You could be better off

SUMMER holiday time, and whether you are going away or staying at home, it doesn’t need to cost the earth to have fun.

You need to plan well ahead and understand where the savings are, particularly if you have a tribe of children and don’t want to hear: “I’m bored”.

For the Koch family of four kids, we went into shock when our eldest turned 12 and we were told on most airlines she had to go on an adult’s fare. Thanks very much. It got even worse as the other three passed this same milestone.

Summer is fast approaching and, while you should be organised by now to get real bargains, there are plenty of ways to keep costs under control.

TRY APARTMENTS

Opting for an apartment, cabin or beach shack rental instead of a hotel room not only saves money but, typically, offers more space and flexibility.

We’ve found we can rent an apartment for, say, $150 per night, where two hotel rooms would be $300 per night. We’re halving the cost and get a living room with space for the kids.

Start your search on home sharing sites www.airbnb. com.au and www.stayz.com.au where it’s easy to filter for certain preferences, including number of bedrooms and proximity to public transport.

BUY GROCERIES

If you do stay at a hotel, avoid the buffet breakfast unless it’s included free. Breakfast is a hotel’s most profitable meal … and your biggest waste of money. While $25 per person might not seem outrageous, it adds up quickly. Pick up staples like yoghurt, cereal, and fruit from a supermarket instead; the kids won’t care and your wallet will thank you.

Having an apartment with a kitchen lets you cook meals. Making your own breakfast and lunch will leave money over if you want to go out for dinner.

Some restaurants offer bargain rates during slow times, so by changing routine and eating the main meal at lunch or an early dinner before 6pm, restaurant bills can be cut.

CHOOSE ACTIVITIES CAREFULLY

Don’t over-commit to a hectic (and expensive) schedule.

A Koch tradition is always a hop-on-hop-off bus tour as soon as we arrive in a new city. It provides a quick whiz around the most famous sites and an opportunity to see which ones are worth coming back to.

The bus guide, and local tourist brochures, will provide a good idea of the popular free attractions and tips on where to buy cheap tickets to shows.

Remember little kids often lose their stamina after a couple of hours so big, expensive allday tours will be a waste.

Mix paid activities with simple, relaxing free ones, such as a day at the pool or exploring a local park. Check whether museums have free entry after, say, 4pm which may leave two hours to tour. We used to do this to see whether it was worth paying for a longer look.

TRAVEL SLOWER

Instead of aiming to take a bunch of quick trips, it’s more cost-effective to take fewer, longer holidays with the family. Once you’ve sunk the money into getting there, the cost per day goes down the longer you’re away.

Longer vacations also play into budget-conscious strategies like buying groceries because there’s no pressure to fit every restaurant and activity into a few days.

SHOULDER SEASONS

Visiting somewhere just a few weeks before, or after, peak Illustration: JOHN TIEDEMANN

times can be much cheaper. This trick streamlines the entire planning process and has a ripple effect.

By travelling six to eight weeks before or after high season, you save on flights and accommodation, car rentals and sightseeing.

EXCHANGE RATES

If travelling internationally, pay close attention to exchange rates. Find a country with a weaker currency than the Aussie dollar … it will be like everything is on sale.

Make use of travel cards, from most banks or financiers, to load up the currencies you need over the year leading up to a big trip. Buy when the currency becomes attractive. 30-YEAR SURVEY HOW WE SPEND

EVERY six years the Australian Bureau of Statistics conducts a major examination into how the average Aussie spends their money. They’ve been doing it for 30 years so it gives an amazing insight into how spending patterns change. For us the highlights were: ■ The biggest expense was rent at 7.39 per cent of the family budget … interest on mortgages came in third at 5.63 per cent.

■ For the first time, the second biggest expense for the average family was eating out, at $80 a week or 5.64 per cent.

■ Another first is spending more of our budget travelling overseas (3.19 per cent) compared with domestic holidays (2.19 per cent).

■ Cars take less to buy and run now than six years ago. Buying a car now represents 3.61 per cent of spending, down from 3.81 per cent in 2009-10 … filling up the car with petrol takes 3.48 per cent of spending, down from 4.13 per cent.

■ Electricity and gas (2.82 per cent of spending), is only a modest lift from 2.58 per cent of weekly household spending in 2009-10. Would you believe Aussies are spending a smaller proportion of total spending on lights and power than in 1984?

■ Spending on gambling has fallen from $5.86 to $4.44 a week.

■ Alcohol costs have fallen from 2.62 per cent of the family budget to

2.25 per cent .

■ Health costs up from 1.54 per cent to 1.59 per cent.

■ Childcare costs up from 0.71 per cent to 1.23 per cent.