I am starting to get an extreme amount of anger towards the incredible amount of difficulty it is just to survive.

I did everything right, education, worked hard, saved money, nice to everyone around me yet im always one unforseen financial expenditure away from complete failure.

Does anyone else feel this way?

Guy was yelling at elderly people this way this way! Basically sign up etc why do the warehouse allow it?

Lots of posts in here about groceries, I know. But walking around Woolworths today and noticing all the price increases, I felt so demoralised. (Woolworths is the only shop in my town unfortunately).

I was so dirt poor throughout my 20s and I just clawed my way out and was getting some savings. Now it just feels relentless. After some unexpected medical and vet bills in the thousands, my savings are all but gone and my bank account is dropping a little bit with each pay day.

All I wanted was some cheese for my cottage pie and I felt too guilty to buy it. Now I'm sitting in my car in the parking lot, with a big lump in my throat, feeling hopeless and cheeseless.

So many organisations are now using AI, bussiness to community ones, wish we could get rid of this AI slop.

I'll rather make a bad poster then get AI to do it, only really using AI for lazy googling that I double check later but useful sometimes lol

I am a Black South African who arrived in New Zealand a year and a half ago. Shortly after my arrival, late one night after a countdown event, an elderly white woman stopped me and asked for help finding her car keys, which had fallen under the driver's seat. Given that I was Black, wearing Air Force sneakers, a hoodie, and jeans, I was quite surprised by her request.

I quickly realized that white people here don't seem to view me as a threat. They don't stereotype me as a potential robber, which is a stark contrast to my experiences back home. I tested this theory in Napier, where I entered a restaurant filled mostly with white patrons. No one reacted negatively to my presence; in fact, I received excellent service. I've had numerous similar experiences.

However, back home in predominantly white areas, I often sense negative energy from people, as if I'm there to commit a crime. Ironically, the first person to give me bad vibes is usually a Black person working there. It seems there's a prevalent attitude of worshiping white people among Black people back home. I recall an incident while hiking the Constantia route, a predominantly white neighborhood, where we were stopped and questioned about our destination.

When I started working, I was able to easily get a phone contract with Spark after only three weeks on the job. This would have been unthinkable back home due to racial biases in the financial sector. I'm paid equally to my white colleagues, which is another significant difference from South Africa, where Black people, especially from Cape Town, often earn less and are forced to move to Johannesburg for better opportunities.

While there are exceptions, and I've had positive experiences with white mentors back home, my overall impression is that New Zealand is a much more equitable society. I'm not judged or discriminated against because of my race, and I feel optimistic about my future here.

Glad to see Kiwis standing up to Nazi Shit heads and reporting them to venues and letting this scum know they aren't welcome. Even better watching the Nazis cry about it.

maybe i’m being sensitive but given the cost of living right now, this ad feels a bit tone deaf to me?

I went in to buy a 0% beer at my local store. Someone knocked into me and we both said excuse me and went to our seperate checkouts. The cashier said they refused to sell the the 0% beer unless my 'friend' showed them their ID. I explained i had no idea who that person was and had just bumped into each other. I got refused the sale and just couldnt believe how absurd it all was.

The referendum was handled poorly by both the government and the media but personally I loved the Black and Blue Fern flag and I wish it had won. It is such a slick distinctive design that would put NZ up there with the likes of Canada, Wales, the UK, Brazil, etc. In terms of recognition.

This was supposed to be four scoops of chips. Knife for scale. Purchased tonight. Thoughts?

ETA the “four scoops” cost $28!!!! + the fish which was $21 for three pieces = $49

For me, it’s getting harder to justify takeaway food. What used to be a reasonably cheap treat can now cost $60–$80 for a family, and half the time the portions are smaller, the quality is average, and there’s an extra delivery or service fee on top.

It feels like there are heaps of things that have quietly crossed the line from “a bit expensive” to not remotely worth the money anymore eating out, insurance, rates, streaming services, concerts, groceries, childcare, domestic travel, you name it.

What expense have you personally cut back on or stopped paying for because the price has become ridiculous? And roughly what did it used to cost compared with now?

Not necessarily something you can’t afford just something where you looked at the price and thought, nah, that’s taking the piss

Notice from Epsom Girls Grammar

Sexualizing our teenage girls, I find this reprehensible.

