marquee

Sydney Unleashed

Sydney's #1 Entertainment & Lifestyle Publication

Save money while travelling

Save money while travelling

Travelling is fun. Getting ripped off while you’re doing it is not. Luckily, with a few insider tips from Cover-More Travel Insurance’s video blogger Dan Moore, you can make the most of your time and money while you’re away, and ensure your holiday is next-level amazing.

Get Appy

There are lots of great travel apps that can be really handy when overseas, and it pays to take some time before you leave to do a little research and download your faves.

Moore recommends City Maps 2Go, which uses satellite to show your location and doesn’t require the Internet to work. “Just load your map, pin your location, get lost, and navigate back to your pin.”

A currency converter app is also great to have on hand, Moore says. “It’s an easy way to get a bearing on your money conversions and make sure you don’t ripped off, especially in the first few days in a new place.”

The Cover-More Global SIM is free to activate and is prepaid for calls and data – so you can use your phone like you would at home, to everything from finding a great café to posting photos on Facebook. The SIM works in more than 100 countries and is compatible with most recent mobile phones and tablets.

Make your money work for you

Every penny saved is a penny you can spend on food, shoes or more travel.

Moore suggests not carrying too much cash on you. “It’s safer in the bank, and you won’t spend all your time worrying about losing it,” he says.

“Get a travel card (most Aussie banks provide them). This way you have minimal to no fees as it adds the local currency to your card, and you can earn frequent flyer points at the same time.”

Look for accommodation using booking.com, hostelworld.com, quickbeds.com or something similar. “These sites give amazing discounts on rates, and best of all you can usually cancel within 24 hours with no fee,” Moore says.

Avoid booking transfers to and from the airport. “Transfers can sometimes be up to twice as much as the cost of a standard taxi. In Bangkok, you can get a fast train for about 40b over a taxi that’s about 350b, and the train will get you there twice as fast.

Don’t skimp on a good backpack or bag. “This is basically your mobile home for the next few weeks, or even months, and you need it to be reliable,” Moore explains. “It’s going to get beat up and handled ‘without care’, and although having a zipper break so that your underwear sprawls out across an airport luggage conveyor belt will certainly be a memorable experience (trust me), it’s probably not worth the money for a humorous anecdote.”

Food hacks

Eating is without a doubt one of the best things about travel. Nothing beats getting a taste for the local cuisine, and street food can be some of the tastiest, and cheapest, meals you’ll find. Do be a little discerning though. “Don’t eat at the first place you come across, keep an eye out for the popular places full of locals, and research restaurants on Yelp or similar,” suggests Moore.

Also, if you’re staying at a hostel or hotel and can take advantage of the included breakfast, it’s a good idea to take a bottle of water, and a piece of fruit as you leave for the day. “Having that snack in your bag means you’ll never go hungry and you can concentrate on the fun of trying to find your way around a new city, or work out the public transport system.”

Safety first

Whatever you do, don’t take shortcuts when it comes to your health, urges Moore. “Invest in proper travel insurance, and if you have injured yourself go to a pharmacy or doctor straight away. There’s absolutely no point risking your health, or your bank balance.”

To celebrate their YouTube channel hitting 2 million views and over 1000 subscribers, Cover-More Travel Insurance, has launched the search to find the Ultimate Traveller HERE. Record and share your video adventure for the chance to win a $10,000 travel adventure. There are also GoPro Hero4 and GoPro Hero3+ cameras up for grabs.

Sydney Unleashed is one of Australia’s premier entertainment publications exploring the latest in lifestyle trends. From Sydney’s finest restaurants, cafes and bars to the hottest in gadgets, products, and home entertainment, Sydney Unleashed is your one-stop lifestyle platform.