Free tool · NZ · 2026
Just lost your job?
Here's the maths.
Compare your next 6 months on Jobseeker Support (with redundancy pay) against starting a service business now. Uses real 2026 WINZ rates and the Self Made baseline trajectory for each business type — including Mr Mow's actual numbers.
Just freshly out of work? Read the practical first-steps guide: Just been made redundant in NZ — what to do first →
Numbers use 2026 WINZ rates and the Self Made baseline trajectory for each business type. Both are conservative — actual outcomes depend on your effort, region, and timing.
By month 6
The benefit path is ahead by $9,374
A big redundancy package + accommodation supplement can outweigh the first 6 months of business income. The picture changes meaningfully past month 6 — recurring contracts compound and the benefit is gone.
| Month | Redundancy + benefit | Business path | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6,623 | $544 | -$6,079 |
| 2 | $8,846 | $1,564 | -$7,282 |
| 3 | $11,069 | $3,060 | -$8,009 |
| 4 | $13,292 | $4,692 | -$8,600 |
| 5 | $15,515 | $6,460 | -$9,055 |
| 6 | $17,738 | $8,364 | -$9,374 |
Mr Mow's real numbers in his first month: 6 jobs from the website plus 7 lawn contracts. Those 7 contracts were the lever — they compound, every month, with zero acquisition cost.
How the maths works
Path A is straightforward — your redundancy as a lump sum, plus monthly Jobseeker Support at 2026 single 25+ rates, optionally plus an Accommodation Supplement if you're renting in a main centre.
Path B is a baseline trajectory for the chosen business — conservative monthly revenue ramping over 6 months, minus rough operating costs (fuel, insurance, gear amortisation, consumables). What we know works for a solo operator following the same playbook Mr Mow used.
What this doesn't include
- The WINZ self-employment startup payment (up to $10,000)
- Personal income tax on the business path (you keep more if you're below the GST threshold)
- The compounding effect of recurring contracts past month 6
- Time. Both paths take time — but only one builds you something at the end of it.
For the press
Numbers calculated in real-time from public WINZ rates and the Self Made operator baseline. Source data and methodology are embedded in the page — WINZ Jobseeker rates, Accommodation Supplement.
Journalists / researchers wanting raw data or interview access — open the chat and we'll pick it up there.