Gran tour on hold for kids
Older Australians are putting their travel plans on hold as they spend time looking after their grandchildren, research has shown.
OLDER Australians are putting their travel plans on hold as they spend time looking after their grandchildren, research has shown.
A majority of grandparents plan to travel within the next five years and many are hoping to take extended holiday breaks.
New research commissioned by Expedia quizzed more than 1000 Australians aged 50 and older and revealed 86 per cent planned to travel before 2023 and a third wish to take more than one month’s break.
But 10 per cent are spending time at home performing childcare duties.
Expedia spokeswoman Lisa Perkovic said more grandparents were being called upon to help offset childcare costs, but there were still ways to squeeze in a holiday.
“It’s about planning in advance,’’ she said.
“A lot of people go away at the same time their kids do.”
Most (73 per cent) plan to use savings to fund future travel, while 13 per cent will turn to a credit card.
Another 10 per cent will downsize their home and 4 per cent plan to start a money-making side project, like becoming an Uber driver.
One in 10 respondents planned to spend their kids’ inheritance on travels Finder.com.au research found two in five Australian parents claimed childcare fees were the biggest financial stress attached to having children. Spokeswoman Bessie Hassan said, “the cost of sending one child to daycare five days a week could be as much as $22,000 a year on average.” Such costs mean help from grandparents is vital for some parents, careforkids.com.au’s founder Roxanne Elliott said.
Ms Elliott said options like family day care could be more affordable, while more Australians were using au pairs for $200 – $300 a week.
Graeme and Jill Miller have their hands full two days a week with their three granddaughters .
“They’re beautiful kids and we love them to death, but it’s not quite like I imagined retirement,” Mr Miller said. “But a lot of my friends look after their grandkids more than we do”.
The Millers travel to London once a year to see their son, which is planned in advance so their daughter can book a nanny.
“When we were having kids, Jill didn’t work for 10 years, but that’s all changed. Young couples both have to work these days,” Mr Miller said.