Adding together wages, family tax credit and accommodation supplement, Catherine pockets $825 a week.
But after paying $530 a week rent for her modest three-bedroom Takanini home, and forking out another $206 for essential household and transport costs, she's left with just $89 to feed herself and her three primary school age children.
Catherine doesn't have any insurances and all one-off costs such as repairs, health costs or clothes also have to come out of the $89.
"It's really tough. Sometimes when the kids aren't around I feel a little bit down thinking 'oh I'm working for peanuts'."
Catherine says she doesn't smoke and drinks a small amount of alcohol once every three months at most.
Her only treat for her kids is a once-a-fortnight trip to a fast food outlet which works out at around $10 a week.
Catherine goes through her food bill with Tristram. Photo / via video
She doesn't have Sky, has never gambled and bought her TV on Trade Me for just $220 five years ago.
"My budget doesn't come up short from spending it up large, it comes up short because there's other things that require money."
Catherine says working in a local primary school means she's got to know many other parents who are in a similar or worse situation.
"There are families where they just don't have breakfast or they won't have eaten any food for lunch either.
"Most of the families are in a similar situation to mine. We're [coming up] short but it hasn't come about in a silly way, it's because they've come into a bill or need to pay for medicine for a child.
"Most parents in this community are not wasting their money.
"They are actually trying to better their own lives, their kids' lives, their families' lives.
