Sentry Page Protection
Tip Store: Travel: Fares
Planning and Budgeting for Holidays
I have been asked "how do you afford to have so many holidays?"
My response is "Simple, I budget." The gas, water and power bills are fortnightly direct debit and currently are almost 12 months in advance. Phone , internet and insurances are direct debit. When I am away, food and gas/transport are no more than when I am at home. I use a budgeting app to track my spending. Before going away I pay all my bills. Nothing worse than coming home to a great pile of bills. If I am driving to a holiday destination, I pack heaps of non-perishable foods, including powdered milk. There is enough for at least a week.
Contributed by Ann Green
My response is "Simple, I budget." The gas, water and power bills are fortnightly direct debit and currently are almost 12 months in advance. Phone , internet and insurances are direct debit. When I am away, food and gas/transport are no more than when I am at home. I use a budgeting app to track my spending. Before going away I pay all my bills. Nothing worse than coming home to a great pile of bills. If I am driving to a holiday destination, I pack heaps of non-perishable foods, including powdered milk. There is enough for at least a week.
Contributed by Ann Green
Know the Pilot for Cheap Flights
Sign up to "I know the Pilot", they will send you a notification as soon as a airline has sales. There is also an app you can download so you don't miss a flight. 2 weeks ago I bought a flight from Perth to Queensland $49!!!
Contributed by Jessica Dunn
Sign up to "I know the Pilot", they will send you a notification as soon as a airline has sales. There is also an app you can download so you don't miss a flight. 2 weeks ago I bought a flight from Perth to Queensland $49!!!
Contributed by Jessica Dunn
Travel on the Cheap
Just a quick email with a link to cheap travel. Travelzoo has cheap holidays airfares etc and I get to dream about where I could be going. I have only used it once for interstate airfare, but it has heaps of cheap options, and maybe other Cheapskaters are in a position to be able to use some of their holidays/airfares. http://au.travelzoo.com/top20/943485-565854/
- Contributed by Jen, Moe
- Contributed by Jen, Moe
Online Not Always the Cheapest Way to Book Travel
Approximate $ Savings: $160
I have been told many times to book things online because its cheaper so I used the internet to price out our train trip from Melbourne to Sydney and return. I have a pension card and travel voucher and our return trip was approx. $380. As you are advised to call when booking seats with children to make sure they are seated together I called and spoke to the bookings lady. It turned out that by taking the time to speak to someone and not booking online I saved $160 by NOT using my travel voucher and pension card as when I paid full fare all three children travelled for $1 each. I wont be so quick to assume the best price is always the online one. Hope this helps someone.
Contributed by Julie, Greensborough
I have been told many times to book things online because its cheaper so I used the internet to price out our train trip from Melbourne to Sydney and return. I have a pension card and travel voucher and our return trip was approx. $380. As you are advised to call when booking seats with children to make sure they are seated together I called and spoke to the bookings lady. It turned out that by taking the time to speak to someone and not booking online I saved $160 by NOT using my travel voucher and pension card as when I paid full fare all three children travelled for $1 each. I wont be so quick to assume the best price is always the online one. Hope this helps someone.
Contributed by Julie, Greensborough
Have a Holiday Fund
Both my partner and I have started a holiday account. We each put in $50 per week for our overseas holiday. I put the money in an Internet high interest account. The interest paid goes towards taxi's, transport, meals etc, what ever you like. In just over a year we have had two overseas trips and have enough for another. I have found you can save hundreds more by booking yourself on-line and not going through a Travel Agents who make large commissions on your trip. I also take some of my own food (crackers and tin food etc) its cuts down the food bill a lot. A lot of places will throw in a free breakfast to get you to stay at their place.
Contributed by Carole, Morley
Contributed by Carole, Morley
Free Shuttle Bus Saves Parking Fees and Hassle
Approximate $ Savings: Up to $10 per usage
Our city has a free tourist shuttle bus operating in summer around the city's CBD perimeter. When shopping in town, we park at our local Botanical Gardens and catch the free bus which goes past at 10 minute intervals. No cost for parking and no time limits to do our shopping and we are driven back to the car when we are done. Most major cities have a free tourist bus or tram you can make use of.
