Want To Save On Travel Costs In NZ? A Free Rental Car Is A Great Start! These tips will help you make the most of your time and budget while you are here, with or without a rental car relocation!
- Couch Surfing/House Sitting:
- Couch Surfing is a great way to meet locals and see some of the lesser known activities that only true locals know about . Couch Surfing also offers you a cheap or free stay! Couch surfing is great for short periods of time however for a longer stay you should consider house sitting or even a house swap! In these situations you will have the house to yourself and for a longer period of time but you wont have the fantastic tour guide! If these options sound great to you then you check out Airbnb.com, KiwiHouseSwap.co.nz and AllHouseSitters.co.nz!
- Travel during the off season:
- New Zealand is most expensive during the summer months (Dec, Jan, Feb) as everyone wants to enjoy our beautiful beaches! But some selected areas are busier during the winter months, because of their snow covered skii fields. If its possible and you don’t mind the cold visiting New Zealand will be cheaper in the winter and if your frugal enough you might be able to enjoy our skii fields!
- Buy NZD When the exchange rate is in your favor!
- The New Zealand Dollar fluctuates a lot! This is great for over seas visitors prepared to do a little more preparation in the months coming up to their travel! By looking at basic trends (found here Finance.Yahoo.com) you will be able to take a guess as to when the best time to trade your local currency for New Zealand Dollars!
- Freedom Camping:
- Freedom camping is the ideal partner to rental car relocation! Partner a free rental with an equally free camping ground and you have yourself a great start to a budget friendly holiday! Rankers.co.nz is a great source for finding sites, just be wary that especially over summer these sites will fill up quickly and often close before dark.
- Grab a seat:
- Grab a seat is a website run by Air New Zealand, It’s what they use to make sure planes are running full. They will often have flights from as low as $1, unfortunately these are always popular so you will have to be quick to take advantage of these offers!
Bonus tip: Cater for as much of your own food as you can, eating out in New Zealand can be expensive!
What other budget oriented tips do you have to share? Have you found these tips helpful? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!