[tutmos]

This is a probably a recurring theme, but I could not find a thread that matched exactly what I was looking for.

We are a family of 5, myself and my wife, and children aged 9, 7, and 4. I have an interview for a job near Dundein that pays up to $80,000. If I was lucky enough to get an offer, I was wondering what sort of life style that salary would afford?

I am paid a third more than that in the UK and we get by, but we are not extravegant. We own one second hand car, and we have luxuries such as Sky, and swimming and piano lessons for the children.

My wife in particular is worried that we will struggle. Is there any one on a similar salary with a family, and how do you cope? We would have some equity if we sold our house in the UK.


Thanks.

[SharpBlade]

well, we are a family of 6, and we manage on a lesser salary here in christchurch. We are not extravagant either, the kids (4) have swimming and music lessons, we don`t eat out because it is just not our thing, and we don`t have the latest gadget or tv and all that either. We get by but there s days when I wish I didn`t have to be so careful. Coming from Ireland where wages are higher and child benefit much much better, I can feel the difference.
We could do better if we didn`t have to pay childcare or after school stuff, and if we didn`t have such a high rent. We intend to buy a house soon, so hopefully, things will go smoother then. We should end up with a very small mortgage and afford more stuff. However, saying this, I don`t miss buying things, because I hate buying and shopping. I miss the possibility of having a choice: being in the position of saying yes or no to spending money, if it makes any sense.
So yeah, 80 000 is a very good salary !

[gil]

Hi tutmos,
perhaps this link will help, as "enough" is such a subjective thing!
http://www.emigratenz.org/cost-of-living-in-new-zealand.HTML

Gil

[firstkings]

Hi Tutmos,

I asked a similar question on "another" forum (can't remember which one!). The answer was definitely yes..... depending on your expectations!

I'm expecting to live well enough with 4 children on quite a lot less than $80k.

Much depends on how much mortgage you take up.

I'll be able to tell you for sure in a few months, when we've been in Christchurch for a while!

Cheers

David

[Diny]

"enough" is such a subjective thing!
Gil


This is very true. Do you class enough as having enough to pay the bills, put food on the table, shoes and your feet and keep the wolf from the door. Or do you class enough as having a nice bit of 'walkabout' left in your back pocket once all of the above are sorted?

I think the more you have the more you will spend, the less you have then you'll manage to live within your means.

You won't starve on $80k, what extras you'll be able to afford will depend on what extras you want.

Diny

[Glo & Gil]

I know I may be talking silly. Is 80,000 yearly or monthly?

thks

glo

[Avalon]

Definately yearly

[tutmos]

Thank you for all your replies.

What confuses me is where does all the money go? We have a modest mortgage, a car worth peanuts, my wife and I spend nothing on ourselves, yet there is hardly ever any money left at the end of the month. I guess children are expensive, and I think the dog was a mistake. Doh.

I don't know how we would get by on a third less in New Zealand, but it seems that plenty of other families are doing just that, so I am sure we could too. Now all I need to do is pass the interview, something I am not particulary good at. Fingers crossed.

[Paul]

Thank you for all your replies.

What confuses me is where does all the money go? We have a modest mortgage, a car worth peanuts, my wife and I spend nothing on ourselves, yet there is hardly ever any money left at the end of the month. I guess children are expensive, and I think the dog was a mistake. Doh.

I don't know how we would get by on a third less in New Zealand, but it seems that plenty of other families are doing just that, so I am sure we could too. Now all I need to do is pass the interview, something I am not particulary good at. Fingers crossed.

Think it will come down to your mortgage really - if you have a decent sum to bring out for a house - could you be mortgage free once you've allowed for all the moving expenses, new car. set up costs etc?
If so you would need less income than currentlly assuming cost of living is similar to UK overall.
If you will not be mortgage free then don't forget interest rates are considerably higher than the UK and this will have a big effect on your repayments

[Moorf]

I often think it's the no or small mortgage that allows immigrants to be able to survive in NZ, or at least live in the areas they prefer instead of where budgets dictate. There's no way we could finance a big mortgage (I'm talking $250k+ )and our current lifestyle on our current single income, decent as it is but not more than $80k, and that's with no kids.

