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Old 26-03-2007, 02:38 PM
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Glenda Glenda is offline
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Default Re: Simply can't afford to live in NZ

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I have seen a job that will give me $777/wk income but after rent of $400/wk I just dont see how I can make $377 feed, cloth and insure me and two kids. ? The maths simply dont add up or am I missing something?
I think soooo much has been said on this thread that my tuppence-worth will only be repeating itself. ::) However the answer really has to be to adjust to living within your means.

I have at present a similar income and a rent at $400/wk also.

My utilities and insurances (car and house contents) add up to $89 per week. The food bill for me and the four kids and is around $250 per wk. A little math shows that there is less than a hundred dollars left per week for school lunches, clothes, gifts, petrol and car tax, dentists, doctors, furniture, and trips out.

What has become obvious is that the rent is too high for income and, since I now do not have a partner who can contribute to the cost, I was looking for a more modest property around $300/wk. (Since then it was decided to have a house built as part of the divorce settlement, so I stay here at the rental paying too much rather than have the bother and cost of removals).

We have been so poor in the UK before that we could not afford to tax and insure the car, cut down trees for firewood, and won our luxuries with a good hand at village whist drives (!). We've been rich enough to buy our clothes in London's finest and have an eight-bedroomed house.

One thing I have noticed over the years is that the more money one makes, the more one wants to spend.

Obviously, NZ has not wholly impressed gossage otherwise she would be more eager to alter her lifestyle to suit. Indeed, she admitted she was more interested in Australia. The wages are lower here - those who have done their homework know that - but they also spend less money here. It really seems to be up to the individual as to what is important to them.

:)
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Glenda
In NZ since June 2005
Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness - Chinese proverb
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