As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 23-year-old who’s ‘constantly on edge’ about finances explains how they get by.
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Gender: Gender fluid.
Age: 23.
Ethnicity: Māori Irish.
Role: Queer disabled graduate, working as a project coordinator at an NGO.
Salary/income/assets: Less than $50k a year.
My living location is: Urban.
Rent/mortgage per week: Three-bedroom house with four flatmates including myself because one of them lives in what should be the study, $210 per week.
Student loan or other debt payments per week: $90,000 student loan for a law degree and politics degree, plus costs for medication that isn’t subsidised because it’s for endometriosis and specialist appointments.
Typical weekly food costs
Groceries: $90.
Eating out: $20.
Takeaways: $20
Workday lunches: $0
Cafe coffees/snacks: $10.
Other food costs: $0
Savings: I managed to save $500 once, but then I had to spend it on dental care because my wisdom teeth needed to come out.
I worry about money: Always.
Three words to describe my financial situation: Constantly on edge.
My biggest edible indulgence would be: Porridge.
In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: None.
In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: $30.
I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: $500.
My most expensive clothing in the past year was: A winter coat, it cost me $120.
My last pair of shoes cost: $20, my feet hurt SO bad lol but shoes are expensive.
My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: $40 for Kmart DIY products and YouTube tutorials.
My exercise expenditure in a year is about: $50 for socks and shoes and a couple of T-shirts.
My last Friday night cost: $40, we did a potluck picnic.
Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: A gym membership. I thought it would be a nice treat but it just ended up being really expensive and I punished myself if I didn’t go because it meant I could’ve spent the money on food.
Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: My winter coat. It’s great not freezing to death.
One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Clothes. I’m autistic so I prefer to wear the same outfit (or some variation) every day and don’t have enough money to buy nicer clothes because then I would have to buy enough to wear the same thing every day.
Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Capitalism’s bitch – broke girl edition.
I grew up in a house where money was: Not an issue. But because my parents grew up in homes where money was an issue they were incredibly strict with it and never let us have any. Which was great at teaching us to be frugal except now I don’t know what to do when I have extra money because I never had the finances growing up to learn how to save and invest etc. Financial literacy is definitely something I learned only recently.
The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: Never. I’m terrified of it getting declined, my anxiety couldn’t handle it lol. I check my bank account almost daily so that I always know if I have enough for groceries and rent etc.
In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Hopefully not struggling any more. It would be nice to own a bed frame lol, sleeping on a mattress on the floor is not cute.
I would love to have more money for: My health. I feel like it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy when you don’t have the resources to take care of yourself, so then I get sick, which costs money. And then I’m even deeper I’m the hole than before.
Describe your financial low: I had to use Afterpay to buy groceries. It cost more than it would have in person but I needed food and I couldn’t afford to buy it outright at the supermarket.
I give money away to: I donate to Rainbow Youth and women’s shelters when I have a spare $20.