Here’s How To Catch Up With Your Mates This Spring Without Blowing The Budget

At Urban List, we're often tempted to impulse spend when celebrating life’s significant milestones, particularly as the sunnier days of spring roll around. Whether it's spoiling the long line-up of Libras and Scorpios in our lives, the never-ending Sunday sessions, end of year celebrations or prepping for the festive season—it can feel like there's always a reason to splurge. 

Enter American Express® Plan It Instalments—American Express’ ready to go feature waiting in your account that gives members the option to pay off their Credit Cards with a fixed monthly fee in regular instalments with no interest.*

Sail through this spring without breaking the bank with these tips for budget-friendly fun. 

Host At Home And Ask Your Pals To Bring A Plate

While throwing a dinner party at home rather than eating out can be a great way to stay in control of spending, it can still be easy to get lost in the chaos of planning. As firm believers in adding a bit of variety to your banqueting, we recommend getting your guests to bring a dish each and getting different folks on entrees, mains, salads and desserts. This way you'll be able to manage expenses early, and won't fall victim to a last minute "there's not enough food" panic. As an extra tip, set a theme for the night and allow your guests to bring a plate to fit the occasion. Hello, Amalfi-themed long lunching.

Pack A Picnic And Party In The Park 

When the sun is shining, picnics are a wholesome way to get out and about with your mates, and to avoid tapping your card at four different bars you hadn't accounted for when planning your week. The beauty of the humble picnic is it can be a choose-your-own-adventure kind of occasion—go all out with all the bells and whistles, or keep it low key with a picnic rug and some nibbles. 

We’re currently deep in the depths of picnic season and there are a few things you can do to make your park party stand out from the rest. 

Pack yourseld a basket filled with your favourite gourmet grocery goodies, sweet treats from the bakery and local brews—the caffeinated or hoppy variety—and you’ve got the perfect spread for any occasion. With your American Express® Credit Card, you can use Plan It Instalments to pay off your purchases or Card balance as long as you are paying off a minimum of $100. 

Be The Bartender At A BYO Venue

When dining out, plan ahead so you know exactly what you're spending, and treat the table to a bottle brought from home for a little extra control over the bill. Whether it’s a bottle fit for an anniversary toasting or a locally brewed tipple, sacrifice those bottles collecting dust in the pantry will give you a little more oversight over your spending. Plus, you can pay for your meal over time using Plan It Instalments. 

If you’re stuck on where to book, luckily, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane have countless restaurants that’ll let you bring your favourite sips for a small corkage fee. 

Raise A Glass Or Fork At These Elevated Hotspots

There's no denying that springtime will bring with it some extra special occasions. When the time for fine-dining comes, hit up one of these spots. 

In Sydney, Hunter Barrel is dishing up a selection of steak, chicken and seafood cooked over an open coal grill, while Meat And Wine Co boasts afro-centric fine dining.

Melbourne’s Café Di Stasio and Grossi Florentino have extensive menus that will impress all your guests.

In Brisbane, Southside Restaurant will wine and dine your guests on a mix of dishes and flavours from across Asia. 

For West Aussies, nothing beats raising a glass by the water with Euro-inspired dining at Il Lido, Cottesloe. 

When that instance arises, you can pay for the transaction in three, six or twelve-month instalments using your American Express® Credit Card and Plan It Instalments. If you’re like us and require structure when it comes to finances, Plan It Instalments is an existing feature on American Express® Credit Cards, so no extra applications are required.

Explore American Express Plan It® Instalments and celebrate responsibly without compromising on the fun.

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by American Express® and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.

Image credit: Urban List and Supplied.

American Express® income and credit approval criteria applies. Cards are offered, issued, and administered by American Express® Australia Limited ABN 92 108 952 085, Australian Credit Licence No. 291313. *Plan It Terms and Conditions: You can create an Instalment Plan as long as your account is in good standing. We may withdraw this offer, prevent you from creating any new Instalment Plans or cancel any of your existing Instalment Plan(s) at any time if your Card Account is overdue, or if you do not comply with your Card Conditions. The minimum Plan amount is AUD$100. We may also limit the amount that can be transferred to an Instalment Plan. You will be charged a Monthly Plan Fee for each Instalment Plan created. This fee will be charged each month your Instalment Plan is active and will be disclosed to you at the time of creating your Instalment Plan. Each Instalment Plan will begin from the date it is successfully created, as communicated to you in your Online Account.  Payment of your first Monthly Instalment will be due in your next payment cycle. You may request to cancel your Instalment Plan(s) at any time through your Online Account or the Amex App. Any billed Monthly Plan Fees will remain payable, but no further Monthly Plan Fees will be billed after cancellation is effective. As cancellation can take 24-48 hours to process (“Processing Time”), you may be charged a further monthly plan fee after cancellation if the Processing Time occurs on your payment date.

View the full Plan It ®  Instalment Terms and Conditions here.