Money Management Articles 

The following articles relate to managing your money

So you didn’t win $36million in the big lottery, but then neither did several million other people who during the last week poured enough money into the prize pool for retailers to notice a dip in their sales. That doesn’t mean, however, that you won’t ever get lucky. Every week, some Kiwis receive large inheritances or relationship property settlements or find themselves with large amounts of cash after selling a farm or a business. Suddenly having a large amount of money doesn’t mean, however, that all your worries are over; your worries are just different from the ones you had before. (Read more....)

The dilemma facing John Key with this year’s Government Budget was a significant one. Should he keep tight control on the budget deficit so as to preserve our international standing in financial markets or should he loosen the reins to provide relief to households struggling to make ends meet and hasten economic recovery? (Read more....)

While individuals choose to take on debt, society has a role to protect those who are vulnerable to pressure from peers and the temptations of easy credit. Legislation and regulation can offer some protection, but it is ethical behaviour on the part of lenders that will provide the solution. (Read more....)

One of the biggest expenses in most household budgets is mortgage repayment, especially for young couples who have scraped together the minimum deposit to buy a house. A big mortgage usually means a high level of financial commitment that leaves little room for saving. When times are hard a mortgage holiday can provide welcome relief.  Don’t think, however, that banks are motivated to offer mortgage holidays purely out of kindness towards their customers. (Read more....)

Happy New Year! It’s a horrendous thought I know, but whether you are an investor, a saver, or in debt, now is the time to start thinking about next Christmas and beyond... (read more here.)

Now, more than ever, is the time to keep your spending under control as we batten down the hatches and wait for the global credit crunch storm to pass. For some, it is a huge struggle to stop spending. Often when we spend money there is a psychological need that we are meeting. (more....)

Some people blame their low income for not being able to save. Believe me, there are many people on low incomes who save small amounts regularly over a long period of time and build up a tidy sum. (more....)

There are some people who have no qualms at all about spending every cent they have and perhaps every cent they can borrow. Most of us, though, feel at least a twinge of guilt when we spend money on expensive or nonessential items. (more....)

Unexpected events in life can trip us up financially, making our life goals unattainable and destroying some or all of the savings we have made to achieve them. (more....)

Ask any new business owner what keeps them awake at night and the answer will probably be managing cash flow. (more....)

There is great variation in how people approach money management, especially in terms of the way money is managed in a relationship. (more....)

So you never have enough money? Looking for a way to get rich quick? (more....)

What with high mortgage interest rates, petrol and food price rises and KiwiSaver contributions, pay packets don’t go as far as they did this time last year. (more....)

When times were tough during the depression and war years, every penny earned had to be carefully spent or saved. Those were the days when you paid your bills with notes and coins and thoughts of internet banking were pure science fiction (more....)

Most people are short of money not because they spend what they have on big expensive things but because they spend little bits here and there. This kind of spending is what I call “Leaky Bucket Syndrome” (more....)

Total consumer borrowing by households including credit cards, store cards and personal loans is now over $12.6 billion, a 6% increase on what it was a year ago. Mortgages are not included in this total. (more....)

Having more money is something most people aspire to, but when your income is fixed, having more money is not an easy goal to reach. Looking at your money habits may give you some clues for how to make your money work better for you. (more....)

Saving is a bit like trying to lose weight. Its one of those things that you know you should do, but there are too many temptations in the way. more....)