Nelson Weekly
Affordable Excellence 69 Haven Road, Nelson 7010 24 Hour Service - 7 Days Ph 03 539 0066
Locally Owned and Operated
nelson.simplicity.co.nz
Wednesday 12 April 2023
LIFTOUT
Luigi the cat burglar
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Suburbs continue hot start
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Less spent on food as costs bite ANNE HARDIE More Nelsonians are trying to access Kiwisaver to get themselves out of debt as the cost of living continues to rise, while many families are spending less on food so they can pay their bills. Nelson Budgeting Services’ coordinator Tessa Bell says food is the one cost each week that people can reduce and some single adults seeking the service’s help are spending as little as $38 a week on food, while couples are usually less than $100 a week. Though the minimum wage has just increased to $22.70 per hour, the independently-calculated living wage which is paid on a voluntary basis by employers is moving up to $26 per hour. The living wage is voluntary for employers who want to make sure their workers get enough money to thrive and not just survive. However, Tessa says the costs just keep going up to counter any higher wages and the service is now getting people seeking budgeting advice pre-emptively because they see looming financial problems. One of those problems is refixing interest rates on mortgages which she says can double their mortgage payments each week or more.
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Rami Riachi is running a chess ‘boot camp’ at the Victory Community Centre next term. Photo: Kate Russell.
Chess ‘boot camp’ comes to Victory KATE RUSSELL Rami Riachi is on a mission to inspire the next generation of chess players. The chess coach is running a chess ‘boot camp’ at the Vic-
tory Community Centre next term and wants both beginners and experienced players to come along. The Argentinian says he fell in love with the game when he was 12 years old.
“The council in my hometown developed different activities for kids, including chess. I really liked it and went on to have three different chess coaches.” A few years later, Rami delved into playing professionally,
both in Argentina and then here in New Zealand. “I used to play a lot of tournaments. It was really stressful as you are under a lot of pressure.
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Come meet our friendly new assistant Mira! Mira uses courteous greetings, can sing Happy Birthday or a love song for a special occasion and uses shelves built into its body to help carry away heavy plates.
Food made to Share. From classic Chinese to signature Thai family dishes, enjoy rich and diverse Asian fusion cuisine. Fully licensed, BYO wine.
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200 Hardy Street, Nelson. Phone 545 8163 | OPEN 7 DAYS: Lunch: Mon-Sun 11am - 2.30pm Dinner: Mon-Sun 4.30 - 9pm
LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
nelsonapp.co.nz