8 Things I Don't Buy Anymore
Recently I was interviewed by North & South magazine for an expat’s perspectives on how expensive things are in New Zealand. Needless to say, my storyline - that things aren’t as bad as the online griping would have you believe when you look at the whole picture - didn’t support the story they were looking to write. There is so much complaining about how expensive New Zealand is, especially in Auckland. There are certainly things that are much more expensive here than in the US, but there are quite a lot of things that cost less, too. (For a more in depth cost comparison of Austin and Auckland, check out this post.) I thought it might be interesting to focus on a list of things that I don’t buy anymore because these purchases just aren’t necessary living in Auckland.
Formal clothing - It isn’t needed. I’ve been to events labeled “cocktail attire” and people showed up in sneakers and jeans. People don’t get dressed up here, and I’ve found very little use for anything beyond business casual. This is kind of a bummer because I used to get dressed up on a semi-regular basis and sometimes I miss it. And my husband misses me in heels.
Crazy expensive health insurance - Yes, we do have private insurance, but most people in New Zealand don’t. About 35% of the country has access to a private option, but most people stick with the public health services. Because so much is automatically covered, insurance is extremely affordable here. We pay about NZ$160 a month, but have never needed to use it. Compared to what we were paying in the US (US$2000 a month!) that is a steal. I know that many people have employer-subsidised health insurance in the States, but even that doesn’t often compare to what we pay here.
Amazon impulse purchases - Getting rid of Amazon Prime was a huge fear of mine, but the positive side tis that I don’t have the option to make a bunch of random impulse purchases from my phone that magically appear on my doorstep the next day. In retrospect, it is amazing the amount of crap that I don’t need.
Tons of kids clothing - School uniforms are the best thing ever. Not only do they make morning fights over what is appropriate to wear a thing of the past, but it also means that I need significantly fewer pieces of children’s clothing on hand. There aren’t many good kids’ clothing stores here, and now I understand why. We just don’t need much.
Rabies vaccines - Rabies doesn’t exist in New Zealand, so rabies vaccines aren’t a thing here. No shots, no tags, no checks at the groomers to see if the rabies vaccines are up to date. It is one less thing to worry about or pay for.
Year round climate control - This was another one I was really nervous about leaving behind: my perfectly climate controlled house that I could adjust with my phone. Central air isn’t a ubiquitous thing in Auckland, though “ducted heat pumps” are starting to show up more and more. Instead, we use underfloor heating and a few individual heat pumps in some rooms. Since I don’t always have either the heat or air conditioning running to keep the house at a perfect 72, our electric bill is substantially lower.
Kids’ medicine - Kids under 13 have access to free healthcare in New Zealand, and that includes free prescriptions. Even better, doctors will prescribe Paracetamol (its acetaminophen - the same thing that’s in Tylenol) Ibuprofen, and decongestants so even things that I would’ve bought over the counter in the US are now free.
Notary services - Periodically, things need to be made “official.” In the US, that meant paying for a notary stamp. In New Zealand, that usually means going to a Justice of the Peace. The good news? That service is offered for free all around town. Typically I walk into my local library with whatever I need stamped and am in and out within minutes. (Alas, a Kiwi JP stamp doesn’t always work for documents that need a US notary. For those, we still have to pay.)
What purchases have dropped away for you after leaving the US?
