Every trip overseas leaks money in places most Australians never look — the data plan, the foreign transaction fee, the points you bought at the wrong time. I travel about 150 days a year, and over the years I’ve worked out where the leaks are and how to plug them. This is where I keep all of it.
The biggest one is data. Telstra and Optus will happily charge you $10 a day to roam, which adds up fast on a three-week trip. I load an Airalo eSIM before I leave home instead, and the only hard part is guessing how much data to buy — so I built a calculator that does the guessing for you. There’s also the SMS problem nobody warns you about: switch to an eSIM and your bank’s verification codes can stop arriving at the worst possible moment.
Then there’s the money itself. Most Australian cards quietly skim 3% off every overseas transaction — I’ve been stung by it, which is why I built the FX Rip-off Calculator to show exactly what that fee costs you. Pairing the right travel debit and credit cards is half the battle won before you’ve even packed.
The other half is points. Whether it’s buying Qantas points when a bonus lands, buying hotel points for a stay, or moving points around the family with Qantas Family Transfer and Velocity Family Pooling, the maths matters — and it’s easy to get wrong. I show my working every time.
Everything below is the running list: the eSIM tricks, the card hacks, the points plays, and the lounge access that makes the hours between flights bearable. All of it tested on actual trips, not in theory.
It’s no secret that credit card sign up bonuses are the fastest way to build up your frequent flyer point balance. With 100,000 point bonuses per new card for both Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Velocity being reasonably common, Drew…
The current COVID 19 pandemic is causing holidays to be cancelled. Many readers are asking how to get their money back. Our first suggestion is to negotiate directly with the hotel, airline or travel agent, but if all else fails,…
We are now in the process of cancelling three trips that we had booked and planned to take by June. There was a month travelling to Europe which we cancelled early in the coronavirus crisis. This was replaced with an…
Qantas just launched a new club you can join and the good news is it is free. It’s designed for frequent buyers who earn lots of points on the ground rather than in the air, giving flight perks like Qantas…
With the current coronavirus outbreak dominating headlines around the world, COVID19 has caused many friends and family to reconsider their travel plans. Many people, including Drew, are changing their itineraries and in the process having to cancel flight and hotel…
Just like hand luggage divides Milton and Drew, so too does choice of accommodation. Drew prefers Airbnb over hotels while Milton has yet to stay in his first Airbnb. Why Drew prefers Airbnb to hotels As an Airbnb Superhost and…
It seems like an odd question to ask: can buying Marriott points actually save you money? Most people treat hotel points as an afterthought, rather than what they really are: an alternative currency for hotel nights at a fixed rate.…
A year ago we planned a week long Singapore stopover before embarking on a hiking holiday in Northern Italy and Switzerland. The COVID19 coronavirus changed everything. Things are moving fast and there is no indication it will get better soon.…
The Airbnb vs Hotel debate has raged on since the company started in 2008. Airbnb is a great alternative for accommodation used by many travellers today but I continue to choose hotels. While hotels belonging to major chains like Hyatt,…
Skip the roaming bill.
Airalo eSIMs work in 200+ countries. Drew uses one every trip.
New users 15% off. Existing users 10% off. Discount applies at checkout.
See Airalo Offers →Small commission if you buy — doesn't change your price.