need to go where everyone is going, or when they are going!

Do some research, and choose your destination based around what you want to do and what you can afford.

I sign up to newsletters and travel websites.

I put flight alerts on for the places and times I want to go somewhere, in the hope they go on sale.

Don’t book the holiday you see on IG or what you think will impress others. Book one you can really enjoy and be stress-free not worrying about money!

Book your flights on a weekday

Flights are always more expensive on weekends. When booking your leave and holidays, try aim for mid-week and avoid peak seasons when you can.

I know for families, juggling leave and school holidays can be hard work but it can also save you thousands.

I always check the public holidays that are coming up in the year and work out the maximum time I can get off with the least amount of leave days actually taken.

This also helps with booking flights in mid-week times. Just do some research and be strategic ????

Use points to pay for flights and hotels

One of the best ways to save on your travel is to not spend any of your own money!

We earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points and have booked several flights and gotten a number of business class upgrades through Classic Reward and upgrade bids using only points!

If you are not collecting points, I absolutely suggest signing up to Qantas Frequent Flyer.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to buy things and how “tech-savvy” most places seemed to be.

Everywhere I went accepted Apple Pay and I never had to get cash out for anything.

A lot of places actually advertised themselves as “cash-free”, encouraging people to only use Card.

I was also able to use my Qantas American Express Ultimate Card while travelling around Sentosa Island. This meant I was able to earn up to 1.25 Qantas Points for every $1 spent on eligible Card purchases including small souvenir stalls at Universal and even the small boutique cafes.

Be sure to check out their current offer – receive 55,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply online, are approved and spend $3,000 on your new Card within the first 3 months. T&Cs apply.

A great way to earn those points towards your next trip.

Don’t eat out for every meal

Whenever we travel, we usually hit up the local grocery store the day we arrive and stock up on breakfast items, milk, water bottles, and snacks.

Especially with kids, you don’t want to be eating out every meal. It gets expensive and tired kids in restaurants is wildly painful!

I usually sus out what is close to our accommodation before we arrive as well, and pop Google pins to save them. I make sure I check out what’s around before booking as well, as you don’t want to get caught out!

Plan your activities and book ahead

By planning out your itinerary early, you can shop around and get the best deals on all your tours, activities and tickets.

Check deal websites in the area like Groupon, and speak to travel agents about deals they can potentially arrange for you.

This also saves you time when standing in lines at attractions. As well as saves disappointment in missing things you want to do because they are booked out!

Pack consciously & be smart about it

Raise your hand if you have had to buy something on holiday because you forgot to pack it?

Or because you didn’t check the weather and packed completely inappropriate items?

I always have my portable Cygnett charger, both on the plane and for the duration of my trip! LIFESAVER!

I also pack with packing cubes (see my blog on Kmart essential items for travel) which means I can separate everything and pack a lot lighter.

Because I usually have a pretty good idea of what we are doing on holidays, I plan out our outfits and don’t just guess, which otherwise leaves me bringing heaps of unnecessary items.

I have several go-to travel outfits, like overalls, white sneakers and dresses as they are all easy to put together and wear different ways.

Good luck and happy holidaying!