A wise man once said: ‘the only constant in life is change’. Of course, a part of change is uncertainty. While you may not be able to prevent yourself from all forms of uncertainty, you can surely prepare well in advance for any kind of financial uncertainty that may occur …

Supermarkets are useful one-stop shops for a variety of goods. However, in case you weren’t already aware, the multi-billion-dollar NZ supermarket industry is dominated by two players, so we don’t have much choice when it comes to our weekly shop. The big two are: Woolworths New Zealand (owner of Countdown …

Whether you’re just starting out as an adult, or are already financially secure, you’ve probably heard your fair share of unwanted and unsolicited financial advice. In case you haven’t already learned it, the wealthier you get, the more interesting that advice can become! Some financial tips and advice can function …

A major change to New Zealand trust law was passed on 30 July 2019. The Trusts Act will have implications for all trusts in New Zealand, and once it comes into force will probably cause many to ask whether trusts are still worthwhile. Let’s take a brief look at what’s changing and …

Raising kids is expensive. It’s even more expensive when they grow up and won’t leave the family home Nowadays, having a grown-up child living at home is reasonably common. In fact, one third of millennials are living with their parents. The rising cost of living, especially relative to incomes, is …

Myths about money are everywhere. Unfortunately, much of what you know about money is probably wrong and holding you back from success in your financial life. We all must be aware of how our thoughts impact our behaviour with money. As we all know, how you think and feel often …

Early retirement is a major lifestyle goal of many people. However, early retirement isn’t always all it’s made out to be, so it pays to be aware of potential issues and how to avoid them. Here are the top four pitfalls of an early retirement: Spending too much during the …

Imagine if what we know now about finances, we knew back in our teen years – how much better off would we all be? When most of us were in high school, we didn’t learn anything about money, budgeting, or investing. However, nowadays, by the time you leave your teenage …

Most financial experts say that you should have at least three to six months of living expenses kept as a readily accessible emergency fund. In spite of this, a recent study completed by BNZ showed that 41% of New Zealanders live from pay day to pay day, that is, basically …

We all know that sinking feeling of knowing you’ve been ripped off. Unfortunately, in the financial world there are quite a few offerings, products, services, and outright rip offs that you should be aware of. Awareness can help you avoid that sinking feeling. While many of these financial offerings are …