Tag: ird

How to: Banks, Tax Numbers and Sim Cards

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I’m not extremely organized but I like to be prepared, I did heaps of research before I left the UK, half of what I found out was true and the rest wasn’t, but that’s the Internet for you. Something that I had read up on was that its best to set up a bank account in one of the bigger cities, I mean this is half correct I guess but definitely don’t book an appointment in the centre of the city, get a bus to somewhere outside the city and your more likely to get an appointment for the same day or the next day.

I arrived in Auckland on Tuesday 11th June…

On my first day here I went to book an appointment at ANZ (a bank in which I researched and decided was one of the best ones to go with), they offered me an appointment on Thursday 20th June, at first I accepted this as I assumed this was just how things worked here and I would just have to be patient. When I asked the receptionist at the hostel for a proof of address she explained that if I go outside the centre of Auckland then its possible that I could acquire an appointment earlier. (You will need a proof of address to get a bank account, the hostel will provide you with one).

And low and behold she was right, I got an appointment booked in for the next day at a KIWI bank in Newmarket. Unfortunately for me when I attended the appointment the banks systems were down so it was impossible to set it up at that time, I did get a call later on to say that I could come back in and set it up today but I was busy zip-lining on Waiheke Island. So I didn’t set up my account until the Friday but that was a better scale of time than the original appointment I booked which was still a week away.

Regarding the banking, you have an option to get an EFTPOS card that is basically just for paying by card and withdrawing cash or a Debit card which you can also use online. I personally chose a Debit card, as then when I pay for hostels or flights online I don’t incur an international charge from my UK bank account.

When I was in the bank they said they could assist me with my IRD number, I obviously jumped at the chance to get things sorted ASAP. Bit of a fail there though on my part, I applied via paper and then the bank mailed this out for me. Unfortunately if I had applied online I could have received it within 1-2 days. I had to wait a little longer for the application to get to the offices and for them to give me my IRD number via email/ text. After 6 days it finally came which isn’t to bad a wait in all honesty. So to anyone applying, definitely apply online, and tick the box that says you want it via email.

Also there are 2 questions you need to answer on the IRD form, Question 11 and 12. I struggled with these questions as they made no sense to me, the teller in the bank said she couldn’t help me with these questions as she wouldn’t be able to advise me, luckily for me the bank was also a post office and someone came to assist me. If anyone is struggling with the answers here’s what to put,

Question 11: Do you qualify for a temporary tax exemption on foreign income? Answer: NO

Question 12: Please tick if you are (non-resident contractor) (non-resident seasonal worker) (neither) Answer: NEITHER

So I read loads online before I arrived, basically you cant use your UK drivers license as a form of ID in this country so unless you want to carry your passport around with you i.e. on nights out, you can get a Kiwi access card which you can use as a form of ID whilst in New Zealand. So its only $55 and all you need is a passport photo, proof of visa/address and a filled out form that you can pick up at the post office, the post office are happy to help with this and then they send this off for you. The card can take 2-3 weeks to arrive so make sure your settled somewhere or in one place for a while.

Silly me, as usual, I ordered it before I had settled and it hadn’t arrived before I was due to leave, I spoke to the hostel and when it arrives they will email me and I can set up a payment of the cost of sending it and they will redirect this for me.

So when you arrive in New Zealand you will find you’ll need a NZ Sim Card, this will help so that if you’ve applied for a job or an employer needs to contact you regarding an offer or invitation to interview or just that you may need to make personal calls or calls to NZ companies.

Now, I researched this information prior to my departure from the UK, so was prepared and had an old phone that was unlocked, ready for my Sim card. I would recommend that if you have a decent phone that you no longer use that you do this, even if you do look like a drug dealer carrying around two phones.

With my UK number I am on contract with EE and it was going to cost me £500+ to cancel my contract before I left, fortunately I’m on a 4GEE MAX plan and I’m still able to use my calls and Data whilst I’m here in NZ, definitely a bonus.

I still needed a NZ number though, so I went into Spark, one of the network providers and managed to get a very good deal, or the best deal I’ve ever had.

So, I pay $39.99 per month which is just over £20, and for this I receive 1GB of Data every day, unlimited texts, 300 minutes, a Premium Spotify account for 24 months, 1GB Spark WIFI in certain areas, a Lightbox Standard Plan (Basically a NZ version of Netflix) and then every month I get an extra 1GB of Data. Not bad that, is it?

Advice is like cooking, you should try it before you feed it to others.

Croft M. Pentz

Hostel 101

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It definitely feels that I’ve been here more than a week, I feel like living in Auckland isn’t much different to my norm, now don’t get me wrong, I’m on the other side of the world but it’s a large city and apart from the few daytrips out to different islands on the ferry its no more different to a city in the UK. I guess the only thing that really makes the city stand out from any other is the notorious Sky tower.

