Originally published: News.com.au, 23 September 2026
A desperate mum has shared how she has fiercely fought back against a sad decline in one iconic Australian tradition.
With the cost of living pressures at an all time high, it seems that the iconic Aussie family holiday is sadly one of the first things in the budget to go.
Despite this, one Aussie mum has fought back by saving thousands a year with some simple hacks – and has been able to see the world with her family, with some small sacrifices.
Now, the Gold Coast mum is passing her wanderlust onto her two sons, Luke, 14, and Malachi, 10, who have already travelled to eight countries in their short lives.
From marvelling at India’s stunning Taj Mahal, eating the most delicious pasta in Italy and lazing on the beach in Bali, the boys have well and truly caught their mum’s travel bug.
While they are forever dreaming of their next holiday, sadly, travel is not free – and with the rising cost of living pressures, the family has had to make some major changes.
Cost of living pressures
Ms Balhatchet is not the only one who has been forced to reel in or rethink their travel plans due to the cost of living crisis.
According to Smart’s Cost of Living survey, more than half of Aussies (56 per cent) have had to rein in spending on holidays or travel plans to cope with the rising cost of everyday expenses.
The Smart Cost of Living Survey was conducted by Pureprofile, surveying 2,033 working Australians aged 18-65 who are nationally representative of the Australian population by age, gender and location.
The research was conducted from 27 June to 9 July 2026.
