I’ve blogged a couple of times about the love lives of some of my flatmates (all guys, slightly younger than me and T). No kidding, their dramas make me feel like a total grandma. And of course, grateful to be well past all that BS.

The youngest – let’s call him X – is a total pretty boy, and he’s had a tempestuous on/off relationship with GF1 for over a year. During one of their recent off periods, he got with GF2, and when he and GF1 reconciled, he kept seeing GF2 in secret. I’m talking coming around to the house, hanging out in the lounge, putting her hands all over him, but NEVER being allowed in his room because that’s where he kept photos of him and GF1.(And for some incomprehensible reason, she likes to bring over one of her equally skanky friends as well – is this a new thing, tagging along to your friend’s boyfriend’s house to watch them get it on? Where you don’t even know anyone else who lives there?)

At first we stood back and looked on, shaking our heads at his nerve and wondering when the house of cards was gonna come tumbling down.I mean, surely one day he was bound to have one of the girls turn up and catch him in the act. Especially when he went to a party where BOTH of them were in attendance and both knew the host.

And then I found out that BOTH girls knew about each other. And neither had pounded the other to death. In fact, they were both fine with it – they seemed happy to share.

I have nothing more to say. Just had to share. You’re welcome.
Photo / Katie Tegtmeyer

I know a girl from the States, an international student over here, with a bunch of different student loans (most of them private). She was featured in an article in our student mag saying that her repayments on all of them, once she graduates, could be around $500 PER WEEK! That’s a full-time wage right there!

Stories like that make me so grateful to have been given a scholarship. My school was one of many with links to AUT, with two specific scholarships designated just for us. I earned one of them…and can’t actually remember who got the other one. Shame on me!

I’ve actually been meaning to write a thankyou note to the scholarships office; I finally did that a couple of months ago. I’m not sure if anyone would have even read it, but it was something I felt I should do because I’m going to graduate debt free, which is something not many can say.

Granted, my savings are pretty dismal. All up I have less than $4k – I’m owed close to a grand by ex-heinous-flatmate which I’ll never see, and a few hundred by T. But I’m going to be putting 4% into Kiwisaver, and I’m aiming to save 20% of my income. If T was working full time, this would be a lot higher, but c’est la vie.

Just by the by, (tentatively), he’s set his sights on an apprenticeship in automotive fabrication. Next step: creating a knockout CV and approaching potential employers. Any tips on how best to approach a busy workshop – phone, in person, etc, chime in! I’m thinking it would be best to call up, find out who makes the hiring decisions, and try to speak to them on the phone, followed by sending in a CV or a face to face meeting.

Seeing as ASB has this handy tracking tool, I’m going to start making regular use of it!

Here’s what November looked like. Debt repayments are higher than usual, as T put an extra $100 towards his car loan, plus an unexpected $20 tax refund that showed up in his account.

We’re still spending a bit on eating out – definitely need to make sure we’re buying enough on our grocery shops so we don’t run out by the weekend and waste money on takeaways.

Entertainment includes both of our new cellphones and our monthly topup, and we paid our quarterly contents insurance bill.

I saved about $250, but excluded it from the graph because it was part of another transaction – otherwise it would’ve shown up as over $1000 saved! That’s the only drawback – each transfer can only be classified to one category, even if you bought, say, gas and food in one swipe. (That’s what weekly roundups are for, though I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be doing those…).

December will probably look a little out of kilter, what with the silly season and all, but we’re doing gift hampers for our families – baskets have been bought, and we’re planning to bake a lot of stuff – and just need to shop for T’s brother/nieces, and his mother, who’s getting an antique trinket box.

LINK LOVE

Carnivals I participated in this week: Carnival of Money Stories – My Financial Dreams’ Edition and The Carnival of Personal Finance #233!

Following on from Krystal, Frugal Dreamer and the Asian Pear sharing the contents of their purses

• Wallet – black leather, given to me as a gift
  Dictaphone – brought it out to cover a live event last week but just ended up taking notes; much easier
  Notebook
  Headphones (they plug into my phone so I can listen to stored music, of which I have non, or my radio)
  Postits (not too sure what they’re doing in here…)
  Mints
  Keys
  Swipe card for work
  Hand cream (aka lifesaver)
  Eye drops (ditto)
  Little sample perfume vial
  Lip gloss
  Eyeliner
  Invoice for academic regalia, with pickup/dropoff dates highlighted

I’m starting to realise I have no particular niche, in this blog, in my personal life and in my professional life.  I’m not hardcore PF – I don’t do spreadsheets, I don’t do fancy graphs, or read the big PF writers. I like looking at pretty clothes and shoes, but in nobody’s universe am I a fashionista; I don’t keep up with couture, I don’t know designers. I’m not a hardcore media junkie, I don’t listen to talkback and watch TV. I can’t claim to be a muso.. I don’t even play anything anymore, or keep up with new music as I dislike so much of it.

