Claire, with partner and 3 tweens in the Waikato

Published on 13 September 2022
Claire, with partner and 3 tweens in the Waikato hero image

About MoneySecrets: MoneySecrets offers a peek into the financial lives of our fellow Kiwis. The story below was written using pseudonyms to remain anonymous. When commenting, please remember that the writer has laid bare their financial life, which can be a scary thing to do. Please be kind, and enjoy!

INTRODUCTION

I’m Claire (49), and live with my husband Andrew (54) and our 3 tween/early teen kids in Waikato. Our family finances are 100% combined, so this will be written from a household perspective.

Andrew works full-time for a local consultancy firm. I gave up my well-paying professional job to stay home with the kids 14 years ago. I now work part-time (15 hours per week) earning not much more than minimum wage, but I enjoy the flexibility and hours.

Andrew and I both came into our relationship 15 years ago already having owned property individually. We purchased our first home together just before we got married, and retained one of our personal homes as a rental - allowing us to be mortgage free on our family home, and the rental being cost-neutral. Being mortgage-free allowed us the freedom for me to leave the paid workforce to bring up our 3 under 3! Although this cut our income by more than half, we made it work, and looking back I wouldn’t change our decision.

Andrew and I are both reasonably risk-tolerant, and this has impacted on our financial decisions over the years.

We are also both naturally frugal. We both grew up in families that were comfortable but modest, with a ‘look after the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves’ approach. As a result, we’re generally on the same page when it comes to money and spending.

Earning and spending summary
Annual income $117,147
Less tax and payroll deductions -$26,086
Less annual spending -$76,821
Equals remaining income $14,240
Net worth summary
Total assets $2,963,090
Less total debt -$14,748
Equals net worth $2,948,342

FINANCIAL GOALS

Currently, all of our needs are met, and to be honest, most of our wants as well, due to the fact we don’t actually ‘want’ much more than we have. I try hard to focus on time and experiences rather than keeping up with the latest fashions, trends, and gadgets. I see this coming through in our kids too - birthdays come around, and they can’t think of anything they want - my eldest now just wants money to invest through his Hatch account!

I would like to travel more, but I’m not so sure that purely comes down to finances. With the kids the age they are now it’s hard to find a location/activity that suits everyone, and they’re reluctant to take too much time away from sport and school. We did have dreams of doing a big European trip (3-6 months) in 2020, but we all know what happened with that! We’re currently enjoying travel around NZ in short spurts, restricted to the school holidays - sigh.

Andrew would like to retire well before he’s 65 - he would leave work tomorrow if he could! I, on the other hand, wouldn’t mind increasing my hours a bit, and possibly finding a higher paying job - the ship has sailed on my previous profession, but I’ve got at least another good 10 years left in me! So hopefully we’ll organise it where Andrew can drop his hours, and I can take on more of the earning responsibility to keep us financially stable for the next few years.

Our retirement dream is to move to the beach, and I’d love to do more travelling (just us) while we’re both still young enough to really enjoy it. We’re both keen for our kids to be financially independent - we’ll support them by way of a good education, and an expectation of them succeeding in whatever they choose to do, but there won't be long periods of adult children living at home rent-free, or gifts of house deposits - but no one can predict the future, so we’ll see.

We’re basically happy to spend all our retirement savings living our best life early on until it runs out, then revert to misers in our older age, assuming the universal government pension still exists. I don’t feel a huge desire or need to leave the kids any money, other than a share of any remaining property. I would hope they will be financially secure in their own right by that time, and any inheritance will be a bonus for them, rather than figuring as a major part in their financial planning.

Assets

Assets
Cash $390,958
Kiwisaver $44,478
Real estate $1,263,000
Managed funds $805,056
Shares $131,444
Bonds $10,665
Vehicles $36,000
Other $281,489
Total assets $2,963,090

We have changed up our asset class a bit over the past 3 years. Prior to that, most of our money was tied up in property. We’re now closer to a 50:50 split, which feels balanced at the moment.

That said, I’m always on the look-out for a new investment property. Although I am loving not having tenants currently - we’ve had our share of good and bad over the years!

Having a chunk of cash in savings ready for our renovation has protected us from the recent share market and property correction, and will allow us to go ahead as planned. I thought we would be doing the renovations sooner - the architect obviously had other ideas!

Included in our savings is an emergency fund. I allow a nominal $30,000 for this, and always try to keep that sort of amount available in case our salaried income suddenly stopped.

I’m uncertain what we’ll do with Andrew’s UK pension once we can access it next year, all I know is it won't be staying where it is!

