In recent years, more Australians than ever are crossing the ditch to pay a visit to the land of the Kiwis. A record total of 1.5 million Aussies visited New Zealand last year, with more than a million of those coming from Melbourne and Sydney and spurred on partly by the increased availability of daily, affordable flights to the country from these cities.
However, while the number of visits to New Zealand is higher than ever, so are the prices. NZ comes out as more expensive than Oz by almost every measure, including dining, entertainment, accommodation, and transport. That means that learning how to be budget-savvy while you’re there and stretching those dollars as far as they will go is key to getting the most out of your trip. If you’re heading to New Zealand anytime soon, here’s what you can do to save money.
Flaunt Those Discount Cards
While prices in New Zealand may be punishing, it’s without a doubt a country that loves a good discount. There are countless discount cards that will save you substantial amounts on everything from accommodation to excursions. The YHA card will get you dirt-cheap rates on hostels across the country, an international student card will give you massively discounted museum entry, and the Official New Zealand Card offers discounts of as much as 90% on just about every activity you can think of.
Check out Bonus Sites
In addition, you can also check out New Zealand-based bonus sites to save money on any online entertainment you may wish to access in the country. For example, New Zealand benefits from a huge range of online casino game platforms that you might not be able to play in Australia. If you want to play hundreds of slot games for free while you’re in the country, you can access free spins with no deposit in NZ by visiting dedicated offer sites such as Bonus.net. This is just one illustrative example of how you can stay entertained for cheaper in New Zealand, so make sure to do your research to see what similar sites are on offer for any form of entertainment that might interest you.
Hit Up Your Network
If you’re an Aussie, chances are you already know people in New Zealand, given that close to 65,000 of us have taken advantage of the freedom of movement between here and NZ. If you do know someone in the country, now is the chance to hit them up and see what they can do to make your trip more manageable. They might be able to offer you a sofa to sleep on, a ride from the airport, or even some tips on how to spend less while you’re out and about. If you don’t know anyone, don’t worry. New Zealand is a famously friendly country, so don’t shy away from socializing and you might just make some new friends for life.
Use Airbnb
This one might come as a surprise to some since AirBnB is gaining a reputation in some parts of the world for being pricey. However, this is not yet the case in NZ. Airbnb rentals in popular spots such as Christchurch and Auckland can be less than half of the price of a room in a three-star hotel. In addition, you get the added privilege of being able to live life a local during your time there. Even hostels can be more expensive than Airbnb, so always check to see if you can save some serious money whilst also finding a unique place to stay.
With these simple tips, your next trip to New Zealand won’t have to break the bank. If you have any money-saving advice of your own, don’t hesitate to comment below and let us know!
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