[Joopa]

I often think it's the no or small mortgage that allows immigrants to be able to survive in NZ, or at least live in the areas they prefer instead of where budgets dictate. There's no way we could finance a big mortgage (I'm talking $250k+ )and our current lifestyle on our current single income, decent as it is but not more than $80k, and that's with no kids.

Thats absolutely true, we a going with my $80K with wife studying in university and having one child in daycare.
I would say that mortgage of 230K would be absolute maximum with current income.

[sidabrine]

I just think that actual living expenses are highly misrepresented by all the calculators and information available in the government websites that everybody checks before coming down to NZ. Just like many people stated in different posts, salaries here are much lower than, say Europe, but living costs are not that much cheaper.

We were in for a surprise when my husband's work situation didn't pick up as expected and we found ourselves living on a single income of 60K. We're a couple and we don't have children. After we pay the bills and feed ourselves, there's literally "0", "zero", "nada" left. I have no idea, how families with children are surviving on a single salary...

Doesn't matter what everyone is saying, calculate the worst case scenario and see whether you can really make it on that money... You'll be surprised, how much everything costs here....

[Moorf]

Agree, it's a lot tougher, financially, than we had envisaged. We were aware of the big drops in salary, but were unprepared for the bills/grocery costs.

My very part-time job, however, gives us enough spends for a good lifestyle. That lifestyle is a financial shadow of the one we had in the UK, i.e we've been away (i.e. abroad) once since we moved here 2 yrs ago whereas in UK we'd have had a good few trips by now. We drive a 10 yr old car. My wardrobe has less labels and more thermals. My hairdresser no longer minces in Gucci's. Fresh parmesan is now a big treat instead of on the weekly shopping list.

But, I personally think the calculators are based on a Kiwi's spend - and they can sure make their money go a long way. I'm amazed at how much my neighbour spends on weekly shops - mine are regularly $250+ yet hers (same size household i.e just the two of them) comes to $150.

I have found that Brits, in particular, find it hard to budget here as many come from good salaries and are used to the best of this and that. Even stuff we don't consider as luxuries are still unattainable to some Kiwi's and I've been surprised to discover just how much even my shopping list contains stuff that they'd consider a luxury - european filter coffee, branded condiments, prime mince/meats, freerange chicken, nice wines, french cheeses (even the shop asst questioned the extortionate price). I'm much more aware that these are luxuries and raising the price of my shops - it's a balancing act some months.

We have a sizeable mortgage too, and Sky, 2 cars, eat out most weekends, feed a dog and chooks and Woz commutes 45mins to work each way by car so $60/week. We are surviving just fine, but nothing is being put into a private pension anymore which is a goal we need to achieve.

Some might feel deprived that they can't maintain the same lifestyle. Some purely don't come here with enough - I've always said that I feel coming with $250+ would give you a good start as long as you didn't want a millionaire location for £100k. But ultimately I'm beginning to think that it's just an inability to initially transpose your UK spends on to a Kiwi budget. You've got to cut your cloth accordingly but that's really hard to appreciate until you experience it. Some people feel "deprived" if they can't have this or that, others, like us, take it as part of the whole immigration lark.

Obviously I don't know your particular situation, and I hope you can find a way to make your income more comfortable. Can you find a part time job? Hard to do if you're in a rural place, as we are, but chatting with locals is a good way of finding little jobettes! :)

Sorry, I've rambled..... :o

[Smiler]

Nice post Moorf thanks.

