We were told to prepare ourselves for a huge jump in the cost of living, but that doesn't make the highest inflation rate in 30 years easier to stomach.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) out on Thursday revealed the inflation rate for Kiwi households is at a whopping 6.9 percent, just shy of the 7 percent predicted. That basically means what we already knew - everything's more expensive.
"The average Kiwi is probably spending a good $100 more than a year earlier just to buy the exact same stuff," Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen said.
"At some point they're going to have to spend less on certain goods and services to make sure they can afford just the essentials."
The biggest drivers were housing and transport. The price of petrol's ballooned by 32 percent in the last year while building a new home costs an extra 18 percent.
"New Zealanders pay more for building materials, in a similar way as we pay more for groceries, than many of the countries we compare ourselves to," said Finance Minister Grant Robertson.
Speaking of groceries, we're paying 18 percent more for fruit and veges now than we were this time last year.
Those growing them are also struggling.
"The price of fertiliser has gone up over 300 percent, the cost of fuel has gone up a couple hundred percent," said Jay Clarke, the director of Woodhaven Gardens.
"New Zealanders would be shocked to learn just how often we sell our products at a loss just to get some money to go towards contributing to the next crop."
But grocers say they're not reaping the profits - instead, demand has decreased.
"We do make a choice to say look we just won't have it in the shop because people will just freak out too much and say I'm not going to pay that and I am never coming back to that store," said James McLean, the owner of the retailer Simply Fresh NZ.
The Finance Minister continues to blame our inflation situation on overseas pressures, not his own spending.
"Thinking about the kinds of spending that a government might do that would big enough to really have an impact on inflation, you're thinking about things like the wage subsidy scheme," Robertson said on Thursday. "Is that what people are saying we shouldn't have done?"
National suggests Roberston treat next month's budget like Kiwi households are.
"Which is going through their expenses line by line and saying what can I afford to do now? What's getting a return? What's having a big difference, and cancel the stuff that's not doing that," National leader Christopher Luxon said.
Robertson said: "There's no free lunch here. If people are saying that, if the National Party are saying that, what are they going to cut?"
Cuts to spending are clearly off the table, but a cut to inflation is desperately needed.
