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Property investment is nearly an obsession in New Zealand. With low interest rates, increasing property prices, demand for housing, and no capital gains tax, it will probably remain that way. At is simplest, residential property is an easy investment to understand – we all need somewhere to live! To see if you’re ready to take the plunge into property investment, see if you... Read more Read more

The events of 2020 have been a great reminder that there is no hiding from the challenge’s life will throw at you. This is as true as it is for your finances, career, and investments as it is for any other area. Against the backdrop of a changing world, diversification is a way to make your finances as indestructible as possible. What does diversification mean? With... Read more Read more

There is a handy online tool that enables us to measure how we stack up financially against other Kiwi’s, though before we get to that, let’s ensure we’re using it for the right reasons… Comparing our riches – why would we? Humans are designed to understand ourselves and the world around us. The ability to reflect upon things is one of the defining characteristics of humans.... Read more Read more

The fate of British Cycling changed one day in 2003 when they hired Dave Brailsford as their new performance director. At the time, professional cyclists in Great Britain had endured nearly a hundred years of mediocrity. Since 1908, British riders had won just a single gold medal at the Olympics, and they had fared even worse in cycling’s biggest race, the Tour de... Read more Read more

Buying a house, especially when you’re younger is still an incredibly smart financial decision in the majority of cases. Home ownership is accepted as the cornerstone of wealth for most New Zealanders, with a debt-free home by retirement being the most common life goal. On the flipside, society is changing and there have never been more choices for Kiwis to build wealth too. So, here... Read more Read more

Insurance companies are hiking the costs of income protection insurance and are making it tougher to get cover in the wake of major financial losses on the same offering in Australia. Across the Tasman, a situation where consumers being “price-forced” to cancel their policies led the Australian regulator to ban insurers from offering policies which would replace more than 70 per cent of... Read more Read more

First home buyers with a ready deposit and stable employment have been making the most of record low interest rates and a yearlong loosening of deposit rules. This is part of the reason there has been a surge in housing market activity since the Covid crisis first struck. Younger Kiwi’s still love property Before Covid, some had suggested that younger generations might... Read more Read more

“Buy now, pay later” (or BNPL, as the cool kids say) services are becoming more and more popular at checkouts all over your favourite websites. BNPL is taking younger generations by storm, but how is this different to using a credit card or layby? BNPL has quickly become the payment method of choice for many younger adults, with recently released figures from NZ Post showing 77... Read more Read more

The popularity of side hustles has increased in popularity over recent years, which is probably due to: Increased income required to meet increased living costs – especially the “big three” of; housing, food, and petrol/transportation, The internet and digital platforms have made it much easier to connect those with a need to those with the skill or capability to fill it. This... Read more Read more

Have you ever wondered why: At the end of the month you have very little money saved? Or, Maybe you were going to put money away in your savings at the end of the month, but then wonder why there is little to nothing to put away? Both situations are common. Even before the Covid-crisis struck, it was widely known that nearly 4 in 10 Kiwis were living “pay check to pay... Read more Read more

In a word, yes, NZ interest rates are likely to fall further. Here’s why: NZ’s term deposit rate is much higher than in similar developed countries, including Australia, the UK, and Sweden. The Deputy of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) recently cited this as a reason the RBNZ had to do more to bring the interest rates down. The RBNZ is NZ’s central bank. Central bankers... Read more Read more

The New Zealand share market, based on the widely-tracked NZX 50 index, is at a new high, passing the previous record set shortly before the Covid-inspired crash. These ‘new record high’ headlines might cause head-scratching, as we are simultaneously being told we’re in the middle of a major economic crisis, which will probably see widespread job losses and business failures continue... Read more Read more

For good reason, property investment remains a favourite type of investment for many Kiwis. Listed property commonly refers to a type of property investment that could be a welcome addition to the investment portfolio of many New Zealanders. Background – REITs and listed property A real estate investment trust (REIT) is a company that owns, operates, or finances income-... Read more Read more

Elections are happening soon in both NZ and the US. In case you’re wondering why we mention the US, that’s because it’s the home to the world’s largest financial markets. The US is also the wealthiest nation by some way, and is the home of the most-used currency. This means any major events, such as an election, can have a significant flow-on effect to the rest of the world. Over the... Read more Read more

It’s no secret that Kiwi’s love cars, but did you know that NZ ranks third in the world when it comes to motor vehicles per capita? – we even outrank the car-obsessed United States! Most of us buy a new car every few years, and while Kiwi’s love cars, before you purchase one it might pay to remember: Most cars spend 95% of their time sitting idle somewhere. Buying a car... Read more Read more

Just in case you missed it, interest rates in NZ are at record lows after steadily sliding downwards for at least the last 10 years, and most analysts predict they will drop further. This is great news for nearly everyone who’s borrowed or is borrowing money (including those with mortgages who haven’t fixed the term for too long), as they won’t be paying so much in interest. This... Read more Read more

Recently released research by the Financial Services Council suggests that a NZ financial adviser is worth the impressive sum of $1.5m over 25 years to every person they assist. If you haven’t already received the backing of an adviser, what better time than now? The Financial Markets Authority has developed some initial questions it suggests you ask when selecting a suitable... Read more Read more

By nearly all measures, the NZ housing market has performed better than expected. So far, house prices are defying logic, expectations, and even belief, as they shoot up to record highs amid the health and economic crisis. How much have house prices increased? According to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ), the median house price for NZ increased to $675,000 in... Read more Read more

Most people make one common investing mistake until well into their lives. Before elaborating on the issue, and its simple solution, let’s define the terms ‘simple’ and ‘easy’ with the help of an online dictionary: Simple: as having only one or a few parts, easy to understand or not complicated. Easy: something that can be done with ease, is not hurried, is not... Read more Read more

With NZ’s general election coming up and the world in the grips of an international pandemic, knowing how to spot fake news, misinformation, and conspiracy theories is more important than ever. The term “fake news” has varying definitions, though can be approximately defined as poorly researched, heavily biased, or intentionally incorrect journalism. It is often of a sensational nature... Read more Read more