What do we do now? When job loss hits the whole whānau

When someone in your household loses a job, the impact can feel immediate and overwhelming. It's not just your income that changes - it's your grocery shop, your bills, your weekend plans, your sense of security.

At Money Sweetspot, we’re seeing this more and more in the applications we receive good people, doing their best, suddenly facing income loss that throws the whole budget off balance.  

This blog is for you if you're asking, “How are we going to make this work now?”

Rebalance the Household budget

Before anything else, pause. Sit down as a household and write it all out:

• What money is still coming in?
• What are your fixed costs (e.g., rent/mortgage, utilities, transport, food)?
• What costs could we trim, delay, or stop for now?
• If you’ve applied for a Money Sweetspot reset, use your spending analysis as a starting point. It’s not about blame - it’s about visibility.

Talk to Your Providers Before Things Get Tough

If paying your household bills feels uncertain, don’t wait until you're already behind. Reach out to your service providers – banks, power companies, internet providers, or lenders – and explain your situation. Debt always takes two sides: lending and borrowing. In New Zealand, there are rules for both - Responsible Lending Code sets expectations for lenders, while the Responsible Borrowing Code guides borrowers to make informed choices.

Getting into debt is rarely one decision - it's usually lots of small ones, stacked up over time. Some of those decisions were yours. We’ve seen applications with hundreds of buy-now-pay-later transactions. That’s not unusual anymore. But at some point, it stops being about what’s happened and becomes about what you do next.

It’s not failing to ask for help. You’ve got options - but it starts with a conversation. You don’t need to “hit rock bottom” to ask for support.

Here’s where to start:

• MoneyTalks – Free, non-judgmental budgeting help: 0800 345 123.
• ‍Work and Income – You may qualify for temporary financial support.
• ‍Sorted – Redundancy and job loss guides.

Losing a job is tough, and the stress ripples out. But this moment doesn’t define your future. Many households are in the same waka right now. You’re not alone, and you’re not powerless.

Take the first steps. Get the right support. You can reset - and we’re here to walk with you when you do.

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