As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a ‘currently struggling but eternally optimistic’ bar manager and dog sitter shares some spending-and-saving insights.

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Gender: Woman but occasionally questioning it.

Age: 25.

Ethnicity: Pākehā.

Role: Bar manager and occasional dog sitter.

Salary/income/assets: About $500-$600 per week depending on how busy the bar has been. If I’m dog sitting there’s a little extra but it goes quickly.

My living location is: Suburban.

Rent/mortgage per week: There’s three of us, one paying mortgage and two of us paying rent to her. I pay $270 a week inclusive.

Student loan or other debt payments per week: $75 a week in dentist bills, $25 of that going to WINZ and $50 to the dentist. KiwiSaver and student loans average $20-$30 a week. I share my flatmate’s car and most weeks I’m able to send $10ish for the insurance I owe her. Recently that’s been a bit of a struggle.

Typical weekly food costs

Groceries: I put aside $80 for groceries, though sometimes I’ll end up spending more. One of my flatmates and I cook together which helps keep costs down.

Eating out: I try not to eat out much. I try to put away $15 a week for going out, but work’s been slow the past few weeks so I haven’t been able to.

Takeaways: Work nights I’ll sometimes get Maccas on the way home, I always try use one of the deals and try to spend only $10-$15.

Workday lunches: The occasional energy drink from the dairy down the road, and I used to spend $10-$20 once a week on lunch. We get dinner at work sometimes which helps keep those costs down.

Cafe coffees/snacks: I try to make coffee at home, and snacks are part of the money I put away for groceries, I’m a snacky person so about $20 a week. I always try to get the cheapest snacks, but trying to be healthier about my snacking habits has seen the cost of them go up. Why are nuts so expensive?

Other food costs: I’m in the process of making a vege garden for the flat, luckily the home owner has fronted the cost of all the tools so it hasn’t been too expensive for me. The previous owners weren’t all that good at gardening so it’s been a lot of work clearing.

Savings: Any savings I had got wiped out between dental bills and being out of work for a large chunk of 2023. I was trying to get into the film industry before going into hospitality, the money’s better in film but it’s bloody hard to find consistent work. I try to put away any extra I have, but I’ve just found out I need more dental work than I thought.

I worry about money: Always.

Three words to describe my financial situation: Unstable, unlucky, overwhelmed.

My biggest edible indulgence would be: Brunch – even doing something fancy at home on the weekends. Love eggs and avo on toast with a bit of bacon and a good plunger coffee.

In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: I’m allergic to alcohol so my spending on it’s zero.

In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: $50 a week for fuel.

I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: I’ve had to get shoes and some decent workwear this year so I would ballpark it at about $400. Some of it was covered by WINZ when I started working at the bar.

My most expensive clothing in the past year was: I got a pair of burgundy two-way work pants from Sük. I love them so much and use them every week, but they cost $111 + $33 for shipping. I used dog sitting money to get them. I don’t regret getting the pants, but I do regret not waiting for them to go on sale.

My last pair of shoes cost: A pair of Skechers that cost $120 on sale. They’re comfy and I had destroyed my last pair, so I really needed them, but everything I’ve bought this year has a bit of regret and doubt attached to it.

My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: $700. I love getting my hair dyed bright colours but I can only afford it about once per year. I try to put a bit away each week so it’s less of a hit.

My exercise expenditure in a year is about: Technically the Skechers could come under this – I use them for walks.

My last Friday night cost: $16 for two Red Bulls.

Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: Most of the things I’ve bought this year have a bit a regret attached. The most regrettable would be some gluten-free bagels I bought my sister, she couldn’t actually eat them because of cross contamination.

Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: Purchasing the game A Little to the Left for my Switch. I’m not a very organised person, but organising all the little things and doing the puzzles has been very calming during this stressful year

One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Spending on my hair. I won’t get it done unless I’ve saved up for it.

Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Currently struggling but eternally optimistic.

I grew up in a house where money was: Tight. When I was a teenager my parents had to borrow money from my savings. We were lucky because we could scrape enough by to send me and my sisters to private school, but we could only afford extracurriculars if grandparents paid for it. My parents tried to start a business to help us financially, but we ended up having to sell the house. It wasn’t their fault, and I don’t blame them for the decisions they made. I just wish it had worked out better.

The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: A week ago, I hadn’t pressed the last button I needed to to move money from my groceries account to my checking account.

In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Having better savings and a better-paying job. I want to be able to get little things like Patreon subscriptions or merch from my favourite creators. I want to be out of debt with my dentist, and to have paid off more of my student loans.

Describe your financial low: I have needed three root canals and multiple fillings this year, and I need to see a specialist to fix one of them. Insurance can’t cover it, and the specialist has no payment plan like my regular dentist. Brush your teeth kids, and go to the dentist if they ever become randomly sensitive. So far it’s cost me nearly $5,000, and if I go to the specialist it will cost me another $6,000. It’s not a cost you ever think you’ll have in your 20s. My flatmates and I are planning a trip to Thailand because dental work is cheaper there – the flight and treatment would be under $2,000. It’s a little scary, but less terrifying than the idea of trying to pay $6,000 off on a credit card, especially with my current paycheck.

I would love to have more money for: Paying off my dentist bills, travel, and little purchases that bring me joy.

I give money away to: My sisters when I can. When I worked in film I sent them money all the time, but now I’m having to ask them for money some weeks. I’d love to give more to charities but I just can’t afford it.