As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 35-year-old IT manager explains her approach to spending and saving.
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Gender: Female.
Age: 35.
Ethnicity: Nepali.
Role: IT manager, mum to a two-year-old.
Salary/income/assets: $220k household salary, two houses worth approximately $2m (one home, one rental), outstanding loans approx $550k (all mortgage), $150k in KiwiSaver and managed funds.
My living location is: Suburban.
Rent/mortgage per week: $800 p/w including rental top-ups. I live with my partner and toddler.
Student loan or other debt payments per week: None.
Typical weekly food costs
Groceries: We don’t budget but I would say approx $200p/w. I do multiple trips to the store/vege shops throughout the week.
Eating out: Barely eat out but when we do it will be a bit of a splurge with the wider family, average $25 per week.
Takeaways: $25 per week.
Workday lunches: $20 per week.
Cafe coffees/snacks: $10 per week.
Other food costs: A big investment a couple of times a year of around $200 to plant seeds and seedlings for the garden.
Savings: $1,000 a week.
I worry about money: Rarely.
Three words to describe my financial situation: Relaxed, sensible, growth.
My biggest edible indulgence would be: Fancy cheese, fancy olive oil.
In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: We barely drink but will buy a bottle of tequila occasionally.
In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: $24 train to town twice a week.
I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: $1,000.
My most expensive clothing in the past year was: $300 leather boots from Mi Piaci.
My last pair of shoes cost: $200 loafers that I need to return.
My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: Very minimal… maybe $200.
My exercise expenditure in a year is about: $0. I have some exercise machines at home, and also follow YouTube workouts.
My last Friday night cost: $0. Usually spent at home with the family, reading a book from the library. My partying days are over.
Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: An overpriced toy that I bought for my daughter from Nature Baby.
Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: Expensive restaurant date with a close friend.
One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Material things in general.
Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Security for peace of mind.
I grew up in a house where money was: Very, very scarce. We had no money to do anything extracurricular at school. Food was purchased in bulk and we ate the same meals everyday.
The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: One month ago, I had run out of money in my cheque account but had ample savings that I could transfer.
In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Having enough money to not let money dictate my choices in life.
Describe your financial low: Being a student renting a flat and living off student allowance. I don’t think I ate much during this time!
I would love to have more money for: Paying off my mortgage but other than that, I don’t think it would change my life or my behaviour much.
I give money away to: Wider family. I have also set up an account for my little one which I contribute towards weekly.