Here is some more information about each item in the table above:

  • Cash: This includes some money inherited earlier in 2022 which is set aside for home renovations we're hoping to complete in the next 6-12 months, along with our emergency fund.

  • KiwiSaver: My balance is $41,151 and do a voluntary payment of $20 per week plus 3% of salary. Andrew's balance is $3,327. He joined up 2 years ago and does voluntary payments of $20 per week. He doesn't invest a percentage of salary - that would reduce his take home pay too much (his work already considers the KiwiSaver contribution included in his salary). Our children have also got KiwiSavers - the balance is approximately $3,500 each which is not included in the table above. All are with ASB's growth fund.

  • Real estate: Our family home was purchased in 2019. We had a couple of rentals that we sold in mid-late 2020 - obviously in hindsight we would have been better to hold on to them for another year, but at the time it seemed the best decision, and we can't complain. LOVE not having tenants.

  • Managed funds: We started an 'education fund' when our eldest was 6 weeks old, contributing $100 per fortnight which increased as we had more children. Once we were at 3 kids, our medical insurance costs became unsustainable, so we added our medical insurance premiums to this as well, so it turned into our 'education and healthcare fund'. The balance has gone up and down over the years as we have moved money in and out for property purchases, and some inheritance money. We continue to contribute each fortnight, and I also chuck in an extra 1-2k every time the market takes a dive - so have added an extra $12k this year! All in a growth fund.

  • Shares: Combination of Hatch, Sharesies, and other investments collected along the way.

  • Bonds: Infratil bonds, and UK premium bonds - completely different I know, but they both are called bonds!

  • Vehicles: 2 cars. We got by on one for many years, but with 3 kids to shuttle from one sport to another, it got too hard. Both are 6 years old, and are in good repair. We purchased 2nd hand, and will keep them until they start costing too much in repairs - hopefully many years to come!

  • Other: UK pension brought over, Andrew can access at 55y. In a growth fund, but fees are horrendous - will take out as soon as able and reinvest somewhere else.

Debt

Debt
Credit card balance $10,617
Student loan $4,131
Total debt -$14,748

Being debt free allows choice and freedom.

We pay off our credit card every month without fail. We use the points earned for essentials, plus take advantage of free travel insurance (hopefully again one day)!

My student loan is currently interest-free, so I feel no need/desire to pay this off. It's reducing at the rate of inflation each year, so I'm winning!

Income

Income
Salary or wages $108,947
Interest income $1,000
Other income $7,200
Total annual income $117,147
Annual after-tax income $91,061
Total weekly income $2,253
Weekly after-tax income $1,751

Andrew earns $89,447 working full-time. Claire earns $19,500 working 15 hours per week. Any gains on investments are not considered income, and are reinvested.

As a family, I think we have a very modest income considering our age and stage. That said, it has gone up a bit in the past 3 years - pay rise for Andrew, and going back to part-time work for me. This has allowed us to loosen the reins a little in terms of our budget.

We’re right on the cusp of receiving assistance from the Government in terms of Working for Families, and in the past they have also sent us a Community Services Card! We used this at the time for free glasses for the kids, insulating our home, etc etc. We don’t budget on receiving anything other than our salaries, so if we receive some money and have to pay some back at the end of the year, it’s no drama.

The other income also includes mileage for using my personal car for work, credit card reward points, and selling stuff on Trade Me (we're constantly trying to rid the house of unwanted/unneeded items).

Expenses

Expenses
Housing $7,964
Groceries & supplies $20,000
Eating & drinking out $4,000
Entertainment $2,300
Transport $5,925
Utilities $4,740
Sports & hobbies $2,500
Health $2,300
Shopping $5,500
Kids $8,500
Personal care $230
Travel $4,500
Pets $500
Fees & charges $182
Gifts & donations $3,000
Other expenses $4,680
Total annual expenses -$76,821
Total weekly expenses -$1,477

Our expense figures for fixed expenses are accurate to the cent.

When I left work, we started a strict budget, and recorded every cent that came in and out of the house. 14 years later, it’s a habit - everything gets recorded, from $1 for Daffodil Day at school, to bank fees, to big one-off purchases. We know from past data what is coming up, and make allowances each year for cost of living rises, increases in rates/insurance, etc.

We moved into a bigger house 2 years ago, and with it came bigger costs - heating, rates, insurance, maintenance - there’s something to be said for the tiny home life!

As our income has grown over the past few years, we’ve increased our budgets for the ‘fun stuff’, but still try to focus on time together and experiences. We enjoy food, and like eating out, but rarely would we spend money on coffee, unless it was as part of a family outing. We drink alcohol during summer, and always at home, unless it’s part of a meal out.

