Thanks to the alignment of Easter and ANZAC day this year, with the help of a few days of annual leave, you can turn an Easter long-weekend into a holiday. However, any holiday – whether it be an Easter long-weekend at home or a 10-day getaway – can blow the budget.
In fact, new data from Canstar reveals that Australian families anticipate they will spend an average of $237 on Easter eggs, food and alcohol over the weekend. However the financial comparison site believes this to be an under-estimation of the costs that can blow out during a 4-day long weekend and public holiday.
“With the plan to spend on average less than $200 over the Easter weekend, many Aussies may be in for a budget blow-out if they’re not careful. It’s important to set your limit on spending, and also to make sure it’s achievable for activities you have planned,” says Canstar spokesperson, Belinda Williamson.
“Families must keep in mind these figures don’t factor in entertainment such as the Easter Show and holiday weekend activities that may see them eating out and about so it’s possible Aussie households may spend much more than planned.”
With that in mind, Canstar have supplied some easy tricks and tips for making Easter more affordable this year.
1. Make eggs at home
Spend some time at home with the kids and show them how to melt their own chocolate and pour it into egg molds. This way the kids can use their favourite chocolate and mum and dad can reduce the cost of pricey Easter eggs.
2. Celebrate at home
If your family take every public holiday as an opportunity to get together and celebrate, do so at home rather than at a restaurant or bar. If the numbers of guests are set to be high, ask everyone to bring a plate.
3. Stick to your list
Just like Christmas, grocery stores and retailers like to decorate their shops with Easter-themed items and products, which can be tempting to buy, Instead, only go shopping when you have a shopping list – and stick to it!
4. Be prepared
If the kids are going to be home during the long weekend, it pays to be prepared with activities and ideas of things to do. Consider scheduling a family game night or movie night at home, a road trip to a nearby park or recreation area, or even some time to cook together to make biscuits or organise a fun make-your-own dinner with at-home pizzas or tacos. Stock up on craft and art supplies for the kids to go wild with.
5. Use your time wisely
The Easter break is the perfect time to go through your financial paperwork, insurance policies and other contracts and find out if you can get a better deal. Consolidate your super, update your insurance policy or hunt down the latest offers for internet, mobile phone plans, streaming services and other household expenses.
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