The absolute best tips for doing Australia on the cheap
For the past few weeks, I've been doing my best to travel Australia on the cheap. While I came to Oz knowing I was going to have to spend a dollar or two, I didn't realize how many dollar or twos I would be spending. Even though the colorful Australian dollars may remind the American traveler of money from Monopoly, the fact is, you will be spending Boardwalk like money to do almost all activities while down under. But like all ventures in life, there is a way to do Australia on the cheap if you are willing to work for it. While I've been writing about ways to travel Australia cheaply for awhile now, below is a comprehensive list of the cheapest of the cheap.
Getting from place to place
While there are multiple places to stay, the cheapest way to travel around Australia is to find an old car for sale. While this may strike some as odd, and questions about insurance or mechanics may come in to play, this is a time-tested tradition for backpackers. Old station wagons or trucks (known as Utes) are constantly on sale on Gumtree (the Craigslist of Australia), and backpackers fleeing the country are happy to sell their car for at least a little of what they paid for it. If you find yourself flying into Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, car ads can be found all over hostels, and word of mouth isn't a bad way to locate your perfect ride either. Make sure, though that the car you are purchasing has its Road Worthy papers (RWC) as well as registration. This is necessary for the licensing of a car, which also includes basic insurance. To buy registration for a year it costs over $500, but transferring registration from one name to another is basically free. If you are really opposed to buying a car, you can rent one through Wicked Campers or Jucy, but it does cost more than you would expect. Make sure you get a large car though, because this feeds into our next item on the agenda.
Where to sleep
How cheap are you willing to be? That is the question that defines this section. While hostels boasts single dorm beds ranging from $18-$40 per night and camping can cost as little as $7 a night, there is a cheaper way. While it may be somewhat shady or illegal, car or wild camping is the absolute cheapest way to stay in Oz because it’s free! The fact is lots of people do this all over the country. While I haven’t been to the bush (and wouldn't encourage doing crazy things out there) up and down the eastern coast car and wild camping is easy. All you need to do is find a good place to park, which actually, can even be in cities along the coast. Most hostels know that people like to camp, and a number of places I've stayed, I've seen people actually camping in their station wagons in the parking lot, then using the shared bathrooms, common areas and kitchens for all their accommodation needs. People come in and out of hostels all the time, so this is actually not very difficult to do.
Eating
There are actually ways to eat out and still stay within a budget in Australia, you just need to be willing to look for the deal. Bars, cafes, casinos and hotels all offer different weekly discounts. If you are in heavily touristy areas, many people know backpackers are cheap, and normally at least a few nights a week you will be able to find a deal between $5-$8 for a decent meal. This even comes with a drink sometimes. While this is a great option, the absolute cheapest way to do Australia is to cook your own meals. Even if you are car, wild or legitimate camping, there are free BBQs and grills littered up and down the eastern coast. Almost all budget accommodation offers shared kitchens and a cheap camping stove isn't a terrible tool to have as well.
With the tips from above, travelers of all walks of life will be able to save a buck while venturing into the outback. The money saved from transportation, accommodation and food can be put toward the multitude of activities Australia has to offer. Enjoy Oz, and make sure to pack enough sunscreen!
