Dear Lifehacker, I have a question that I’d like to ask other Lifehackers: how are people dealing with overseas trips as the Australian dollar continues its steady decline? I purchased flights to the US in April for an insanely good price ($1400 return, inclusive of all taxes) during Virgin Australia’s sale launch. However my trip isn’t until late January 2009 and I’ll be there until early March. I was planning a fairly grandiose tour of the US via train and enjoying a number of activities but as the AU dollar has continued to shrink so has my ability to do everything I initially wanted. I was sensible enough not to pay for things I didn’t have the cash for so I’m not out of pocket just yet. So the question I want to ask Lifehackers is what tricks and tips have they got to make sure a vacation period can still be fun whilst at the same time allowing for considerable cost hikes as the AU dollar continues to tank. Thanks, Daniel While I’m sure our readers will offer plenty of other hints, I reckon the secret to getting the most from an overseas holiday is to book early and pay for stuff in advance whenever possible. Accommodation and travel booked ahead of time is often cheaper than last-minute; attractions and tours aren’t always, but it’s rare if not impossible to come up with something that’s more expensive because you book it in advance. More to the point, if you book something and pay for it on the spot (put it on your credit card and then pay it off immediately), then you know you can afford it at that moment, and you don’t have to worry about it selling out. The cost might go up or down depending on what the exchange rate does, but if you figure it’s reasonable value, then what difference does it really make? But that’s enough from me: let’s hear what others have to say in the comments. More »
