Affordable Easter Holiday Ideas - How to Budget

Sometimes you just need a vacation. But sometimes you forget to budget for that vacation.

As a student, coming back from a lengthy four month holiday and being thrown straight back into work and university can be a little jolting. Whether you feel like you didn’t get enough out of your break, or did too much and are now utterly exhausted, it’s totally understandable to want another vacation. With the mid-semester Easter break just around the corner, now is prime time for a quick getaway. Problem is, you probably didn’t plan on having another holiday so soon, and neither did your wallet. Luckily, there are some ways you can have your Easter getaway without breaking the bank. For these holiday options it’s not about how to budget, or how to save; it’s about finding options that don’t require you to do either.

Close encounters (of the cheap kind)

Rather than trying to hurriedly plan your lavish Europe trip, go for something a bit (read: a lot) smaller. Look for somewhere near you that you haven’t been to before and visit with friends. Even looking within a 3 hour drive radius, you can find places you’ve never been to before, and would make for a fun weekend away. This saves you those expensive overhead costs of international or interstate flights, which leaves more money to spend on activities, food and accommodation. If you were thinking even closer, you could always try a “staycation”, booking an apartment or hotel room in another part of your city, and pretend to be a tourist for a while. Websites like Airbnb can make this really affordable, and you can experience life in a different part of town, with little effort.

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Camping with the stars

If you’re going for the ultra-affordable, be on the lookout for potential camping sites. With a group of people, and some supplies, you can enjoy a relaxing weekend far away from your uni assignments underneath the light-pollution-free sky. Camping gear is usually easy to source from friends and family – all you need to do is set it up. Bring cards and board games, and prepare for a weekend detoxing from all your emails and notifications. If you can’t stay away from screens, see if you can source a projector and set up your own camping movie night. There is usually a small booking fee for the grounds, but it works out to be generally around $20 per person, leaving you to put all your extra cash towards marshmallows and instant noodles.

Beach-y keen

Going to the beach is a popular holiday destination, and it can be equal parts relaxing and exciting. Around Easter though, a lot of the accommodation will be booked up, and it’ll be hard to find space for your towel. That said, there are solutions if you feel the need to have the sand between your toes. Firstly, have a look at some less popular beach destinations. There are plenty of towns with their own smaller, but less crowded beaches, and less expensive accommodation to match. But if you can’t go past the vibe of big beaches, have a look at some areas that aren’t as close to the beach, or are a short drive away. Just by being a little further away from the action you can save a lot, as well as having a more quiet and private spot to return to.

The highway is your way

Sometimes it’s not about the destination, but the journey. All you need is a car, a destination, and drivers you can actually trust. Plan a loose idea of where you’re going, and what stops you’re going to make along the way. It’s a flexible holiday that only requires a little planning in regards to budgeting for accommodation, fuel and food. But if you’re the kind of person who just likes to go with the flow, an Easter road trip could be the experience you’re looking for. Just remember to have supplies on hand to salvage situations such as driving in to town too late for any meals, or sleeping gear in case you need to sleep in the car overnight.

While it can be annoying to exist in the paradox of wanting to go on holiday but not having the money, going on a smaller holiday during the Easter break is much more achievable. With a little creative budgeting, you’re just a hop, skip and a jump away from having one of the best holidays on a budget!

Even on a short domestic trip, accidents can happen – expensive accidents. Compare travel insurance to save you from potential unwanted expenses.