r/hawkesbay

⚡️Power Bill Sanity check ⚡️

Hello everyone I just wanted to sanity check our power bill because I’m not sure if we’re doing okay or getting overcharged.
We are with Powershop.

We’re a family of 4 living in a rural farmhouse in Hawkes Bay here is our most recent power bill is about $354 per month. Only cause I put $50 p/w aside for power.

Our situation:

2 adults + 2 kids
Rural farmhouse
Fireplace is used for heating we don’t use electric heaters at all.
No one is home during the day Mon–Fri until 4pm onwards.

I thought our bill would be lower since the house is empty most of the day and we don’t rely on heaters, but it still feels a bit high.

Is this pretty normal for NZ rural living or should I be looking into things like the.

hot water cylinder settings , insulation / heat loss and hidden constant usage?

Would love to hear what other families are paying and if this seems in the normal range or not.

Thanks guys

Hi all, i'm looking for a shop I went to in 2023, hoping it's still trading. It was in Hastings, definitely in the central commerce area. It was like a small, independent briscoes - it sold laundry stuff, small storage, pillows, tableware etc. The counter was on the right as you entered the store, and there were about 3-4 long aisles. I feel like it was called "the Plastic Box" or something similar, but i'm not confident on that.

Otherwise, can anyone recommend a place to get some foam that can go under a mattress?

Hiya. I've just recently moved to NZ, residing in the Hastings area. I really want to go whale watching. Where might be a good spot to go? I don't wanna drive more than two hours out, if possible. I've heard Winter is a good time for whale watching cause they're migrating, hoping that's true!

Hi all, feeling slightly vulnerable here as a newbie to this sub, but also admitting that I’m in a bit of a lonely space right now as a 43 -year-old woman with primary-aged kids. It felt easier to meet people through baby/toddler groups but as my kids get older and more independent, I’m stuck in this grey zone. Probably doesn’t help that I work from home, too. Anyway, just testing the waters to see if anyone is keen to meet. I know there are loads of clubs but I am not particularly into any particular hobby; just keen for good convos 😊

Can someone help me understand why it has become so difficult to access healthcare appointments?

I’m finding that booking a doctor’s appointment can take weeks or even months, and if you need to reschedule, you can end up waiting another few months for the next available slot because clinics are already fully booked.

I’ve experienced the same issue with scans and specialist appointments. I have regular fortnightly appointments booked, but when I recently tried to change the time, I was told there was no capacity and the next available appointment wasn’t until the end of June.

What I also find concerning is that many medical centres aren’t accepting new enrolments, which means changing clinics often isn’t an option either.

I’m genuinely interested in understanding what’s driving this. Is it a shortage of doctors and healthcare staff? Funding pressures? Population growth? Or a combination of factors?

I have a lot of respect for the healthcare professionals working incredibly hard under pressure, but from a patient perspective it feels like accessing timely healthcare is becoming increasingly difficult.

It simply just should not be this difficult why am I even paying taxes and dealing with rate rises in Hawke’s Bay if they can’t even offer us residents quality health care.

I am also insured with southern cross

Sincerely a disgruntled 28 year old women