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Being in Australia, it's easy to save up for holidays to far-flung destinations. But, if there's one good thing that came out of the pandemic, it's the appreciation for travelling in our own backyard.
After all, for two whole years the international borders were shut tight, opening only for emergency visits. So, while we may be able to get a Euro summer in 2023, there's no denying that the border-closure psyche may remain. But is this a bad thing?
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From Queensland's white-sand islands to the foodie paradise of Hobart, there's so much to see, right on our doorstep. Not to mention the fact that an Australian holiday can tend to be cheaper than forking out for international flights.
If you're looking for a way to save money on travel, Cashrewards has a heap of cashback deals under its travel category. You can find savings from companies including Virgin Australia and Booking.com to help cut the costs on flights and accommodation for your trip.
As more Australians get onto the roads or fly interstate, we thought we'd ask 13 women where they've been and how they managed to save for it.
Get some inspo for your next local holiday, below.
Ange, 31, NSW
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
My last Australian holiday was two nights away with a girlfriend. We stayed in the middle of nowhere in a tiny house and spent the days (and nights) playing cards, roasting marshmallows on the campfire and generally having a wholesome time.
How much did it cost you?
$536 (between two, so $268 each)
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
I paid for this trip out of my savings account, which I add to every month after paying my living expenses. We had planned to fly to Adelaide for a few days but when we looked at the flight prices, decided that a couple of days in a tiny home within driving distance was more economical.
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Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
It was a (well worth it) splurge, but since I'd expected to pay far more in flying to Adelaide for three nights, it felt like we were saving money. We also booked a Sunday and Monday night because it was cheaper than the weekend.
To save on costs when we arrived, I packed essentials that I already had in my kitchen (like butter, red wine and ground coffee), but otherwise, we did a little supermarket shop on the way and it wasn't too expensive.
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
I want to go further afield for my next trip — I'm thinking about New York and LA.
Bree, 27, Qld
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
Fraser Island.
How much did it cost you?
Around $500 each for my boyfriend and I.
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
We knew it was coming up so we started putting away $100 each for about six weeks.
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
We decided to camp to save money and drove to a cheaper (and closer) barge to get to the island. We also took a week's worth of groceries and some extra fuel because it's a lot more expensive on the island, and there are very limited resources depending on which side and where you are on the island.
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Where's next on your holiday destination list?
Fiji! I'm heading on a diving trip for 10 days, which will likely cost me around $3-4k.
Tiffany, 22, Vic
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
I went to Hobart last weekend for three days! Friday night to Monday night.
How much did it cost you?
I went with my partner so we spent about $835 total but each paid for different things, so about $417 each.
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
I have a fund that I put money into throughout the year to use for trips away and bigger holidays, so we pulled out of that fund for this trip.
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
We splurged pretty hard on food because Hobart is known for its amazing restaurants and we are a foodie couple so we wanted to try them and not have to hold back.
We also didn’t mind spending on experiences like MONA and Mount Wellington because I’d been keen on doing those for a long time. We did stay in a hostel though to cut costs on accommodation. That cost us $280 for the 3 nights we were there, which ended up being less than $150 each!
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
I really want to go to Japan to ski! If we’re talking within Australia though — I’d love to road trip around the Northern Territory or Western Australia through Perth and Esperance.
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Lauren, 21, Vic
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
Perth for one week to see Harry Styles with my partner.
How much did it cost you?
A $320 two-way flight (with Jetstar), $300 on accommodation, (a little granny flat out the back of someone's house with a shared kitchen space). $250-ish on food, transport, entertainment and shopping. I limited my op shop and market purchases to a $15 Hedgren side bag, two $2 tops and a $5 top I purchased at the Melville Markets.
I also spent an a cumulative $18 dollars on three cinnamon scrolls at North Street Store – total splurge but they are that good.
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
We didn't really budget and just saved what we could! We plan to go to Europe mid-year which was the only real thing we had in mind when it came to spending on the trip. But we also didn't want to hold back too much and wanted to enjoy the trip we paid for.