Contributed by Dee, Belmont
Our city has a free tourist shuttle bus operating in summer around the city's CBD perimeter. When shopping in town, we park at our local Botanical Gardens and catch the free bus which goes past at 10 minute intervals. No cost for parking and no time limits to do our shopping and we are driven back to the car when we are done. Most major cities have a free tourist bus or tram you can make use of.
Contributed by Dee, Belmont
B-Pay Quantas Airfares and Save on Booking Fee
Approximate $ Savings: up to $17.70
When comparing airline fares, be aware that most airlines charge $10 for baggage. Baggage is included in a Qantas fare. Credit card fees are also added. Qantas charges $7.70 but gives you the option to B-Pay or phone pay for no charge. When you complete the booking and choose B-Pay, you receive an e-mail with B-Pay details and the amount. You need to pay from a cheque or savings account by midnight that night and next day you receive an e-mail confirmation.
Contributed by Coral, Andergrove
When comparing airline fares, be aware that most airlines charge $10 for baggage. Baggage is included in a Qantas fare. Credit card fees are also added. Qantas charges $7.70 but gives you the option to B-Pay or phone pay for no charge. When you complete the booking and choose B-Pay, you receive an e-mail with B-Pay details and the amount. You need to pay from a cheque or savings account by midnight that night and next day you receive an e-mail confirmation.
Contributed by Coral, Andergrove
Pay the Conductor When You Travel
Re the tip about online not being the cheapest way to book travel. There might be a better way for you to travel. Ring the railway tour company and ask them if they have any concessions for pensioners, children and babies and ask them if you can pay the conductor when you get on the train if you live in a country town. I do this when I travel by train and you have no fees to pay.
Contributed by Margaret, Port Augusta
Contributed by Margaret, Port Augusta
Shop Around for Travel Insurance
Our family are travelling to Thailand this Christmas after saving for many years and booked travel insurance with QBE as we had heard of them and considered them reliable. A frequent travelling friend told me that they are also one of the most expensive and said they always use travelinsurancedirect.com.au She says they are underwritten by Alliance. Apparently all the smaller insurers are underwritten by a bigger company so they are all reliable! Her claims have always been payed without fuss. We cancelled our QBE and rebooked with her recommendation and saved $143 on a two week trip! Luckily I was able to cancel the first booking as it was within the 14 day cooling off period.
Contributed by Sally, Wahroonga
Website: www.travelinsurancedirect.com.au
Contributed by Sally, Wahroonga
Website: www.travelinsurancedirect.com.au
Buy the Right Tickets and Save Money
Approximate $ Savings: $15 - $30
I am continually amazed at how many people purchase standard tickets at Connex on the weekend. And the majority of Connex staff who do not advise of alternatives. On Sunday there is the Sunday Saver at $3.10 per trip. You can buy these individually. Go anywhere and travel through zones. On Saturday you can purchase a Weekender. There is a slight catch for the weekender. Cost $15 for 5 trips. Usage for either Saturday or Sunday. The savings are huge. You are unable to purchase these through Connex machines. It makes weekend travel extremely cheap.
Contributed by Kathy, South Morang
I am continually amazed at how many people purchase standard tickets at Connex on the weekend. And the majority of Connex staff who do not advise of alternatives. On Sunday there is the Sunday Saver at $3.10 per trip. You can buy these individually. Go anywhere and travel through zones. On Saturday you can purchase a Weekender. There is a slight catch for the weekender. Cost $15 for 5 trips. Usage for either Saturday or Sunday. The savings are huge. You are unable to purchase these through Connex machines. It makes weekend travel extremely cheap.
Contributed by Kathy, South Morang
Sydneysiders Save on Rail Fares
Approximate $ Savings: $400 pa
City Rail have been promoting the new fortnightly rail ticket which is the same cost as 2 weekly tickets. In my case the $36 weekly becomes the $72 fortnightly ticket. However, City Rail offer savings on rail fares if you buy a ticket which lasts at least 28 days. My initial ticket was $153 and will last for 33 days which is 5 weeks of weekday travel - much better than 5 single week tickets! Longer periods purchased mean bigger savings in money and time. The ticket can be purchased on a Sunday to start on the Monday and avoid the Monday morning queues. I have often used my weekly ticket to travel on the train during the weekend either to the city or intermediate shopping complexes and can still do so with this ticket.
