New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Wayne Potgieter]

Actually, no it isn't! Children are allowed to earn an income and they are not taxed on it. Which is why some kids will spend their holidays picking berries etc along with their parents (tends to be lower socio-economic groups, though there is never any shame in decent hard work). A mate of mine runs a berry farm down in Whakatane, he says his good workers bring their kids, they spend the day working and they earn good dosh with limited tax overhead.

http://www.ird.govt.nz/income-tax-individual/different-income-taxed/child-ex-inc/iit-child-exempt-inc.html

Also...you can get a job as a paperboy from 11.

[intern]

Ok...here are some negatives.

 

Food and eating out are expensive. Ridiculously so. To put it in perspective Burgers fries and a drink for a family of four is around NZ $60. Roe is 10 to 1.

 

Groceries are also pretty expensive.

 

I took my car for a car wash the other day. Just a standard "executive" type wash. It was NZ $82.00

Ha ha, fully - eating out isn't so much a case of 'you can't afford it' as it is a case of 'it just isn't worth it'. And that's even if you're earning NZD.

As for cash washes, that's a sport you'd best get used to (and boat washing, and bike washing).

The pic below is a shot of the Prime Minister taken by his son - John Key is washing Max's car.

 

[intern]

Also...you can get a job as a paperboy from 11.

Job prospects looking up! But newspapers are going out of business. Still SCREWED (and it looks like Swiss was right, after all  )

[Amberdrake]

I don't take my car for a wash in SA, to be fair tho I don't wash it often either. My Bicycle gets washed every ride (or I try at least). Eating out costs sucks 

[Guest]

Ha ha, fully - eating out isn't so much a case of 'you can't afford it' as it is a case of 'it just isn't worth it'. And that's even if you're earning NZD.

As for cash washes, that's a sport you'd best get used to (and boat washing, and bike washing).

The pic below is a shot of the Prime Minister taken by his son - John Key is washing Max's car.

 

jk washes car.jpg

Can you imagine our head of state doing that? Full respect to Mr. Key

[DIPSLICK]

Can you imagine our head of state doing that? Full respect to Mr. Key

just find these stories contradicting, I though islanders were lazy that's why saffas are a wanted commodity ??

[Kranswurm]

I don't take my car for a wash in SA, to be fair tho I don't wash it often either. My Bicycle gets washed every ride (or I try at least). Eating out costs sucks 

Since I lived in Botswana where water is scarce and a precious commodity I only use car washes

[ZakAttak]

Mechanisation in good old SA. Lol! We have these fancy fully automated speed cameras so two fat cops can sleep in the car while the ma-chin does the work.

 

I actually wanna stop at an unmanned camera one day and just push it over and see what happens...

 

I'll let you knwo what happens if I get it right sometime...

[Baracuda]

I went to a mate's wedding in Taranaki last year. A pretty amazing spot, good surf, insane forests and there are 14 year old girls at Rotorua who ride downhill bikes like Minaar.

 

BUT, insanely expensive. Not only by SA standards, the Kiwis can barely afford a beer themselves. Most of the crowd I stayed with (many CAs etc back from London) brew all their own beer and run massive veggie gardens (with good soil and 9 meters of rain a year it is easy to grow stuff).

 

The main thing that amazed me is the level of hunting. Most guys I met hunt goats, pigs, deer, fish, crayfish etc etc. Before the wedding we quickly popped out and shot 26 goats, stabbed a massive pig in the neck and shot a deer. "All good hey".

 

Then there is the rain....

Edited December 18, 2015 by Baracuda

[DIPSLICK]

I went to a mate's wedding in Taranaki last year. A pretty amazing spot, good surf, insane forests and there are 14 year old girls at Rotorua who ride downhill bikes like Minaar.

 

BUT, insanely expensive. Not only by SA standards, the Kiwis can barely afford a beer themselves. Most of the crowd I stayed with (many CAs etc back from London) brew all their own beer and run massive veggie gardens (with good soil and 9 meters of rain a year it is easy to grow stuff).

