When Process Trumps People. There’s a special kind of regret that comes only after you’ve made a parenting call that would make your own mother shake her head. Picture this: a holiday, a bit of nostalgia, and a couple of shiny metal cap guns for the kids (because, of course, the best souvenirs are the
Why Does It Feel Like We're Being Watched? If you’re a homeowner, or thinking about getting onto the property ladder, consider this theory: New Zealand is an experiment. The Reserve Bank of NZ hiked interest rates quicker/faster/farther than anyone thought possible, and now our economy is paying the price. It's too much. Yes, it was
Originally published in the Herald 29/06/25, by Darcy Ungaro If Not Property, Then What? Remember when a property was just a home? There was a time when a house wasn’t an “asset” but simply shelter for families. Fast forward, and now property is the investment of choice for most Kiwis, myself included, as a way
You don't have to be vegetarian to try the salad, and you don't have to be an extremist to listen to extreme views. There’s a certain discomfort that comes from peering over the edge—especially when the abyss you’re staring into is the global financial system. Entertaining “fringe” ideas like a debt collapse, fiat failure, or
It Shouldn't Be A Secret, But It Is The primary cause behind rising costs, AND positive investment returns, is often the most overlooked aspect of personal finance. It shouldn't be a secret, but it is. The answer's too complicated for some, too simplistic for others, and too contrarian for all. Going forward, ignorance comes with
Where the New Zealand Property Market Is At: Straight Talk Property's always a hot topic, and for good reason. Ever since the '87 stock market crash, it's been the 'drug of choice' - not just for everyday investors, but for banks. At an economic level, the credit creation that occurs through the property segment is
Unlike some things, there's more than one path you can follow to build financial freedom. For my wife and I, residential property investment was our starting point, but it may not be our end point. Nearly 20 years ago, we bought our first rental property—a simpler time when a 5% deposit was enough, prices were
These three groups have the ability to influence your wealth significantly, but they all hold secrets: Financial advisers, product manufacturers, and regulators. At an organisational and individual level, incentives abound in each of these three groups. Incentives which may or may not be aligned with yours. Each group contains imperfect people, working in their part
Finding Your Way to Wealth: No One-Size-Fits-All An investment strategy is a framework for you to go about putting money to work in markets. There are many valid strategies you can choose from—you can even make your own. It’s your money, after all. Here’s a few you may have heard of. Dollar cost averaging, or
When market jitters hit, check that you’re not derailing your investment strategy. I generally avoid taking calls late on Friday’s, but I made an exception recently to talk with a client who was clearly distressed about the markets. She’d sat through a presentation at work where an economist warned about the impact President Trump would
