As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a chef working in the UK explains how and where they spend their money.
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Gender: Female.
Age: 29.
Ethnicity: Mixed.
Role: Chef/line cook.
Salary/income/assets: £24,000, or NZ$60,000 – minimum wage in the UK.
My living location is: Urban.
Rent/mortgage per week: $804 split between myself and my partner.
Student loan or other debt payments per week: Still have a student loan debt after 11 years…
Typical weekly food costs
Groceries: $140, between two of us. Although it has dropped since we started getting veg directly from farmers instead of going through supermarkets so we are wasting less food due to longer shelf lives.
Eating out: I’m a chef and I find going out for food a bit null and void, we cook pretty lovely dinners ourselves. I’d say it’s a once a month treat at a very budget-friendly establishment.
Takeaways: Used as a last resort when running around London, normally it’ll be a £5/$10 sitch to fill space before having a full meal at home.
Workday lunches: I have family meals provided to me by the restaurant, a super beautiful perk of working in a caring and ethics focused employer. I have worked 14 hour shifts with only 20 minutes break and no food provided and currently am in a great contrast to this.
Cafe coffees/snacks: This is where my “eating out” money goes instead. Coffee catch ups and walks are how I see my mates instead of alcohol based gatherings (like a pub) so I do two coffees out a week.
Savings: Currently needing $7,000 for a visa in four months. I’ve been in London for seven years and have spent $45,000-odd on working holiday visa and sponsorship visas. As a chef you earn the lowest salary and if you’re lucky to be in a busy/popular spot you may get some nice tips. But generally all my savings have been spent on my rights to stay in the UK, some of the times prematurely ending and changing employers due to exploitative behaviours which cost to transition jobs.
I worry about money: Always.
Three words to describe my financial situation: Balanced, frugal, strict.
My biggest edible indulgence would be: A jam doughnut with cream cheese.
In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: £8/$16 – just a cheap bottle of wine I probably won’t finish.
In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: Ooooof. I take a bus and train and commute two hours a day to work and back. I spend $170 a week using (mostly) public transport.
I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: $600? I am converting from pounds to NZD here. Because of the cost of leaving bad employers I didn’t buy new socks/bras for two years prior as all my money was being sifted into a grand middle finger to a bad business and farewell. Now I have felt comfortable to get some things I need.
My most expensive clothing in the past year was: A beautiful blue trench coat, waterproof and an item for life. That’s how I buy things.
My last pair of shoes cost: £50/$100. I have wide feet so buy from a specialist shoe store for old people… I am on my feet all day, so comfort is a priority.
My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: I cut my own fringe every two weeks, my last paid haircut was in 2024. I only buy a bit of foundation, mascara, lippy and some Ethique body products. I probably spend max $200 a year?
My exercise expenditure in a year is about: Hah. £0 I’m on my feet all day remember?
My last Friday night cost: I managed to get some $10 tickets to a DJ set, I’m a hawk on all the mailing lists. If you go early and sober it’s a good time and doesn’t rinse you financially. That’s generally my approach to going out, little joys. And not wrecking myself on booze or otherwise, that’s when a cheap gig gets ridiculously expensive.
Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: Honestly, anything from companies I should be boycotting.
Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: That blue jacket really makes me feel in my element.
One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Tech. I hate buying new devices.
Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Mindful, fortunate, smart, restricted, budget.
I grew up in a house where money was: Virtually non existent. We had old smelly clothes, frequented the food bank and I spent many school days on an empty stomach until dinner time. I often visited the sick bay due to hunger cramps and remember eating dinners of tinned tomatoes. I then ended up as an independent youth at 16 and received a very monitored benefit from Winz, and worked at a supermarket one day a week while I did a work skills course in hospitality. The thing is, my mum worked in healthcare and to be honest, they don’t get paid enough for what they do. Especially as a single mum of three. Now as an almost 30-year-old woman I understand that it is wholly systemic and down to governance and policy decisions.
The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: Monday just been.
In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Honestly, I’ve got food in my fridge and I thought my mates were rich for that when I was little. That I think is the mindset to go with.
I would love to have more money for: Coming back to visit my family.
Describe your financial low: I had a boss in the UK who threw metal trays at me and verbally abused me. The borders were closed and flying home was virtually impossible due to quarantine policies, but I was dependent on this job for my right to stay in the UK.
I give money away to: A homeless charity that campaigns for renters rights and gives legal advice to tenants, and a charity that designates different benefactors each month in exchange for raffle entries.
