As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a mostly out-of-work twentysomething flatting in Wellington explains how he gets by.
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Gender: Male
Age: 27
Ethnicity: Pākehā
Role: Volunteer twice a week, make theatre. On the benefit. Occasionally have paid gigs.
Salary/income/assets: $422 a week, can go up depending on what i’m doing.
My living location is: Urban
Rent/mortgage per week: $215. Five people flatting in an apartment in the middle of Wellington. Split the rent evenly.
Student loan or other debt payments per week: Because I’m not earning any money I don’t have to pay off my student loan at the moment, but it’s currently $50,000.
Typical weekly food costs
Groceries: $60-$100 a week. I try to go to the vege market but sometimes I don’t make it.
Eating out: I maybe eat out once a week? $30 I think.
Takeaways: If I’m honest it’s $50+ a week, but I try to keep it lower.
Workday lunches: $0!
Cafe coffees/snacks: $10 a week, but generally keep it cheap and make coffee at home.
Savings: Because I’m not earning enough to save I’m not currently, but once I get a job I want to save to move overseas.
I worry about money: Sometimes.
Three words to describe my financial situation: Secure, floating, spending.
My biggest edible indulgence would be: Ekim Burgers… it’s just so close.
In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: I haven’t been drinking much so it’s $10-$20 at the moment.
In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: $15. I mainly take the bus if I need it but also bike a lot.
I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: I was travelling abroad last year, and had to replace all my clothes when my bag got lost. Also bought some things since I got back, so around $1,000.
My most expensive clothing in the past year was: Probably my new Doc Martens – $244.
My last pair of shoes cost: $195 – a second pair of Doc Martens!
My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: I just use some SPF50 moisturiser, and face wash. Dabbled with some makeup. $100?
My exercise expenditure in a year is about: Ooohhh tricky. I’d estimate probably $1,100.
My last Friday night cost: $10! Got a pizza but split the cost.
Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: Some underwear I got from Zara when I was in Rome. Absolutely useless and fell to pieces after barely any use.
Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: My $300 bag to replace my bag when I was travelling. Very important to have a great bag when travelling and it was small (cos I thought I’d get my other bag back) but it could expand and it took me around Europe for three months! Still using it today.
One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Generally everything. Particularly food. But I’m trying to change that because worrying about money all the time isn’t fun for you or anyone around you.
Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Thrifty, cheap, practical, shifting, value.
I grew up in a house where money was: Treated as something to hold onto, I was taught to save. We never wanted for money but it was never spent frivolously. Everything was reasoned!
The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: Probably in Italy when I bought that bag.
In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Secure, maybe with a mortgage if my parents helped out.
I would love to have more money for: Art. I’m enjoying making things to fill the walls in my house ATM. Or finding cool things.
Describe your financial low: I’ve always been careful with money so feel very privileged and lucky to say that I haven’t had a serious low. Probably coming back from travel and not having a job was my low. Yay for the benefit!
I give money away to: I helped my parents cos I saved so much and I didn’t know what to do with it – so I loaned them a decent sum and used the rest to travel.