As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, we hear from a family that swapped an unaffordable big city mortgage for the call of the South.
Gender: Female
Age: 35
Ethnicity: NZ Pākehā
Role: Government contractor
My living location is: Small (but growing?) town
Rent/Mortgage per week $1,050 per week, shared with two adults
Student loan or other debt payments per week No other debt
Any major upcoming costs: $1,300-ish to replace an aging iPhone.
Typical weekly food costs
Groceries: $350 weekly food shop for two adults and two children, $170 for dinner with My Food Bag for two, another $50 per week for small “top up” items.
Eating out and takeaways: Rarely, probably $100 every two months.
Workday lunches: Bring food from home or $10 a week.
Cafe coffees/snacks: $10 per week
Savings: Not sure right now as can’t see the account (deliberately), but as a household we save about $5,000 per month.
I worry about money: When I know bills are coming out and I need to transfer funds accordingly.
Three words to describe my financial situation would be: Comfortable, happy, secure.
My biggest edible indulgence would be… Not food, but kombucha.
In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be… $10 – on the 0% alcohol buzz right now.
In a typical week my transport expenditure would be… $40 on petrol – public transport isn’t really reliable enough here to use it on a daily basis.
I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was… $2,500, for me, excluding other family members.
My most expensive clothing in the past year was… A new winter coat.
My last pair of shoes cost… $30 – a pair of secondhand boots.
My grooming/beauty expenditure includes: Hair cuts, skincare, makeup, nails, brows.
And the annual cost would be about: $2,000 (the majority of which is skincare)
My exercise expenditure in a year is about: $100 per fortnight for fitness membership, $1,200 season pass, $300 for related sport gear, $150 bike service.
My last Friday night cost: $0 – drinks at work, then home.
Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was… A pair of Karen Walker sunglasses that don’t fit right.
Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: A new ilabb puffer jacket. Never regret spending on warmth when you live where we do.
One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: I make my own coffee every day.
Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Evaluative, conscious, comfort spender, optimistic, realistic.
I grew up in a house where money… Wasn’t really talked about so grew up financially illiterate.
The last time my eftpos card was declined was… Can’t remember.
In five years, in financial terms, I see myself… Hopefully with an additional property for the kids to use when at university.
I would love to have more money for… Family members that aren’t as financially secure.
Describe your financial low: A few years ago when we realised we couldn’t comfortably afford the mortgage on our house. We sold up and moved south, which was the cheaper option at the time.
I give money away to… Charity appeals, children.