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Original poster

Anyone in Christchurch?

62 replies

beansmum · 19/07/2008 20:02

I know there is someone, but I can't remember who.

I'm moving there in Jan and starting to think about looking for somewhere to live. It's a bit early yet but I want to know what's available and I was wondering which areas I should be looking in and which I should definitely not. Ds will start school over there so even nice areas might not be suitable if they don't have decent schools. Any advice? or should I just but this? (I wish, I'm going to be renting, max $200pw)

OP posts:
Original poster
beansmum · 19/07/2008 20:47

Another question! Could you get by with a basic shopping budget of $50pw for 2 people? That's only for absolute essentials really, I spend about £30pw on food at the moment. I have managed it in theory (just) with the woolworths online shopping but I'm thinking there are cheaper places to buy food. Or am I going to starve?

OP posts:
Nippersmum · 25/07/2008 21:43

Hey don't live in NZ anywmore, but PaK and Save is much cheaper than Woolworths. Woolworths is like Waitrose equivalent.
Know from my Mil that food has gone up like it has here.
hth.

Original poster
beansmum · 02/08/2008 09:42

thanks! I didn't think I would be doing my shopping at woolworths but they are the only place with online shopping.

OP posts:
yawningmonster · 02/08/2008 10:06

Hi, I am in ChCh so will try to help if I can. First of all areas,
we are just on the outskirts of Christchurch where rentals and house prices are much cheaper but there is a commute of about 30 minutes (we do have a new world and basic shops here though) I think that there are a couple of MNers who live in CHCH itself so they may have more idea of prices there. Areas I would steer clear of (but does vary hugely as the areas I will name do have "nice parts" to them) would be Aranui, Linwood, some parts of Shirley, Central City, some parts of Sydenham, some parts of Brighton. Best bet (well what we did) is to stay in holiday camp accomodation and have a jolly good look around to see what you are comfy with. Agree pak and save is cheapest but as you say woolies do the online. Regarding budget we do meal planning, only go every fortnight with top up of fruit, vege and have meat from dh hunting and get by with 260 a fortnight (family of 3 and 1 dog, all cleaning products etc included in this) um petrol, food and power are pretty nasty here at the moment. Ask more if I am being any help

twentypence · 02/08/2008 10:08

Hi, it's Mrs Johncusack and I in Christchurch.

$50 for 2 people depends really on what's on your list - Pak n Save is a bit cheaper for basics, but the specials at Woolworths and Countdown mean I always spend around the same. I spend $100 in the supermarket and around $30 per week at a veggie shop (for 3 of us), however ds is allergic to all sorts and I am gluten free. I do only buy in season though, and no prepared food.

Good areas for schools - well you could go onto TKI and find all the decile 9 and 10 schools. This would give you an idea of the schools that people move to be near - which pushes up prices, which affect the decile rating. It gives all the school zones as well. Parents try hard to get their children into Paparoa Street, Fendalton, Elmwood Normal School in my side of town. I'm sure Mrs JC would know which are popular with the yummy mummies on her side of town. If a school has no zone and it's not special character it means nobody wants to go.

yawningmonster · 02/08/2008 10:13

hi 20p it was you two I was thinking of but didn't want to 'name' you without you knowing. hope all is well with you both...sorry for slight hijack beansmum

twentypence · 02/08/2008 10:14

I've just had a look at Trade Me rentals and $200pw will only buy you one room in a nice shared house in a good school zone.

I am impressed that you are living on this budget in the UK, because I'm really not sure you will be able to in Christchurch.

twentypence · 02/08/2008 10:15

Nice to see you YM. I shamelessly mentioned Mrs JC but I'm sure she won't mind.

yawningmonster · 02/08/2008 10:18

ooh yes forgot about the 200 a week bit, as I say we are cheaper (by alot for comparable houses) out where we are and even then most rents for houses are 350 mark.

twentypence · 02/08/2008 10:23

I have now found a couple of tiny flats in Merivale for $200 but they are "quiet couples" only, so no use for you with a son.

All the larger houses in that price range are not in good school zones.

yawningmonster · 02/08/2008 10:30

that said prices here are still cheaper than Auckland and Wellington.

MrsJohnCusack · 02/08/2008 10:51

Here I am
good schools on my side (South) - Thorrington (where mine should be going - hurrah), Beckenham, ST Martins, Cashmere - it's flipping pricey down this way though. second 20p's advice of looking up the schools by decile. then if you have any specific areas after that, ask us!

$200 is going to be pretty tight I reckon - although the property market is collapsing in on itself so it is possible that rents may come down or you'll be able to negotiate them down. Did you have any luck with the university - you were thinking of studying there if I remember rightly?

groceries aren't that cheap now. I'm impressed at 20p's figures (but then DH often has prepared food, grrr, which bumps our prices RIGHT up). I guess it's about $150 for 4 of us, could get that down if I had to though, just can't quite get my arse in gear at the moment plus DD only eats about 5 different things at the moment and DS eats like a horse.

hello YM, how are you? I'd say we were OK but I have just had the most monumentally shitty week and am pretty wiped out right now. Hopefully things can only get better. 20p, forgot to say couldn't make music on Friday as had CSO rehearsal.

yawningmonster · 02/08/2008 11:03

sorry to hear about your week mjc, think you are doing well for 150, we are only 20 cheaper and less people to feed though think dh can count for 2 as has huge huge huge appetite. we are all good this way though ds is the worlds crappiest sleeper so am yawning more than the norm....sorry hijacking your post again beansmum....I don't know much about the schools, there will be limited options for us out here but what we do have are good. As well as deciles you can look up the Ministry of ed site and check on the ERO reports of schools you might be considering. (www.ero.govt.nz)

Original poster
beansmum · 02/08/2008 11:32

thanks everyone! It is going to be really tight, I'm probably going to try and find a one bed place, if anyone will rent me one. I've got a hostel booked for the first 2 weeks but I can extend that if I don't find anything. I'm going to be studying and will probably not have time to work, or only very part time, so I'll have to get by on my student loan and allowance and my savings. It's not going to be much fun for a while.

