Pretty much from the get go husband I have combined finances and everything and it’s worked well except for the fact he blows at least $150 a week on smokes and a box of beer. We both work extremely hard and today I found out he spent an extra $60 on more smokes and treats from the shop to and from work. It has infuriated me more so because he denies I gave him $60 and thinks it was half but I know for a fact it was $60. I already struggle to watch him spend of smokes and beer but he doesn’t go out and spend money otherwise and niether do I. We are currently climbing out of a debt mountain.

I have been really busting my butt lately and I think now maybe I should put away the equal amount in savings for myself but as I said we are climbing out of a mountain of debt and that money would be better used on that (it’s a lot) but at the same time I’m like no maybe I should be selfish and put some money aside So he can see how much I can save and not share it with him at all or if nothing for a bit of self protection If it ever came to it. I think I’m just so annoyed because he knows how stressful work has been and I see money wasted as time wasted.

I don’t know what’s best to do, should I play fair and make me a little bank since he wants to be treating himself or keep smashing debt? How To resist the urge to throw it all on debt, I think if I save it I’ll just keep dipping into it anyway I won’t be able to help myself. Has anyone else been in a similar position?

We could just split income but we have such heavily intertwined lives and then it starts getting nitty gritty about who used what car, what fuel, who did the most childcare and couldn’t earn more blah blah. I just want a little fairness and safety too.

Couple 56F & 67M in Auckland, reasonable health, still working full-time, combined main incomes $140kpa net, Super $18kpa net, Kiwisaver currently $83k combined, bought first 80sqm home 7 yrs ago, aggressively paying off mortgage (current balance $82k at 5.1%), hope to have paid off mid-2029 so 67M can retire at 70, no other assets. When 67M retires in 2029, income will drop to $75kpa net + Super $22k net. 21M dependent still at home, struggling trying to find paid apprenticeship as mechanic, currently working for free. Thinking of withdrawing 67M Kiwisaver balance of $35k (fees 1.13%pa) and putting half in Foundation Series Total World and half in Foundation Series Balanced, then continuing to contribute the Super payment each fortnight into these two funds for next 3 years. I feel like we are overdue for a stock market crash, so is this plan too risky with only 8-10 years left till both of us are retired? Would you invest into something more conservative?

Due to bad genetics and generational wealth, I got my inheritance early and paid off all debt. I am not used to extra money left over weekly. How do I save for my kids' future?

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some outside opinions on our mortgage strategy over the next 1-2 years.

We're a couple in our mid-30s with our first baby due in about 3 months.

Current situation

Income

Combined household income: approximately $220,000 gross per year

Both currently employed in stable jobs (as far as we know!)

Mortgage

Total mortgage: approximately $548,000

$249,000 fixed, with about 10 months remaining at around 5%

$139,000 fixed for another 2 years 5.2

$137,000 fixed for another 3 years 5.4

$24,800 offset loan, fully offset by cash in our offset account

Savings

Around $58,000 in a savings account

Around $25,000 in the offset account

Around $26,000 in KiwiSaver (not used for house purchase)

Other debt

About $4,500 spread across several interest-free finance arrangements (24-36 months remaining)

Expenses

Mortgage, rates, insurance and household bills: about $1,950 per fortnight

Groceries, fuel, commuting and general living costs: around $1,200-$1,500 per month for two adults

Other considerations

Unfortunately, we don't currently have a very reliable car. I'm considering spending around $10,000 on a replacement vehicle. I occasionally do delivery work on top of my main job, but not a huge amount.

Our biggest uncertainty is that our first baby is due in about 3 months. My workplace offers an 18-week parental leave top-up, which would be worth around $10,500 to us. However, we don't know what life will look like after the baby arrives or whether my wife will want to return to work as soon as originally planned. We're trying to prepare for different possibilities.

My main question

When the $249,000 fixed portion expires in about 10 months, what would you do?

Would you:

Keep most of the cash as an emergency fund given the new baby?

Make a lump-sum repayment when that loan comes off its fixed term?

Invest some of the savings instead?

My understanding is that making extra repayments of more than the allowed amount while fixed may trigger fees, so I'm leaning towards waiting until the fixed term ends and then deciding.

Interested in hearing what others would do if they were in our position, especially parents who have been through the first year with a newborn.

Thanks!

We have an ASB Platinum Rewards card with a 10k limit. The recently announced card fee increases has meant that we'd like to downgrade the card to their Visa Light offering which is zero fee.

I mainly use this card for work expenses that I can get reimbursed with.

I asked the bank to downgrade the card for me. Can't do that. Need to apply with a lender and go through a full application. Because we have a joint account, this will also need to involve my wife.

Here's what I bet will happen. Because the old card is active, the system will refuse it. I'll have to cancel the Platinum card and then hope that they'll approve the new application.

I used to think ASB was pretty sharp about 10-15 years ago. More and more interactions with them prove to me that they're still using systems implemented 20-30 years ago with zero flex.

Hey. So our mortgage is split in half and each half remixes every other year (on a 2 year cycle)

Now I want to pay more on one half. I get that you should pay off the highest interest rate (which makes sense to me on a lifetime interest loan)

However wouldnt paying more on the low interest so yiu oay off more principal work better here since the interest rates are just going to keep resetting?

Like I see yiu oay more interest to bank and less off principal for the rate to go up, then you pay even more interest. But if you bring the principal down if rates go up, then its less interest?

Looking at different mortgage insurance policies. Options are from Fidelity Life, AIA, Chubb, Asteron Life and Partners Life, with Fidelity being the most affordable. Who would you recommend based purely on the provider and why?

