As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a master’s student and casual events worker explains her approach to all things financial.
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Gender: Female
Age: 23.
Ethnicity: Pākehā.
Role: Master’s student, casual events worker.
Salary/income/assets: $323.43 from student loan a week, and then about half of that or a little more every blue moon when I work.
My living location is: Urban.
Rent/mortgage per week: $246 rent a week, living with five other people – we share rent.
Student loan or other debt payments per week: Recently froze my debt repayment (student allowance mistake during second year) + an eensy weensy amount of student loan repayment when I work.
Typical weekly food costs
Groceries: Completely random – me and my sister share groceries and can spend anywhere from $15-60 a week. I am lucky enough my parents will deliver us both groceries about every two to four weeks, which helps us cover base stuff like oats, milk and oil.
Eating out: Sometimes $15-20 – it’s completely random. I really like spending time with my friends and find it hard to if I’m not prepared to fork out some money sometimes.
Takeaways: $15-50 – I work a lot on campus and find it hard to prepare my own meals with my mental health + work demands, so I often end up buying smaller meals to get through the day. This isn’t necessarily a weekly thing either, I don’t have a consistent schedule at the moment because my income is so low.
Workday lunches: $0.
Cafe coffees/snacks: $15-30 – I am really bad at holding back on this, and need a coffee daily or I feel nauseous. I usually make it at home, but sometimes coffee is too expensive to buy and I am not good at planning ahead.
Savings: Nothing – I don’t have enough money to save.
I worry about money: Always.
Three words to describe my financial situation: Strained, broke, unpredictable.
My biggest edible indulgence would be: $15 hand-pulled chilli oil noodles.
In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: $0 – I don’t know a lot of people who drink. When I do though, maybe $15-20?
In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: $0-20. Sometimes I have to Uber or take the bus.
I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: $500, which is low for me. I have had issues with shopping for dopamine, or as a way to spend time with people.
My most expensive clothing in the past year was: $55 jacket I got to replace the one I was borrowing from my flatmate. No regrets – keeps me warm.
My last pair of shoes cost: $20 – crappy loafers I got for work that hurt my feet so badly I limped home after a three-hour shift.
My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: I rarely buy skincare because its too expensive to get products that don’t hurt my skin, but I also have such a difficult time getting ready for the day I often skip skincare. I really care about my hair though, and try to get it touched up every three to six months. It grows super fast too, but fortunately my hairdresser does bangs for free + my last haircut was a birthday gift. Annual cost for hair would be about $120.
My exercise expenditure in a year is about: $0 – I want to go to the gym, but can’t afford the cost even with my university’s rate.
My last Friday night cost: $12 for pasta ingredients.
Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: A doctor’s appointment. I was asked to file a complaint after the experience because of how poor it was. I also didn’t get any treatment for any of the problems I have.
Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: My $50 Japanese Breakfast band t-shirt from the Auckland gig – thank you, tax return!
One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Breakfast/lunch. I will skip them or combine the two usually.
Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Subdued, hedonistic, scatterbrained, dismissive, unpredictable.
I grew up in a house where money was: Confusing! We were pretty comfy with money, but I sort of started to realise the gap between me and my friends as I got older. This became especially apparent when I went to university. It’s hard to discuss money with my parents without making them anxious or receiving confusing answers.
The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: Two days ago.
In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Definitely better off. Any level of employment would be an improvement. I want to be able to support my sister more too, and be less of a strain on my parents who are happy to help but can’t as much as they would like to.
I would love to have more money for: Groceries. I don’t get to experiment with what I cook any more and don’t usually have the energy to cook. Also, an ADHD diagnosis, doctor’s appointments and money for gifts for my lovely friends. I have a lot of very kind and generous people in my life.
Describe your financial low: Two major ones:
– Earlier this year when I was flat hunting on behalf of four other people, and StudyLink forgot to process my Jobseeker benefit + my workplace didn’t have any work available. I was hungry, not sleeping, and had several grey hairs pop up haha.
– Last week when I came back to my flat after a week at my parents’. I found a cat had peed, vomited and defecated over my clothes and bed, destroying my mattress, duvet and pillows. I am still struggling to get all of this replaced. Mattresses are very expensive!
I give money away to: Every once in a while to the free food place I visit for dinner where I live.
