- Shona Robertson won a $27,000 prize, covering her mortgage for a year.
- The win allowed her to spend time with her daughter and find a new job.
- Robertson advises the next winner not to rush into any purchases.
Nine months ago Shona Robertson had lost her job and faced some hard decisions about her family’s finances.
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But then fate intervened and she won the Live Free competition run by The Hits and OneRoof.
Robertson was one of five contestants who had assembled in Auckland to see if she had the lucky key that would open the door to a year free of rent or mortgage payments. Her pick paid off and she won the $27,000 prize.
The win was “life-changing” for her family, Robertson told OneRoof ahead of the grand final of this year’s contest.
Shona Robertson, with husband Luke, used the money to cover their mortgage while she looked for a new job. Photo / Supplied
Last year’s prize covered the mortgage on the family home in Hei Hei, Christchurch, which allowed Robertson time to hunt for a new job and spend more time with her nine-year-old daughter, Esme.
“I could spend quality time with our daughter without the pressure of thinking, ‘I’ve got this finite time to find a job’. I haven’t been able to spend time with her like that since she was nine months old.
“The win also took the pressure off my husband Luke. He didn't need to work 60 hours a week.”
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The job hunt hasn’t been easy but Robertson has, after some 50 job applications, just recently landed a new job in the Department of Conservation. “It connects with my own personal values, my commitment to contributing to our country in some way. This really speaks to that,” she told OneRoof.
The family also treated themselves to a long overdue holiday. They visited the Daintree Rainforest, in Queensland, a dream spot for Robertson’s horticulturalist husband. They also managed to squeeze in some snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef and "exhilarating" encounters with Australia’s wildlife, including crocodiles and a cassowary.
“I was like, ‘Bugger it, we’ve won this money’. I just wanted to shout ourselves something,” Robertson told OneRoof.
Like most Kiwis with a mortgage, the Robertsons were hit by interest rate increases and at one point feared that they would have to sell their house. Even with the prize, it was a tough couple of months until she got the call before Christmas that she had landed her new job.
Live Free winner Shona, centre, poses with Hits presenters Ben Boyce, PJ Harding, Matty McLean and Jono Pryor. Photo / Supplied
“We literally had to use everything because I didn’t have a job for all that time. We needed to cover our expenses,” she said.
But now the family are on firmer ground, they are exploring buying a caravan for family holidays. “Now I have a role, we are looking at ways we could make that happen, because it’s worth doing that stuff sooner rather than later,” Robertson said.
The final of this year’s Live Free competition takes place on Friday and Robertson’s advice to whoever wins the $50,000 prize is: Don’t rush.
“The biggest takeaway is not having that mindset of ‘I’ve got all this money and I need to spend it straight away’. Think why you entered the competition and why you really need the money. Take the time to figure out the best way to use it,” she said.
She added: “I’m so excited for the next winner. I felt like it was a bit rude to enter again, so I’ve just been listening and silently congratulating the finalists.”
- Click here to enter The Hits Live Free contest