 

The main thing that amazed me is the level of hunting. Most guys I met hunt goats, pigs, deer, fish, crayfish etc etc. Before the wedding we quickly popped out and shot 26 goats, stabbed a massive pig in the neck and shot a deer. "All good hey".

 

Then there is the rain....

my sister has lived there for about 7 years, she still counts off her $ till  pay day, she says in her group(she says its pretty big) no one does well, every one battles, she says there it is really the1 % who live well everyone else lives 2 weeks at a time,  

[droenn]

My feeling is that everyone does "fine". You have everything you need, just its harder to get substantially more so that you feel like you have it better than everyone else. This is why people get into trouble, trying to live at the limits of their means.

 

Compare this to SA where you can easily get more than most of the population and enjoy the feeling of superiority that comes with that. Not intending that to sound too harsh, but it is a component of being middle class in SA that I've observed.

 

It's just a more level playing field in NZ (and Aus).

[Stretch]

My feeling is that everyone does "fine". You have everything you need, just its harder to get substantially more so that you feel like you have it better than everyone else. This is why people get into trouble, trying to live at the limits of their means.

 

Compare this to SA where you can easily get more than most of the population and enjoy the feeling of superiority that comes with that. Not intending that to sound too harsh, but it is a component of being middle class in SA that I've observed.

 

It's just a more level playing field in NZ (and Aus).

 

its actually one of my major negatives of south africa. this @%@$@# elitism. sure, I am middle class, but I still live month to month (with savings put aside)...its the blatant wastefulness and/or disregard for how people actually live in this country really gets me though....to a point that that comes into their arguments about whats good about this country - i.e. the way they live (while the majority live on or below poverty level). these people are so divorced from reality that they may as well be living in narnia. 

[TheSaint]

I just came across this thread now. The first few pages were such a great read. Think the OP explained the brief nicely so let's get back to his original terms.

 

I allowed my son to immigrate with his mom and step family 12 years ago. Although the hardest choice I had to make so far in life, it is one that I will not regret. Having visited there a few times and seen the way of life and opportunities afford to him, I am happy. Very happy.

 

The pics posted by WP and Intern have brought back fond memories and I thank you for that especially over this festive season when my heart yearns to be in Auckland with my son.

[SwissVan]

Actually, no it isn't! Children are allowed to earn an income and they are not taxed on it. Which is why some kids will spend their holidays picking berries etc along with their parents (tends to be lower socio-economic groups, though there is never any shame in decent hard work). A mate of mine runs a berry farm down in Whakatane, he says his good workers bring their kids, they spend the day working and they earn good dosh with limited tax overhead.

http://www.ird.govt.nz/income-tax-individual/different-income-taxed/child-ex-inc/iit-child-exempt-inc.html

 

 

I changed my original post to comic sans font, was just pulling your leg.

I'm the one living in S for serious Switzerland

Edited December 18, 2015 by SwissVan

[SwissVan]

Since I lived in Botswana where water is scarce and a precious commodity I only use car washes

 

And i wonder how Mr Key's deals with the run off of soap and dirty water....not collected and treated appropriately     

 

smile people just kidding again...well mostly

[NGUTF]

I just came across this thread now. The first few pages were such a great read. Think the OP explained the brief nicely so let's get back to his original terms.

 

I allowed my son to immigrate with his mom and step family 12 years ago. Although the hardest choice I had to make so far in life, it is one that I will not regret. Having visited there a few times and seen the way of life and opportunities afford to him, I am happy. Very happy.

 

The pics posted by WP and Intern have brought back fond memories and I thank you for that especially over this festive season when my heart yearns to be in Auckland with my son.

I take my hat off to you. A ride buddy of mine has his youngest overseas with the ex and the oldest here in SA. Couldn't imagine having to make that decision. You're a better / braver person than me.