Money

Budgeting

Running out of money will put a dampener on your Schoolies celebrations. Set a budget before you go to Schoolies by making a list of everything you will need to help you work out how much you will need to save.

Remember to allow for incidental or unexpected expenses too, such as a trip to a theme park or a taxi fare home from the Hub.

If you think the cost per person is too high and you won’t be able to save enough money for the week, you can always add one more friend to the group or look at cheaper accommodation. Units, rather than hotel rooms, usually work out cheaper overall because you can buy and prepare your own food.

Make your money last

Once you have your budget work out your daily allowance. If you overspend on any given day, adjust how much you have left to spend the next day.

Here are some other useful tips:

• buy groceries in advance or go to the grocery store with your friends on the first day so you can stock up.
• most apartments will have a kitchen so you can prepare your own food in your accommodation rather than eating out all the time
• figure out how much money you can spend before you decide where to eat and stick to your budget.
• don't feel you have to split the bill if your friends are ordering up big and you're trying to stick to your budget. Order something within your budget and let your friends know this is what you owe when the bill arrives.
• when you’re thinking of buying something while shopping, ask yourself if it is something you really need and if it's within your budget.
• try the free or low-cost activities and events in your Schoolies area to save money
• if you're worried that you'll be tempted to overspend, leave your bank cards and extra cash at home.
• avoid having your entire Schoolies budget on you in cash at any one time. Keep it in the bank and use an ATM card to take out a smaller amount each day or every couple of days.

• when you go out, keep some emergency cash in a pocket, shoe or sock, away from your wallet, just in case it gets lost or stolen.

Spending at Schoolies

When you buy and item, get a receipt and hang onto it in case you need to return it.

In most shops, you are only entitled to a refund, exchange or repair when the goods are faulty, damaged, don't match the sample/description or are unfit for their purpose. You are not entitled to a refund if you change your mind, decide you can't afford something or find the same thing cheaper elsewhere. You cannot ask for a cash refund if you did not pay cash.

You can ask for a refund or repeat service when a service you pay for does not match the description, advertisement or demonstration or does not do the job it is supposed to.

Shopping

Schoolies cannot be banned from shops but some shops may have conditions of entry displayed (e.g. staff reserve the right to refuse entry to people who are drunk). If you misbehave or are disruptive, the staff have the right to ask you to leave. If you do not comply, they can contact the local police.