Looking for Advice for 1 Month in NZ / Citi Plus / Sim / Fuel/ etc

tunzafun001 on 05/10/2023 - 21:13

Hi all,

Parents are heading to NZ for a month in a RV.

Long time no international travel. So looking for any tips.

They were going to exchange cash at a Flight Centre (seems a terrible idea)? I used to use Aussie Post (but just saw their rates are shocking, plus they charge a fee on top). They went to an ANZ branch, couldnt get cash.

Got them a Citi Plus card. Rang Citi and they said since the NAB takeover, they no longer have any affiliation with any bank in NZ (used to be free ATM withdrawls at Westpac).

Even if the ATM fee is say $5, still think they will be better off this way then any other way (based on the Forex rate on $1000 being 1.04 via citi, 1.01 elsewhere)?

Citiplus tap and go will be where 99% of their transactions go through. Seems to be a no brainer.

As for getting an NZ sim (for data mostly). Kogans NZ $5 sim seemed the best, but a risk as you need to get it sent to a NZ address. Dont know any other way of getting one (ie. Could you buy the NZ sim, not get it, but buy a $2sim from Countdown (Woolworths) and use the email order details to get the 1 month / 15gb data applied. Kogan network might be terrible in the south island? Any tips on a sim would be great.

As for fuel. NZ seem to be all on board with Gaspy (petrol spy works, but not much price updating). Any discount fuel cards etc. When i was there years ago i remember signing up to some membership for 10c+ off per litre. Un manned petrol stations were also good. Any updated tips here?

Anything else for a 6 week trip would be greatly appreciated. Cheers all.

Travel New Zealand Oceania

Comments

  • tunzafun001 on 05/10/2023 - 21:15

    @FLICKIT - Pretty sure you did this last year, or so?

    Any tips you picked up that might not be well known. Cheers.

  • aggregate on 05/10/2023 - 22:33
    +2

    NZ is highly cashless. You can basically pay anywhere with cards. The only place I had to use cash was to get a transport card on a bus to Queenstown.

    NZ is pretty expensive to travel right now. Saving $10-20 on a SIM card is not going to make much difference in the grand scheme of things. Accomodation can easily cost you a few hundred dollars more if you don’t plan the itinerary properly.

    • tunzafun001 on 05/10/2023 - 22:37

      Cheers. Yeah i dont see a need for cash..but they are in there 70's..so ..different outlook. I think using the Citi plus card while there is the best option (should they need it).

      As for accom. They have pre booked the RV + associated parks outside of free parking. But yeah, exchange rate is low.

      • donga100 on 05/10/2023 - 23:50

        I was there for two weeks and didn't use cash at all, even in more remote towns of south island.

    • jv on 06/10/2023 - 00:46
      +1

      NZ is highly cashless.

      Wow…

      I didn't know their economy was that bad…

  • Pumpkin_rrr on 05/10/2023 - 23:43
    +2

    They were going to exchange cash at a Flight Centre …..

    I’d advise against it, totally. You’re much better off exchange which me!

  • donga100 on 05/10/2023 - 23:58

    I ordered the Kogan sim to my first hotel 3 weeks before I arrived. The sims arrived 2 weeks after I got back. They are massively cheaper and the network they use (One NZ) is the largest network in NZ and covered everywhere we went between Christchurch and Queenstown. I ended up using the same network on a different provider at greatly increased cost unfortunately. NZ is really limited to when it comes to cheap mobile deals, especially if you want a decent amount of data included. Expect to pay about $29 for 2GB data sim! Compare that to Kogan $5 for 15GB. It is worth taking a gamble and ordering a couple of Kogan sims now but be prepared for them not to arrive before you arrive.

    • tunzafun001 on 06/10/2023 - 00:05

      Do you think I could get the sim sent to me in OZ. Then activate it online. Then get them to buy a $2 sim over there (like you can here in woolies) and then transfer over to their sim (ie. Say you broke the old sim)?

