Most people enjoy going on holiday – a break from the humdrum of everyday working life is almost always welcomed, particularly if one can go abroad to a sunnier climate in the cold winter months.  Some people are able to go on holiday at all, due to the nature of their job, but others often find it hard to get the sufficient funds together.  Most of us need to employ a variety of money-saving methods, and here are a few tips on retaining those extra pennies that will go towards your well-earned break:

Transport

For a lot of us, a great deal of our income goes towards paying for transport.  Whether it’s money for petrol, or public transport, these costs can add up to a big chunk of the weekly outgoings. If you cannot afford to pay for your transport in one go you could use a credit card to spread the payments out; Amex Australia have many cards that can help to do this. Qantas frequent flyer miles can be earned when paying for travel with the card allowing you to save more on travel in the future.
You should assess exactly how much you are spending every week on transport, and aim to reduce it in whatever way possible.  If you currently use a car, look at alternative options such as public transport – a railcard or weekly ticket will most likely cost less than the price of petrol, not to mention the maintenance costs that go with having a car.  If you can cycle to work, this will help to save countless pennies and also has the health benefits included.  If you’re going to use a bike, make sure you have all the appropriate safety equipment before setting off on the busy rush-hour roads.

Food

As humans, we need to eat to survive, so there’s only a certain amount by which you can reduce your expenditure on food.  Take a look at the contents of your cupboards and fridge – if you see a lot of top-of-the-range brands, then perhaps you should think of downgrading to cheaper, basic brands.  Try to reduce the number of trips to the supermarket as well.  If you buy the same products every time, it’s better to buy them in bulk in one big shopping trip.  The other advantage of buying in bulk is that it reduces the amount you spend in getting to the supermarket in the first place.

Unnecessary spending

A lot of people complain that they can’t afford a holiday, yet they enjoy spending money on clothes and other unessential items.  Save all your receipts for one or two months, and decide if anything you bought was unnecessary.  In the following months, you should aim to cut these needless purchases out.