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15th March 2019
School holidays are just around the corner (but of course you already know that). For weeks now your kids have been bouncing off the walls as the school term draws to a close. Their anticipation to shed uniforms and watch TV all day long has got your dreaming of a family holiday where everyone (yes, including the parents) can have a break.
The lead up to a family holiday is an exciting one. At Travel Money Nz, we understand how difficult it can be to save for a family holiday, whilst still maintaining the necessities of everyday life. It is, however, the perfect opportunity to get the kids excited and teach them some saving tips and tricks (and maybe get some more chores done around the house).
We’ve called on our resident saving expert, Vinnie, to give you and your kids some wisdom on saving for your next getaway. Oh, did we mention Vinnie is 5?
Vinnie is lucky enough to be heading to Fiji these holidays (with his family of course). He has been working hard to save throughout the school term (we could really learn something from him) and has kindly agreed to give us some of his top tips for both kids and parents.
Vinnie’s tips for kids
The main thing I’ve been doing to save money is chores around the house. Dad pays me $5 a week to make sure my room is tidy, that I've got changed after school, done all my prep homework (its a lot) and picked up the dog poo with my wheelbarrow (YUK). Sometimes I get a bonus when Dad’s lets me help wash his brand new ute. It’s really fun spraying Dad with the soap and water, and I get an extra $5 pocket money!
I also collect coins I find on the ground. There aren’t that many at school, but sometimes I go to the supermarket with Dad and there’s heaps of 5 cents there. I don’t know how much I’ve made from this but Dad says it’d be like $3. You can sometimes find them in trolleys that people haven’t returned as well. These are the best because the coins are gold, and I am helping the supermarket get all their trolleys back!
I have also started collecting bottles and cans so I can trade them back and get 10c a bottle. I have filled up 1 bag so far and that got me $6.
My birthday is in March, and my grandparents gave me $10! I'm going to save this all too and buy some cool souvenirs when I’m in Fiji.
I keep all the money I make in my piggy bank. Every week if I don’t spend any of it, Dad gives me an extra 20 cents. He calls it interest, but I really don’t see what is so interesting about it. I think it would definitely be more interesting if it was 40 cents.
Since school started, I have made exactly $54. What’s even better is when Dad puts it into Fiji Dollars, it’s $75!* I thought it was magic, but dad said it was because of the New Zealand Dollar to Fiji Dollar exchange rate. I don’t really understand what that means, I’m just excited to have lots of money! My friends are all really jealous and keep asking me to buy them an ice cream at the tuckshop. I tell them they could be as rich as me if they saved their tuckshop money for holidays as well!
Vinnie’s tips for parents
Dad’s also been trying to teach me how to save my money by showing me what he’s been doing before Fiji.
He said he bought the plane tickets last year at the Travel Expo because they were on sale and cheaper. He also wanted to surprise us for Christmas.
Dad also said that he bought the Fiji Dollars ages ago. He told me that in February the computer’s rate alerts told him the New Zealand Dollar was doing well against the Fiji Dollar, so he was able to get a really good deal for them.
We also don’t get takeaways on Friday night anymore. But instead we make our own hamburgers and we get a bowl of ice-cream too so I don’t mind!
On the weekends we do heaps of free stuff. We used to go to the movies heaps but now we go to the park, bike rides, heaps of drawing and watch Netflix instead. I miss the movies a little bit, but I know it will be worth it when we’re in Fiji!
So there you have it. Vinnie’s top travel saving tips for kids and parents alike. Whatever age you are, it’s important to learn good money saving habits, particularly when preparing for a holiday.
To help you with this, we offer Currency Rate Alerts which notify you when the currency you’re after reaches your desired value. We also offer Rate Guard, so if you buy your currency and the rate improves within 14 days of purchase, we’ll pay you the difference. These handy tools will help you to save, so you can make the most of your travel money on your holiday.
This blog is provided for information only and does not take into consideration your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether the information and suggestions contained in any blog entry are appropriate for you, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs. While we take reasonable care in providing the blog, we give no warranties or representations that it is complete or accurate, or is appropriate for you. We are not liable for any loss caused, whether due to negligence or otherwise, arising from use of, or reliance on, the information and/or suggestions contained in this blog.
All rates are quoted from the Travel Money Nz website, and are valid as of 25 February 2019
*Terms and conditions apply to Rate Guard. See https://www.travelmoney.co.nz/rate-guard for more information.
^Terms and conditions apply to Currency Rate Alerts. See https://www.travelmoney.co.nz/currency-rate-alerts for more information.
