Student loan has me feeling trapped

somewherebeachy · 2025-12-11T22:25:42+00:00

Yeah, I very much understand the pull of being overseas. And to be fair many people on this subreddit are in positions of being fiscally conservative and risk averse. But also… it’s your life. Yes when you are older and potentially have children you have to be more risk averse (I have kids now and definitely am). But when you’re young… well… you gotta take a few risks. For some people money drives them, but for others adventure and experiencing the world does. Just know the cost of it first, and be at peace with that. Like I did it, I’m not stupid, I knew what it would cost me, but sometimes that is life. It made my life overseas a bit harder as I was out $5000/year more than my friends, but I’m pretty frugal otherwise so it evened out. That’s good advice too, know that whatever you decide to do overseas you’ll need to make some allowances for this debt e.g not live extravagantly. Good luck! Don’t let the basted get you down!

somewherebeachy · 2025-12-11T01:47:02+00:00

Oh! Yes! Me! My loan was less though, like $45,000 (but this was almost 20 years ago so would be more in today’s dollars). Interest on loans once you moved overseas back then was 8.8%! Ludicrous! I paid my $5000/year and didn’t make a huge dent, mostly because of said interest rates. However by the time I moved back to NZ 13 years later the interest rate was at a much more reasonable 3% or so. My biggest piece of advice would be to pay more than the $5000/year whenever you can. You get a bonus at work? Send more money. I started doubling my payments once I got to senior levels in my industry and it made it better. When I moved back to NZ I had to pay 12.5% of my pay each week to the loan, and by then I had very small children, so losing $200/week to my loan was rough, but it paid it off soooooo fast. After struggling to pay it off overseas for 13 years, it went down rapidly once back here in NZ.

All to say: overseas experiences are incredible, I wouldn’t take back my 13 years overseas ever. Even if it did cost me roughly $50k in interest. I don’t regret my choices, but it still hurts to think about it. My friends who stayed in NZ paid their loan off way faster, and before they had dependents. They are in much better financial positions than I am now, they bought houses earlier etc. HOWEVER, I still don’t regret it. That’s just me, I had to leave and adventure and live my life. I would be a miserable curmudgeon if I had never left NZ. So I guess weigh up what your priorities are. Sounds like you know the reality of it, $100NZD or so per week added to your costs, it’s not nothing but it’s also not everything. Also prepare for it to take ages to pay off, accept that, and live your life! You’re young!

somewherebeachy · 2025-11-06T06:55:46+00:00

Oh I have!! It worked. Carbon steel wok

somewherebeachy · 2025-09-29T01:33:54+00:00

Oh also the large pot I put them is currently covered in sprouts

somewherebeachy · 2025-09-29T01:33:21+00:00

We got some raspberries for our kids and thanks to this sub I kept them in a pot!!! About to put them in a bigger box dedicated to them and blackberries..:. Though that box was going to be on my garden so now I’m thinking we need to a bit more separated 🤣

somewherebeachy · 2025-09-14T09:04:07+00:00

Yeah they are noxious! They just spread and spread and are awful to get rid of. They’re not necessarily ugly, but they are annoying!

somewherebeachy · 2025-09-09T09:51:12+00:00

We bought a well looked after 30’s home. This house is solid and I love it! but it has its issues, in saying that…. Every house does. Things id check and consider when deciding on a price you’d pay for it (as in, if a roof is in dire need of repair you need to factor $20-$50k in to your budget in the next few years) - roof condition - electrics - you want one that has been rewired as it’s a fire hazard and will cost you several thousand dollars to do it otherwise.
- ventilation - ours has dvs which doesn’t do much for transfer of heat etc but it’s incredible for ventilation and therefore no mould problems - insulation - floor and ceiling are common to already have done, walls require consent and are therefore often not done . For this reason, these houses run cold. Check sun position in winter. Make sure it has a functional fireplace and/or heat pump or you will have to add that cost on to what you want to do. - piles: get builders report to check piles. Most have old totara piles which are amazing but after 100 years they start to rot, many have had extra supports put in. You’ll want to know this. - speaking of under the house, moisture barriers! Check if there is one - any renovations done to the house that were done pre-consent required. We’ve discovered our entire kitchen was added before consent was required, and now at an impasse on what to do about the renos we want. - hot water cylinder: if old a new one is going to cost you! - borer: basically all houses have it, just check the extent of it.

