Budget Traveling Around East Coast Australia

There are dozens of ways to keep money when budget traveling around East Coast Australia.I will read you the primary ways you can keep your Aussie dollars on accommodation, shopping, transport and much more so you can get home with more souvenirs and more pleased memories without an empty pocket.I have lived in Sydney and Brisbane as well many other towns and cites on the east coast, hopefully my experience will keep you tons of money!

Australian money Money in Australia is called the Australian dollar.We have $100, $50, $ 20, $ 10 and $ 5 notes, and $2, $1,. 50 cent,. 20 cent,. 10 cent and 5 cent coins.Many shops will care for items something like AU$ 10. 99 for a product, just for marketing effect, but in the end you will pay AU$ 11. 00.Capital cities expenses are commonly more than country areas but sometimes it is the reverse.For example fuel can be more expensive in the land areas but not by too much.The listing below is an approximate average of the prices charged in Australia, to be referred to as a guide only.It is all based on 33 years experience. . .Accommodation Budget tip: Use the Net to get bargains and save lots of money.Some of my favorite sites are on the links page.If you`re travelling on a shoestring budget then I would suggest staying in hostels or caravan parks.They depart in price based on character and location.A word of warning caravan parks especially on the seashore are not what they used to be.These years they get nearly resort style facilities so they can be precisely as expensive as staying in a motel.Getting around By air: Australia has 4 main airlines to take from: Qantas: Usually the most expensive VirginBlue: Basic service at cheaper rates JetStar: Similar to VirginBlue TigerAirways: No frills basic budget service.Some of these don`t glide to certain parts of the land so you want to do your homework.Public transport A wonderful way to deliver money on a tight budget.Queensland Rail or QR mainly covers south east Queensland (Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast) now offers a goCard which is valid for train, bus and ferry services mainly in Brisbane.It is cheaper than paid by cash.I am a vast fan of acquiring the string around Brisbane.It is convenient, safe and cheap.You can also buy daily, weekly or monthly QR passes.The longer the pass the more money you save.QR also offers concessions for pensioners and students.City Rail (New South Wales): covers Sydney, Wollongong, Central Coast and Newcastle): Has lots of different tickets to keep you money.I used CityRail all the clock when I was life in Sydney.Sometimes the trains run deep but for the about part it is a excellent safe service.For families consider the Funday Sunday pass where currently (2009) you will pay just $2. 50 per person you scarcely ask a minimal of one big and one child.City Rail also offers other discounted tickets Cityhopper (for Syndey only), day trip and the Sydneypass (Sydney only for 3, 5 or 7 years for travel within a 8 day period) which gets you unlimited train, bus and ferry around Sydney.Concessions are available for students and pensioners.Getting to or from the international airports Avoid taxis.These will be you a little fortune mainly because of traffic congestion.The cost of a ticket from the Domestic Airport to the Metropolis is $14. 60 and from the International Airport to the Metropolis is $15. 20.And sometimes the cabbies get lost.SUPER BUDGET HINT: Instead consider airport shuttle services.Do a Google search for Airport transfers in the city you are landing in.For example `Airport transfers Sydney airport`.Sydney New South Wales: Usually price range for shuttle services will be $20 return to major CBD locations but may be cheaper if you book online.Brisbane Queensland: Airport transfers by Rail.These are privately owned companies that don`t usually offer concessions.They are an brilliant way to keep money though.Brisbane Airtrain: This is a train service that will get you from Brisbane International or Domestic terminals to Brisbane CBD, Brisbane suburban areas or Gold Coast.The price shouldn`t be more than $30 one way to most destinations.Check out the Airtrain interactive map on their site to leave you an thought Airport Link Sydney: Similar to Brisbane.As of 2009 a one way ticket to the CBD from the Domestic or International airport terminals will be a little under $20.Check out the FAQ section on their webpage for details.Hiring a car East Coast Australia has all the major hire companies Hertz, Budget, Avis and independents which may be best for budget travelling.There are all types of cars and vans to choose from, the bigger the car the more you will pay.They`re a few websites out there that let you to compare hire car prices.Use them, they will keep you tons of money! If you will be here for a bit longer then consider hiring a van.There are loads of options for you.In Queensland a well loved choice is Wicked.In NSW they have depots in Sydney and Byron bay.In Queensland their depots are in Brisbane, Hervey Bay and Cairns.Grocery Shopping Australian grocery shopping is dominated by 2 huge `players` in the market namely Woolworths and Coles.If you pass over a certain amount your sales docket will get you cheaper fuel (see below) You will find Woolworths and Coles in most larger towns and they are of line in every great city.They now use `price per weight` tickets so you can compare and save whilst browsing the shelves.Australia also has Aldi stores in most regional towns and all great cities down the Australian East Coast.These are my favourite for budget shopping especially if you are travelling and you just require basic items on the way.SUPER BUDGET TIP: Cheaper items are usually below eye level.That`s right the more expensive items will be on the middle shelves so look gloomy and catch a bargain.Australia`s generic brands such as Home Brand, Black and Golden and Woolworths and Coles own varieties are good as excellent in value as the bigger name brands.Aldi are cheaper than Woolworths and Coles and the prize is only as excellent.You will though have to study your own bags to take your items or buy bags at Aldi.There are other supermarkets in Australia such as Foodowrks and IGA and they are fantastic if you only take a few items in your travels.Fuel (Gas) We bid a gas station a service station.Australia has all the major fuel companies available (BP, Caltex, Ampol, Shell etc).Some offer 4c off your fuel if you give a