More money-saving ideas for familiesReader submitted

I really liked your money-saving ideas and would like to submit some more for families. We are a family of five and activities and birthday parties, in the past, have been costly. This year we discovered MOTAT Auckland’s annual pass. For $70 we were able to join for a year allowing us to bring four children for each visit over the year, on the card. Preschoolers are already free.

We have used it at different times to take our children, their friends and cousins. Two of our children celebrated their birthday parties there with friends and thoroughly enjoyed it. MOTAT change their activities so there are often different things going on. Can you imagine how excited a group of five-year-old boys were to ride in a real tank, for my son's fifth birthday?!

The MOTAT membership also provides discounted zoo admission so it truly has been the best-valued spend for our family all year!

Other activities we have been able to save money on are movie admissions using the AA membership discounts, and then making sure we still collect cinebar movie points when we change the online tickets for real ones at the cinema. We've also foregone going away for long weekends to stay in Auckland and try out some extra special activities such as Sunday evening skiing and tubing at snow planet. This is a lot more affordable than daytime skiing, and with Monday holidays it has been doable with the children. My 12-year-old reported the event made for her best Easter ever!

Olivia M.
West Auckland