Student Life in the Cost-of-Living Crisis: First-hand thoughts
NEWS | INTERVIEW | MAHI
Written by Paris Lloyd-Beere (she/her) | @parislloydbeere | Contributing Writer
The cost of living crisis is a secret to none, and felt by all. No matter your age, financial standing, or political stance, there’s no denying that the price of everything has gone up, and as students globally are continuously telling their governments that they are struggling, you would assume it’s an issue high on the priority list of those in control. Yet, it seems the reality is quite the contrary. I talked to 5 AUT students from all different fields of study about the ways in which they are feeling the financial pressure; from personal hardships to where the government can improve, here’s a first hand stance.
Mōrena! What’s your name, what do you study and what are your pronouns?
E: Elliote, I study occupational therapy, and she/her.
B: Billy Blamires, Fashion, they/them.
J: Jan, Psychology, she/her
I: My name is Isla and I study Communications at Aut. She/her pronouns.
Ella: My name is Ella, I study marketing and PR, and my pronouns are she/her.
Do you have a job? And do you find that your income, from whatever stream that may be, is enough to support you as you study?
E: Yes, I have a job but the money is not enough solely from working.
B: Yup! Two jobs actually, plus studylink, and it has definitely not been enough to support me. Granted I am not great with saving but with rent etc and then the cost of the course - fabrics, models, etc - it’s been really rough this year. I’m definitely down to $0 [by the end of] every week.
J: [I’m a] personal trainer. Yes, it supports me because [my boyfriend] also works. I use student loan to pay for my rent.
I: I have a job as a waitress and with what I make weekly I wouldn’t be able to support myself. Not only do I have a student loan to pay for fees, but also my living costs. I have had to rely on my parents more than I would’ve liked too. I know I am in an incredibly lucky position to be able to do that, but I would’ve like to be a bit more self-sufficient.
Ella: I work part-time in retail. I work as many hours as possible per week, usually without a day of rest so I can support myself, though it still is never enough.
Do you feel as though the current cost of living crisis affects you personally?
E: Yes, there is a lot of stress that I endure living away from home and having to pay higher rent and utilities.
B: Yeah for sure, it’s been really hard. Groceries are near impossible, I also have a cat so two mouths to feed, haha.
J: Yes and no. My parents are suffering a lot and working a lot for their mortgage payments, and it's hard to find time with them. But me personally, no.
I: The COLC has affected me, in admittedly smaller ways than some, in things like taking time off work, doctors and dentist appointments, food costs and transport costs. I am grateful for the financial position I am in, but whenever I start to feel stressed about the COLC, I also tend to feel guilty, because I know there are people in Aotearoa struggling much more.
Ella: Absolutely. Having to work as much as possible to provide myself with essentials has meant my recreational spending and my savings have hit a low. I am concerned for the student debts I will inevitably be in for years since I am unable to put savings aside towards school fees.
Have you had to give anything up to make ends meet?
E: I barely go out to dinner, unless there’s a cheaper option. I write down dinners in preparation for the shop and don’t buy anything extra.
B: I’ve had to stop bouldering, which is my main stress relief and exercise. I also am having to do very limited grocery shops.
J: I haven’t had to give up buying anything, however the cost of living crisis has forced me to work more - I sleep a lot less!
I: The main thing I have given up, or swapped, is beauty services. I used to love getting my hair and nails done, but I do that all myself now. I dye and trim my own hair, give myself manicures and pedicures and tint and shape my own eyebrows. This saves me money on the services but also saves me time and transport costs, as I can do it at home. I’ve limited my alcohol consumption, which is also probably a good thing. Alcohol itself isn’t the expensive thing, it’s the hidden costs like Uber’s home and maccas in the morning.
Ella: I have given up many nutritional foods in my weekly shop, relying on snacks rather than meals to get me through the day. I still make sure to leave myself enough money per week for socialising!
Are there any other ways/things that you implement in your life to manage financially?
E: Discount stores, I get food stamps from uni.
B: I’ve been lucky that my parents are able to help where they can, mostly just with groceries from weeks where I fall a bit short. I’ve had to pick up extra shifts, but being in my final year it’s been hard to manage my time between two jobs and [my] uni workload.
J: Less sleep because I’m either working or cramming for something urgent, [such as] essays.
I: I like to look at things optimistically, the rising prices have taught me to be thoughtful about when and where I spend my money. It’s taught me to be resourceful and use what I already have, instead of ordering food or buying a new outfit. It’s also taught me the importance of budgeting and planning your finances.
Ella: Living at home has been a big help, though I still pay board and feed myself I am grateful I don’t have to spend extortionate money on a place to live.
What is your main concern regarding the current economic situation - for yourself, for students, or for the wider population?
E: That we’re disregarding our studies to be able to live. I physically cannot work any more than 20 hours because then the focus on uni starts decreasing. It’s a mix between working more hours when you don’t have assessments, [and] then suffering while doing exams/assessments.
B: I just don’t know how anyone is affording to comfortably live at the moment. Everyone I know who studies is stressed and completely split between work and study with no time or money to do anything that can positively affect mental health, like exercise or socialising.
J: [That] you HAVE to work to do anything unless you're dependent on your parents. My main concern at the moment is that I would have rathered to just start working and saving rather than going to uni at all.
I: My main concern regarding the COLC and students is that young people will be put off the idea of studying because of the financial hardships. I think education is so important and it should be prioritised. I also fear for the elderly because their pension and savings can’t keep up with the ever rising cost of living.
Ella: The fear of student debt is a concern for me, and I assume it is for many other students. I feel mostly for my parents and other working class families as they have been hit the hardest by the rise in cost of living, and are struggling to make ends meet.
What do you think, if anything, the Government can do to better support students during this time?
E: [They should] widen the support for students living away from home and in flats. Taking away the impact of what your parents income is on you for financial aid if the parents don’t support you through university.
B: I know at least with creative degrees like mine having fabric and materials required for the course, there’s been a lot of extra costs involved on top of the original course fee, so a subsidy of some kind for those things would be a huge help.
J: More student allowance would really help me, university placements should definitely be paid, free parking on campus and allowance should cover travel costs to and from uni.
I: I think the government can place more emphasis on rent control, price caps for supermarkets and affordable public transport. It would also be nice if the fees free program was continued as I know it makes a difference amongst my peers.
Ella: Putting a larger percentage of funding towards public transport and infrastructure will support students by making our commutes cheaper and easier. I spend $70ish on public transport alone in a week, making me not want to commit to the long and pricey commute, show up to class, or even continue with my studies. Not only does it take me over an hour to get to classes, but public transport has also become unsafe.
If you too are feeling the financial pressure climbing, know that you are not alone. There is support out there, both financial and emotional. Talk to your loved ones if you need to vent or be validated, or contact the AUT student councillors on 09 921 9292 if you are in need of some financial advice, and they will point you in the right direction.
Kia kaha, AUT. We’re in this together.
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