I guess when I came here I was expecting something else, perhaps something totally different but I think there is a lot of British influence here in Auckland so perhaps thats why its not the place for me. I read loads before I came and there were definitely mixed opinions on Auckland but I didn’t want to come in with a negative attitude, I came in positive and now I have my own opinion. I do hope that during my travels I get the chance to visit a real Maori village and experience their culture.

I’m in Auckland for another week yet but I’m looking forward to the arrival of my IRD number, I will then begin to move further south, out into smaller towns and away from the cities, somewhere less busy but still full of interesting people and places to visit.

So far into my stay here in Auckland I have ventured out to Waiheke Island and zip lined over vineyards and forests, I have visited the area of Devonport and viewed the defences from WW2 on North Head, I’ve walked along Cheltenham Beach and around Takapuna Head. I have walked to the top of Mt Eden, I have visited the War Memorial Museum, Walked along Mission Bay, visited the Harbour Bridge, spent a good amount of time whizzing around on the electric scooters and photographed the city skyline from several different angles. Along with all of this I have also managed to set up my NZ bank account, sent off for my IRD number and Kiwi Access card. I am now awaiting these items to further my adventure into New Zealand.

Apart from the non-stop squeaky beds and people entering the dorm and banging about at ungodly hours, Hostel life is pretty good, well when I say pretty good I mean its okay, well when I say its okay I mean its cheap and that’s always a positive which you cant complain about, not that I’m complaining about anything. Below are some of my experiences so far…

So on one of the first evenings I had here, it was early evening, I was still overcoming the jet lag and it was only around 6-8pm, I had already got ready to go to bed. I was in bed, eyes slowly drifting to sleep when all of a sudden the fire alarm begins blaring, I roll over and ignore it until others in the dorm begin to leave and I hear hundreds of footsteps clambering down the stairs. I consider to myself whether this is a real alarm or a fake one, I decided to leave the building as I assumed no sane person would want to evacuate over 100 people for a simple test. It was real, someone on floor 6 set it off, the fire Department was extremely efficient and here within minutes, they checked inside but within around 10 minutes everyone was allowed back inside. It was an experience though.

Cleanliness is pretty key anywhere you go, not in this hostel kitchen it seems, I mean when I first cooked in the hostel I made a chicken curry, I spilt some curry on the hob so obviously I cleaned it up, when i wiped it i must have cleaned up days worth of muck. People just don’t seem to do this. Most of the hobs are encrusted with fat and food, the sides are greasy and unclean, Plates and pans are left in the sinks, nothing that is washed is put back in its original place so it’s a real hunt to find the utensils that you need.

Lads, what the f**k, lift the seat before you take a slash, its not hard, every time I have gone to the toilet I’ve had to clean it before using it, its so grim, who knows what the girls think? Absolutely no need for it. I think I need to invest in some toilet covers!

Several times this has happened which makes me believe that this is just a regular occurrence in a hostel which when you think of it, it does seem pretty correct. Anyway, these people have like the least respect for anyone or anything, bashing and banging around the dorm room, coming in to the dorm and turning the lights on like its 6pm rather than the 3am it actually is. Not the nicest experience when you’re trying to sleep, but just another night in a hostel.

So it was about 8am in the morning, around the time I’ve been getting up and having a shower. Today I finished my shower and switched it off. Whilst I dried myself and got dressed I heard an uncontrolled fapping and panting sound coming from the next cubicle, obviously some guy was tugging him self off. I mean good for him, but quieten down with it, you don’t need to let the whole hostel know mate.

Privacy, there is absolutely no privacy unless your taking a hefty dump. But this is what I’m paying for, I’m paying roughly £9 a night so I can’t moan too much, I knew what I was getting myself into. Security, everyone needs it, I have a locker under my bed to store my valuables but I have everything in it because “I don’t trust no bitch”. But its true, who can you really trust these days. It’s an 8-person dorm and people go in and out throughout the day. The WIFI is free, although if you want to use it and get a good connection anytime between 11am and 6pm is best.

This being said, with all these experiences Iv’e had so far there are so many positive points I’ve left out about living in a hostel. The main one really is whom you meet, whether it be passing in the hallway, whilst cooking in the kitchen or just people you share a dorm with. It’s such I diverse place and such a feeling of togetherness here, living with strangers in a multicultural environment, literally amazing experience and I would definitely recommend it.

Whilst editing this post before making it public I received an email with my IRD number on it, the excitement really brewed up inside, so I now need to make my decision on where to go next. I can finally get a job! Watch this space!

“If its endurable then endure it. Stop complaining.”

Marcus Aurelius