I’ve also been thinking about making this more of a ‘life’ blog, more personal (photos, etc) and combining in reviews and my portfolio – a little like what Amber has going on. That’s all the stuff I currently host on my posterous blog, which is home to my published work and other bits and pieces. Posterous is neat, but it doesn’t really lend itself to what I want. It’s a simple, bare bones interface; there are no pages, only posts. I’d probably import it all here, cutting out the hassle of maintaining two different blogs.

I’m pretty wary of no longer being anonymous though, given that I’m in the media/publishing field. Part of the reason I don’t post so frequently on my other blog is because I devote more energy here, and because I’m so acutely aware that everything I publish to my name is going to be scrutinised and could be seen by my bosses and future employers as a journalist (ie., no swearing like a sailor a’la Nicole, although IMO it simply adds to her cutting wit). But at the same time, blogs can definitely play a part in getting you noticed and getting a job.

Exciting (if dorky) news – I finally joined Kiwisaver!

I haven’t had my first deductions yet so I don’t know how much exactly it will be, but given that I’m contributing 4% and should make $1320 in an average fortnight, I should be putting in $52.80 per paycheck. After tax this would be $1056, leaving me $1003 take home.

So in 6 months I should have… $2788, excluding fees, gains and taxes.

Of this, less than half would have come from my contributions, thanks to the generous initial incentives.

$792 – me
$396 – employer
$1000 – government kickstart
$600 – tax credits

Even if my fulltime hours don’t last beyond the next few months, at least I’ll have contributed a decent amount in that time!

(I would do the math for a year’s worth, but I really, really don’t want to jinx it).

After a lot of tossing back and forth, I decided to go with Huljich in their growth investment fund.

Seeing as Kiwisaver is only a couple of years old, none of the funds have much of a track record. But Huljich has performed well, in all of their schemes. I based this off information on fundsource.co.nz and this Morningstar survey.

I also switched T over to Huljich, moving him from one of the six default government schemes (AMP). Huljich’s high fees worry me a bit, given he’s not actively contributing, but even if returns don’t continue as they have been at least he still got a free thousand dollars in there.

KIWISAVER 101

There’s a wealth of Kiwisaver info out there, so I’ve just done a quick roundup here. A quick Google search should tell you anything more you need to know, or Sense to Dollars has done a nice series on joining up and picking a provider.

Kiwisaver is made up of:

1. your contributions
2. your employer contributions
3. the government kickstart
4. the government tax credit

You can contribute 2%, 4% or 8%. Your KiwiSaver contributions are calculated on your before-tax pay, but deducted from your after-tax pay. (Yeah…still scratching my head a bit on that one).

You also still pay tax on the full amount that you earn. Let’s say you earn $500 a week. You contribute 4% ($20), but will be taxed on the full $500.

(I definitely recommend the Sorted calculator for playing around with contribution levels and future projections!)

Your company will make contributions of 2%, and the government will stump up a tax-free $1000 three months after you join, plus up to $1,042.86 a year in what they like to call member tax credits. This is untaxed and will be claimed on your behalf by your fund provider in July each year. If you join KiwiSaver part-way through a membership year (1 July to 30 June), you get a tax credit for the portion of the year that you’ve been a member.

GETTING YOUR HANDS ON IT

Withdrawals are tax free. You’re eligible to withdraw funds at age 65. Alternatively, you can withdraw your funds if you are:

- buying your first house (you can take out your contributions and your company contributions, but not any the government contributions. you could also get a subsidy of up to $5000)

- suffering significant financial hardship (you can take out your contributions and your company contributions, but not the government contributions)

- seriously ill or disabled (you can withdraw all of the funds in your account)

- moving overseas permanently (you can withdraw your contributions, your company contributions and the government $1000 kickstart, but not the government tax credits)

SIGNING UP

To sign up, ask your employer for a KiwiSaver employee information pack (KS3) and fill it out. Your details go off to the IRD and you’ll be temporarily allocated to your employer’s chosen scheme, if they have one, or one of the six default KiwiSaver schemes. The IRD will hold your contributions and your employer contributions, and pay interest on them. Within 3 months of your first contribution you get the option to choose your own scheme (this is about the time you get the $1000 kickstart) and will then be enrolled with them.