      Basically - can you buy Kogan sims in store over there?

      • donga100 on 06/10/2023 - 22:53

        No, that's not an option. You can't transfer to another sim and they are sold online only. I would still order a couple for them now anyway as it will save a lot of money if they do arrive on time.

  • OMGJL on 06/10/2023 - 00:42
    +2

    why not ask Kiwis on OzB's sister website? Asking Aussies about NZ stuff seems to be a bit weird.

    • tunzafun001 on 06/10/2023 - 12:58
      +1

      Haha..their forum posts are about Aussie telcos!

  • jv on 06/10/2023 - 00:49

    Get a https://www.28degreescard.com.au/

    They have a free data e-sim offer that you can activate once every calendar year through FlexiRoam.
    If you run out of data, you can re-load at a discount…

    Also free lounge access if flights are delayed etc. etc.

    • tunzafun001 on 06/10/2023 - 12:58

      Cheers. But leaving next week.
      I used to have a 28 deg, but went with citi plus instead.

      • jv on 06/10/2023 - 13:07

        Cheers. But leaving next week.

        Takes 10 minutes to get one.

        • tunzafun001 on 06/10/2023 - 14:55

          Postage?

          • jv on 06/10/2023 - 16:33

            @tunzafun001: Can be linked to Apple Pay or Google Pay.

            It literally took me 10 minutes between applying and having a working digital card on my phone.

            The physical card took about a week to arrive….

            Benefits such as free data roaming, free lounge access and other benefits are available immediately…

            • tunzafun001 on 07/10/2023 - 00:01

              @jv: Great tip.. cheers!

              Ah..just saw it's an esim only?

  • BrettSh on 06/10/2023 - 10:27
    +2

    WRT to a sim, we usually pick up a $29 pre-pay sim from Vodafone or Spark in Duty Free and top up if required. That seems pretty hassle free.

    We were over there last week and found unleaded 91 ranged in price from $2.95 NZ to $3.15 NZ a litre. It seems like provincial cities are a bit cheaper than Auckland. The Supermarket chain "Pak 'n' Save" receipts include "scan-able" discount vouchers for their own pumps and Z service stations.

    Incidentally "Pak 'n' Save" is better value that most other supermarkets. Countdown supermarkets are actually owned by Woolworths. The biggest difference between Countdown & Woolworths is that the self-service checkout machines have kiwi accents :-)

    WRT paying for stuff, we use credit & debit cards mostly, but then we are with ING Bank and so, get reimbursed international transaction fees. We sometimes ask for "cash too" then going thru supermarket checkouts and paying by debit card. We generally don't bother with ATMs.

    Also open toed footwear are called jandels… not thongs bro.

    • tunzafun001 on 06/10/2023 - 13:00

      Choice bro…cheers. Kia ora!

      • MITM on 06/10/2023 - 13:05

        Go to Fergburger when in Queenstown.

        • tunzafun001 on 06/10/2023 - 13:07
          +1

          Line up last time was epic. Ended up just grabbing one of their pies next door (it was ok). But yep, on the radar.

          • lainey13 on 06/10/2023 - 19:26

            @tunzafun001: Just order takeaway over the phone. Pick it up and eat it at a table outside. No queuing in an annoying line :)

        • jv on 06/10/2023 - 13:07

          Go to Fergburger

          Why?

          • MITM on 06/10/2023 - 13:09

            @jv: Exactly, that's why. (Photo taken mid-covid - when Kiwis couldn't leave NZ and there were no international tourists).
            Also, www.crowncurrency.com.au Order ahead and pick it up

  • jv on 06/10/2023 - 16:34

    Also, the Entertainment Book has some good deals for New Zealand…

    • tunzafun001 on 06/10/2023 - 17:07
      +1

      Ive got the watered down freq values ent book (from Hsbc) . Will see if NZ is in that as well.

      *edit - it is! Cheers

  • jv on 06/10/2023 - 16:36

    Highly recomment this whilst in Queenstown…

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