Our Opinion – Surviving the long winter stretch

At this time of year, it feels as though the cold, dark mornings have dragged on forever. We have had the last public holiday until the end of October. We get up in the dark, come home in the dark, have some dinner, watch a show, go to bed and start all over again. Winter can begin to feel like one long Groundhog Day.

Add a tough economy and annual inflation of 4.1 per cent, and it would be easy to think it is all doom and gloom.

However, Kiwibank’s recently released 2026 State of Savings Index tells a more interesting story. It found that 59 per cent of New Zealanders have a household budget and, of those, 85 per cent broadly stick to it. Regular saving has also crept up from 41 per cent in 2024 to 44 per cent this year.

I find that encouraging. When so much feels outside our control, taking a closer look at where our money goes is one practical way to get some of that control back.

The survey also found 39 per cent of people had deliberately changed their habits to improve their savings. This included cutting discretionary spending, changing how they shop for groceries and cancelling subscriptions.

However, 40 per cent had also taken on debt to meet higher living costs, including using Buy Now, Pay Later schemes or borrowing from family and friends. So, while people are finding ways to cope, the figures also show how much pressure many households are under.

There is a clear message here for businesses as well. If people have budgets and are sticking to them, there is less money left for treats, luxuries and impulse purchases. Businesses may also have to adapt by offering genuine value, affordable options and a good reason for customers to continue choosing local.

Perhaps this is also where this issue’s Best Kept Secrets series comes in. We are fortunate to live somewhere with plenty to do without spending a fortune.

As a community newspaper, we can also help by sharing free and inexpensive events, local services, support available in the community and ideas for making the most of what we already have. Our regular columns provide free advice from local experts on a range of everyday issues, while our stories can point readers towards organisations and people who may be able to help. 

Tough times make us adjust, but they can also make us more resourceful. They remind us to look again at what is around us, support one another and think carefully about where we spend our money.

Winter may be dragging on, but there are still plenty of reasons to get out of the house, and believe it or not, spring is just only a month away (although that is never a guarantee of good weather!)

Adrienne Kohler, editor