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With so much to see in Australia, many people wonder why we travel abroad. Yet step on a plane and reach a new destination and you’ll instantly realise that travelling is invaluable – opening the mind and satisfying the senses.

Yet travelling can be expensive. Figuring out how to save money whilst at the same time getting to travel abroad to other countries is a skill – but it’s easy to master and can produce great results to save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars long term.

Here are some top tips for making your money go further with travel:

Time your travel

Yep, it’s certainly cheaper to travel outside of key school holidays or global events such as Christmas or New Year. Ever thought of the day of the week on which you travel though? Or considered how avoiding a festival in a European city could halve the price of your flights there?

If you can be flexible with your dates, timing your travel is absolutely the way to make sure you get the cheapest flights possible. Even better if you can fly at times that others may not want to – such as lunchtime or mid week.

Go undercover

Did you know that all your holiday and travel searches are tracked online? This means that you’ll often be targeted with the type of hotels you have searched for in the past, or not be offered budget flights or travel itineraries. Just by changing servers or switching off your cookies could result in you saving money immediately.

Analyse ‘deals’

More and more there are ‘deals’ on flights with budget airfares offering prices as low as $1 or $2. Be wary of anything that sounds too good to be true – there are almost always hidden costs lurking here. Whether it’s hefty charges for taking your luggage on board or whether you won’t be able to reserve a seat next to your friend, check deals carefully to ensure they’re really right for you.

Save on car rental

There’s a balance here as there are often horror stories of cheap car rental firms but it’s definitely worth doing your research. Check whether it’s actually more economical to book your flights and car rental together, or whether that’s convenient yet wildly more expensive. Do some sums and work out what suits your budget.

Carry on

If you can pack lightly for your destination, do it. Not only will you save time at both ends of the airport experience (no queues at check in or slow luggage carousels), you also won’t succumb to charges which many airlines now charge for luggage stored in the hold. Remember there will be restrictions – especially for liquids and sharp objects – so it won’t work for everyone but if you can, give it a go.

Check your phone

Watch out for huge bills after a holiday or travelling abroad. Speak to your cell phone provider and find out how much you’ll be charged for using data, and sending messages abroad. Often there may be packages available for you especially if you’re going to a fixed country for a set amount of time.