Our detailed budget has allowed us great peace of mind when on one income - knowing everything is planned for, and enough in reserve for unexpected bills.

That said, we’re not slaves to our budget - and if we over spend in one category, we’ll either make it up somewhere else (there’s a lot of fat in the figures) or accept that it’s coming out of ‘savings’.

We also budget for investment contributions, and this comes out as an automatic payment - non-negotiable. We’ve reduced the amount we contribute regularly over the past year or 2 - trying to find the right balance between saving for the future, and living a good life now.

Here is some more information about each item in the table above:

  • Housing: Includes rates $4,541, insurance (house and contents) $1,650, garden $800 (including fortnightly green waste collection - some years we have to allow money for an arborist to do some tree trimming as well), house maintenance $1,000 - Andrew is very handy (handy Andy!) so we don't often need tradesmen - and a lot of maintenance is being deferred at the moment in preparation for our renovations.

  • Groceries and supplies: Our biggest single expense. 3 hungry teens/tweens will do that! Despite constant efforts to reduce, they just seem to eat more. We do eat at home most of the time - kids take packed lunches to school, and Andrew and I have lunch at home.

  • Eating & drinking out: This figure has gone up a lot in the past year - kids are now no longer able to be placated with a kid's meal! We don't eat out a huge amount, but have takeaways as a family probably once per fortnight, plus the odd meal for one of the kids if they are busy in the evening. Also includes meals out when we are away on holiday, so depending on what those plans are, it can change this figure a lot.

  • Entertainment: This includes activities we take part in as a family - movies, 10 pin bowling, swim passes, ski passes/rental gear, etc. We enjoy going to the cricket, and Andrew and I attend an infrequent comedy act (less than annually). Also included in here are some item purchases, e.g. this year we bought a family set of life jackets - lots of crossover here between sports/hobbies. We don't have any regular paid streaming services, but purchase the odd sky sport pass for a particular event - e.g. the recent Commonwealth games that we enjoyed watching as a family. Books for the kids are included under 'kids', and I probably spend $100 for myself a year on books.

  • Transport: Includes fuel for 2 cars - $2,600. We would only fill up each car about once per month - as we both work from home, and the kids are in local schools, the only use they get are ferrying the kids to after school activities, weekend family trips, and the odd shopping excursion. This annual amount also allows for holiday driving and RUCs. Comprehensive insurance on both cars - $1,550. WOFs $150, LTNZ $290, AA membership $85. Maintenance - this year I've budgeted $1,250 as one car is due a service, and will likely need some new tyres.

  • Utilities: Internet (no home line) - $80 per month. Mobile - I've got a personal one on a prepay plan $20 per month, Andrew's phone is through work. Power/gas varies obviously, but averages at $280 per month. House alarm $15 per month.

  • Health: Includes any special items bought at pharmacy, dental check ups, GP visits, glasses for Claire, etc. Any large one off payments (e.g. dental work) comes out of savings - this budgeted figure just covers a normal uneventful year.

  • Shopping: I avoid shopping at all costs! If it's a need, then fine - otherwise, forget it. Up until the last year, all my kids have had hand-me-downs, but have now caught up in size to the cousins, so that has stopped. School uniforms are a blessing. We tend to wear things until they are completely worn out, then replace in a big shopping spree. I budgeted $2,500 for clothes for the whole family this year, but will be closer to $3,500 from the look of things - kids are growing very fast - this doesn't include clothes/shoes as part of school uniform. Household items are replaced as needed - budgeted $1,000 for this. This year I also allowed $1,000 for technology - 2 chrome books for school. Technology replacement/upgrades are a planned expense, so are usually a budgeted item. That said, if something suddenly died and it needed replacing, there's enough wiggle room in the budget to replace it without too much drama.

  • Kids: Includes anything school-related, or just for the kids. Activities (team sports, swimming, music lessons, etc), hair cuts, school uniforms, camps, school donations, stationery, birthday parties (hosting, not gifts), books/toys (only $200 budgeted for this - most are given at birthdays/Christmas), class photos, sausage sizzle money - everything goes in here.

  • Personal care: I get my hair cut twice a year. Andrew's gets done at home. We're pretty low maintenance!

  • Travel: Pretty much anything left in the budget ends up here. This covers local holidays - beach, snow, weekends away - accommodation and special transport (e.g. ferry crossings). Most other costs associated with holidays would be in other budgets - fuel, eating out, family activities, etc. We haven't had a trip overseas since 2019 - when we do, it usually comes out of savings, rather than trying to squeeze it into our working annual budget.

