Aussies have something of a reputation for setting off on that big travel adventure. Whether it be the gap year in Europe , working your way around Asia 's best surf beaches or exploring the farthest reaches of our own wide , brown land , there are a lot of us out there.

How do we all manage it?

Well , as Fiona Lippey says , there are some clever , simple ways to save for that big trip and some definite traps to avoid.

• Research: Do as much research as you can before you leave. Surf the web , hang out on forums , buy yourself a guidebook. An unplanned trip is an expensive trip. The more you know about your intended destination , the more you will save , and happily , the better time you will have. “For example , finding when its peak and off-peak season in the countries you are travelling to can have big impact on flight and accommodation costs , ” Fiona says.
• Set off with full pockets: You don't want to borrow money to travel , rack up credit card debt , or run out of money once you're away , so it's important to save as much as you can before you leave.

  “Get a second job or sell off unwanted stuff quickly and easily on eBay. Do whatever it takes just make sure you are leaving Australia with a very full wallet.” Fiona advises.

  Lower all expenses before hand. Reassess your shopping , spending and eating habits , and put your savings in a high interest online bank account specifically for your travels.

• Emergency fund: : Keep some savings separate. This is your emergency fund. Always make sure you have enough money set aside for a return flight home if necessary.

• To store or not to store, that is the question!: Fiona says the answers simple. “Why store furniture for $50-100 a week when you can sell it now on eBay and make money for your travel fund , or put it aside and let it earn interest for when you return home.”
• Insure against Bali Belly: Don't forget to organise travel insurance. It can cover you for lost or stolen belongings and much more. “A simple case of appendicitis in Bali could cost you as much as $40 , 000 without travel insurance. Staying in an ICU ward in America costs $3000 per day. You don't want to be caught out , ” Fiona says.

Lawyer Ali King and her partner Sam made enough money selling on eBay to fund an 18 month around-the-world sailing trip. “We started by selling unwanted pieces from my collection of vintage clothing and had such success that we were soon making more than my salary as a lawyer!” says Ali.

Not only did eBay help fund Ali and Sam's luxurious sailing adventure , it was a great resource for all their sailing necessities. “I purchased a brand new underwater camera case , sailing books , skiing and sailing jackets and scuba gear on eBay. It saved us a lot of money – we bought a camera case from the UK that retails at AU$1000 and we purchased it for AU$100 on eBay. Not only that , you can't get it in Australian retail stores!”

Even while sailing amongst the picture-perfect isles of Europe , Ali continued to buy and sell on eBay. “I would purchase items such as books and have them sent to the next port for collection. And when I was short on cash , I would sell items I no longer needed on eBay to make some extra money while travelling. On top of that , PayPal alleviated the problem of currency conversion and language barriers - we were able to deposit Aussie dollars into an overseas seller's account quickly and conveniently.”