The May holidays are almost as long as the December ones and although not always necessarily holidays for parents, children nevertheless are at home and would like to be entertained or kept busy somehow by visiting friends, going to the mall or being sent to family.
“All of these count as extra activities and May tends to cost more than normal months when children are at school and occupied with homework and the like in the afternoons,” says Vicky Muranda, Manager of Corporate Communications at FNB Namibia.
“We tend to fork out a bit more money to keep our children entertained, or spend more on petrol to drive them around or contribute to family when they visit there during May.
“It is thus important to be prudent with your monthly income and budget for the May holidays.”
Muranda, who encourages parents to plan ahead and be financially savvy, advises people to decide how much can be spent and work according to that.
“If it means saying no to another movie session – so be it. Tell the children in advance how much you have and let them also assist in telling you what they want to spend it on,” she says. She also advises working with cash, “because if the money is gone, it’s gone and you will not be tempted to overspend by using your credit card”.
“Arrange get-togethers with friends and family. This could be a great way to keep your children busy and you can reciprocate by also having their children over at your house – it’s a two-way street and does not have to cost a huge amount when, for example, renting a video and keeping four children happy for two hours,” adds Muranda.
She also encourages children to assist with jobs around the house or even for a neighbour or friend to earn some pocket money. She noted that this will not only ease the work burden at home but the children could even earn some extra money by walking the neighbour’s dog and at the same time their time is spent well.
“During the school holidays, there may be lots going on in your local area that your family can enjoy, often for free. Check the websites of your local council and tourist information centres for local days out, or scan the local papers and community centres to see what’s going on in your area. Of course, on some days, you will find yourselves stuck at home, but that doesn’t mean anyone has to be bored. You could take the opportunity to spend some time sharing a favourite game or story with your children or, if you want some more inspiration, try to arrange a movie day; get cooking; dig out the puzzles, games and books and give them a go. Some good old-fashioned entertainment can really be fun,” says Muranda.