When planning a trip to New Zealand on a tight budget, it’s important to know when to go, where to stay, and how to get there without breaking the bank. After all, wouldn’t you rather spend your money on fun things to do and see than the tedious details of travel? For tips and information New Zealand travelers need to stay on budget, read on.

When to fly for the cheapest airfare

Let’s start with the most expensive part of your trip: plane tickets. If you don’t want to spend a small fortune flying to New Zealand, it’s best to plan your trip out of season. Generally speaking, the winter months of April to August are when airfares are lowest, or during January and February when New Zealand children return to school after the holidays. Avoid the big winter holidays, like Christmas and New Years.

If you can be flexible about when you depart, sign up to receive alerts on last-minute airfare deals. If an aircraft is not fully booked, the remaining seats will be sold at a fraction of the full price. Of course, this requires you to be ready to go at short notice, which is not always easy to do, especially when coming from a different continent, which requires longer flight times.

How to find the cheapest hotels

When it comes to hotel rates, they go up and down based on occupancy. So, like the airlines, hotels offer cheaper rates during the low season. December and January are traditionally Kiwis’ favorite months to take a holiday during the summer school holidays, so hotels along the coast tend to fill up quickly. For areas where winter sports are the main attraction, such as Methven (Mount Hutt), Wanaka and Queenstown, that means arriving during the summer months (December to February). Please note that many tour operators tend to take their own breaks when fewer visitors arrive in New Zealand (July to August) so you may have difficulty booking certain tours.

Whenever you decide to visit New Zealand, you should book your room well in advance or wait until the last minute just in case the hotel doesn’t fill up as expected.

Compare car rental companies in New Zealand

The same general rules apply for finding a car rental company in New Zealand: book during the low season. Booking a vehicle such as a campervan will be more economical during weekdays, when there is less demand from local families enjoying short weekend breaks (Friday – Sunday).

Another thing to consider when you want to find the cheapest car rental in Auckland or anywhere else is how many extras you get for the price. For example, some car rental companies allow you to pick up your reserved vehicle at Auckland Airport and return it to an alternate city at no additional charge. You may also be able to take the vehicle, via the Interislander Ferry System, from the North Island to the South Island so you can enjoy all of New Zealand; Not all companies offer this feature, so check if you’re planning a cross-country tour. Sometimes a difference of just a few dollars in price is more than made up for in additional benefits or features that make your trip more enjoyable and less stressful.

You don’t need a big budget to enjoy a fantastic holiday in New Zealand; all it takes is a little advance planning and a knowledge of the cheapest times to visit. Go ahead and make your travel plans to the Land of the Long White Cloud, it doesn’t have to break your budget!