Mary says at the moment about half her wages go on petrol, while her partner is spending $300 a week in fuel to get to work.
Despite having jobs, some workers are relying on credit cards to manage their bills while others are skipping meals and calling in sick to work to cope with the surging cost of living.
The price of fuel has pushed already tight bank accounts as people struggle to make ends meet.
Mary from Levin is a cleaner, while her partner is a mechanic based in Lower Hutt.
At the moment it's costing him $60 a day to get to work, or $300 a week in fuel.
