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I come from a traditional working-class family in the north of England, but I was very fortunate that both my parents went to grammar school and pushed themselves to have a good career.
At the time, it was very unusual to have a well-paid working mother and they were both excellent role models. Because they earned better salaries, we moved from an industrial area to a beautiful town with the countryside on our doorstep.
Money certainly wasn't tight, but my parents only spent on things of value and were very careful not to waste. I'm sure this influenced me enormously.
I went to my local grammar school, a former grammar school, achieved the top grades at my O and A levels and was the first from my school to get a place at the University of Cambridge.
My tuition fees were, as was customary at the time, paid by the municipality and my parents gave me exactly the same living allowance as the full scholarship. During my summer holidays I worked in the financial sector in London, increasing the coffers, and sublet a friend's bedroom.
Then I realized that London is fantastic, but extremely expensive and potentially quite grim if you don't have serious cash. I also realized the benefit of geographical coincidence. For example, a young PA living with her mum and dad in Kent could commute into the city and earn a bomb. Those jobs were simply not available in the North.
After college, I went to work in investment banking in the city. It involved a lot of international travel, which I loved, and I was based in Europe much of the time, living for significant periods in Spain, Italy and Portugal. It was very demanding work, but I paid well and bought my first three-bedroom flat in North West London in my early twenties.
My employer offered a cheap mortgage as a perk, protecting me from high interest rates. This would now be completely unfeasible without serious help from the Bank of Mom and Dad.
The story continues
In my late twenties, I decided to do an MBA because I wanted to get away from the intensity of the city. I paid my own expenses and because I was recently married, my husband covered living expenses for my year of college.
However, a few years later we divorced. We had both traveled too much for work, so we didn't spend much time together. Together with my employer I took the opportunity to move to New Zealand. I loved the country from previous holidays and it was very easy to settle there, although I was shocked by the cost of living. Absolutely everything seemed twice as expensive as in Britain.
I met my now husband 20 years ago. We had both realized that people with a lot of money were inevitably entrepreneurial and had their own businesses. Since we had a good idea, we decided to pursue it.
It was extremely demanding and hard work and required enormous effort from both of us - including taking the terrifying risk of investing much of our savings because we didn't want to take on debt. The businesses have always been profitable and we have grown steadily and cautiously.
Vital Statistics:
Day 1
I wake up at 5:30 am and start the day with eggs and toast and our trusty coffee pods. It is the start of a week full of administration. Our personal accountant needs a lot of information to fill out five tax returns, but it doesn't take long and I send it all to him.
I'm going to the post office to return a parcel of t-shirts that friends of ours left when they stayed with us for the weekend (NZ$11.50). I continue to the flower wholesaler to buy a bouquet. They cost a third of the price of our local fancy florist (NZ$61).
Then I go to the local grocer to stock up on good quality fruit and vegetables, which costs me NZ$59. I also have to pay the annual premium for our safe, it gives us secure off-site storage options, but it will set me back €800.53.
I go home to eat egg salad for lunch and stay in for the rest of the day. I also pay for the monthly Disney+ subscription ($14.99) and cloud storage ($3.49).
Total: €950.51 (£461.55)Day 2
I wake up early again so that I can spend a few hours reading board reports and monthly financial reports and preparing some questions for the managers.
At half past seven I go to the supermarket for coffee pods, green-lipped mussels and fresh bread (NZ$143.19). Our housekeeper arrives at 9am. She is excellent; she cleans the house from top to bottom and changes the beds every week. We pay her NZ$400 a week, which is pretty decent for six hours.
At 10:30 am I head out with my husband and son to look at glamorous cars at the nearby dealerships. I think they thought we were "tire kickers" (someone who has no intention of buying anything), which suits me just fine because I am.
Then the three of us go to a sushi restaurant for lunch (NZ$56.10). That's the last thing I'm spending money on today. I cook the mussels with a salad for dinner and then we go for a long walk with the dog as a family.
Total: €599.29 (£291)Day 3
Today was a day full of chores. At 8:30 am I drop our dog off at the groomer and then run home to let in the landscapers who are helping to renovate our garden.
I run to the hairdresser for a really nice blow-dry (NZ$80) and then I'm back home to give my son gas money for his car (NZ$50) and pick up the dog (NZ$110).