Contributed by Helen, Bonnet Bay
City Rail have been promoting the new fortnightly rail ticket which is the same cost as 2 weekly tickets. In my case the $36 weekly becomes the $72 fortnightly ticket. However, City Rail offer savings on rail fares if you buy a ticket which lasts at least 28 days. My initial ticket was $153 and will last for 33 days which is 5 weeks of weekday travel - much better than 5 single week tickets! Longer periods purchased mean bigger savings in money and time. The ticket can be purchased on a Sunday to start on the Monday and avoid the Monday morning queues. I have often used my weekly ticket to travel on the train during the weekend either to the city or intermediate shopping complexes and can still do so with this ticket.
Contributed by Helen, Bonnet Bay
Book Separate Legs and Save Money on Flights
Approximate $ Savings: $995
For the past 2 years, I have been travelling for work from Darwin to Germany in September/October. I was amazed to find a huge saving if I broke up the booking and followed this plan: Darwin/Singapore (return) with Jetstar $466.12 (this includes all taxes etc), Singapore/Frankfurt (return including all taxes) with Qantas $1,528 Singapore dollars which converts to $1,175 Australian $ (Check out www.xe.com/ucc for up to conversion rates). If I had booked the flight over the Internet directly from Darwin -Franfkurt -Darwin , I would have flown the exact same flights via Singapore with Jetstar and Qantas but paid $2,636 Australian dollars. The trick ( which is all above board!) is that this must be booked online and it is best to book the Darwin/Singapore return fllght through the Jetstar website (www.jetstar.com.au) and then to book the Singapore/Frankfurt return flight through the Qantas homepage but using the Asia region link instead of the Australia region link (this appears in the top left hand corner of the homepage and is titled "your region"). Check out www.qantas.com.au for more information about this. You may pay a small amount towards a conversion fee when booking this with your credit card however this is worth it considering that I have saved nearly $1,000 with my booking. I was pleasantly surprised that I had no difficulties with my online booking when I did this for the first time last year. Give it a try and count the savings!
Contributed by Rebecca, Coconut Grove
For the past 2 years, I have been travelling for work from Darwin to Germany in September/October. I was amazed to find a huge saving if I broke up the booking and followed this plan: Darwin/Singapore (return) with Jetstar $466.12 (this includes all taxes etc), Singapore/Frankfurt (return including all taxes) with Qantas $1,528 Singapore dollars which converts to $1,175 Australian $ (Check out www.xe.com/ucc for up to conversion rates). If I had booked the flight over the Internet directly from Darwin -Franfkurt -Darwin , I would have flown the exact same flights via Singapore with Jetstar and Qantas but paid $2,636 Australian dollars. The trick ( which is all above board!) is that this must be booked online and it is best to book the Darwin/Singapore return fllght through the Jetstar website (www.jetstar.com.au) and then to book the Singapore/Frankfurt return flight through the Qantas homepage but using the Asia region link instead of the Australia region link (this appears in the top left hand corner of the homepage and is titled "your region"). Check out www.qantas.com.au for more information about this. You may pay a small amount towards a conversion fee when booking this with your credit card however this is worth it considering that I have saved nearly $1,000 with my booking. I was pleasantly surprised that I had no difficulties with my online booking when I did this for the first time last year. Give it a try and count the savings!
Contributed by Rebecca, Coconut Grove
Finding the Cheapest (and best) Travel Insurance
Approximate $ Savings: $300
Whilst looking online for travel insurance, I came across a website that compares quotes from 11 different companies. http://www.travelinsurancequotes.com.au/ For our Fiji holiday the quotes ranged from $90 to a whopping $372.80 for a family of four. What I really liked was the comparison table also lists other items like the excess, and limits on medical expenses, personal effects, cancellation and personal liability. This made it really easy for me to find the cheapest policy with the right level of cover for us. Best of all, the money we've saved gives us extra spending money for the holiday itself!
Contributed by Marianne, Brighton East
Whilst looking online for travel insurance, I came across a website that compares quotes from 11 different companies. http://www.travelinsurancequotes.com.au/ For our Fiji holiday the quotes ranged from $90 to a whopping $372.80 for a family of four. What I really liked was the comparison table also lists other items like the excess, and limits on medical expenses, personal effects, cancellation and personal liability. This made it really easy for me to find the cheapest policy with the right level of cover for us. Best of all, the money we've saved gives us extra spending money for the holiday itself!