Sidabrine, I'm sorry you're having such a tough time. The first few weeks are very difficult for most, all that adjusting, finding your feet and some people just struggle more than others at first. I know as I was one of them. :)

OH and I have gone through some major changes lately. OH had a small redundancy packagae after 10 months in the job and now we are living on my small wage. Although we run our own company here we want to spend more on getting marketing etc, done so we've agreed that OH will not take a salary from it. That means he won't pay tax either. :clap

I've made cut backs etc. Through no fault of our own we've moving, but to a much cheaper rental with a garden where we can grow our own stuff which we will enjoy, as well as making savings. We've had to dip into our meagre NZ savings to pay for the move. We still have Sky and some luxuries but what are luxuries to some aren't to others. I budget carefully for the things we enjoy, we have never smoked and we're not pub people. I sell stuff on TM to make a few $ and buy most stuff second hand too. I enjoy searching for bargains as much as I did in the UK. We've used some of our savings on another more practical car and will sell OH's to make up for it. We only need one car, even though we find that it's much cheaper overall to run a car here.

I certainly don't feel deprived because I have longer between hairdressers appointments now and when we move I'm gonna grow my hair again or make friends with a hairdresser. :roll I make less food shopping trips and make money go further by using up what we have and by adding a couple of days each time before I do a big shop. I waste so much less than I did in UK.

I still think we are fortunate to have the chance to live in this country and TBH I'm much more better off in lots of other ways, than when we were living in the UK with a combined income of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds + and spending it on a Saturday in Guildford shopping or having a weekly petrol bill of 60 quid just to get to work.

We arrived without house sale money but with OH earning a good salary. That's all changed and we're not running back to the UK to jump on the consumer bandwagon again. We knew that it would take us at least 2 years to find our feet in NZ so while each set back seems major while I'm in it, the long term plan is not to panic yet! We've have a lot to give to NZ and looking upon the situation, like Moorf says as part of the immigration lark.

Can you sit down and take a fresh look at your financial situation, see if you can make it work from a kiwi $$ view? Avalon has some fantastic financial posts. I'm rambling too but let us know if we can help.

[Jameelka]

Some very good posts and intersting reading.
I keep saying to OH that it is or seems more expensive here for the day to day things like food! Can't believe how a few items from the supermarket add up so much!
Just buying fruit and veg which I pressumed would be cheaper here seems a huge amount.Yes it seems nice and fresh,but I did think it would be alot cheaper.
James is growing his own toms,lettuce and courgettes!although can only do so much when u are in rented accommodation.
Hopefully when we get our freezer in the next few weeks after we get our stuff from the container, I can stock up on special offers,like meat at the Mad Butcher!
Still think it was the right move for us,but definately more costly to live than predicted!
:yes

[sidabrine]

Thank you moorf and smiler. I have been reading the useful posts about budgeting (particularly impressed by Avalon's), as I realize that we have to change our mindset and spending patterns, if we want to live on the money we earn here. Budgeting is kind of a new concept for us, as all of a sudden from DINK couple we're SINK couple (I hope we won't be literally SINKing soon). So far our budgeting is more like writing down what we spend and then dipping into our savings (again!) 3-4 days before the salary comes. We don't drink lattes and don't eat out anymore. But we're still dipping into our savings.

So how do you do that? We roughly know how much we can spend daily after we pay the bills, and I diligently write down all our spending. But it almost always exceeds what we can afford. So in reality, do you just take out a certain amount of cash and try to make do with it? I try to do that, but almost always something unexpected comes up, such as filling a gas tank or topping up my bus card... Something that you can't really delay. So can you tell me how do you control yourself? :)

[Avalon]

So how do you do that? We roughly know how much we can spend daily after we pay the bills, and I diligently write down all our spending. But it almost always exceeds what we can afford. So in reality, do you just take out a certain amount of cash and try to make do with it? I try to do that, but almost always something unexpected comes up, such as filling a gas tank or topping up my bus card... Something that you can't really delay. So can you tell me how do you control yourself? :)

Firstly - you CAN work on a "cash only budget" - and this works well for "overspenders". But that is really talking about people who literally spend spend spend. A cash only budget - where you take out a set amount of money each week and thats IT - is said to help this by making people AWARE that they are spending thier money. (When you use Credit cards - you never see the real money - so for many people it helps when they have to coundt out $20 bills to buy that $400 coat!) You already know this bit - and it sounds like you arent exactly going a splurge of consumerism every day, so it may not help all that much.

