November '08 Newsletter

You have the chance to win your car hire for FREE, ZILCH, NOTHING with our Rent It Free Promotion !

Our winner for October is Nicole who travelled in Alice Springs.

Travel Quote

There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign. - Robert Louis Stevenson

A Few Moments with "David"

What is your favourite dish to cook?
Gnocchi with my secret sauce

If you were a character in a movie who would you be?
James Bond because of the gadgets... and the girls

Your favourite time of the day?
Beer o'clock

Fave childhood memory?
Looking for Santa in the sky on Christmas Eve

Favourite country you have visited?
Canada

Why's Vroom cool?
We make car rental a fun experience. Fun = Cool

Support a Vroomin' Great Charity

This month VVV is supporting the Wildlife Warriors by sponsoring the Steve Irwin Gala Dinner in Brisbane on 15 November 2008. This charity event will include guest performers and an auction of unique pieces of memorabilia.

Vroomin' Good Times

This month is already in full swing and the newsletter a little late! Apologies for the tardiness of this edition.

The Melbourne Cup saw a home grown winner and trainer and turned everyone's week topsy turvy. I am sure there were quite a few who didn't make it to work on the Wednesday, and some very empty wallets. But we are all back to work now trying to wind up the year before the Christmas and New Year's festivities begin!!

Travelling on a budget

Everyone is well aware of the current economic climate, but that doesn't mean we have to forgo life's pleasures, one of the most important being our holidays! There is nothing more exciting than the anticipation of a trip away - no matter how big or small! Following are a few tips to keep your wallet happy and your family even happier...

Accommodation
One of the biggest outlays for any holiday is accommodation. So if you can't stay at Granny's house, take a look at online booking options such as Wotif to search out a good deal. Make sure you have a look at what others have said about their experience on feedback forums such as Trip Advisor and make informed choices about "cheap" accommodation.

Consider staying a little out of the city if you are visiting a major capital, it is amazing what 5 or 10 kilometres can do to the overall cost. There are plenty of public transport options to take you into the centre - trains, trams, buses or even take a walk. Walking gives you the opportunity to discover places that you might otherwise miss! Oh and helps maintain those of us who can become over indulgent on holiday fare...

Apartment or Hotel?
Consider an apartment. You generally have much more room (unless you are booking the Presidential Suite) with seperate bedrooms, a lounge and kitchen area etc. Unfortunately, you can't escape the domestic duties even when you are on holidays. Have you thought about who will be doing the laundry? In an apartment you will have a washing machine and dryer - simple things like washing clothes are costs that quickly add up in a hotel (hotel laundry services cost a fortune). What about parking? Are you driving to your destination or hiring a car? You will more than likely score yourself a garage space which is included in the rate, whereas a hotel will charge you daily - sometimes up to $30 per day.

Eating Out
Quite often the same meal at that cute restaurant is half price if you "take away", so take a picnic rug and go to the waters edge, a park or great place you may have seen earlier on and "dine out". The novelty of eating out can soon wear off, not just because it is a strain on the wallet either. There is nothing like a fresh home cooked meal, hit the supermarket and make a culinary delight in your apartment and make good use of that fantastic view from the balcony. Or maybe a BBQ down by the beach or at the pool area.

Things to do
The usual attractions such as Dreamworld, The Taronga Zoo and The SkyDeck are all fantastic experiences, but the costs certainly add up after you pay for admission, meals and souvenirs for the family. For your holiday, budget in one really fantastic experience and then seek out other sites and things to do that are less costly. Do some research before you go away, look at museums, science centres, art galleries, national parks etc that charge no admission or work on a donation basis. This will give you the opportunity to meet with the locals and experience their culture and history. Each week check the back of your shopping dockets, some great discounts can be found on things to do and places to go.

Getting there
The two most popular modes of travel for our holidays seem to be car and plane. Which ever you choose there are always opportunities to save.

Year round there are fantastic deals on flights. Sign up to the airline's in house newsletters and you will never miss out on their latest sale, or use a comparison site such as www.iwantthatflight.com.au to bag a deal. The earlier you plan your holiday the better, it doesn't always pay to wait until the last minute for a bargain over the peak periods like Christmas. You may end up getting a deal, however you might arrive at midnight - the last shuttle bus has gone and now you are forced to pay for an exhorbident taxi fare that negates the saving you made on your plane ticket.

Similarly with car hire, it pays to plan early! Christmas holidays are the worst. Not only will you pay premium prices, the cars will sell out - especially family cars and people movers such as the Tarago. Take a look at www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au for the best deals for your holiday before it is too late!

Just because you have a budget for your family holiday doesn't mean you aren't going to have an awesome time! Plan ahead, contact the local tourism office and do some reading about the area you are visiting. Remeber to look outside the box for fun activites and places to stay and have a fantastic break!

Handy Hint

When you are travelling somewhere unfamiliar why don't you consider hiring a GPS unit? For a daily rate you can have someone direct your every turn. However, don't leave this until you get to the counter to pick up the car as they may not be available. Pre-book your GPS and be guaranteed that someone will know where you are going - even if it's not you!!!

Write to us about your travels

Been on a road trip lately?? What did you do? Where did you go? If you have a story to tell - the kids had you in stitches, your hubby drove you insane, or your girlfriend had you stop at every roadside fruit stall. We'd love to hear about it and share your adventure with our fellow Vroomsters. If you like, send us a pic too! Email us at newsletter

vroom.com.au