As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a tattoo artist explains why they feel a constantly anxiety about money.

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Gender: Afab – non binary.

Age: 27.

Ethnicity: South African.

Role: Tattoo artist.

Salary/income/assets: Around $70,000 a year.

My living location is: Urban.

Rent/mortgage per week: Home is $1000 divided between three people; work is $350. The total I pay per week is $690, not including bills.

Student loan or other debt payments per week: Around $50 p/w, IRD payments.

Typical weekly food costs

Groceries: $250 for three people.

Eating out: $50.

Takeaways: $30.

Workday lunches: $20.

Cafe coffees/snacks: $20.

Other food costs: Cat food – $100 per month.

Savings: No savings – I feel like the idea of saving has died with our generation. What are we saving for? A home we cant afford, trips that are too expensive to take? I’d rather live a good life day-to-day than holding out for a good week overseas.

I worry about money: Always.

Three words to describe my financial situation: Broke, because I work in an industry with high costs to maintain quality and I am a one-man show. Anxious, because the state of the world is terrible financially (and socially) at the moment. Our jobs rely on people having disposable income, so we are the first to feel the recession creeping in.

My biggest edible indulgence would be: Beef tartare for sure. Few places have it so you usually have to splurge.

In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: $0, I do not drink. Smokes however…

In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: $60 for petrol, $100 for parking in the city.

I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: Around $300, mostly from op shops.

My most expensive clothing in the past year was: Crocs, $80.

My last pair of shoes cost: I only wear Crocs (see above) and Docs (around $300 but i haven’t replaced them in the last year).

My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: $600 easily, this can go right up if I decide to do anything cosmetic. I spend far more on tattoos yearly, upwards of $2000.

My exercise expenditure in a year is about: $350.

My last Friday night cost: $200 – gotta tip the dancers.

Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: A Cricut that had fewer functions than I thought it would.

Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: Plants.

One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Exorbitant shipping costs, “boutique” op shops, makeup.

Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Loose spender with low hopes.

I grew up in a house where money was: Both very tightly run and also widely spent, depending on if you ask my dad or mum. They had very opposing views of money and it was always a very tense subject.

The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: Multiple times this year.

In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Exactly where i am now. Living payment to payment.

I would love to have more money for: Art and supporting the creative community, also not needing to worry about paying bills would be so rad.

Describe your financial low: Constantly. There are days where I get panic attacks about getting enough money in on a consistent basis to pay all my bills. There is not a week where I don’t have an anxiety pit in my stomach.

I give money away to: Friends in need of a boost, the houseless and struggling.