In your case - the next step would probably be to "analyse" all the stuff you write down. And then look at why you spent that money. (Anita Bell suggests a endless supply of coffee and a big pack of Tim Tams to helps with sort of thing!) Look for things that are costing you money that dont need to. Easy ones to start with off the top of my head are: Bank fees (have a friend who was paying $15 a month to take $20 out each time from another bank's atm rather than walk an extra 5 mins to the banks' own atm), papers and magazines (i know they are fun but you read em in 10 mins and thats it), library fines (again costing a fortune in some cases as opposed to getting books back on time). Doing this can be a bit depressing - the Tim Tams should help with that- but you may just spot a few things.

Look at your bills, and see if you can cut them. Are you on the cheapest leccy supply? (Posted somewhere recently a website to check this). Can you get your phone bill cheaper? (im just changing to Ihug which should save me nearly $100 a month!) Are you on the best mobile plan (and if you both have mobiles, are the both Vodaphone or both telecom - cos its expensive to call from one to the other). And for bills: work out your average monthly bills - and put that much aside into a savings account each month , so you always have money to cover them ( or do this fortnightly if thats when you get paid). Make sure there are no fees for your savings account.

next - I have to say that I really think the sanity allowance is a must. Another Bellism - give both of you an allowance each payday. Small, but something you can spend on whatever you like, without justifying it to the other person. You wanna spend it all on chocolate - fine :nice1 You each have to have the same amount - one of you cannot get more than the other. And until you find your feet - this is where all your treats come from. We can budget for meals out and stuff, but if you cant - use the sanity allowance, or for coffees, or cinema. It really up to you to decide what has to come out of that allowance and what you can afford to "Budget" for.

And something about budgets - dont always think of it terms of "what I cant afford because I dont have the budget for it". Use a budget TO BE ABLE to afford what you want. If you want to be able to go out for a meal once a month - then think about what you can do to wangle the money from somewhere. For example - if you are paying bank fees - just think what that could pay for if you worked out how to stop it!

Reading through that - makes it sould like I think its easy - I DO know its not. But its possible. We have "Budget days" probably every 4 months where we sit down and look at ways to improve what we do (but then Im a bit daft in the head when It comes to this :wah ) The last day we shaved about $150 off our spending plan.

How do I contol myself??? Well, when we were in debt - I woke up and realised just how much the banks were making out of me. And how ill I was getting becasue I was so worried about how I we were going to pay the bills. Now - I dont remember the last time I couldnt sleep because I was worried about how to pay a bill. THAT is what keeps me going, and stops me buying stuff I really dont need, gets the library books back on time and makes me do crazy things like "budget days". Afetr a while I even got to enjoy it!

Hope that helps - lmk if you need any specifics.

Hugs

[wilson182]

Easy ones to start with off the top of my head are: Bank fees (have a friend who was paying $15 a month to take $20 out each time from another bank's atm rather than walk an extra 5 mins to the banks' own atm),

I think its even cheaper if you always get your cash while using eftpos and avoid the cash machines altogether.:nice1

I love your posts Avalon, I learn something new Everytime:yes

[marcia]

Fantastic post Avalon (sorry couldn't add to your rep wouldn't let me need to spread it around!0

But some brilliant advice there - may have to come back to thread myself in a few months time! :nice1

[Avalon]

Thank you thats really cheered me up!

Marcia - know what you mean - I keep getting caught out with that! Thanks for the thought though!

