As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a superyacht steward with a sneaker addiction saves for retirement. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here.

Gender: Male

Age: 32

Ethnicity: Māori/NZ Euro

Role: Superyacht steward

Salary/income/assets: 65,000 euro, so around $10kNZD a month. If I was working a salary job back home I would be on around $180k. Assets are two houses – one old primary residence and one rental.

My living location is: Suburban.

Rent/mortgage per week: $125 per week top up of my mortgage, and around $170 per week for rates and insurances on both properties that I pay for myself as the rent doesn’t cover. I currently rent my old home out while I am based overseas.

Student loan or other debt payments per week: Zero debts whatsoever (aside from mortgages).

Typical weekly food costs

Groceries: This section is going to be boring, but zero dollars across the board. We have a chef on board whose primary job is to cook for us, so we get breakfast, lunch and dinner provided each day which I will never not be grateful for.

Eating out: If there was an opposite of a foodie, then that would be me. I see this sort of expenditure as the biggestttt waste of money, and when I DO get sucked into a sharing plate/ wine pairing afternoon, it always costs me upwards of $200 and the entire experience is erased from my memory a few days later… soo no, not worth it.

Takeaways: A lot these days when I am home. Dining out, no… but food others have prepared for you in the comfort of your own home, yes.

Workday lunches: $0.00 again, thank you Chef.

Cafe coffees/snacks: All snacks are provided for, and I’m talking “access to supermarket aisle” vibes. We have a full room on board filled with every snack you can think of that we are allowed to help ourselves to whenever, so you need to have serious discipline at times!

Other food costs: None whatsoever. When I am home (a few months a year) I stay with my parents and I get sooo spoiled and all meals made for me… Mum’s love language is for sure acts of service so when myself or any of my siblings are home it is like being 10 years old again.

Savings: I probably save 90% of what I earn, which I know puts me in a VERY unusual position, and let it be known I am thankful every single day! Everything I save goes into an account that offsets against my mortgage, so the interest I pay each year is reduced.

I worry about money: Always.

Three words to describe my financial situation: Blessed, secure and unique

My biggest edible indulgence would be: Margaritas… lol

In a typical week my alcohol expenditure would be: $0.00 when at work, but when I am home…. maybe $300?

In a typical week my transport expenditure would be: Nothing again, praise be.

I estimate in the past year the ballpark amount I spent on my personal clothing (including sleepwear and underwear) was: Aaaand this is where the remaining 10% goes.. I am actually addicted to nice things, on sale. I keep a note in my phone of everything I buy (original price and then paid price) so I can later justify the spending to myself and make me feel better hahah. I’ve spent just over $4k this year.

My most expensive clothing in the past year was: A green check winter coat I picked up at a Gucci outlet in London, was originally $6,000 and I managed to nab the last one in my exact size for $1,550. I am ashamed to say I had heart palpitations walking it to the counter!

My last pair of shoes cost: I am currently battling an expensive sneaker habit, but the last pair of shoes bought were from a company in the US called Artemis Shoe Co. where the shoes are made from vintage Turkish carpets and each pair is one of a kind/only made once! They were $288 USD but had to pay a third-party shipping company to send them to NZ as the website itself was trying to charge $700+ NZD (!!)

My grooming/beauty expenditure in a year is about: At the moment around $3,000. I am in the midst of a microneedling journey to reverse years of teenage acne, and I’m so unbelievably thankful to be in a position where I can now afford it.

My exercise expenditure in a year is about: Nothing. We have a gym on board that we are allowed to use and I keep myself fit on the treadmill.

My last Friday night cost: $586 according to my credit card statement! I am very generous with my newfound disposable income and love to be that guy buying drinks for the ones I love.

Most regrettable purchase in the last 12 months was: A yellow gold silk shirt from the brand BODE I bought for a wedding.. found out a short while later that yellow is NOT in my colour palette and I looked deathly ill when I tried it on. Such a shame as it has little Scottish terriers on it and is adorable. Keep an eye on Trade Me if this sounds like a bit of you, ha.

Most indulgent purchase (that I don’t regret) in the last 12 months was: Invisalign! I have always hated my teeth and wanted a more uniform smile, so did some research on the best orthodontists in NZ and actually flew to Auckland for an appointment in Remuera (best ortho in the biz!) and have been flying back and forth for my follow up appointments when I am home. Cost was about $12k + flights but I don’t regret a thing!

One area where I’m a bit of a tightwad is: Without a doubt, transport. Why pay $70 for an Uber home when the airport to city bus is $5 and only takes an extra 20 mins? My personal math is if I walk to the bar and walk home, saves me $50 on an Uber which means my first three drinks are free! I also apply the same logic with accommodation when travelling. I have no qualms booking a hostel for $30 a night if I am going somewhere, the money saved by not booking a hotel means the flight was actually free!

Five words to describe my financial personality would be: Frivolous, (yet) cautious, building generational wealth.

I grew up in a house where money was: Freely spoken about. Long story short is Dad had money growing up, Mum did not, so the both of them together financially has spawned this unbelievably frugal pairing and they are sooo disciplined with their money it fascinates me to this day. My parents’ frugality has been passed onto me somewhat. Dad will leave $4 rice off the order when having takeaway Indian (as we “have rice at home”) but has no issues dropping fifty g’s on a Haines Hunter he’s seen on Trade Me the night before. I’ll never forget the time he took me and my friends to the mall, immediately turned around after we left the house and said that he forgot to make cheese sandwiches for our lunch so he didn’t have to spend money at the food court! Obviously I was mortified, but now I am older I laugh about it because I would absolutelyyyy do the same thing.

The last time my Eftpos card was declined was: Never. I haven’t had an eftpos card for years but treat my credit card like a bank account. I put all my spending money on an Airpoints-earning credit card (so it’s always in credit) where every $110 I spend, I earn one Airpoint. The reward isn’t amazing, but I figure if it’s money I have to spend anyway I may as well be making something from it.

In five years, in financial terms, I see myself: Mortgage-free and on my way to an early retirement I pray (!!) My dad worked right up to 65 to provide for our family and though I am grateful, I simply do not want to have to grind like that. I know my current life and money isn’t forever so I am knuckling down now to hopefully build a modest net worth to ensure I have my golden years free from work.

I would love to have more money for: Freedom. Slow mornings. A yoga class at 10am on a Thursday without asking for permission. Being available for late night babysitting duties because I don’t have an early start the next day… this is why building wealth is important to me.

Describe your financial low: I purchased my house nine years ago, so was relatively young (frontal lobe had not yet formed, I might add) and didn’t think to get an independent building report and just went off what the realtors told me… post settlement I came to realise the house was dodgy as and I had probably bought a lemon. I cried myself to sleep many a night, though now, almost 10 years on, the land alone is worth more than what I paid so I am pretty content with the knowledge I would at least break even if I sold!

I give money away to: Funnily enough I read an article last week of a man from Uganda reuniting with the family in America who sponsored him when he was a child and the photos were so moving I have just begun the process of sponsoring someone myself. I also donate $180 a year to the NZ Heart Foundation.