5 hacks to help you save while overseas

Planning for a holiday is fun. Going on a holiday is great. But paying for it is a whole different story. Here’s how you can get the most out of your holiday for less.

Do all your planning in a private browser

This should come as no surprise to digital natives, but for those not yet aware, the Internet is watching you. Every click you take, every scroll you make, it is watching you.

Now, while the earworm of Sting singing “Every Breath You Take” should fill you with dread, the possibility of being tracked online (at least in this context) shouldn’t because there is a very easy fix: switch to a private browser. What this is called will depend on the browser you’re using. For example, if you’re using Google Chrome, it’s Incognito; if you’re using Safari, you’ll want to open a “New Private Window”, and if you’re using Internet Explorer, you’re going to want to open an “InPrivate Browsing Window”.

The reason you’ll want to search for your flights and accommodation in a private browsing window is that your cookies will reset each time you visit a site. If you’re shopping in a normal window, the site will keep this cookie active and remember your travel details, which may lead to you seeing an inflated cost compared to what you would have seen as a first-time visitor.

Be flexible with your travel plans

Try and keep an open mind regarding when you’re going to travel. This not only applies to the day, since certain days of the week might be cheaper than your ideal day, but also to the time of year. Travelling in shoulder or off-peak seasons could save you a whole bunch of cash.

Keep an eye on the exchange rate

If you know where you’re going well in advance, keep an eye on the exchange rate. If it’s at a high, you might want to look at getting some currency now rather than waiting until you leave and getting less cash. Same goes if the currency is at a low point and you have the wherewithal to wait out the currency fluctuation. Travel money cards can be a smart way to lock in a good exchange rate.

Save on data and get offline maps

One of the major quandaries for people travelling these days is what to do with your smartphone. There’s no way you’re going overseas without it, so you have four distinct options: go overseas and just rely on free Wi-Fi, buy a travel sim when you get to your destination, get global roaming or opt into a travel pack through your current provider.

Each of these options has its own merits, and it’s not worth debating them here, but there is one tip to help you manage your data while you’re overseas – use offline maps where possible. Set your itinerary ahead of time, either before you depart or in the hotel using their free Wi-Fi, and download the maps so you can use them offline. Not only will this save you money on data roaming, but it can also help you when you don’t have reception and you’re “lost” in another country.

Find the best travel insurance

Now, you might be thinking that not getting travel insurance is an easy way to save on your next trip, but you’d be wrong. Travelling without travel insurance is a terrible idea. Sure you may have been overseas a dozen times and never needed it, but it only takes one accident to make getting cover worth it.

Rather than not getting cover at all, you’ll want to find a suitable travel insurance policy that fits your needs. While many cheaper policies just cover the basics like medical (which if you’re only covering one thing, medical is the best thing to cover), you can find policies that are slightly more expensive that cover a whole lot more, including emergency companion cover, family emergency, disruption of journey, hijacking, cancellation fees, lost deposits, luggage and personal effects, travel delay and daily allowances for luggage and personal effects.

The point is you should compare your options rather than just opting for the cheapest policy available or not getting cover at all.

No matter your destination, if you are planning your next overseas holiday, or even travel within Australia, talk to the experienced travel team at Tertiary Travel, renowned for their attention to detail and great service.

This article provided by Richard Laycock, an Insurance Expert at finder.com.au

Tertiary Travel Service Pty Ltd is an independently and wholly owned subsidiary of Teachers Mutual Bank Limited ABN 30 087 650 459.