[sidabrine]

Thank you Avalon, this is extremely useful and makes sense. Will try to look at our spending and try to spot those invisible cash eaters. It is slightly depressing to count the pennies (as you see them go), I guess counting them (as they accumulate) would be a more enjoyable pasttime (even without TimTams). Will have to make it work somehow, its hard to be poor again... :( When was the last time I had to decide: haircut or a can of tuna? :) Sanity allowance sounds like a very sane thing to do :) Will update you, if we find something unexpected (potentially saveable for others) in our spending list :)

[Moorf]

Av, ever considered offering financial therapy along with those hot stone sesh's? You're a mine of info!! :nice1

[sidabrine]

Avalon, ever considered CHARGING for your advice? :) You could.. :)

[Smiler]

Avalon, ever considered CHARGING for your advice? :) You could.. :)


Nooooooooo don't say that. :eek: We couldn't afford her! :D

[Ana&Steve]

A little off-topic, but what are TimTams? :o
Ana

[Smiler]

A little off-topic, but what are TimTams? :o
Ana

Horrid nasty yucky biscuits, you won't like them. ;););)

[jubjub]

Horrid nasty yucky biscuits, you won't like them. ;););)

Ignore her, the men in white coats will be here soon...:D

I was going to compare them to a penguin, but you are in the US so thats no help!

OK, they are similar to an Oreo in construction, two choccy biscuits, with a choccy cream centre, but then coated in milk chocolate... there are variations, you can get dark (bitter) choc ones, ones with toffee in the middle etc, they are just yummy! Specially when you suck coffee into them and they dissolve in your mouth!

[Smiler]

Specially when you suck coffee into them and they dissolve in your mouth!

Blerghhhhhhhhh :uhoh

[wilson182]

Change the timtams for hokey pokey spirals and Im there:raebanana

[Smiler]

Change the timtams for hokey pokey spirals and Im there:raebanana

Just found these and they are one of the only biccies I like. :nice1

[Ana&Steve]

As long as there is chocolate involved, I will believe in the stress-reducing qualities!! :D

[montana]

Avalon,
That is an excellent post. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

[jubjub]

Just found these and they are one of the only biccies I like. :nice1

You tried the rocky road mallow puffs yet? :D Of course,. all biccies have to be in your budget too, or you could spend all your spare cash on them!

[jubjub]

Just thought I had better contribute something useful to this thread, apart from biccy recommendations!

I reckon if you can keep your mortgage lower than $200k you should do fine, our mortgage is just over that and our income is not a long way from what you are looking at, we run two (old jap import) cars, a baby & a dog. Have a wine habit, like a takeaway once a week, and I have several coffee meets a week with various other mums which can use up a surprising sum of cash! (just ask Av!) only expense we dont have that you would is things like school uniforms and any fees for activities. Not sure how much that would be for three kiddies.

Advantage you would have is that property is cheaper down there from what I can tell, so you could probably get a better house than you would be able to afford in Auckland/Welly or Chch.

Another thing to bear in mind is that as a new immigrant you could well be being offered a lower starting salary, so once you are here and established, you could move on for more dosh should there be suitable vacancy elsewhere! That's the situation we have had, and know a few others have too.

[Avalon]

Wow, thank you evryone for your kind words!

Charge for this? - Nah - Id have to go to college and have a numpty professor "teach" me loads of stuff that wouldnt help anyone anyway and get a qualification :eek:

I do this for FUN!!!!! :wah (I really need to get out more dont I?)

Something serious to add too: When you look at what you are spending the money on - ask yourself: "Do I NEED this or do I WANT this". If you WANT it - it needs to wait till you have the spare money (or it comes out of sanity allowance) - if its a NEED - then budget for it.

Then - when looking at Items you are going to buy - look at the PRICE but also look at the VALUE. Ask yourself "Is this thing WORTH what they are asking for it?". "Can i buy it cheaper elsewhere", and "Would I rather spend that money on something else". You would not beleive how much money I HAVENT spent by asking those questions. Except on coffee - which in any universe is worth any amount of money charged as far as im concerned - especially when a friend and a natter is involved :D

[Smiler]

[QUOTE=Avalon]

I do this for FUN!!!!! :wah (I really need to get out more dont I?)