  • Insurance: We don't have insurance. This is a conscious decision on our part. We've looked at all the scenarios and deep down, we're risk tolerant. We can cover medical specialist appointments ourselves, and if we need anything more, we'll switch to the public system, which we're comfortable navigating. I think if we had a large mortgage, we might think differently regarding life/income protection.

  • Pets: 2 small furry creatures.

  • Gifts & donations: Birthdays, Christmas for immediate family, plus some birthday gifts for the kid's friends.

  • Other expenses: Fortnightly managed fund contribution $100, voluntary kiwisaver $80 per fortnight.

Remaining income

Earning and spending summary
Annual income $117,147
Less tax and payroll deductions -$26,086
Less annual spending -$76,821
Equals remaining income $14,240

We pretty much plan to spend (including investment contributions) all the income we earn, but there is usually some underspend somewhere, or extra income we didn’t budget on. This just gathers in a savings account, and gets spent on extra one-off purchases (new car, TV, home improvements, etc), travel, or I add it to our managed fund in a lump sum if the time seems right. If I’m feeling generous, I might put some money in the kid’s KiwiSavers (always hoping the Government doesn’t change the rules about withdrawal for first home purchase).


Inviting feedback from readers

Probably the 3 areas I’m currently pondering are:

  1. What could we do with Andrew’s UK pension once it is available? Shares, managed fund, or rental property? Spend it down the pub?

  2. At what point could we retire? Andrew liked the FIRE idea, but we’re too old to be considered part of that movement now!

  3. How are we best to balance saving for the future, versus having enough to enjoy now - a constant discussion!

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Just wanted to say thanks for your write-up, and awesome job with the way of life you've created.

On your feedback section: 1) I have a pretty strong bias towards low cost, highly diversified share funds (the classic FIRE approach). Especially since you already have large exposure to NZ real estate, which is not very diversified if you look at the universe of assets that you could own. But spend a bit at the pub too! 2) This is such a personal decision. You seem smart and happy to back yourself on these types of decisions, so go for what feels right. 3) It sounds like you've thought through the key things (like how much you both want to work, intentions regarding inheritance for your kids, etc). Again I think this is such a personal decision and you seem to be navigating it well!

Andrew (but not the Andrew from the story) · 2 years ago

Hi Claire and Andy, Enjoy the journey, I'm a 60 something empty nester. What could we do with Andrew’s UK pension once it is available? Shares, managed fund, or rental property? Spend it down the pub? You'll probably have to tie it up in some sort of fund, (I'm out of the loop about what sort and for how long) but it may not be available to spend down the pub for a while. You've already said it's a relief not to deal with tenants, so if property is your thing why not consider any of the listed property companies or even some of the property syndicate schemes (but do your homework on them, they're not all created equally).

At what point could we retire? Andrew liked the FIRE idea, but we’re too old to be considered part of that movement now! I reckon you can retire and be emotionally comfortable when you're ok with your expenses coming to 3-4% of your investment assets (not including the mortgage free property you live in). With your assets (cars aren't assets they're a liability!) your total is around $1.2m. Looking at your spending and with the three dependents it will be a while before that level of spending is a comfortable living allowance. On a side note even if you can 'retire' and live off your investment income it doesn't mean you have too. Since becoming an empty nester I've taken to taking up short term work in different places (something different, somewhere different).

How are we best to balance saving for the future, versus having enough to enjoy now - a constant discussion! It sounds to me like most of your enjoyment expenses are family related - once your kids are grown, they'll probably reduce. By the looks of things it looks like you continue to enjoy relatively low cost experiences.

One last point on insurance. I make the point of having key insurance in place with a high excess, keeping it for a disaster not a crisis and the premiums low. A few years ago I added a medical insurance policy which comes with a $10k excess. The policy cost is modest.

Best wishes and above all enjoy the family time.

KeninNZ · 2 years ago

Thank you for sharing your financial story. I was interested to read your philosophy on how long you remain responsible for your kids. It's very much family culture and I appreciate hearing your thoughts. By setting up kiwisaver for your kids you've given them some great future benefits and by giving them expectations abut support you help them prepare for leaving the nest. When you say you don't pay for insurance, do you also also mean house insurance?

Anonymous · 2 years ago

Anonymous - we have comprehensive car, house and contents insurance - just not any medical, income protection, mortgage repayment or life insurance.

Claire · 2 years ago

Привет! Приобретение диплома ПТУ с сокращенной программой обучения в Москве online-language.ru/index

Mazrmqf · 5 months ago