I'm def able to enrol at UC, spoke to an advisor there about courses and it should be all fine as long as I can find ds a nursery place until he starts school in june, another thing to worry about!

OP posts:
yawningmonster · 02/08/2008 11:38

if you are wanting to be close to uni, I could ring around and see what sorts of waiting lists the preschools in the area. some of the real estate agents do listing for rentals so could check that out too if it would help...your ds should be able to get 20 free hours of care (though not all preschools are offering it) there are also a couple of home based care places like PORSE so if you cant get a place in one of the preschools this maybe an option (PORSE and one of the others does the free hours)

Original poster
beansmum · 02/08/2008 11:47

Thanks for the offer! He's on a couple of waiting lists but I just don't know if he will get a place and it's stressful! I have a list of all the childcare providers in Christchurch and have phoned/emailed round the ones that are close enough to uni. A couple said there wasn't even any point putting ds on the waiting list but the uni one thought it was pretty likely he would get a place, I just have to phone back in november to check. I hadn't thought about home based care, I'll check out PORSE.

Are there any papers that advertise private rentals? It might be easier to find someone willing to let me stay in a one bed place with a child if I didn't go through an agency

OP posts:
yawningmonster · 02/08/2008 23:00

the Christchurch press used to have a to let section as did the Buy, Sell and Exchange paper. It has been a while since I last rented but I would think these 2 would still do listings. The noticeboards at uni often used to have advertisements for rooms to let etc. There are not often that many 1bdrm places available to be honest unless you are willing to share in a house with others. I do have friends who live in the area so could ask them what sorts of things are around them.

twentypence · 03/08/2008 01:36

Barnados also offer 20 hours free - they are just like childminders in NZ - forget images of childrens homes. He will be eligible for a free kindy place, so you could put his name down for that too. Most of them go by age, so he should get in as he will be pretty old - kindy in the am and a PORSE, Barnados or Kiddz home based educator in the afternoon may work as well as a preschool.

Ilam school is very good and you would be very near Uni, transport would therefore be less of a strain leaving more money for food and rent.

The Press has a rental section each Wednesday and Saturday. My friends have a rental place (a flat though) and last time they mentioned it it was under 200pw so it is possible - this was in the centre and in the zone for the second most deprived school in ChCh. But it shows it is possible.

Some of the Trade Me rentals will be private individuals.

Shells · 03/08/2008 03:25

Beansmum, we have just been looking for a new rental in Wellington, and although the market may be slightly different up here, I found that lots of landlords were willing to reduce the price as they were getting a bit desperate.

So if a place has been listed for more than a week or so, you might be able to bargain them down a bit.

twentypence · 03/08/2008 03:38

I have had a look in the paper, and although there are no photos or in some cases any addresses the prices do appear cheaper for Ilam than on Trade Me. You can get a 1 bedroom unit that claims it's in Ilam for under $200 per week. Lots of agents are advertising no letting fee as well.

It may be worth advertising yourself as there must be other similar students and a 4 bedroom house isn't twice as much and you would have someone to share the phone line rental etc. with.

The Uni preschool is excellent - if you have to beg and plead to get him in then do it!

I'm sure it will be fine - after my initial doom and gloom. I have questioned my middle class 2 income lifestyle as a result.

yawningmonster · 03/08/2008 04:39

I second the quality of Uni preschool, from 20p research you should be fine with rentals. In that area there is a Woolies at Bush Inn and a Countdown which is at Church Corner. Both very close. If worried about transporting groceries without a car, these maybe walkable or at least biking distance of where you would want to live. Also local you would have a number of eateries, shoe shop, banks, bookshops etc at Bush Inn/ Church Corner. Riccarton Mall is a very easy bus commute (walkable depending on walking willingness of your 4 year old) Buses are very frequent along Riccarton Rd and you will be able to access town and other malls fairly easily. There is a metrocard which gives bus discounts also making it fairly affordible means of getting around.

yawningmonster · 03/08/2008 11:11

just a thought, I don't know if they do but some of the university hostels like ilam flats or bishop julius may allow students with children in??? maybe worth a thought, no idea how much they cost though or if this would be something you would consider or not

twentypence · 03/08/2008 19:51

What level are you studying at? Maybe this makes a difference.

You would be able to work in the first set of holidays because your ds would still be at preschool.

Original poster
beansmum · 03/08/2008 20:11

I'll be starting a double degree in law and mass communication and english. I hadn't thought about that first break. I should be able to work then (april?), which will make the first year a bit easier but I don't want to put it in my budget because I still have the other 4 years to get through. I'm short about $3000 dollars a year at the moment, I'm trying to cut out everything I can but there isn't really anything non-essential left!

OP posts:
twentypence · 04/08/2008 02:20

I am in awe of you for doing this on such a tight budget with a son a similar age to mine.

First break is 11 April or thereabouts. You will also find that you break for the summer earlier than your ds finishes school and go back later - so there is some more time there to work.

There is a huge warehouse where you can buy clothing for $2 per item - that will be fabulous for your budget, and also most schools have school uniform sales run by the PTA (my ds's current school but them in the skip - but don't get me started on that).

You don't have to pay the school donation (pay them extra once you are a hot shot lawyer) so cut that out. Only around 50% - 70% pay - so don't go without when you have genuine need.