OIH!!!!!! :mad:






:laugh:laugh

[Moorf]

More great advice - and since being in NZ on a NZ salary the need / want scenario is a daily battle!

[Avalon]

[QUOTE=Avalon]

I do this for FUN!!!!! :wah (I really need to get out more dont I?)



OIH!!!!!! :mad:



You know you keep me sane :D

[Avalon]

More great advice - and since being in NZ on a NZ salary the need / want scenario is a daily battle!
Especailly with Books I find! I REALLY want them - but I just cant justify the prices most of the time :mad:

[jubjub]

Especailly with Books I find! I REALLY want them - but I just cant justify the prices most of the time :mad:
thats why we use the library, you have to reserve the new releases and be on the wait list for a couple of months sometimes, but the $30+ you save can go to something more urgent...

[Smiler]

thats why we use the library, you have to reserve the new releases and be on the wait list for a couple of months sometimes, but the $30+ you save can go to something more urgent...

and I buy a lot on TM and sell them on when I'm done too. :D

[Moorf]

Uh oh Debs - does that mean I'll end up buying them back off you :laugh

For me it's books and SHOES!! :wah I can't remember exactly how many anymore but I THREW OUT over 50 pairs before we emigrated :mad: if only I'd known about Trademe back then....

[Avalon]

thats why we use the library, you have to reserve the new releases and be on the wait list for a couple of months sometimes, but the $30+ you save can go to something more urgent...
As far as ive managed is that I will get a first book in a set out of the libaray and read that to see if its any good before I buy the set. But one of my weaknesses is that I love to OWN books (and they really have to be new as well - pity there isnt a smiley for hanging head in shame I can use here - but ho hum - never said i was a PERFECT moneysaver :D ).

Something we have managed though - we use our ASB credit card for almost all spending - and you can trade points for Whitcoulls vouchers! Managed $200 to spend on books before I decided to be all serious about it and spent the next lot on insurance rebates :o It was fun while it lasted though!

[jubjub]

Something we have managed though - we use our ASB credit card for almost all spending - and you can trade points for Whitcoulls vouchers!

We are trading ours in for Farmers vouchers for xmas, nice tree, & all bubs pressies! We have got nearly 18 months worth of points, and I reckon about $500 value wise! Maybe need to set a whitcoulls one to the side for hubby...

[Smiler]

Uh oh Debs - does that mean I'll end up buying them back off you

For me it's books and SHOES!! I can't remember exactly how many anymore but I THREW OUT over 50 pairs before we emigrated if only I'd known about Trademe back then....


:laugh

Whoah!! 50 pairs of shoes. I kneel at the feet of Moorf Marcos.

Av, thats my prob too but I've had to compromise as they are so expensive here, plus it's no fun carting them round when you keep moving. :wah WHEN I have my own house and a static bookshelf or 5, I plan on being able to afford to keep a few more.

Don't you have to pay to join the True rewards scheme? I haven't even got enough Flybuys for a rice cooker and I get double because it's linked to my other bank credit card? :confused:

[jubjub]

True rewards does cost, but we worked out that the value of the rewards was worth it, flybuys are pretty dire in comparison...

[Avalon]

Just had another thought about this. I got my Moneysavingexpert email today - and its talking about debt. I know ive just mentioned credit cards on here BUT I just need to say that if you are struggling to cope with money - DONT get a credit card. I use one ONLY because it saves me money to do so, I get rewards and it cost me nothing to do so. I ALWAYS pay off the full balance every month, so I pay NO INTEREST.(this makes my Mortgage cheaper because I have a revolving credit mortgage)

If you cannot do that - using a credit card can be VERY bad for your finances. Interest charges are too high and if you cant pay the full balance, your debt spirals out of control way too easily.

HTH

[sidabrine]

Ok, found the solution for our financial dire straits. Just double the income!!!

Yes, yes, we're DINKs again!!! Hubby got a job! :clap

So we're about to throw our budgeting out of the window...

Or... :no We could continue living moderately stringently and stash up for a rainy day (hopefully it won't come soon)...

