In an interview about the cost of the summer holiday, Dor Neuman lays out the numbers weighing on parents, and offers simple steps to cut the spending by tens of percent.
Courtesy of ynet
When the Summer Holiday Becomes a Full-Blown Financial Event
In July and August, many families feel the financial pressure far beyond the everyday. In a television news interview, Dor Neuman, a real estate developer and financial advisor, explained that the summer holiday is not only a busy time for parents but a significant budgetary event that can push spending to unusual levels. According to him, once you add up camps, vacations, outings and a drop in work productivity, a family with children can easily reach total spending of NIS 30,000 to 40,000 over the summer.
Why a Summer Camp Can Actually Save Money
One of the main insights raised in the interview is that a summer camp, despite its high price, does not necessarily make the summer more expensive, and sometimes the opposite is true. Neuman stressed that a spontaneous day out with children can quickly reach hundreds of shekels, so skipping a camp often leads to higher spending over time. Beyond the financial saving, he also highlighted the peace of mind it gives parents and the stable framework it gives children.
What It Actually Costs an Average Family
During the conversation, Matan Mor, a mother of three, shared that camps and after-school care alone come to about NIS 6,000 to 7,000 for her, even before afternoon expenses, a family vacation, eating out and the work days that shrink. The picture emerging from the numbers is clear: even families who plan ahead find themselves with a very high summer budget.
How to Cut Costs Without Giving Up a Quality Summer
Neuman set out several practical principles that can significantly reduce costs:
Planning a year ahead for the big vacation, especially when you spot a good pricing window on flights.
Registering early for camps, a saving of about 10% in many cases.
Checking eligibility for vouchers and benefits through clubs and organizations, such as Hever, the Teachers’ Union, police funds, Mifal HaPayis and more.
Using coupons for the outings themselves too, shows, movies, food and family activities.
Smart daily-spending planning, taking some of the food and snacks from home instead of buying everything out.
The Big Money Matters More Than the Small
Alongside the daily saving, Neuman returned to one essential point: real control comes from the big decisions. Parents cannot always control every ice cream or coffee over the summer, he said, but they can save a great deal of money through early planning of camps and a vacation. When you book a vacation in advance rather than at the last minute, you can avoid price increases of tens of percent.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Get Caught Off Guard
The central message from the interview is that the summer holiday should not surprise anyone. It is an event that returns every year, and so it also calls for consistent preparation. Families who start planning early, check for benefits and make the big-money decisions on time can lower the cost of summer significantly, without giving up a good experience for their children.
