How to have cost-conscious school holidays

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How to have cost-conscious school holidays

The school holidays are a time for memory-making, not budget breaking. New research commissioned by ING Australia shows Aussie parents are spending on average $55.45 daily on activities for the family or $110 per day per child on vacation care! It’s time to get strategic with our school break spending.

A little preparation goes a long way
Perhaps you could create a separate fund for school holiday spending. With a simple arrangement to transfer a small sum from your earnings into this fund regularly, you’ll gradually cultivate a stash that’ll have you looking forward to the school hols.

Opt for nature’s playground
Our surroundings are brimming with free or low-cost outdoor activities. Unleash energy in open spaces with a frisbee or a homemade kite for hours of fun at no extra cost.

Sending your kids to vacation care?
Asking vacation care providers for sibling discounts can really take the load off, meaning more saved towards your next real family vacation.

Team up for time-out
Coordinate with other friends and family to set up playdates. It’s reciprocal, it splits the costs, and it doubles the fun. What’s not to love? Also, the kids get to play with their friends at the same time!

Home is where the fun is
Curb those daily expenses by initiating at-home adventures. From backyard camping to kitchen science labs, engage your kids with cost-effective creativity. If you’re really creative, you could even turn chores into a game… Or have we gone too far? “First one to take the clothes off the line wins!”

Government-supported opportunities
There are a bunch of government initiatives designed to support families, they can provide valuable relief to your school holiday budgeting. These programs are often underutilised treasures that can significantly subside costs, letting families stretch their budgets even more during the holiday break.

For example, in NSW eligible families can apply for Active and Creative Kids vouchers that can be put towards some vacation care activities.

With mindful preparation, you could create a school break that’s as rewarding for the wallet as it is for the kids. Now get out there and have some fun!

Looking to open a savings account purely for a school holiday fund? Find out all you need to know about ING’s Savings accounts.

Learn More

Research was commissioned by ING Australia and undertaken online by YouGov between 4 – 9 April 2024. The sample comprised of a nationally representative sample of 848 Australian parent/guardians 18+ with at least one school-aged child (i.e. 4 years old – 18 years of age/ old) at home (559 with at least one primary school-aged child at home, 541 with at least one high school-aged child at home). Following the completion of interviewing, the data was weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest ABS population estimates of Australian parents/guardians 18+ with at least one school-aged child (i.e. 4 years old – 18 years of age/ old).

[Aussie parents = Australians 18+ who are a parent/guardian of at least one school-aged child (i.e. 4 years old – 18 years of age)]

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