Definitely bubbly tonight!!!! :D

Thanks for all your advice and support!!! :yes

[Avalon]

So we're about to throw our budgeting out of the window...

Oh well, I hope you get SOME use out of all that typing I put in :D

[sidabrine]

Thanks Avalon, you're a gem! Don't feel bad, your advice is priceless to us anyway! A lot of points abt bank fees and credit cards and looking for hidden costs that you dug out (in this and other threads) really make sense, even if you're not on skinny budget - why pay more for all this stuff?!?!

The link to the "Consumer's revenge" website that you gave in some other post saved us quite a bit of money. We were getting car insurance and the insurance company conveniently suggested that we pay in monthly installments, or we could pay the whole annual premium in full... Obviously we went for the monthly payments. Only after checking the articles on that website I realized that they'd be charging us 12% interest on car insurance if we pay monthly!!!

Once again, nobody mentioned this when they were selling the insurance to us. They gave us the figures, yes, but we didn't bother adding them up!!! So we had to call the insurer, tell them off and pay annual insurance up front. In some countries it would be illegal to keep mum about this kind of interest!!!!

[Smiler]

Thanks Avalon, you're a gem! Don't feel bad, your advice is priceless to us anyway! A lot of points abt bank fees and credit cards and looking for hidden costs that you dug out (in this and other threads) really make sense, even if you're not on skinny budget - why pay more for all this stuff?!?!

The link to the "Consumer's revenge" website that you gave in some other post saved us quite a bit of money. We were getting car insurance and the insurance company conveniently suggested that we pay in monthly installments, or we could pay the whole annual premium in full... Obviously we went for the monthly payments. Only after checking the articles on that website I realized that they'd be charging us 12% interest on car insurance if we pay monthly!!!

Once again, nobody mentioned this when they were selling the insurance to us. They gave us the figures, yes, but we didn't bother adding them up!!! So we had to call the insurer, tell them off and pay annual insurance up front. In some countries it would be illegal to keep mum about this kind of interest!!!!

I thought they had to tell you this by law :confused:

We were given this option when getting the car insured but also the interest rate and payments rate too, on the phone when we got the quote and in writing when the quote came through. The same as in the UK too, assuming that's where you are from.

Which company did you use, report them to the insurance ombudsman http://www.howtolaw.co.nz/html/ml188.asp

[Avalon]

Thanks Avalon, you're a gem! Don't feel bad, your advice is priceless to us anyway!

No problem! I dont really feel bad - because of our budgeting - I dont have to work at all (well accept on the budgeting itself of course) , so theres really not much for me to feel bad about :)


Dont go mad with the extra income - because you are quite right - if you do use these tips, you should always stay financially healthy. If you dont - it really doesnt matter HOW much you earn - you can still struggle. And many people do - we are far better off than many people we know earning way more than us. If you always keep in mind that its not what you earn that matters - its what you keep - then you will be ok.

Hxxx

[willsken]

Avalon

It is my intention to be very strict when we move. I'm not saying I will go without things, just that I want to stop the waste. You give very good tips. :)

[Trigirl]

agreed completely

we'll have two salaries coming in but will be trying to live off one for everything except trips back to the uk. so i'll be flexing my budgeting muscles and definitely using many of those tips.

[Avalon]

Thank you! Do let me know if you have any specific questions.

Also, funnily enough, its not just me who finds waffling on about this fun :laugh Ive been to a property investing event this weekend, and ive never met so many people just bubbling over with enthusiam to tell you how to improve your finances. Total strangers just come up to you and start conversations with you! Ive decided its just soooo addictive that if you do it - you cant help but try and help others get the same improvements!

The only other thing i thought of today was that if any of you do take these things on board, but find that my way just doesnt suit - then do try another way. A friend of mine found that the way ive set up my accounts - which works perfectly for me, made no sence to her at all and she couldnt keep track. So she has done it her own way and its working fine. The principles are always the same, but its a bit like dieting - one size does not fit all :laugh