After a lunch of soft-boiled eggs and asparagus, I go shopping for an outfit for an upcoming wedding. I spend NZ$899 on the dress, NZ$319 on shoes and I get a second pair of shoes for NZ$129. I am very satisfied because I will wear these pieces a lot, so they are useful.
I'm taking some jewelry with me to have it appraised. It is a requirement of the insurer. Each appraisal costs NZ$120, but the jeweler waives the fee because we are pretty good customers.
In the evening I don't feel like cooking because it's too hot, so I have cheese on toast and berries for dinner. I walk around the block with my husband and dog and choose the easy route because it is so humid. We are tempted to go to the pub, but dogs are not allowed in.
Total: €1,587 (£770.62)Day 4
While my husband takes his car to the car wash, our son washes my car and his own in the driveway, which is free.
I go to the grocery store to get fruit and vegetables (€82.29) and go to the supermarket for the basics (€145.88). I also buy some lemon sorbet from the local homemade ice cream shop (NZ$17).
My husband goes to the wine shop to replace the drink we consumed over Christmas (NZ$365.86) and the Spotify bill comes in (NZ$34).
My son gets an Uber (NZ$20.42) to transport his girlfriend to our house. The driving law in New Zealand means that a young, inexperienced driver like him is not allowed to drive another young, inexperienced driver and she does not yet have a license to drive herself.
In the afternoon our family friend comes by and brings a delicious bottle of champagne - we feel spoiled. We all have a nice G&T at home before heading to the local gastropub for dinner, where our friend pays the bill.
Total: €665.45 (£323.13)Day 5
While our friend stays overnight, my husband and I cook a full English breakfast at home for our guest and are joined by a few more friends from out of town, and we all have a nice catch up at home.
In the afternoon we go into town for a late lunch in a fish restaurant. We pay €933.80. Our friends all go back to the airport and we catch a ride home in one of their Ubers.
It's still very hot and humid and we've been running the air conditioning non-stop so we can sleep. It's all cooled by impressive large-scale heat pumps hidden outside and each room is individually controlled via a very good app. The same applies to our swimming pool.
Total: €933.80 (£453.44)Day 6
My morning is spent wandering through art galleries with the dog in tow. Our dog is clean and can therefore come inside. I see a nice photo that would perfectly fill a gap in our home. I say I'll think about it. I do this all the time with pretty much everything, even if I really like something - I don't do impulse buying.
My husband comes along for a sashimi lunch at a local Japanese restaurant (NZ$30). I also spend NZ$5.50 for an hour of on-street parking, including a 50 cent charge for using a credit card. The machine does not accept cash, so you have to use a card and that is annoying and rude of the municipality.
My husband withdraws NZ$500 in cash from an ATM. Our son has just achieved good exam results, so some of that is going his way.
In the afternoon I book our next trip to Europe. We're going there in a few weeks. First class flights with Emirates cost NZ$35,000. Accommodation still needs to be arranged, but I do have ideas. My husband is okay with me organizing everything because he thinks I know what I'm doing.
Over dinner we discuss buying a house in Europe because we are going quite a distance and it would make sense to have a base and stay longer each time.
Total: €35,535.50 (£17,255.38)Day 7
After a breakfast of toast and some fresh apricots, I pay the landscaping phase bill of NZ$1,995. At 8.30am I went to the hairdresser for a blow dry (NZ$65) and I'm taking the dog with me so I can go straight to the beach afterwards to meet my friend and her dog.
I get home at 11:30 and pay the annual theater membership subscription (NZ$20). It's local amateur drama, but it's really fun and well worth it.
I meet up with another friend to catch up and gossip over lunch in the city. It's a very trendy place but strange food and I get a weird dressing on mine. NZ$88 for the meal and NZ$20 for valet parking.
At 4pm I start some work on the legal requirements, but quickly lose interest when I have to update a tricky spreadsheet. Instead, I'm browsing the auction listings for the upcoming Elton John sale at Christie's. There is one lot that my husband would love and I'm wondering if I should register and bid.
Total: €2,188 (£1,062.45) Total for the week: €42,459.55 (£20,617.57) As told to Pieter Snepvangers.
