As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, an export operator shares their financial comings and goings.
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Gender: Female
Age: 23
Ethnicity: NZ European
Role: Export operator
Salary/income/assets: $80,000 and probably $1,000 in my KiwiSaver :/
My living location is: Urban
Rent/mortgage per week: $150 to my mum.
Student loan or other debt payments per week: None – again thank you mum.
Typical weekly food costs
Groceries: About $100 a week. I do currently live with the ‘rents but buy my own groceries and meals. I could cut this down but I seem to always go to the grocery shop hungry, so inevitably more goes in the basket.
Eating out: Around $100 a week. That’s quite confronting… I socialise a lot with friends and mainly over meals.
Takeaways: An estimated $40 a week, only after a long day at work and none of my copious grocery items are calling out to me.
Workday lunches: $20, always have to buy lunch on a Friday.
Cafe coffees/snacks: I feel like spending money on coffee doesn’t count, so probably $30 a week.
Other food costs: I wish I grew a veggie garden.
Savings: I have about $20,000 in savings so far. I honestly don’t know what I’m saving for… I don’t think I will ever afford a house, so I guess travel? Or in case I lose my job suddenly (touch wood).
I worry about money: Sometimes.
Three words to describe my financial situation: Grateful, skeptical, occasionally anxious.
My biggest edible indulgence would be: Poke bowl for lunch every Friday, never gets old.
In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: Regrettably around $100. Depends on how generous I’m feeling at the bar.
In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: I take the bus to and from work everyday and thanks to AT this maxes out at $50 a week. I also don’t own a car so I feel lucky I don’t have to pay those fuel prices at the moment. Also maybe an occasional Uber, so $70 a week.
I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: $2000. I do love buying clothes and also updating my work wardrobe. However I am very strict on what clothing items I like, I am an avid returner if I don’t love the items.
My most expensive clothing in the past year was: It would be boots from Mi Piaci. They were $600, BUT there was a sale so they were down to $400, so kind of a steal?
My last pair of shoes cost: Sadly please see above, I have also only worn them once in the last four months.
My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: I am a natural brunette who is now blonde, so that hurts my bank a lot. I would say $2,000. Majority of that cost is dying my hair, but I also do fall for marketing and what’s trending with makeup.
My exercise expenditure in a year is about: I love running and going to the gym so I don’t feel as guilty about these. I have a gym membership for $12 a week. I do also own four pairs of running shoes. Annually, this would be about $3,000 including gym and running shoes.
My last Friday night cost: Hotel Ponsonby, $150 – was clearly feeling very generous.
Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: Honestly the black boots – why would I pay $400 for boots I will inevitably ruin?
Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: I am going on a trip to Asia with my bestie later in the year. Even though we are yet to go, the thought of having this trip booked in is keeping me going.
One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Honestly wish it was more areas, but maybe Uber Eats. I try my best to use the groceries I buy and only indulge in severe circumstances.
Five words to describe my financial personality would be… Need to be more strict.
I grew up in a house where money was: A comfortable topic and not. I had two perspectives – with my mum’s side we were always comfortable and fortunate. However, with my dad’s side, money was very tight and often posed a lot of awkward conversations. I think having these two sides gave me a very unique view on money. How obviously it’s a privilege to have but more importantly how it doesn’t have to define you.
The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: Yesterday. I swear I’m not broke, I just don’t keep money in my current account.
In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: I see myself being in a comfortable position, however nothing extraordinary. With the economy at the moment and house prices its extremely hard to ever picture myself excelling financially.
I would love to have more money for: Travel, I want to go to so many more places. Especially because NZ is so far, travel costs so much more.
Describe your financial low: Losing my job last year. The thought of not having any incoming income sent me down a very dark anxious spiral.
I give money away to… World Vision, I sponsor a little girl called Katie :)
