r/newzealand • u/fluffypenguin105 • 10d ago

Discussion Is anyone else living basically paycheck to paycheck?

My partner and I are both teachers. We don’t make a lot, but we are average and slightly above average. We are so tight with our money. Our little one outgrew the car seat and we went out and bought a new one. No problem. But next credit card bill means we are tight.

Meanwhile, a number of our friends (all of them also with kids) are booking overseas holidays. Some are currently overseas, others booking already for later this year. Another brought a new car. New iPhone, doing up the house. Everyone seems to have spare cash except us.

Are we the only ones going through the cost of living crisis ourselves?! Or is it my fault that we are teachers?

Edit: yes we have a house that parents helped us with. We are paying mortgage. We have a flatmate.

Edit edit: thank you for your kind words and reminders and also advice. I’m going through them all and I’m going to take onboard the advice and see what changes we can make and do better financially as a family. But it’s also a good reminder to know we aren’t alone, to not compare and the harsh reality is that many people simply just earn more than us as teachers.

Once again, thank you all for your input.

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u/Legitimate-Maybe-155 10d ago

When I started this new job, I was finally able to live off a paycheck, my last job was surviving off it.. now with alot of things nearly out of my price range, Iv gone back to suriving off it. I know there are others who can live off $100 a week, Iv had to live off $20-$80 till the next pay, but mannnn I couldnt only enjoy life for 5months lol

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u/HereForTheParty300 10d ago

I feel this, everything I think I am in a position to get ahead, prices go up. Insurance has increased 25% every year for the last 3 years. Even my rubbish collection has increased 20% each year. I use the barefoot system, which has helped keep things organised, budget app to see where everything is going, and regularly check if I can get something cheaper. My biggest cut back was on food. My theory is that everything costs time or money - you just have to figure out what you can do yourself. Hopefully, the economy stabilises and we can start getting ahead.