As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a public servant explains how they spend and where they save.
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Gender: Female
Age: 27
Ethnicity: Pākehā/Asian
Role: Public servant. Also, a mum of three fur babies in the form of rabbits.
Salary/income/assets: Salary $86,000. Savings $50,000 give or take, car bought for me by my dad, and a $2,000 painting that took one year of pondering to finally buy.
My living location is: Suburban
Rent/mortgage per week: $400 in rent a week shared with my flatmate. Probably the best bargain you can get in a very nice area in Wellington. Has a huge backyard too.
Student loan or other debt payments per week: Student loan $290 fortnightly. Sometimes Afterpay but I don’t like having debt so I just end up paying it all by the next pay day.
Typical weekly food costs
Groceries: About $80 a week for just my food. Add an extra $15 for greens for my bunnies. I meal prep a very filling breakfast for work and so I usually have something smaller for lunch.
Eating out: Occasional post-pilates brunch, $40 every other week or so.
Takeaways: $7 Friday fish and chips. But I only order the fish and have it with rice at home.
Workday lunches: Sometimes I deliberately forget my meal prep so I have an excuse to get a very spicy nasi goreng from Sri Penang – $20.
Cafe coffees/snacks: Not a coffee drinker but I do love a good naughty milk matcha from Supreme. I get max two a week but my boyfriend pays for them so my cost is $0. I also spend about $50 every few weeks at Yan’s for snacks. There’s also a very dangerous vending machine on my floor at work but I don’t really count the snacks I get as they’re under $5.
Other food costs: I spend about $100 per month on the bunnies’ hay, pellets, treats and insurance. They get a monthly subscription box just for treats and toys.
Savings: I have a super emergency savings account and a savings account I dip into when I want to buy something nice for myself. My savings has dipped a little as I’ve just paid off my pilates instructor course ($4,000) and a new laptop as my old one was from my uni days ($2,000). Currently not saving for anything crazy, I just want to build up my savings to what it was before.
I worry about money: Rarely.
Three words to describe my financial situation: Comfortable but could do better.
My biggest edible indulgence would be: A big bag of polenta chips. They sell it an Italian restaurant for $15 a plate and I think I spent $20 on five kilos so thought that was a great bargain.
In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: $0 – I don’t drink.
In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: Petrol $50, probably less as I only use it on the weekends.
Bus $40.
I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: I’m a second-generation shopaholic (my mum has an entire wardrobe just for activewear and 60 pairs of shoes that I know about). I spent $750 in one go at Uniqlo last year but most of the clothes were to replace things I’ve worn to shreds or don’t fit me anymore. I’ve calmed down a bit this year though. I think all I’ve bought this year was a new set of gym clothes ($120), two pairs of jeans on sale ($150), a raincoat ($112) and a new pair of shoes ($340). I’ve also spent about $120 altering and fixing clothes I already have so I can keep wearing them.
My most expensive clothing in the past year was: My shoes, Salomon XT-6 which was $340. Great shoe, I wear it to work, walks and gym so I’m getting my money’s worth. This was to replace my other shoes which I’ve broken down to about 30 cents per wear.
My last pair of shoes cost: See above.
My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: I’m currently a level 3 Mecca beauty looper so at least $1200 in make-up and maybe add an extra $300 for toiletries and haircuts.
My exercise expenditure in a year is about: Pilates twice a week, $54. Gym membership, $30 a week. You can do the maths cos I’m too scared to.
My last Friday night cost: $7 for the battered fish.
Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: Watered down matcha every time I stray from my favourite. I just don’t venture anymore because I know I’ll be disappointed.
Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: My new laptop for my course (and playing Sims).
One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Going to the doctor probably. So expensive that sometimes I just pretend I’m not THAT sick.
Five words to describe my financial personality would be… Money goes, money comes back.
I grew up in a house where money was: Tight but it was there. Some would say my parents were frugal, but I think they were efficient with their money. Mum used to say “don’t make things difficult” so if I need to spend money to make my life easier I don’t really think twice about it.
The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: Never, I check my account before I tap.
In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Even more comfortable.
I would love to have more money for: My bunnies. I would put them through uni if they asked.
Describe your financial low: I was in between finishing uni and finding a job. I went through my savings over the two months I didn’t have a job. I think I went down to my last $200 before my recruiter told me she found me a job. I was halving a packet of Indomie, and having it with rice and egg to stretch it out.
I give money away to… My cousins back in Asia.