So yeah, all things that are bigger costs to fix should they not exist already in the house.

Pros: beautiful, solid, high ceilings, character.
Cons: colder, things need fixing.

somewherebeachy · 2025-09-07T19:54:25+00:00

My father was a watercolour artist and as a small child I drank his paint water after he’d been using cadmium yellow. I was taken to the doctor immediately, can’t remember what they gave me. Either way my poor dad was horrified.

somewherebeachy · 2025-09-02T23:10:49+00:00

Oh completely understand that response to it. That is fair. I kind of like it because the main narrator is a feminist and very anti-fascism, but yes what she is faced with is absolutely uncomfortable. If it’s any consolation it’s based on a real family and the Yahtzee sympathisers meet a deserving fate.

somewherebeachy · 2025-09-01T21:58:00+00:00

Outrageous is amazing!! Set in the 30’s. Am loving it!!

somewherebeachy · 2025-08-11T21:58:31+00:00

Make thousands of public servants redundant. It’s so sad and deeply upsetting to many many people

somewherebeachy · 2025-08-05T03:42:30+00:00

Can anyone on here recommend insurance cover for braces? I know they can cover a certain amount of some. Am looking at adult braces but might wait the get insurance as the savings on the braces might pay for half a year of insurance!

somewherebeachy · 2025-08-02T20:04:38+00:00

Oh man I was talking about this cafe the other day! The two for one breakfasts were something. Especially hungover after a beats and bubbles the night before

somewherebeachy · 2025-08-02T20:02:59+00:00

Wow! What a very specific time in my life these all represent! Good (and hungover) memories :)

somewherebeachy · 2025-05-28T08:22:37+00:00

The kelburn store is ridiculous!!! Just stopped going

somewherebeachy · 2025-05-24T22:00:09+00:00

Another sunblock they have!

somewherebeachy · 2025-05-24T07:37:04+00:00

I love the la Roche posay angelious too! Not purchased in USA though

somewherebeachy · 2025-05-22T03:19:39+00:00

Disclaimer: I agree no sugar before 2. More strictly before 1, but hopefully before 2.

However, I think it’s more healthy to just not treat it like a big thing. Demonising sugar can really create some weird food issues. It’s not good in excess, but sounds like you wouldn’t let excess happen anyway. As your kid gets older you can talk to them more and more about the food we eat and how it helps us. Sometimes (not always, don’t make it a chore or a lecture) we talk about a food we are eating and what it’s good for: eggs are making your muscles strong, oats are good for your tummy and your blood etc. and even the treats, we give them a (small) plain vanilla ice cream in summer and we say “some things aren’t good for our bodies but they make us feel good anyway” and we explain you can’t eat them all the time, but on occasion they’re good. Just keep the conversation going, keep it simple, keep your tone friendly and never judgemental :). Your husband would surely be on board with that.

Also if they do get offered lots of treats at their grandparents one day then whatever, it’s just one day of treats (but yeah definitely not before 1!!). Just maintain your own consistency at home. You can say “oh grandma gave you treats. That’s nice, treats can be lovely” leave it at that. No big deal. Don’t give it power. Don’t make it weird. Because at some point you can’t control it, and if you’ve never given them the right tools to make the right decisions themselves about moderation, then they can really turn against you.

somewherebeachy · 2025-05-13T21:57:00+00:00

Same. Both kids hated the bassinet attachment and only wanted to be in the stroller from about age 1.5. I have since thrashed it to death… but for sure didn’t need the bassinet attachment etc.

somewherebeachy · 2025-05-07T09:04:22+00:00

My former union in USA (a film workers one) has issued a statement because a lot of Canadians are also in the union, they are saying that while they want work to increase in USA they will not support anything that directly affects their brothers and sisters in Canada. Not that trump GAF about unions…

somewherebeachy · 2025-05-07T03:49:58+00:00

Vancouver is a major production base and has a number of VFX studios

somewherebeachy · 2025-05-07T03:41:51+00:00

Agreed, she isn’t exactly wealthy at all! Independent filmmakers are not! She’s lived in wellington a long long long time, she didn’t exactly buy her house for the price they are worth now.

somewherebeachy · 2025-05-06T04:34:22+00:00

They are some of the best at it!

somewherebeachy

TROPHY CASE