Contributed by Marianne, Brighton East
Best Bargains via Email
Sign up to the various airlines e-mail notifications. When they are having a special they will e-mail you the details. I'm flying to Tassie next Feb [08] with 2 friends for a total $6 return - thats $1 each way per person. Our last trip to Tassie was $26 each flight and we now think that was far too much!!! You need to be flexible sometimes but if you want to get away you can save lots of money.
Contributed by Happyjacq
Contributed by Happyjacq
Cool Site for Cheap Tickets
I found this cool site that lets you get a good comparison of a lot of different airlines and their prices on different flights. It's actually a search engine, not an actual bureau or agency. It's called Momondo ( www.momondo.com ) Check it out ! It is really helpful when you are looking for cheap flight tickets.
Contributed by RV
www.momondo.com
Contributed by RV
www.momondo.com
Compare Online Before You Book
www.need2travel.com.au I book through these guys all the time. They have heaps of different travel/car hire/flight companies listed that you can compare as well.
Contributed by Jade77
Contributed by Jade77
Yearly Tickets Through the Company
Approximate $ Savings: $500 per year as well as time
I had been travelling into the city for work some time and buying weekly travel tickets at a cost of $45.20. Some of my fellow travellers had yearly tickets arranged through their companies and paid off in instalments from their pay. My company did not offer this, but when they asked for suggestions for employee benefits, I put the idea forward. I had worked out that, even with 4 weeks annual leave, the cost saving was substantial, $1633, as opposed to approximately $2160, paying weekly. The company took up the idea and I now pay $62 a fortnight instead of $90 and I don't have to queue up to buy a ticket either.
Contributed by Noreen, Werribee
I had been travelling into the city for work some time and buying weekly travel tickets at a cost of $45.20. Some of my fellow travellers had yearly tickets arranged through their companies and paid off in instalments from their pay. My company did not offer this, but when they asked for suggestions for employee benefits, I put the idea forward. I had worked out that, even with 4 weeks annual leave, the cost saving was substantial, $1633, as opposed to approximately $2160, paying weekly. The company took up the idea and I now pay $62 a fortnight instead of $90 and I don't have to queue up to buy a ticket either.
Contributed by Noreen, Werribee
Budget Airfares Online
For the best price on airfares (and sometimes accommodation, tours, car hire etc) look online. To compare the best prices in the last week go to http://farefetched.com.au/
My favourite travel
websites are: www.lastminute.com.au/flights.html
www.webjet.com.au
www.flightcentre.com.au
www.bestflights.com.au
www.zuji.com.au
Contributed by Anne, Werribee
My favourite travel
websites are: www.lastminute.com.au/flights.html
www.webjet.com.au
www.flightcentre.com.au
www.bestflights.com.au
www.zuji.com.au
Contributed by Anne, Werribee
Hire Car Saves on Taxi Fares
Approximate $ Savings: $40.00
I've found over the years, that rather than catch a taxi to and from an airport, and in particular those that are a long distance from the city you visit, it is cheaper to hire a car for the day, than pay 2 taxi fares. A good example of this is Melbourne - Tullamarine. A cab fare would be around $50 each way or $100 in total. With many of the deals around I can get a "corporate discount rate" via my employer and pay $50 for a car. I can go where and when I like, am not shackled to the CBD and even with petrol costs, if it's a small hatchback, I still come out in front. On top you have the convenience and save money as well.
Contributed by Deane, Happy Valley
I've found over the years, that rather than catch a taxi to and from an airport, and in particular those that are a long distance from the city you visit, it is cheaper to hire a car for the day, than pay 2 taxi fares. A good example of this is Melbourne - Tullamarine. A cab fare would be around $50 each way or $100 in total. With many of the deals around I can get a "corporate discount rate" via my employer and pay $50 for a car. I can go where and when I like, am not shackled to the CBD and even with petrol costs, if it's a small hatchback, I still come out in front. On top you have the convenience and save money as well.
Contributed by Deane, Happy Valley
Great Deals on Flights
I travel a lot so I sign up for all sorts of travel newsletters. I recently found the Best Flights newsletter. You get the Best Flights Newsletter weekly and it has a lot of really cheap deals and what I find important is that I'm up to date especially when domestic sales happen just out of the blue - it's nice to know. I checked the site today and they are promoting anyone who signs up for a chance to win a travel holiday worth $20k. Hopefully someone will find this useful as it has been for me. Once you get that travelling bug, you'll want to get the cheapest flights too :) Cya!
