As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 27-year-old apartment-dwelling marketing exec explains her approach to spending and saving.
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Gender: Female.
Age: 27.
Ethnicity: Pākehā.
Role: Marketing exec at a small fashion label.
Salary/income/assets: $79,200.
My living location is: Urban.
Rent/mortgage per week: Mortgage is about $2,900 a month. My partner and I split it based on our incomes (he earns more than me so he pays a bit more). It’s a one-bedroom apartment with just the two of us and our small dog.
Student loan or other debt payments per week: Student loan and credit card payments equal about $200 a week.
Typical weekly food costs
Groceries: We budget $100 a week each for this, it’s usually around $140-$180 a week all up.
Eating out: We only do this for special occasions or with friends/family and it goes through phases! My mum just visited for the weekend and we spent about $300 on restaurants alone 😆.
Takeaways: We get takeaways about once a week, usually around $60 for both of us.
Workday lunches: I take lunch to work so this is included in the grocery budget.
Cafe coffees/snacks: I don’t buy coffees because we have a coffee machine at home so beans are included in the groceries! We probably spend about $30 a month on beans. And I just drink the instant coffee supplied when I’m in the office, I know I know… blasphemy 😆. I would probably spend $70 on coffee a week if I bought one every time I wanted one at work and I just don’t have the budget for that!
Other food costs: We get the Wonky Box fortnightly for about $40, this is sort of included in our grocery budget though.
Savings: I save $100 a week, half into Sharesies and half into a higher-interest savings account.
I worry about money: Sometimes.
Three words to describe my financial situation: Maturing, occasionally self-indulgent.
My biggest edible indulgence would be: You know when you go to the supermarket hungry and you just want to buy all the snacks and yummy things? So yeah just whatever I slip into the basket when we’re food shopping – usually chocolate.
In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: However much a box of Pals or similar is.
In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: $0! I walk everywhere since I live so close to town. We save about $20 a week each for Uber/car rental to ensure we have it when needed though.
I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: I mentioned how I was occasionally self-indulgent right? That usually involves clothes. I don’t buy much for myself other than clothes. I’ve probably spent $5k on clothes in the past year.
My most expensive clothing in the past year was: I just bought four dresses from Lazy Oaf – one of their dresses is about $180. So about $700 for that order.
My last pair of shoes cost: A pair of Palladium boots on sale for $130. I love them though, zero regrets.
My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: I used to spend all my money on makeup but thankfully I grew up a bit and actually had to start paying bills and stopped listening to beauty YouTubers. I still like to buy quality skincare and makeup when I do buy it though, which is expensive. But my boyfriend cuts my hair and I dye my hair myself so that is a minimal cost. I would say $1k maximum on makeup and skincare a year.
My exercise expenditure in a year is about: My gym membership is $1k a year. Typing that makes me realise I really need to start using it.
My last Friday night cost: About $100, went out for dinner and drinks with my mum!
Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: Birkenstock Bostons. I was definitely influenced but they look terrible on me.
Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: My Apple Watch! Upgraded from a cheap and half broken Huawei one.
One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Food at home – if we have leftovers or ingredients for a meal, they are getting eaten before we go shopping/get takeaways.
Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Bills paid, time to shop 🤪 (though after all my bills/savings are paid I don’t have much left to shop with).
I grew up in a house where money was: Not talked about. Ever. We lived quite frugally. But I didn’t really realise my parents were quite well-off until we went on a two-month holiday to Europe when I was 13.
The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: Just the other day when I entered my pin wrong. But last time it was due to lack of funds was when I was a teenager buying a necklace. That was so embarrassing I vowed never to let it happen again! So I am now in the habit of always checking my account before I swipe my card.
In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Probably about the same? Hopefully earning a bit more with a bit more money left each week since my student loan will be paid off and more of our mortgage will be too. Hopefully enough to go travelling!
I would love to have more money for: I don’t want to say it… But it’s true… Clothes. Also to be able to pay for flights to visit my family who live out of town more and also so that we can actually do the renovations we want to do.
Describe your financial low: This was during my first job and when I didn’t have any proper financial responsibilities. I was obsessed with Afterpay. I had a $2k limit and it was maxed out.
I give money away to: I donate a little to charity but otherwise I don’t really give money away.