Travel tips: A boil-up will save up

By COLIN MOORE

Boiling your own billy is the way many of the Herald's Travel Tripsters save money when overseas.

When Travel asked for one tip on how to make your falling dollar stretch further when holidaying overseas, the most frequently given advice was to make your own morning cuppa and breakfast.

"One of the best savings is to have your own miniboiler," says Barbara Tokley, of Auckland. "It saves heaps. It also means you can boil your own water and you don't have to buy bottled water."

Ted Dawe's essential travel mates are an unbreakable plunger for coffee, an infusion heater and a Swiss Army knife. "Make your own coffee and snack on bread, fruit and cheese," says the Auckland Tripster. "This will save you a bundle in the long term. Those endless little trips to the coffee bar eat away at the wallet."

Andrew Gilchrist, of Auckland, says that he and his family buy cereal, bread and orange juice and start the day as they would at home.

Buying food at the supermarket rather than dining at restaurants is the way Viv Frost, of Auckland, makes her dollar go further. And Aucklander David Ellis' advice is: "Eat where the locals eat. It's cheaper and much more interesting."

Other money-saving tips from the Tripsters include changing a reasonable amount of money at a time to save transaction fees, prepaying as much as possible before leaving, using a bar tab so you need to tip only once, doing your own laundry, converting money before you leave with dealers you trust, using backpackers' or B&B accommodation, drinking only local beer, and travelling by bicycle or staying at monasteries.

Maybe the best advice comes from Brian Giblin, of Auckland.

"Use a credit card," he says. "It simply does not feel as bad at the time - so you enjoy your holiday fully and face the pain when your statement arrives later."