supermarket docket.Caltex accepts Woolworths dockets and Shell accepts Coles dockets.I highly recommend using these especially if you are doing most of your traveling by car.Fuel prices go up and downward through the week.Anecdotal research indicates the cheapest day to buy fuel is now either on a Tuesday or Wednesday.To write on fuel drive smoothly, limit using the air conditioner and don`t speed, this chews the fuel (and it is perilous too! A particular word on Service station stops: All service stations want you to buy something else while you`re in the shop such as drinks, chocolates, lollies, CDs etc.Avoid the temptation, as you will be paying extremely high prices for doing so.Instead plot your trip by buying drinks and food at a supermarket for your travels.Some service stations even offer 4c off your fuel if you buy $2 worth of food.This way you are worse off then if you didn`t buy the food or drinks.Don`t be fooled! Phone calls Cell phones are called `mobile` phones in Australia.AVOID USING YOUR MOBILE (CELL) PHONE.INTERNATIONAL ROAMING RATES WILL Bite YOU. Of course mobile phones are useful for emergency situations.Cheapest option when on a budget to keep money when travel is using international telephone cards.With one AUD 10 card, you can speak to the USA for longer than 2 hours.Keep in judgement that making a lot of shorter calls will costs you more than a 1 longer call.For example 6 calls of 10 minutes will be you more than 1 claim of an hour.There are loads of phone cards available.Including: Ozcall, Daybreak and Gotalk.There are also tons of online sites to compare prices; just do a Google search such as `International telephone cards Australia. ` You can buy the cards from Newsagents or online and for a place of prices.To do it simple though buy them in even amounts of AUD 10, AUD 20 or AUD50 and use them from your house telephone and also public phones.Food and drink.Eating out and drink lots of alcohol can be very expensive.Depending on the bar or restaurant beer can be from AUD 2. 50 up to AUD 7. 00.SUPER BUDGET HINT: Size of ice will see the price.The Beer names given to different beer glass sizes varies from city to city in Australia and mostly from land to state.For example asking for a Schooner in most Victorian or Western Australian Pubs will make you a lost or annoyed look, as the don`t serve that size.Ordering a `Beer` in Victoria will get you a 285ml (10 oz) `Pot` but if you said the like matter in a Queensland Pub you might feel yourself with a smaller 200ml (7 oz) glass.In other words a Pot (in Qld) is the like matter as a Middie (in NSW) and commonly is a comfortable size to enjoy in a beer.A schooner is bigger and a pint is larger again.A jug of beer is (literally a jug of beer) is 1140ml or 40oz is the largest of all.Careful though, you`re not meant to drink directly from the jug, pour it into a pot (middie) and pleasure in! Ordering spirit drinks (rum, bourbon, vodka etc) at a bar will usually cost you from about AUD 7.SUPER BUDGET TIP: One way to deliver is buying alcohol at a bottle shop.There are huge `superstores` such as LiquorChoice and Dan Murphys in all great and about regional cities.A six pack of local beer (xxxx, Tooheys, Cascade etc) will be anywhere from $12 to over $20.A carton of beer consists of 24 cans or stubbies (small bottles).Local beer will set you back anywhere between AUD 35 to AUD 65.Wine Australia boasts some of the finest wines in the universe and I highly recommend you try some while you`re here.The prices range but you can normally get a `excellent drop` for about AUD 15.SUPER BUDGET TIP: Look for the `clean skins`, which are bottles with no brand.Some have marks some don`t but they are often in the bargain bin but can be tasty surprises.A `white skin` will be you about AUD 7.Eating out Australia has all the principal food chains McDonalds, KFC, Hungry Jacks Wine Australia boasts some of the finest wines in the existence and I highly recommend you try some while you`re here.The prices range but you can normally get a `excellent drop` for about AUD 15.I particularly like the light mixture of Moscato.It won`t leave you a hangover and it won`t dent the budget.Subway and numerous pizza franchises: If you need to remain healthy on a budget Subway is a excellent option.They offer special prices for certain subs on each day of the week.Some pizza outlets such as Dominoes offer discounts on a Tuesday.SUPER BUDGET TIP: For budget travellers (backpackers and families) the better choice is to: Buy food at the supermarket such as cheese, ham, and yellow and make sandwiches to carry for traveling.Also consider buying `popper` packs, which are small square packs of juices that normally fall in packs of 6.Australians like their pub meals and I highly commend them.They can be costly though, expect to pay from AUD 15 upwards. Smokers Better stop smoking, as a packet will be you about AUD 15 for a package of 20 cigarettes.Some states in Australia also have strict laws about where smoke is allowed.Queensland probably has the toughest laws of all with smoking banned in indoor and outdoor public places.Also Queensland has only brought in a new law forbidding people smoking in cars if children under 16 are in the car too.Fine is $200 on the spot! Entertainment Movies (Cinemas): Go on a Tuesday, tickets are cheaper.DVDs: Again, buy on a Tuesday.Many outlets offer reduced prices on this day for any reason.Free amusement for kids: Kids like beaches and there are loads along Eastern Australia.Keep the kids entertained for release by stopping off at some.Kids also like parks, and parents like them because they are free.Why not stop off at our fantastic parks, which are often near beaches.The playground equipment is tried to the highest safety standards so you can rest assured the kids can work hard and so rest hard! Summary There are dozens of ways of ways to save lots of money when travel in Australia on a budget.My best advice is to plot ahead.That doesn`t think a regimented itinerary but just some forethought such as pick up some groceries at the supermarket the morning you plot on setting off.My other super tip is to budget and add at least 20% on that.If there`s one thing I have learned in my travels is that despite all my excellent intentions and strategies I have forever gone over budget.Hopefully though I have granted you some tools and tips that will think you keep more of your hard earned money in your bag and give the Australian East Coast with lots of pleased memories!