OR, you can join directly through your provider of choice, which is what I did. Again, the IRD will hold your contributions for three months with interest, throw in the kickstart after 3 months, and then hand it over to the provider.

You’ll be automatically enrolled if you start a new job. You can opt out if you do so between 2-8 weeks. This is the ONLY time you can opt out of the scheme.

If you’re self-employed or not working, you can sign up and make payments directly to your provider. Some have minimum contribution requirements, so do your research if you’re going down this path.

MAKING A COMMITMENT

Once you’re in, you’re in life, basically. You can apply for a contributions holiday to the IRD of three months or more. Your employer will stop contributing as well, although you can continue to make voluntary ones.

There’s no limit to the number of times you can take a contributions holiday and you can renew it at any time. Generally, you do have to wait a year from the time you first join to apply for a holiday, unless you get into dire financial straits.

Phew! There’s quite a bit to wrap your head around at first, but it’s really not too complicated. I’m going with the set it and forget it route. Given that not only you and your employer contribute, but the government does too, it’s a pretty sweet deal.

I came across a really interesting post on the TradeMe message boards not long ago on the subject of pay raises. This person was a qualified tradesperson on $20/hr, and had just had a request for a raise rejected. Not having had a pay rise for years, he was worse off in real terms because of inflation. His company also contracted him out on close to $90/hr – sounds about right, that’s what T’s employer used to do.

It turned into a pretty heated debate, with commenters telling him he was grossly underpaid and no qualified professional should be on a rate less than $50, and others railing against greedy employers failing to keep workers up with the cost of living.

$50 an HOUR!!! My god, that is a LOT of moolah. That’s $2000 pretax a week or $104,000 a year. I’m right in the average range for an entry-level journalism grad ($30-35,000), and even if I one day work up to a more senior role in subbing or editing I don’t imagine I’d be breaking the six-figure mark. It’s not a particularly lucrative field – maybe I should transition into PR one day? – but to be honest, I have trouble believing my work would ever be worth $50 per hour.

I do, however, believe everyone is entitled to at least a raise to keep up with inflation. In my entire life (marked by a series of short, casual and part time jobs to date) I received ONE payrise, at the worst waitressing stint I ever did. It was a 50c increase. I was overjoyed.

Hard work deserves recognition and raises should be based on merit. But we shouldn’t have to work doubly hard to gain a big enough raise every year just to keep up with the ever-increasing cost of living.

Now that I’m a newly graduated, FT employee – may the situation continue, touch wood – I should have performance reviews and all that jazz along with everyone else. Wages and salaries were frozen last year, but with things looking up, perhaps they’ll see fit to melt the ice a little bit.

Because otherwise, I’ll have been here 2.5 years, albeit parttime, without one. If I was on the collective contract I would have had two small raises by now. A lot of people at my workplace are represented by the union, but when I moved from evening to daytime hours after a year I switched to an individual agreement as the rate was higher. (For all those who do weekends and shifts, though, the union has a great thing going on with several different allowances and extra payments. It’s all a tad complicated – but at least they get compensation for their odd hours. I think Sundays garner double the pay!)

What about you – what do you consider a “professional” rate for your industry? Do you think employees deserve cost-of-living raises?

One of our flatmates picked up a girl on the weekend. Three days later, she turned up on our doorstep when he was out. She was in a bit of a state – agitated and twitchy, and against my better judgement I let her in to wait for him.

And holy hell! I unleashed a monster. She launched into a monologue about how she’d been sitting at home going mad waiting to hear from him, how he wasn’t answering his phone, how she didn’t know what the deal was with them and she NEEDED to know, how she already missed him, on and on and on…

It was all a bit intense, and way too much TMI for me. I really didn’t care about their relationship of lack thereof; I still don’t even know her name.

That being said, I do grudgingly admire people who are that open, who can be that that transparent. Who can get things off their chest without caring what others think.

And sometimes we’re the most painfully honest when we’re at our most desperate. I’ve been there: I’ve done that. It was a relationship based on physical attraction and further built on shaky ground. We really had no business being together, but I clung on to some romantic ideal and refused to let go. On the day it all fell apart, I made a last stab at saving us. It was probably the most honest I had been in our entire year together.