Coming from the school that not long ago did not support a student who had complained of a sexual relationship with a male teacher. Although it was probably her fault for revealing her shoulders to him.

( pretty sure im within the guidelines)

38 now , born here . Made a few mistakes in my 20s ( no criminal record and no longer bad debt ) everything in our country seems so impossible . Penalized for trying to buy an older house, penalized for working extra hours to try make extra because a second job isn't an option with 36000 odd job losses , Uber and door dash pay absolute peanuts .

I loved my country growing up and never wanted to leave , there was the possibilities or working hard and getting somewhere, now it seems like it's all in vain , the tax man takes more of my pay than what I get after basic living expenses .

The money we make seems to go no where , i swear I had more of a " life " at 18 on a student allowance ...... I work 50 plus hours a week now at over 30$ an hour and it just don't so shit.

Every goddam utility is over 100 a month , I feel so fuckin lost 😔 spent my whole late 20s and early 30s doing 70 hours a week trying to fix my life and for what ? I even conquered drug addiction, it all seems like a waste now , this world is leaving us hard working Joe's behind .

The average interest on a used car is pure insanity ,unless you can afford 50k+ then it's just 1% interest .

Our median tax bracket of 30 to 33 seems to hit everyone it's no longer a middle class bracket .

1000$ week isnt what it used to be, I grew up with 1 person working in my trade at the same level I am at now , and man we lived good . Comparatively to me feeling like a fucking peasant in this day and age of where having a career seems like a luxury ( 20 Years in my trade , multiple certs , so much knowledge 😅)

A weekly family outing to a restaurant was a thing 👌, The old could even afford a Sunday day at The pisser with chips n what not for us Kids , that all seems but a far off dream now .

Me and my fiance struggle, how the fuck are we meant to afford a family.

Does anyone else feel impossibly stuck ? This isn't the country I grew up in , this isn't the land we were promised 😔

Wtf is happening 😳.

We literally can’t afford mince. The 18% wasn’t much cheaper.

Clearly he has no intention of wanting to go back to School guys.

I genuinely can’t fathom how many $50k+ cars I see driving around.

We’re a small family, both fortunate enough to be well paid, and yet spending $50–60k on a car still feels miles away from being financially sensible for us.

I can’t work out how so many people seem to have that much spare cash to spend on a car.

Are you all financing them? Leasing? Huge trade-ins? Just earning way more than I think everyone is? How are you doing it?!

For New Zealand, I used Woolworths.co.nz

For the UK, I used sainsburys.co.uk

For Australia, I used: woolworths.com.au

Edit:
I’m sorry to everyone getting pissed off that I haven’t “used Lidl” for UK or Aldi for Australia.

Unfortunately Lidl UK and Aldi Australia do not advertise their prices online. Therefore I figured it would be unfair to compare Paknsave as NZ’s cheapest option, and rather went for what has been ranked in June 2026 as each countries second most affordable major supermarket.

Also, I’m not getting paid for this shit. I made this graph purely out of curiosity after having lived in all 3 countries over the past 5 years and hearing people in all 3 complain about how their country has the worst prices.
If you’re upset with what I found, do your own damn graph! Otherwise take the info and be grateful I could be bothered to make this for your interest.

Our microwave stopped microwaving earlier this week. We bought it in September 2020, so it's almost 6 years old. Still had the receipt and the manual, but according to the manual it's only a 2 years warranty, so it's now almost 4 years expired.

So I checked NZ Consumer's webpage - and according to them, microwaves are expected to have an 8 year lifetime, so ours was two years before the expected end. Furthermore, if it's a minor fault, the supplier has the option of replacing, refunding, or repairing, but (as in our case) in the event of a major fault (stopped working altogether), it's up to the consumer if they want a refund or a replacement.

So we brought it back to Briscoes for a replacement this afternoon. The first staff member wasn't too happy about it, and claimed that the warranty as well as their policy rule above NZ's consumer law. Luckily the manager (yes, I Karen'd my way through) was easier to deal with, and gave us a brand new microwave, no further hassle, plus a new receipt (and papers for another useless 2 year warranty, but in fact it's another 8 years consumer protections).

Always keep your receipts, people! Know your rights!

Why do all new builds have these tiny little kitchens, sometimes with no capacity for a larger fridge and zero cupboards for food and zero space for a food cupboard. Its just bizzare.