Where are you going? – have you made a plan yet?
Can you trust the KiwiSaver scheme?
Can you trust KiwiSaver? Are your investments 'safe'? Should I be cautious using a smaller KiwiSaver provider? Before you can reap the benefits of investing, there are essential steps to take before you can fully embrace its potential. Let’s explore these steps: 1- Earning Money: Work is the foundation. Whether you’re passionate about your job or find yourself stuck in a less-than-ideal situation, hard work is necessary. Even if you
New Wealth On New Rails: Final Call!
Imagine the young child saying goodbye to their parent at the start of the day. From a childish perspective, it doesn't matter where mummy and daddy go - as long as they come back. Have you ever wondered about the incredible journey our dollars go on after we decide to make an investment? Perhaps it doesn't matter what the journey is, so long as they come back, and ideally with
Should YOU Pay Off The Mortgage, Or Invest?
When should you pay off the mortgage, and when should you invest? Over the last few years, this question rolls around frequently on social media. One view suggests that mortgages should be eliminated ASAP. The benefits include not worrying about interest rates, and the ability to invest larger amounts of money into assets other than your main home sooner. Investing over mortgage reduction however, assumes currency used
It’s May, But You Didn’t Sell: Can You Go Away?
'Sell in May, go away... ...then come back on St. Legers Day.' That phrase comes from the 1770's, when investors and British officials would go on an extended vacation from May, all the way until the St. Leger Stakes horse event each September. For some reason, it was perfectly acceptable for bankers to take almost half a year off work! Eventually, this mindset filtered through to all major stock exchanges.
Are There Too Many Mortgage Rules?
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has seemingly been on a quest to 'bring down' the property market over recent years, in conjunction with our previous government. The Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA), higher taxes for property investors, increased interest rates, and stricter deposit requirements via Loan-to-Value Ratio (LVR) restrictions have all played a role in cooling the property market from 2021 onwards. Already, the central bank
Stand Strong or Push Through? The Truth About Mortgages and Investing
Time to 'push through', or 'stand strong'? I wanted to get stuff done this past Saturday. I was picking up a mini-excavator to finish some drainage. I wanted to get the kids on a working bee, and I had to get a couple reports out before Monday too. I had it all planned out. But then it rained—no more taking ground (literally). At the same time, I discovered our water
The Bitcoin Halving ’24: What They Didn’t Teach You in School.
If you’re prepping for, building up, coming in for a landing or even already there – you need to keep an open mind. How open? Somewhere in between concrete conviction, and a mind so open everything falls out. If you want more, do more. If you want different –think different. If things have become hard – work harder. If you’re stuck somewhere try something new. If you’re interested in building
SHIELD: How to Protect While You Build
SHEILD: Want to 'take ground' but feeling unsure? Invest with confidence, knowing the following 5 areas of personal finance are sorted. S - Savings (Emergency Fund): How much you need in your emergency fund is determined by the likelihood of you suffering a financial loss, the value of this loss, and the time it takes to recover: Normally, I’d recommend 3-6 months’ worth of your living expenses be
How To Be: Wealthy (The 6 Rules For Getting Rich)
I know a lot of people in 'building mode' want to make the best use of what they have – Is this you? Are you trying to get some income ready for when you’re not working any more? If so, be prepared for a couple steps forward, and the odd step back too. If I could convince you I've come back to you from the future this is
Beyond ‘Good Enough’: Bitcoin, Property, and the Dollar
In a world where we're often told what to do and what to accept as normal, it's easy to fall into the trap of aiming for "good enough." Take passive index-fund investing for example. I do a bit of this myself. We're told through not-so-subtle marketing, that the 'data says'. The data says it's impossible to beat 'average' when it comes to returns over the long-term for example. So don't
Gold Analyst 2024-25 Predictions: Gary Savage
The more I learn about how people actually build wealth, the more cautiously I prescribe diversification. We're sold index funds, but businesses and property are often what really move the needle. Reliance on compounding returns from dollar cost averaging is awesome, yes. But what happens if you can see the future? Why not back yourself? Take gold & silver, for example. No one's shouting this from the
How to Get Rich: The 5 Essential Components of a Financial Strategy Framework
Are you an everyday person looking for a way to build wealth and achieve financial freedom? You're not alone. Many people dream of becoming rich, but few understand the essential components of a financial strategy framework that can help them get there. In this article, we'll explore these five key components and how you can use them to build your own financial success. ___ Component 1: Purpose Your purpose is
Are There Hidden Dangers in ‘Passive’ Investing?
Passive investing has become a popular choice for many investors due to its simplicity, low cost, and simple access to compounding returns. So what is passive investing? Passive investing is an investment strategy that involves buying and holding a diversified portfolio of assets, such as shares, fixed interest, and property, in order to match the performance of a specific market index. The goal is to achieve compounding returns faster by
The Great Taking: A Coincidence Theory
“The Great Taking” by David Rogers Webb is a book that alleges the existence of a long-term scheme orchestrated by central bankers to subjugate all of humanity. Before you read on, know that I’ve never read the book. This article is my ‘pre-read research’ that I did before parting with any money on Amazon or Audible (not that I could find it there!) So I hit YouTube and read this article. So far
Are You Living in ‘Risky’ Times?
My first BMX bike in 1983 was ‘The Boa Constrictor’. It was a beast of a machine, all chrome and adrenaline. I was Evel Knievel, tearing down suburban streets listening to 'The Police' on my Sony Walkman. And no, all without a helmet—because, well, the '80s. One day in early spring with snow and gravel on the road still, I got distracted by a car coming the other way. Panic
Investing Through a Currency Reset
In the coming years, there's a non-zero chance we may witness a significant financial event known as a currency reset. A currency reset could work as it would allow governments to repay their debts in the new world by making their currency worthless, thus reducing the real value of their obligations. This reset could potentially even involve a debt jubilee, where outstanding debts are forgiven, and a shift to a
On the Eve of OCR Announcement-ness
As we bit farewell to February, let's talk about the month where interest rate expectations changed. While we'd all love for property prices to stay stable and even start increasing. When you're in my business, it's much better when people feel wealthy! It's time to face the cold, hard truth: the NZ property market might be overvalued by 20-40%. Now, before you start panicking and searching for a property market
How to Rebuild, When it all Falls Apart.
Topical topics get clicks but those who don’t do it for an employer in a marketing department, have a bit more freedom with what they talk about – that’s me, and I’ll occasionally exercise this freedom by sharing or hosting views that might be good for you to hear but unpopular for me to say. I'd hate to been as promoting the end of a relationship, for example. Especially where
What’s it worth?
We all invest for different reasons. For some, it’s a game to win, for others, it’s about the freedom to choose. To choose whatever you like, and to hell with the cost. The wonderful law of compounding means you can invest thoughtfully today, and end up being quite wealthy later on. Why this works is a great question to ask, but in this article, let’s explore what compounding can do.
This is YOU in 2029
I always dreamt of ocean fishing whenever I wanted. When I was young this wasn't even possible because of where I lived, and how much resource my family had. In my new world, every weekend, with one of my kids, I spend at least 1 hour fishing. We live near the ocean, where this time of year we catch snapper, right off our back steps. If only I could tell