Insider Tips

When to indulge and how to save this Easter

Easter is just around the corner and like always, we are here to make your life easier. Like you, we have been working hard all year and we are excited for a chance to relax and enjoy the break with our loved ones. We want you to have an enjoyable holiday, so we have done the research into Covid-friendly fun for you!

Easter can be an expensive time of year. Here are ways you can save yourself extra public holiday costs by having your plans organised before the festivities begin.

Easter price hikes

Public Holiday surcharges

Let us consider public holiday surcharges. Many businesses apply a public holiday surcharge during Easter. You might also encounter businesses and stores that are closed, even if they are normally open on Sundays.

To add to the confusion, not all days during the Easter holiday are public holidays. Different states and territories around Australia have different rules and regulations for public holidays and for trading. In some areas, stores are not permitted to open. In others, only certain types of stores or those in particular locations are allowed to open.

To save yourself from the unnecessary frustration of working out what is open during Easter, check out what days are public holidays for your area with this link and consider the extra cost of surcharges in your plans.

Holiday fuel prices

With potential Covid restrictions, day trips and driving holidays will be popular this Easter. However, the price of fuel is another bugbear during Easter. The government monitors fuel prices in Australia’s five largest cities. Their investigations show that the price increases around public holidays are no bigger than they are at other times of the year.

This means the best way to save yourself the frustration and extra public holiday costs is to have your plans organised before the festivities begin.

Check out the Government’s fuel price monitoring website here to see what day fuel will be cheapest in your area.

If you do not already have a fuel price tracking app installed on your phone, Fuel Map Australia is an easy-to-use app that is available across Australia on both Apple and Android devices.

Possible Travel Restrictions

Since COVID is still a big roadblock to all of our holiday plans, we might need to reconsider travel outside of our regions. Travel restrictions between states and territories and in some remote areas of Australia are in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Things to consider before making travel plans:

• What are the policis for getting a refund;
• Do I have enough funds to pay for any changes that arise; and
• Can I give my experience to a loved one to make use of it.

Your Best Day Out

We have some useful suggestions on how you can organise great outings. Planning can help ensure everyone has a good time. Here are a few suggestions to consider:

1. Consider the needs of everyone attending. If you have babies or elderlies joining you, walking for a long distance might be a problem. Think about ways to minimise walking or how to make travel easy for those less mobile.
2. Put rest stops to good use. Consider ways to make your rest stops an enjoyable and enriching experience like sharing some interesting facts about the area or purchasing produce from the local area.
3. Plan for delays. Plans can easily change, go wrong or take longer than we expect. Allowing extra time ensures that delays do not cause any major problems or stress.
4. Keep the momentum of fun. As one event ends, take the opportunity to find out what your loved ones would like to do for the next event. This will bring new ideas and keep the fun times rolling in for everyone.

Best day out

Here are our top tips on packing for your best day out:

• Pack the night before to ensure you remember essentials and avoid bringing items you don't need.
• Bring snacks! Packing snacks will minimise unnecessary pit stop, save you money, help keep your energy levels up and come in handy if an emergency strikes.
• Keep a photo of your tickets on your phone, in case you lose the paper copy or you can't access them digitally.
• Avoid ticket resellers like Viagogo. Not only do they mark up ticket prices, but sometimes you receive your tickets only hours before the event starts, which is really stressful.

If you are looking for inspiration for events to attend, and things to do, visit the Tourism Australia website, for some ideas.

Easter Gift Ideas

Who does not love gifts? I know I do, and the little ones love them more. When we think of Easter, what comes to mind are chocolates, candies, and eggs with sweet surprises!

We want to spoil our loved ones and let them enjoy all the delicious treats they want, but too much chocolate is not always a good thing.

Chocolate myths we need to bunk

1. Chocolate is good for me - Chocolate is high in sugar and saturated fat. It is a high-energy (high calorie) food, and too much can result in excess weight, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
2. Chocolate gives me energy - Chocolate contains small amounts of caffeine, which may contribute to the idea that it makes us energetic. When you’re hungry, it’s better to eat a snack that provides sustained energy release.
3. Dark chocolate is better for me - Dark chocolate contains more cocoa solids but the amount of polyphenols depends on how the chocolate is processed, so it’s not necessarily better.
4. A chocolate bar is a perfect portion - Any excess energy you consume will lead to weight gain. One chocolate bar averages 250kcal. This is equivalent to 10 percent of a man’s and 12 percent of a woman’s recommended daily intake, and it’s often gobbled down in a few minutes.
5. Chocolate is addictive - There is no evidence that chocolate causes physical addiction. Instead, our feelings about chocolate tend to dictate our behaviour, as we associate it with comfort, reward and celebration.
6. Hot chocolate doesn’t count - Depending on what you mix the cocoa powder with, your hot chocolate drink can contain as much energy (calories), fat and sugar as between one and two-and-a-half average chocolate bars.
7. I cannot eat chocolate, I have diabetes - Most people who have diabetes can usually consume chocolate in moderation and as part of a healthy lifestyle and diet.
8. Chocolate with bubbles is ‘lighter’ - The energy, fat and sugar content per 100g are similar to other chocolates. Added air makes it less dense than solid chocolate, so eating chocolate with bubbles can be like eating a slightly smaller bar, and therefore you are getting less fat, saturated fat and sugar per portion. But always check the portion size.

Chocolate gift substitue

This Easter, why not try giving some non chocolate gifts, like there:

• Plastic Easter eggs with a gift inside
• New bunny slippers
• Easter-themed clothing (check out Big W, Cotton on, Target etc)
• An Easter hamper
• Playdough rolled into egg shapes wrapped in clingfilm and placed in an egg carton
• Cupcakes with candy eggs as topping
• Your time - go offline and enjoy a picnic with your loved ones
• Easter stickers and stamps

When something goes wrong

Have you had an experience that took the fun out of your Easter holiday, it might be bad customer service or an excessive surcharge. If so, we will help you follow the correct complaint process. We are here to help you handle it, just let us know the details of your complaint. We are here to help you handle it. Just say the magic words 'Help Me Handle It'.