Contributed by Bryan, Gosnells
Contributed by Bryan, Gosnells
Book Cruises Online
A tip if you're planning an overseas holiday: book cruises online!! We went to Canada for our (delayed) honeymoon and did a cruise up the coast of Alaska. Flight Centre quoted us the cost of the cruise as about $2400 per person. But we booked on the Internet with www.vacationstogo.com and paid about $800 each - with a bonus cabin upgrade!! This is very cheap for a 5-star holiday (8 days/7 nights) including accommodation, transport, all meals/snacks (drinks extra), entertainment etc etc. The cruise lines discount their fares as you get closer to the time of departure to try to fill up their cabins, so the later you book the cheaper it gets. The downside is that there aren't many cruise lines operating around Australia so there isn't much competition to drive prices down. But you can get some fantastic deals on the popular destinations - Alaska, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean etc. Check it out if you're interested in cruising!!
Contributed by Christabel
Contributed by Christabel
Travelling or Weekend Away
If your travelling or just want a weekend away but have no specific places to go, a cheap way to fly around is go to the airport and just get the next flight on standby.
Contributed by Jessica, Apollo Bay
Contributed by Jessica, Apollo Bay
Warning on Cut-price Air Fares
I nearly wasted over $350 by getting swept up in the hype of the new Jestar international flights. With a bit of time spent online I was able to book return flights from Melbourne into Bangkok and out of Phuket for myself and my partner for $579 each (exc tax) with Malaysian Airlines. The Jetstar fares would have cost me $615 each. In addition I would have had to pay $92 each on extra fees for a meal, entertainment and blanket (which is all inclusive in the Malaysian Airline fare) and $50 each for a flight from Phuket to connect to the return flight from Bangkok.
Contributed by Emmalee, St. Kilda
Contributed by Emmalee, St. Kilda
Off Season Travel
If you are planning a holiday, plan to go in the off season. You can potentially save hundreds of dollars on travel and accommodation and there will be far fewer 'tourists' to get in your way.
Eye Comfort While Flying
Don't wear your contact lenses on long flights - they dry out, causing eye irritation and pain. If, like me, you only wear contacts, it might be worthwhile buying a cheap pair prescription spectacle just for flying.
Save on Flights
When searching online for interstate flights, check flightcentre.com.au (or any other multi-airline flight finding website) first. When you have found the cheapest flight you want to your destination, simply get onto the particular airline website that the flight is with (i.e. Virgin) and select it from there. This will save you up to $15 one way as you are buying your flight directly from the airline, not through a third party!
Contributed by Siobhan, Thornbury
Contributed by Siobhan, Thornbury
Price Match Airfares and Save a Bundle
Approximate $ Savings: $200+
We were looking to go on a family holiday in Australia and we saw that if you don't want to book 6 months in advance for cheap fares it was going to be quite expensive with 4 of us flying so I took up Jetstar's price beat. They were going to charge $79 each way per person. I went logged onto webjet.com.au (where they have all flights from all the different carriers on the dates you want) and it showed that Tiger Airways would let you fly for $49 each way. I then called Jetstar and they beat it by 10%. Which brought the ticket price down to $44.10. We saved on each person's return ticket $9.80 and all up we saved $39.20. We then only bought 2 bags with us so we saved $20 for only having carry on for the kids. I also opted to pay via direct deposit because they don't charge you a fee (like they do with the credit card). So all up, with the bags, if we'd just gone with the first price and not done some investigating and bargaining it would have been $652 instead of $372. A saving of $280+ (when including the credit card fee) which went towards accommodation. I don't think I'll book a holiday again without doing this!
Contributed by Lauren Church
We were looking to go on a family holiday in Australia and we saw that if you don't want to book 6 months in advance for cheap fares it was going to be quite expensive with 4 of us flying so I took up Jetstar's price beat. They were going to charge $79 each way per person. I went logged onto webjet.com.au (where they have all flights from all the different carriers on the dates you want) and it showed that Tiger Airways would let you fly for $49 each way. I then called Jetstar and they beat it by 10%. Which brought the ticket price down to $44.10. We saved on each person's return ticket $9.80 and all up we saved $39.20. We then only bought 2 bags with us so we saved $20 for only having carry on for the kids. I also opted to pay via direct deposit because they don't charge you a fee (like they do with the credit card). So all up, with the bags, if we'd just gone with the first price and not done some investigating and bargaining it would have been $652 instead of $372. A saving of $280+ (when including the credit card fee) which went towards accommodation. I don't think I'll book a holiday again without doing this!
