Free, 24/7, confidential.

Get my plan

Cheaper living: transport, phone, health costs and car running costs

8 minute readMoney & bills

In short

Start with the biggest controllable items: transport, phone and internet, insurance, and food. Switching to prepay or a cheaper plan, using a Community Services Card for GP and transport discounts, and cutting car costs can free up tens of dollars a week without touching essentials.

Transport

  • Public transport: check your region's concession (Community Connect gives Community Services Card holders half-price fares in many regions; check availability where you live). Beeline and similar regional cards may also offer discounts.
  • Job seekers may get a transport subsidy from Work and Income or a Transition to Work Grant for work-related costs. The Transition to Work Grant can be up to $1,500 per 52 weeks (check eligibility and rules).
  • Car share, lifts with colleagues or community ride groups.
  • Walk or cycle where possible; some regions offer cycle repair schemes.
  • If you must drive: only for work and appointments.

Car costs: cut without risking safety

CostWays to cut
InsuranceShop around; raise the excess; drop comprehensive cover on an old low-value car for third-party; ask to pay monthly without fees
FuelFill up at cheaper stations; combine trips; check tyre pressure; fuel loyalty offers
Registration and WoFRequired: budget for them (and the costs of failing a WoF). Ask Work and Income about help if a repair is needed to get to work
RepairsGet a second quote; ask a trusted mechanic to prioritise safety items
FinanceAsk for hardship help; consider selling and downsizing if repayments are more than you can handle

Phone and internet

  • Prepay mobile plans often cost far less than monthly plans; you can switch provider and keep your number.
  • Compare broadband plans: you may not need the fastest fibre speed.
  • Bundle only if it's genuinely cheaper.
  • Use free public wifi and library computers for job searches.
  • Ask for a retention discount before you cancel; providers often offer one.

Health costs

  • A Community Services Card gives lower GP fees and cheaper prescriptions. Entry income thresholds in the facts used on this site are $37,116 a year for a single person living alone and $55,501 for a couple (check current thresholds). Benefit recipients can often qualify; ask Work and Income.
  • Children under 14 get free GP visits at enrolled practices (check current rules). Prescriptions for under-14s are free.
  • Enrol with a GP practice to access cheaper fees, and ask about co-payment policies for Community Services Card holders.
  • Dental: public hospital dental care is free for under-18s. For adults, ask Work and Income about a Special Needs Grant for urgent dental treatment; community dental schemes may help.
  • Call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free 24/7 health advice.
  • Prescription cost: check if you hit the subsidy threshold per year.

Other places to save

  • Groceries: see the food support guide.
  • Heating and power: see the hardship guide, plus free insulation or heat-pump grants (check Warmer Kiwi Homes eligibility on EECA).
  • Clothing and household: op shops, Buy Nothing groups, Trade Me and Facebook marketplace.
  • Review insurance policies; see the insurance guide.

Sources

General information only. Confirm with the agency for your situation. Spotted something out of date? Email help@unemployed.nz.

Next on the road

Back to the whole road on the home page