Have a Thrifty Holiday

Have a Thrifty Holiday

With summer finally here – the call of a long awaited holiday is top of mind. But with Christmas spending taking its toll on many of our credit cards, a holiday away can sometimes seem out of reach.

Thrifty Car Rental General Manager Emma Gardiner says insider tourism knowledge can be the difference between an affordable holiday or a staycation.

“Holidays with friends and family are an important part of recharging. And there are many ways to have a relaxing summer getaway without putting pressure on your wallet. To help kiwis getaway this summer, Thrifty have put together a list of tips to take an affordable trip,” says Gardiner.

Hire a relocation vehicle

This summer take Thrifty up on their offer of a free relocation vehicle available from December 2016 through to March 2017.

“The deal is as simple as it sounds. We offer free car hire from specific locations at certain times. Customers must cover the fuel and we will rent the car to them for 48 hours for free. Standard insurance is included in the deal and an optional excess waiver is available should the customer want additional piece of mind. It’s a fantastic way to get a cheap one way travel deal to your destination – 48 hours even gives you time for a stopover along the way,” says Gardiner.

There are several routes available for relocation vehicles, including but not limited to:

• Wellington to Auckland

• Christchurch to Picton

• Christchurch to Blenheim, Nelson or Greymouth

• Dunedin to Christchurch

Visit www.thrifty.co.nz/relo to see what’s available.

Do Your Research

Once you have decided where you are heading – do your research on some affordable activities. There are heaps of family friendly, inexpensive (most often free) activities on local council websites. These include the best local parks, events, beaches, museums and playgrounds.

You can also check out trip advisor www.tripadvisor.com or Lonely Planet http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ for other must do activities and experiences.

Go Camping

New Zealand is a camper’s paradise and it can be one of the most affordable accommodation options going. There are many incredible DOC campsites scattered around the country in remote and breath-taking locations – however if fuel costs are a concern, choose a local campsite. There are plenty of options just outside of city bounds.

If you don’t already own a tent and the cost of camping gear is too high – rent. You can hire a camping kit for a reasonable daily rate and kits come with everything you need to enjoy a camping retreat.

Gardiner says Thrifty even offer camping packages with car rentals.

“Hiring camping gear means those wanting to camp this summer don’t have to be intimidated by the cost of purchase. For an additional $49 a day a couple can hire a two person kit. It makes camping more affordable and sustainable,” says Gardiner.

Thrifty’s camping kits include almost everything campers need to experience the real New Zealand. Kits include a highly weatherproof tent, synthetic sleeping bags, single air mats, camping pillows, compact LED lanterns, a kitchen kit including gas cooker, 1x gas cylinder, camp cook set, cooking utensils, plates, mugs, cutlery, soft cooler bag, ice pack and plastic carry bin. All camping kits are supplied by leading tourism operator Adventure Capital.

Visit DOC to search available camping sites: http://www.doc.govt.nz/

For more information on responsible camping visit: http://www.camping.org.nz/

To hire camping and other adventure gear visit: http://www.adventurecapital.co.nz/

To hire a rental car and camping kit package visit: https://www.thrifty.co.nz/specials/camping.aspx

House Swap

For those that don’t have a mate with a bach or crib, why not ask a friend or family member in another town or city to house swap? It’s win-win. You both get to holiday in a new city and you avoid forking out hundreds of dollars in accommodation costs. There are also websites and agencies that specialise in house swapping – so you don’t even have to know someone to make this option work for you.

Visit: http://kiwihouseswap.co.nz/ or http://www.homelink.org.nz/

Get Yourself a Deal

Many restaurants, accommodation and entertainment businesses offer deals through the likes of GrabOne or TreatMe. If you are organised you can reduce your travel costs with some big savings on food, transport, events and accommodation.

Visit: http://new.grabone.co.nz or http://treatme.co.nz/

Rock in late

Take advantage of last minute cancellations and keep an eye on websites designed to fill empty seats and beds. Often the trick is being in the right place at the right time; however some websites do offer the option to sign up for price alerts, giving you a heads up when prices change.

Visit: https://www.expedia.co.nz/last-minute or www.lastminute.co.nz or www.wotif.co.nz

ENDS

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