Contributed by Lauren Church
Cheaper Flights
I recently moved interstate and find myself and my fiancé having to travel constantly back to see our family and friends which can cost a lot. We book early and I use www.iwantthatflight.com.au to find the cheapest flight, which is usually Jetstar or Tiger. What a lot of people don't know though is that Jetstar has a price beat guarantee. This means that for example say there was a Tiger flight at 2pm for $33 and a Jetstar flight at 1.30pm for $79, you can ring Jetstar and have them beat the Tiger price by 10%. Booking is done via the phone which means no booking fees and it only takes about 5 minutes, the same as booking online. The only conditions are that the flights are within an hour of each other and that the prices being compared are Internet fares. Check it out at http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/travel-info/travel-services/price-beat-guarantee.aspx With upward of twenty flights planned in the next twelve months and two of us travelling we're saving $200+ a year - which means more money towards our wedding and even more visits back home!
Contributed by Jessica Dyson
Websites:
www.jetstar.com.au
www.iwantthatflight.com.au
Contributed by Jessica Dyson
Websites:
www.jetstar.com.au
www.iwantthatflight.com.au
Family Fun Day Sunday
Approximate $ Savings: Each Adult $18.80+ minimum; Children: less (depends on travel)
"You don't have to spend a lot on a fun day out for the whole family. For $2.50 per person, your family can enjoy Unlimited travel on Sydney's buses, trains and ferries. You can buy your ticket on any Sunday from City Rail stations, bus drivers (excluding Pre-pay services), ferry ticket offices and authorised newsagents, 7-Elevens and convenience stores."
For more details go to 131500.com.au or call 131500 (The Transport Information line. You can travel as far north as Newscastle/Maitland, as far west as Katoomba/Lithgow, as far south west as Campbelltown and as far south east as Wollongong (& near Kiama it seems) and EVERY place in between. You can bushwalk in the Blue Mountains or you could swim or have coffee at Manly or Bondi (or both if you wish) or cruise Sydney's magnificent harbour on as many ferry trips as you like! We caught the local bus to Manly, hopped on a ferry to Circular Quay, caught the train to Bondi (where our family chose to swim and shop in the sales!, and sipped a divine coffee on the promenade in the afternoon. And, it only cost us $2.50 each. You have the choice of travelling on as much public transport as you wish within the day too (giving even more savings). Some services are excluded such as Light Rail, Monorail, The Explorer buses at Sydney, Bondi or Blue Mountains and Special Events buses. Check the website regarding airport conditions. I have tried to cost the price of this journey alone, all with return fares i.e. (bus $4.30, ferry $6.60, train $10.40) for a total of $21.30 per adult. Take off the price of the $2.50 Family Funday ticket and the saving is $18.80 per adult. I cannot find all prices for children online apart from their train ticket at $5.20 return but, I know the saving is still substantial. You can only travel on Sundays but you can often organise your holiday plans around this timeframe if you plan ahead. If you need to travel on a weekday there is a Daytripper Ticket which gives the same benefit for $18.20 per adult ($9.00 concession), and you only have to pay for the first child as all other kids travel free.
Contributed by Corinna Wijnen
Website: 131500.com.au
"You don't have to spend a lot on a fun day out for the whole family. For $2.50 per person, your family can enjoy Unlimited travel on Sydney's buses, trains and ferries. You can buy your ticket on any Sunday from City Rail stations, bus drivers (excluding Pre-pay services), ferry ticket offices and authorised newsagents, 7-Elevens and convenience stores."
