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

[patches]

I use this philosophy each month
 

 
Not because I have fat stacks... more because it's easy to underestimate how expensive things are when they cost double, but drop a zero off the end, hahaha!

Edited August 11, 2016 by patches

[Blaze]

Thanks Wayne for the detailed budget, it does place things into a better perspective.

I might just have to negotiate for that extra NZ$10k. ????

Ramrod, I work for ASSA ABLOY. I am an architectural specifier, so I draw up specifications for all the ironmongery that goes onto a door that operates and secures it. Locks, handles, door closers, hinges, etc.

 

Thanks again for everyone's input.

Much appreciated.

[Blaze]

Thanks Wayne for the detailed budget, it does place things into a better perspective.

I might just have to negotiate for that extra NZ$10k. ????

Ramrod, I work for ASSA ABLOY. I am an architectural specifier, so I draw up specifications for all the ironmongery that goes onto a door that operates and secures it. Locks, handles, door closers, hinges, etc.

 

Thanks again for everyone's input.

Much appreciated.

[niterider]

Blaze Budget    

 

Rent  $        3,035.00

Food  $        1,300.00

Fuel for Mrs Blaze  $            280.00

Cellphones  $              60.00

Cleaning consumable  $            100.00

Electricity  $            150.00

Water  $              35.00

Car insurance  $              85.00  

TOTAL $        5,045.00

 

 

Blaze, everyone's idea of what is an acceptable lifestyle is different so I'll give some thoughts on Wayne's budget using the experience of our first year here. Note our family is only 2 adults and one 5-year old child. Wayne's budget seems pretty realistic though.

 

Rent - this is obviously the biggest chunk of your budget, so savings here are important. I don't know the North Shore terribly well, but the areas you're looking at are not the cheapest ones AFAIK (not that there's cheap anywhere in Auckland, but relatively speaking). Or staying in those same areas, consider living in a smaller house than you think you need. And on that point, get rid of all your bulky furniture before you come - with the exception of relatively new builds, most houses here are a lot smaller than in SA.

Food  - our family of 3 survived on $200/wk for the first year for total supermarket spend (food, groceries, cleaning stuff, etc). Even now we only spend $250 most weeks.

Fuel for Mrs Blaze  $            280.00 - seems reasonable

Cellphones  - my wife and I are both on $20 vodafone prepaid packages. We rarely exceed the allotted 120 minutes.

Cleaning consumable  - included in food above

Electricity  $            150.00 - seems about right. You often use more in a rental because the lights aren't always CFLs, insulation isn't necessarily the best, etc. Again a smaller house should lead to lower electricity bill.

Water  $              35.00

Car insurance  $              85.00  - remember that cheaper car leads to cheaper insurance. But also don't buy any vehicle popular with thieves, eg Subaru Imprezas.

 

My conclusion is the same as Wayne. It will be very tight, but yes it can work. In our first year here we operated off a similar income. We didn't go out for a meal for the first 14 months here. You'd have had to give me a very convincing reason to even spend $4 on a coffee. Basically we didn't spend money on anything unless it was absolutely necessary, and at the supermarket we literally added up the cost of items as we were shopping to make sure we didn't exceed the budget. 

 

To some that might not sound like too much fun, but once into a routine it was no big effort. There are loads of free things to do in Auckland so its not like we ever felt like we were missing out. 

 

I believe the median household income in Auckland is around $80k, so there are a lot of people getting by on less.

[Kranswurm]

Serious eye opener

 

OK that came out as underwater hebrew and will try again

Edited August 13, 2016 by Kranswurm

[patches]

Thanks Wayne for the detailed budget, it does place things into a better perspective.

I might just have to negotiate for that extra NZ$10k.

Ramrod, I work for ASSA ABLOY. I am an architectural specifier, so I draw up specifications for all the ironmongery that goes onto a door that operates and secures it. Locks, handles, door closers, hinges, etc.

 

Thanks again for everyone's input.

Much appreciated.

 

Do you know Nolipoli?

 

He's also with Assa Abloy and relocated to Auckland about 4 months ago.

[hayleyearth]

Perfect week to ride into work

[Wayne Potgieter]

Perfect week to ride into work

I agree

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Blaze]

Hi Niterider,

 

Thanks for the info. Yes, we will need to be more tight with our expenses, but we are already in that mindset of not buying any unnecessary items. The kids are eating more and more healthy foods, fruits and vegetables, etc.

I can still remember my parents using a calculator when purchasing the monthly groceries, so it seems we will just go back to that kind of budgeting. I will just stand on the street corners begging for money to afford bicycle parts.  

 

Hi Patches,

 

Yes, I know Nolan well. So hopefully if the NZ bunch likes me enough to give me a job we can eventually do a ride together. 

 

KR,

 

Hendry

[Gandalf]

Anyone develope an accent yet?

[patches]

Anyone develope an accent yet?

 

Awwww yeeaaah?!

 

Good as gold!

 

Sweet as!

[hayleyearth]

Anyone develope an accent yet?

 

Wayne's kids...

[Wayne Potgieter]

Wayne's kids...

Ha ha ha...yeah they have a bit actually.

 

Especially my daughter. She is only 4 so she is picking up a bit of an accent.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[hayleyearth]

Rode into work today again. What an awesome thing to do, too short though, only 10km, I think I will start to add some distance to it soon.

 

Absolutely beautiful during sunrise this morning, my phone doesn't capture it so nicely though..

I feel so free here.

[Delgado]

Anyone develope an accent yet?

I've bumped into a few. Sound like idiots.... 

[patches]

The accent thing is quite funny.

I always thought Kiwi accents, although similar to Aussie accents, are a lot more mild and tolerable.

Speaking to an Aussie, I was that they can't stand Kiwi accents, and whilst they don't love South African Accents, they are more tolerable to them, than the Kiwi accent.