leveller5

hi everyone,

my OH has managed to sort a job so we are on our way to Auckland - arriving 13th Jan. its so soon we have loads to sort out, but its so exciting!

i wonder if anyone could give any recommendations for NZ SIM cards, pref good for international calls and texts. Also, if anyone could recommend a good bank to use?

Cheers - here's to summer in Auckland

Si

willand tina_h

Hi well done, we are going out on 22nd Jan ourselves, we have joined with national bank of new zealand, (the black horse one) and it was so easy to set up, we had all our details int he post bout a week later and they are now opening accounts up for the boys for us too. We are going to probably get vodafone NZ sim cards as we use them in the uk, think they are well known in NZ (someone help if I am wrong?) Hope this helps and good luck. Its hard going eh?

Tina and Will.x

garfield250

Banking is a personal choice, however I am with Westpac and not experienced any problems with them.

SIM cards there are a number available;
NZ Vodafone.....................I use Vodafone..however for international calls I would recommend using a global calling card as opposed to a cell phone, just a personal choice.
Telecom XT Network...........
Telstra Clear.....................
2 degrees.........................
Black and White................

drcallycat

Hi there - we have been here 4 weeks and went with ASB bank who have been great. They even refunded charges I got by mistake which rarely happens in the UK. They have a streamline account which you don't pay for and you do most things online to avoid any charges. Most of the banks charge here really but its normallly only $3 or so.

Sim cards - most people seem to go with Vodafone and you get freee calls to other vodafone users on weekends so it works out well.

Good luck and give me a shout if you need any help.

Clare and Jim (Auckland)

Jo-Chris

Hi leveller5 and well done on securing the job!

I would also vote for ASB for banking and Vodafone for SIM card. Like drcallycat says register for the online banking and statement stopper then the fees are minimal.

Good luck with the move

Am Loolah

I had to move banking from Kiwibank to ASB when we took out a mortgage and I am not nearly as pleased with ASB as we were with Kiwibank. As soon as I win Lotto and pay off mortgage I'll be straight back to Kiwibank.

Their free banking really does mean free, whereas with ASB there are all kinds of hidden charges that I have found. Although to be fair to ASB, I never physically paid anything in with Kiwibank, it was always done on-line, but even using a paying in machine and envelope with ASB I get hit with "cash handling" charges with ASB.

educateer

We are arriving in Auckland on the 13th January too. We have our friends sending us over a SIM card and they have suggested www.2degreesmobile.co.nz as they are a new company doing some good deals right now.

We are flying Emirates via Dubai.

Andrew