52 Week Money Challenge

interesting concept but as the year comes to an end money usually gets tight and you have to save more then. You could just save $26.50 each week and get the same result.

Oh if only my husband got paid weekly! I think savings are important anyway and have always put money away. Last years all got taken with some large unexpected bills though.   

oh & I cleaned the car & found $1 coin so there is this weeks money ha ha

That's a good idea...we are think the same with our July trip.

I was reading that someone was going to do it but was starting at both ends like wk1, then week 52, then week 2 & week 51 & so on...

Going to Rarotonga. Don't imagine we'll need much but if we go out to dinner that might take a bit?? We're saying in beach houses so no restaurant deals etc.

Is the $1500 your flights? Wish flights to Raro were cheaper <sigh>

Holy crap that's a lot for food, mind you we can take a lot of food from here providing it's sealed. We're going for 9 days but don't expect it'll cost that much & we're catering for 7.

You can take LOTS of food to the islands. Any commercially prepared baked food, eg biscuits, crackers, muesli bars etc, just make sure the packets are sealed. Spreads like jam should also be fine if sealed, honey may be an issue though. Nothing fresh like fruit.
http://www.agriculture.gov.ck/index.php/faqs
http://www.biosecurityfiji.com/importing-into-fiji/plant-a-plant-products.html

I guess I should add I work for MAF at Auckland Airport (or MPI as we are called now). If you have any questions about coming back into NZ feel free to pm me. I have been on maternity leave since August but the rules never change very much.

Sorry about the links...trying to be fancy while using iPad!!

Local handicrafts are generally fine. If there are any actual beads ie dried seeds, then make sure they are drilled all the way through. Shells as part of jewellery are ok. Shells off the beach are okay if cleaned out, free of sand and bugs. Wooden carvings are okay too but require inspection for insect damage, borer. Just check over anything before you buy it. Tourist shops over there are pretty good, we don't fumigate nearly as much as we used to. Also don't be fooled by 'treated' stamps or paperwork, we don't take any notice of it, they just have a rubber stamp made up, to reassure tourists that it is allowed back into NZ/Oz.

As for the food you take over with you , you can bring all the dry goods back, even if the packets are open. Even jam/vegemite/peanut butter. No honey! Don't try bring back anything open with dairy in it but if not opened and made in NZ then fine.

Just declare everything on arrival!

If there is anything else let me know...answering enquiries used to be part of my job, feels good to use that part of my brain!

We took everything we needed for snacks on our Fiji trip. Chips, dips, cheeses, crackers, museli bars etc.

Where ever we are traveling we make a point of finding a supermarket, often local prices for bottled water and coke etc are very cheap - the mark up at the resorts is horrendous.

Jazzy - If you are at an offshore island in Fiji, if you take a trip to Musket Cove Marina there is a small supermarket there.

A family member recently went to Raro AandCsMum and took plenty of snacks. etc. She said there was also a decent supermarket there and that dining out was pretty reasonable (by Auckland prices I would assume).

Enjoy your holidays ladies, I am envious!