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
We did but not intentionally. We both generally like to opt for a cheaper meal than a splurge! We didn't take any Ubers or taxis (only paid $70 all up for transport). We did one day of no transport and opted to walk instead to explore the suburbs around our accommodation. We definitely packed lunches and ate dinners at the house but they were mostly just more convenient for us i.e. eating on the beach and wanting to stay home after a long day out.
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Where's next on your holiday destination list?
Europe! It's my first time overseas eek!
Alex, 24, Vic
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
Hobart and I was there for four days.
How much did it cost you?
$1500 for flights, accommodation, food and tours and art galleries I went to see.
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
I went cheap on flights and flew with Jetstar. I saved by having a holiday fund and adding money from my pay cheque each week into the lead-up to the holiday.
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
I bought breakfast and lunch from the supermarket, and ate out for dinners. I also brought snacks during the day to keep costs low.
I pre-booked a hop-on hop-off bus tour which allowed me to check out the sights of Hobart and only cost around $45. This way, I didn’t have to hire a car and it was such good value! I mainly splurged on the Airbnb and things I bought for family when I was there.
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
New Zealand.
Tamara, 30, Vic
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
Far North Queensland for one week in May 2021. The pandemic meant that we travelled in Aus for a change!
How much did it cost you?
I'd say around $2k.
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
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We always have a dedicated holiday fund set aside that we put money into each week as travelling is important to us. What we'd normally use for overseas travel, we used for local travel during the pandemic.
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
We were splurging and eating out every day, as well some bougee accommodation in the Daintree.
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
Canada and Japan! Sadly, Australia didn't make the cut.
Bridie, 18, NSW
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
Falls Festival in Byron Bay! It was a six-day trip.
How much did it cost you?
About $2100.
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
Through saving my Christmas money and working full-time.
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
I absolutely splurged on alcohol, food, and 'silly' purchases.
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
Melbourne for the F1 Grand Prix!
Rose, 33, Vic
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
Maffra in New South Wales.
How much did it cost you?
$600
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
I was in the middle of nowhere and ate mostly home-cooked meals with the occasional pub feed. I wasn’t trying to save and wasn’t trying to splurge.
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
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I want to drive across Australia. Maybe by motorcycle, probably in a car.
Rachel, 31, Vic
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
South Australia and a road trip from Adelaide to Melbourne. We were there for ten days.
How much did it cost you?
$1066
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
I took it out of my regular spending account.
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
I did no unnecessary shopping in January and February.
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
Camping on the Murray River.
Emilee, 27, QLD
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
Tasmania for two weeks.
How much did it cost you?
$5000 for my husband and I.
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
I have a designated savings account for holidays. This was my honeymoon so I factored it into my wedding expenses.
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
Splurged! Holidays are for having fun!
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
Somewhere European.
Kara, 29, SA
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
Road trip to Uluru for a total of 10 days
How much did it cost you?
Around $1500.
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
We didn’t. We joined two friends on their road trip (one week before they left).
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Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
Me and my partner slept in a tent and saved more than half on accommodation than our friends who slept in hotels and motels.
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
The next one is Japan for our one-year wedding anniversary (it’s our honeymoon).
Morgan, 22, Qld
Where was your last Australian holiday and how long were you there for?
Melbourne for six days!
How much did it cost you?
Roughly $500-$600.
How did you budget and save for this holiday?
I have a full-time job and put money aside each week, so I just took money out of my savings!
Did you try to save money in any ways on this trip or were you splurging?
I was fortunate enough to stay with my friend who lives down there meaning accommodation was free! I caught the tram everywhere and also walked where I could. I was fortunate to also have a few dinners supplied by friends in Victoria.
Where's next on your holiday destination list?
Japan!
Cashrewards helps you to earn cashback when you shop. Shop at your favourite stores and watch your cashback balance grow. It's free to join and there are no fees. Learn more and start shopping right here: www.cashrewards.com.au.
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