Inspired by Amber’s post!

What are your middle names?
Neither of us have one!

How long have you been together?
Since December 2005.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Technically, we’ve known (of) each other since we were about 10. Probably the first time we ever talked to each other was when I was sent to “time out” and he was there too.

Who asked whom out?
He asked me out.

How old are each of you?
Both 21. I’m three months older.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
His. I have one younger brother, he has two younger brothers, an older brother and older sister. One of his little brothers comes over every Sunday to watch wrestling.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
Money. And lately, the whole life direction dilemma. He’s good at a whole range of things – he’s a great cook, he’s good with his hands and practical things, he is quick to grasp new concepts, and explain how things work, he’s good at trades work and was a great sports coach. But he still doesn’t know what he wants to do career wise.

Did you go to the same school?
Sure did – went to the same primary school for two years, to separate intermediates, and then the same high school.

Are you from the same home town?
Yeah… I’ve been in Auckland since I was eight, and he’s lived here his whole life.

Who is smarter?
Academically I’m the better performer. But we’re both smart in different ways. He’s much more practical and logical. I have more of a flair for writing and creative ventures. He knows a lot about everything – has a good general knowledge, but doesn’t care for current affairs and news (that’s more my area). Honestly, I think he’s more intelligent and has the more useful smarts.

Who is the most sensitive?

Me.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Hmm. Probably Chinese, to be honest, even though I’m not a massive fan. But he never gets sick of sweet and sour pork.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Up north to Whatuwhiwhi - that was about five hours. We’re looking forward to travelling overseas together, though.

Who has the craziest exes?
Oh, that’s a tough one….I don’t actually know any of his exes, and I only have a couple. One of mine was pretty unstable, though.

Who has the worst temper?
We can both get pretty stormy. But he gets over it quite quickly and is always first to apologise. I’m probably more dramatic when I’m angry, but when he’s REALLY riled up he puts on a real show.

Who does the cooking?
He is by far the superior cook. I used to do the majority of the cooking, but now I get home later than him, and he usually has dinner ready for me by then.

Who is the neat-freak?
Definitely me. I do not understand why he leaves towels lying around, and how to train him out of the habit! That aside, I think we’re both fairly laid back, but like to keep things tidy. I don’t leave dishes lying around more than a day and like to keep the floors unsticky and the bathroom clean.

Who is more stubborn?
…..Me.

Who hogs the bed?

Me, apparently.

Who wakes up earlier?
NOT me. He’ll literally be awake hours before me and lie in bed next to me or watch TV. I really need to get him into reading or some other hobby so he can use that time more productively.

Where was your first date?
I couldn’t honestly tell you. We hung out so many times before officially dating. The first time we met up after that party where we connected though, I think, was one night late after work. I’d just finished up at Eden Park (I was working events with a catering company and there was a game on) and bussed to Blockhouse Bay. He met me at the bus stop in jandals and socks and walked me the rest of the way home to New Lynn.

Who is more jealous?
Hmm, we’re both pretty level headed. I’m probably more likely to get angry, though.

How long did it take to get serious?
A few months, I guess. It was a little difficult as we only had about three months together before he left for the army. We moved in together at 18 when we’d been together about a year which was too soon IMO, but it worked out okay. 

Who eats more?
We both have huge appetites. But his varies wildly – sometimes he’ll eat and eat and eat, and other times he literally won’t eat a thing all day until dinner. Mine’s pretty constant.

Who does the laundry?
Me.

Who’s better with the computer?
Me, unless you’re talking troubleshooting

Who drives when you are together?
Definitely him – he’s a far better driver and has his full licence now. I can’t even drive our car, really – it’s one of my goals for the rest of the year!

I worked on Saturday afternoon, so my weekend consisted of Thursday off and Sunday. We had lunch at Mercury Plaza and drove over to Mission Bay, where we were going to hire out a tandem bike and go for a ride, but decided not to because the weather was pretty crappy. On Sunday, we hit DressSmart and bought T a new wallet and me some new underwear, then he cooked up a huge roast and we had a group for friends over for dinner.

$110 groceries, plus an anticipated $20 for lunches
$47.60 eating out
$83 for a full tank of gas (HAS to last us two weeks!)
$28 for T’s wallet
$6.50 for clothing