Tag: Lonely Planet

Duty Free Allowance – What To Consider When Travelling To New Zealand

New Zealand is one of the worlds most popular destinations for leisure and business travellers alike. Amongst the many awards and recommendations that New Zealand has obtained, New Zealand has just been selected by Lonely Planet authors, staff and travellers as one of the Top 10 Countries to visit in 2010.

Purchasing dutyfree is a great value method of purchasing a large variety of luxury items, with many travellers taking advantage of the opportunity when overseas. New and innovative developments in the ways to purchase dutyfree are constantly evolving to better provide for consumer needs and trends. Some examples of this development include new and convenient methods of purchasing, including online stores and expedient airport delivery services. Stocking limited lines of exclusive products, along with offering loyalty programs, the dutyfree store is hard to beat on price and product selection.

However, whether you are an inbound or outbound tourist or returning home from an overseas adventure, you must be aware of the duty free allowances that are in place for each of the countries you are visiting. Another important consideration is the countries custom laws and banned items. Many countries, including New Zealand have strict and enforceable customs and duty free allowances, with penalties ranging from confiscation of banned or excessive goods to fines. Ensure your holiday and dutyfree experiences remain positive by taking a little time and investigating the dutyfree allowances applicable in New Zealand.

New Zealand has a generous duty free allowance, but if you are caught bringing in any animal or plant material, instant fines will be the result. New Zealand prides itself on its natural beauty and this depends vitally on the ability of New Zealand customs keeping out foreign bodies that may damage the historic flora and fauna of the nation.

Each country has different duty free allowances and they are often in flux. A recent example of this is in 2008 when the European Commission decided to increase the duty free allowance from outside the European Union without paying UK duty, to over double the monetary value previous to the law change. Therefore, it is vital to check a reputable dutyfree store, or visit their website, to get up to date information on levels of dutyfree allowance. At the time of writing, the New Zealand duty free allowance for an individual is NZ$700, excluding any items used for personal use, such as clothing and toiletries.

Saving up to go travelling

Most people decide to take a gap year after they go to university or even before, but many find it difficult to save up enough money to go. It can be difficult to save money from your first job or even part-time job so here are a few tips to get you on your way to your gap year adventure.

There are several ways to calculate how much you need to earn to be able to go traveling and there are several problems that you will encounter along the way. Several banks will be able to advise you on the best accounts for savings; however some of the best will be building societies. They will probably be the ones with the best interest rates.

So once you have set up a savings account you need to decide how much you need to save. The expenses that you will have will be varied, but the main expenses will be your round the world ticket and the money that you will need when you are there, including all food and accommodation.

If you plan your trip well and decide where you want to visit well in advance then you should have a good idea how much you will spend. You should also have a look at the average cost of accommodation in the area. Sites like Lonely Planet are good for things like this and there will also be reviews on the towns and cities in the region.

You should also account for travel in the country, including buses and trains. You will also be able to find this information on the internet. As well as all these expenses you should factor in food and even exchange rates. Once you have decided how much you will need, you have to have a look at your expenses here. How much can you afford to put away each month? It may be daunting at first but there are probably a few ways that you can curb your expenditure.

If it is possible to live with your parents then that might be a good option, as you will save money on accommodation, bills and council tax. If this is not an option then you could have a look at getting a part time job.