€3000 for New Zealand 3 month holiday?

ladd19

Is €3000 enough to last me for 3 months in NZ?? At the moment it works out at about $6,700!!

I'll be on a holiday visa is it worth the risk of trying to find a cash in hand job or is that really stupid. The travel agent told me to chance it but i dunno!!! Hopefully I wont need to work.

One Cold Hand

It seems a bit tight to me to be honest.
If you spent $25 a day on food, and the same in a hostel, thats about $4500 straight away.

I guess it really depends on what you intend doing. If you're going on the beer every night, and then skydiving (or similar) every day, then it won't be nearly enough.

I personally don't like travelling if I'm not able to afford to do anything. Kind of defeats the purpose imo, but each to their own. You could easily get a WHV and WOOF for a while. Wouldn't get you any cash, but you'd save of bed and board.

Mst

It only took me 3 days for my WHV to come through, you should consider getting one just to be on the safe side. I have only about that much left myself at the moment but I`m working here so that covers my basic living expenses. Agree with the above post, it depends on how extravagant your going to be.

ladd19

Well see i dont want to waste my WHV on 3 months as ive to come back to do my last year of my degree. Whats a WOOF??? Well i might cut it down to 6-8weeks if I have to, love to go for the year or more :(

BraziliaNZ

why would he spend $25 a day on food? hostels are generally $25 though. You could always buy some kind of van and try sleeping in that. You dont need insurance in NZ.

One Cold Hand

WWOOF. I forgot a 'W' the first time!

ladd19

One Cold Hand wrote: »

WWOOF. I forgot a 'W' the first time!

Thanks bud, dont think to WWOOF is for me. Thinking about it id say ill get the WHV and stay 4 months max as i have to come home but sure 4 months is better than nothing and i can still get a WHV for Aus next year.

Dont think ill spend $25 on food everyday but sure ya would never know. Anyway thanks lads, I cant wait to go nd get out of this ****-hole.

majiktripp

I think $6,700 is plenty for ya. Just watch how much your spending and you'll be sound. They have cheap grocery stores and own brand food so you can cook your own stuff in your hostl or van or whatever. If your travelling , petrol is one thing to consider at (currently) $1.35 a litre but it varies depending on how remote the town/village is. (I've seen 30 cent differences per litre in some places).
If your here for 4 months you'd have to work out an itinerary before you leave and a rough idea of how long in each place and North/ South Island as this will help you budget a lot better.
Check out http://www.backpackerboard.co.nz/ as it has a lot of useful info but you'll find any information about driving routes/bus tours/ activities through google no problem.

Mst

It is a pity to only use 4 months of the whv. Sure if you budget you can probably make the money last, you can get really cheap rates for camper vans and the like off season. Just bring some credit cards with you if worst comes to worst.

ladd19

majiktripp wrote: »

I think $6,700 is plenty for ya. Just watch how much your spending and you'll be sound. They have cheap grocery stores and own brand food so you can cook your own stuff in your hostl or van or whatever. If your travelling , petrol is one thing to consider at (currently) $1.35 a litre but it varies depending on how remote the town/village is. (I've seen 30 cent differences per litre in some places).
If your here for 4 months you'd have to work out an itinerary before you leave and a rough idea of how long in each place and North/ South Island as this will help you budget a lot better.
Check out http://www.backpackerboard.co.nz/ as it has a lot of useful info but you'll find any information about driving routes/bus tours/ activities through google no problem.

Thanks a million lad, website seems very good.Ill leave the itinerary to the girlfriend cause she'll be making all the decisions anyway ha ha. I actually wouldn't mind getting the WHV for the 4 months just to experience working there like. Thanks again bud

pclancy

BBH hostels are amoung the best in NZ also well worth a look...

www.bbh.co.nz

watna

As was said above, if you don't want to do any activities but just want to see the place it will be enough. If you want to do any kind of outdoor activities (sky diving, bungee jumping etv) or even pay in to see a lot of things it won't be. It is totally do-able though. My guide book (lonely planet) has two parts to the budget advice. One is for those wanting to do all the outdoorsy new Zealand activities, the other for people that wanted to see the country but not partake in white water rafting etc.

If it helps, I went away to the South and North Island for 10 days over Christmas. We didn't pay for accomodation (my very kind father did!), we ate out most nights but had picnic lunches and mostly looked at things/drove places i.e. we didn't pay to do many activities - we did pay in to a few places (e.g. thermal area in Taupo was $33, antarctic centre in Christchurch was $48) and we weren't stingy by any means but we were careful. We spent about $1300 (that's including petrol for the 2,000km we drove). Bear in mind we own our car so we weren't paying for that and as said above, we didn't pay for accomodation or the ferry from wellington to the south island which was about $150 each return.

Hope that gives you a little idea of costs etc. I'd definitely recommend working while you're here to get some more money together and get the living in NZ experience.

ladd19

watna wrote: »

As was said above, if you don't want to do any activities but just want to see the place it will be enough. If you want to do any kind of outdoor activities (sky diving, bungee jumping etv) or even pay in to see a lot of things it won't be. It is totally do-able though. My guide book (lonely planet) has two parts to the budget advice. One is for those wanting to do all the outdoorsy new Zealand activities, the other for people that wanted to see the country but not partake in white water rafting etc.

If it helps, I went away to the South and North Island for 10 days over Christmas. We didn't pay for accomodation (my very kind father did!), we ate out most nights but had picnic lunches and mostly looked at things/drove places i.e. we didn't pay to do many activities - we did pay in to a few places (e.g. thermal area in Taupo was $33, antarctic centre in Christchurch was $48) and we weren't stingy by any means but we were careful. We spent about $1300 (that's including petrol for the 2,000km we drove). Bear in mind we own our car so we weren't paying for that and as said above, we didn't pay for accomodation or the ferry from wellington to the south island which was about $150 each return.

Hope that gives you a little idea of costs etc. I'd definitely recommend working while you're here to get some more money together and get the living in NZ experience.

Thanks bud. Yeah you're right i wanna experience nz life not just be a 'tourist' lol. Im able to now stay 5 months in total so its not a complete waste of my WHV. I also need to work cause I def wanna do all the activities such as sky-diving, etc.

We're also gonna buy a cheap ol'car if possible cause by all accounts public transport aint the best.

Thanks again for all the answers lads been gr8 help.

One Cold Hand

ladd19 wrote: »

We're also gonna buy a cheap ol'car if possible cause by all accounts public transport aint the best.

I'd definatley advise this. I was only there for 6 weeks and I bought a car for $900 and sold it for $700. So transport only cost me $200 (+petrol). Just make sure to get a mechanic to check it first. My mate bought a van and it only had half and engine. It gave out on the Corromandel penninsula, 10 days after he bought it.

ladd19

One Cold Hand wrote: »

I'd definatley advise this. I was only there for 6 weeks and I bought a car for $900 and sold it for $700. So transport only cost me $200 (+petrol). Just make sure to get a mechanic to check it first. My mate bought a van and it only had half and engine. It gave out on the Corromandel penninsula, 10 days after he bought it.

Lol thats awful!!!!!! Im a mechanic's son so im pretty sorted id say but i'll still get it checked over by a proper mechanic to be on the safe side. Just read theres a rule 'priority to the right' thats gonna be hard to get used to!!