Holidays are a high priority for Aussie workers. IT'S not "all work and no play" for Australian households: travel and holidays are high on the financial priority list. The sacrifices people make to afford a holiday often involve delaying long-term plans such as buying a home, having children and purchasing a car, according to research by online booking company lastminute.com.au. The survey of more than 7000 people also found that the majority of holidays were paid for with savings, not credit. "Travel plays a role in our lives more than ever, so it makes sense that people are factoring it into their household budgets," lastminute.com.au general manager Kirsty La Bruniy says. Nothing kills that holiday vibe quicker than returning to a killer credit card bill. The two in three Australians who use pure savings to fund their travels obviously recognise this. "For many people, living at home with Mum and Dad, taking on another job or giving up nights at the pub is a price they are willing to pay for amazing adventures and priceless memories," she says. Travel is an investment Australians are willing to make sacrifices for. Westpac financial planner David Simon says many of his clients' objectives echo the results found in the survey. "It is very common that an annual holiday is included as part of their short-term objectives," Simon says. I actually break down the cost of an average trip and build it into their monthly budget rather than identifying it as a lump sum. In most cases, the holiday money is saved in their home loan offset account, or similar, although some people have a separate travel savings account. "This enables clients to save for a holiday without incurring any nasty surprises," Simon says.