For more details go to 131500.com.au or call 131500 (The Transport Information line. You can travel as far north as Newscastle/Maitland, as far west as Katoomba/Lithgow, as far south west as Campbelltown and as far south east as Wollongong (& near Kiama it seems) and EVERY place in between. You can bushwalk in the Blue Mountains or you could swim or have coffee at Manly or Bondi (or both if you wish) or cruise Sydney's magnificent harbour on as many ferry trips as you like! We caught the local bus to Manly, hopped on a ferry to Circular Quay, caught the train to Bondi (where our family chose to swim and shop in the sales!, and sipped a divine coffee on the promenade in the afternoon. And, it only cost us $2.50 each. You have the choice of travelling on as much public transport as you wish within the day too (giving even more savings). Some services are excluded such as Light Rail, Monorail, The Explorer buses at Sydney, Bondi or Blue Mountains and Special Events buses. Check the website regarding airport conditions. I have tried to cost the price of this journey alone, all with return fares i.e. (bus $4.30, ferry $6.60, train $10.40) for a total of $21.30 per adult. Take off the price of the $2.50 Family Funday ticket and the saving is $18.80 per adult. I cannot find all prices for children online apart from their train ticket at $5.20 return but, I know the saving is still substantial. You can only travel on Sundays but you can often organise your holiday plans around this timeframe if you plan ahead. If you need to travel on a weekday there is a Daytripper Ticket which gives the same benefit for $18.20 per adult ($9.00 concession), and you only have to pay for the first child as all other kids travel free.
Contributed by Corinna Wijnen
Website: 131500.com.au
Funday Sunday Budget Friendly Family Day Out
Approximate $ Savings: $44.40
I discovered great savings for a day out with the family. A normal day trip ticket to use Sydney transport for an adult costs $18.20, $9 per child. The Family Funday Sunday ticket is a flat fare of $2.50 per person. To purchase the individual tickets, the travelling group must be related by family and include at least one child and one adult. The tickets cover all day travel on a Sunday around metropolitan and outer metropolitan Sydney, including Newcastle and Wollongong. You can purchase a Family Funday Sunday ticket at any time of the day from drivers of both private and State Government buses, at CityRail stations and Sydney and Newcastle ferry ticket offices. Children under four travel free with a Family Funday Sunday ticket holding adult. That's a great saving of $44.40 for a family of two adults and two children (assuming the children are over four).
- Contributed by Nadine, Forest Lodge
I discovered great savings for a day out with the family. A normal day trip ticket to use Sydney transport for an adult costs $18.20, $9 per child. The Family Funday Sunday ticket is a flat fare of $2.50 per person. To purchase the individual tickets, the travelling group must be related by family and include at least one child and one adult. The tickets cover all day travel on a Sunday around metropolitan and outer metropolitan Sydney, including Newcastle and Wollongong. You can purchase a Family Funday Sunday ticket at any time of the day from drivers of both private and State Government buses, at CityRail stations and Sydney and Newcastle ferry ticket offices. Children under four travel free with a Family Funday Sunday ticket holding adult. That's a great saving of $44.40 for a family of two adults and two children (assuming the children are over four).
- Contributed by Nadine, Forest Lodge
Online Not Always the Cheapest Way to Book Travel
Approximate $ Savings: $160
I have been told many times to book things online because its cheaper so I used the internet to price out our train trip from Melbourne to Sydney and return. I have a pension card and travel voucher and our return trip was approx. $380. As you are advised to call when booking seats with children to make sure they are seated together I called and spoke to the bookings lady. It turned out that by taking the time to speak to someone and not booking online I saved $160 by NOT using my travel voucher and pension card as when I paid full fare all three children travelled for $1 each. I wont be so quick to assume the best price is always the online one. Hope this helps someone.
Contributed by Julie, Greensborough
I have been told many times to book things online because its cheaper so I used the internet to price out our train trip from Melbourne to Sydney and return. I have a pension card and travel voucher and our return trip was approx. $380. As you are advised to call when booking seats with children to make sure they are seated together I called and spoke to the bookings lady. It turned out that by taking the time to speak to someone and not booking online I saved $160 by NOT using my travel voucher and pension card as when I paid full fare all three children travelled for $1 each. I wont be so quick to assume the best price is always the online one. Hope this helps someone.
Contributed by Julie, Greensborough
Travel on the Cheap
Just a quick email with a link to cheap travel. Travelzoo has cheap holidays airfares etc and I get to dream about where I could be going. I have only used it once for interstate airfare, but it has heaps of cheap options, and maybe other Cheapskaters are in a position to be able to use some of their holidays/airfares. http://au.travelzoo.com/top20/943485-565854/
Contributed by Jen, Moe
Contributed by Jen, Moe