How should NZ treat young families?

06 Aug 2011 01:29a.m.

Anne wrote:

They appear to have a balanced diet with the garden and what they buy and yet they are way overweight which suggests that they are eating far too much. The baking is not needed when they are that big. Also, I noticed petrol included in their budget. Running a car is too much of an expense if you're struggling financially. The father should get a bike and cycle to his sedentary job; the mother could walk or bus to the supermarket a few times per week. Gee, if I had their lifestyle I would not have the nerve to complain that I'm struggling.

05 Aug 2011 07:32p.m.

James wrote:

Their budget lists both rent AND mortgage payments...Why are they paying for both rent and a mortgage? If they own a tenanted rental property then their real income is above $600/wk. If they solely rent, why the mortgage?

05 Aug 2011 01:15p.m.

budgeting mum wrote:

if they were really poor, then they would be skinny, they seem overweight,,,,they have no reason to complain, because they have ,,,,,when many do not i think this is the kinda people that John Key refers to when he says they should learn to budget

05 Aug 2011 10:26a.m.

Ricardo wrote:

If you are responsible you take on what you can afford. Breeding is not a right, it's a lifestyle choice.

05 Aug 2011 10:03a.m.

Stephanie wrote:

After watching this story last night on Campbell Live and the comments from the couple that they dont have much left in their budget for food...then I wonder how they can afford a Kitchen Aid for their baking and also Sky TV in their budget every week! They need to look at their priorities and most people need to make sacrifices when they have children.

04 Aug 2011 09:12p.m.

Rajat Sharma wrote:

i have been in New Zealand for past 5 years i came as a post grad student and now i am a resident, during that time only in past 6 months i have seen 15 of my friends and my girlfriend go to auss, aged from 20-27 yrs, and these 15 are doing the same jobs as they used to do here like being a chef or a diesel mechanic or a machine operator but for that same job they get more then the double money and apparently the lifestyle is better too, they have money in their bank account, they don't think twice before spending for a lunch or going out but in saying that some of them have also gone horribly wrong and made a mess out of their life too but that is because they never knew what to do with their money. When ever i talk to them they only tell me how good the things are there and how happy they are to be there, they now can do what they always wanted to do in their life, they would have never done this being in new zealand, when they tell such a story to their friends which had made another 15 of their friends to go over to auss, so it is a wave after wave of young kiwi generations going over there, i am talking of going to work in the mines in Perth or working in hospitality in Gold Coast. i haven't left because of my visa complications but it is totally depressing the way things are happening around us these days.If you go to Perth specially to the north of the lake you feel it is a big kiwi community living over there, if nothing is done by the New Zeal and govt. time will come all the younger generation will be gone towards the "ditch" and the only people to be blamed will be New Zealand Govt.