I have a refix coming up and I’m completely out of the loop. Are the rbnz projected rises to the ocr baked into current rates? I’m being offered 4.99 1yr, 2.24 18 months, 5.29 2 yrs, 5.49 3 yrs.

I'm sure this has been asked many times, but I'm in my mid 30s and looking for a career change. I've worked retail, childcare, hospo and factory, all jobs near min wage, and now that I'm older I feel like I want a career, not just a job that just pays the bills and nothing else.

I feel like IT is the way to go due to my interests, yet I guess I'm worried about AI taking over a lot of computer based jobs. And I dont want to study (via correspondence), just to find out that what I've studied is now outdated.

So, my question is, for those of you in a job that pays above average annually, what job do you think it worth pursuing that will still have positions advertised in the next 2-4 years? Bonus points for hybrid or working from home.

18M here I’m new to investing and after some review of this community I’m going to put some of my paycheck every week into the VOO ETF and see how it goes over time. Is this a good financial decision I just thought it would be better than my money sitting in the bank?

Hello, I just discovered that my employer enrolled me without my consent into Kiwi Saver despite having said in my enrolment papers that I didn't want to be enrolled to Kiwi Saver. I am at minimum wage, and I don't want more money taken from my pay.

EDIT- I should have specify it's for a contract job of 4 to 5 months. After that I will not contribute as I am travelling overseas for a while and I also will get next year overseas pension.

Can I get out of it ?

Any advice ?

Thanks in advance

I initially had a goal to have $100k invested by the end of 2030

I’m 26 now, and I thought I would be happy to flat/ rent and then invest aggressively until I reach that goal. I am 1/4 there and I started mid last year

I only earn in the mid 60k range and am single. I have told myself, that as long as I am single, that I am only interested in purchasing a house under $385k - which really has only left crappy units or weird lease/ cross lease/ no parking situations and I am not at all interested in those

If I see a unicorn, aka a standalone home for under $400k, is it best to disregard my goal of $100k invested?

I had told myself the $100k invested would go towards an early retirement, or at least not be touched until I am in my 50s

I still haven’t quite reached a 20% deposit for a $400k house so it’s hypothetical- but I did see a home listed today that looks like it fits the bill

I’ve accepted an opportunity to transfer to the US next year.

Before making the move, I want to tidy up my financial setup in New Zealand to minimise ongoing administrative overhead, avoid unnecessary taxation, and set myself up for a smooth transition with the IRS and IRD.

For anyone who has made the NZ → US move, I’d love your advice on a few specific areas:

1. KiwiSaver & Foreign Trust / PFIC Treatment

From a US tax perspective, my understanding is that KiwiSaver funds are treated as Passive Foreign Investment Companies (PFICs) requiring complex reporting (Form 8621), and potentially Foreign Trust reporting (Forms 3520 / 3520-A). 
Questions:
- Did you change providers/funds, or just leave it untouched?
- How painful was the US tax compliance on KiwiSaver while living over there?

2. PIE Funds, Index Funds, & Shares (Sharesies, Simplicity, Kernel, etc.)

I currently hold NZ-domiciled Managed Funds / PIEs and some individual shares.
I’m aware that NZ PIE funds are heavily penalised under US PFIC tax rules.
Questions:
- Is the general consensus to sell off NZ/global PIE funds before becoming a US tax resident and move cash over?
- How did you handle individual NZ shares or direct US shares held through NZ brokers?

3. Overlapping Tax Years & Residency Transition

Transitioning mid-year means navigating the NZ tax year (Apr 1 – Mar 31) alongside the US calendar tax year (Jan 1 – Dec 31).
Questions:
- How did you structure your split-year tax return or dual-status alien filing for the first year in the US?
- Did you hire a dual-qualified NZ/US CPA?

I have been putting $100 a month into an investment fund for each of them for university, but without any more deep thought than that. I started at different ages for each of them but both reasonably young. It should grow into roughly 3 years course costs for each of them, however I have not been too detailed in how I think about it. I wonder how others approach it:

- Do you save for their university or not?

- If so how much are you aiming to cover?

- What approach do you use?

Any thoughts appreciated.

NAB to cut 2500 jobs in massive restructure, most to go within months

Not sure if anyone seen this news. Are other kiwi banks impacted?

I've always wondered and may have been to young when it happened. But NZ selling all its kiwi banks to aus has been pretty bad. At a high level, seems like $2b+ annual profits from NZ go to Aus via dividend. BNZ,ASB,ANZ, Westpac.

Now the job market in aus is getting gutted. First was ANZ, now NAB... Is NZ to follow?!

Got it from the aus sub

• How many years did you do?
• How did you feel when it happened?
• [EDIT] What was your redundancy package, if any?
• What did you do with the money, take a break or straight into searching for another job?
• How long did it take to find another job?

For some it may be a drop in the pond. For some it may be the difference in rent for the month.

What does 1k mean to you?

WWYD?

We (38F and 40M) have 150k in savings between us. We own our house mortgage-free, and own half of a rental property. The mortgage owing on that is $180k.

How would you use the savings? We are thinking of putting it all in an offset account for the mortgage, or invest in S&P500, or a mix of both? We live really frugally and have got to where we are by being laser focused on hammering down the mortgage and some family help with the deposit. We have nothing in the stockmarket, unless you count Kiwisaver.

We have two young kids. The rental was my first home and my relative owns the other half. We did talk of selling it but we decided this isn't the market to do so.

Appreciate any thoughts from the hive mind! Our income is $280k combined.

I know this question has been asked 1000x before but I am really struggling to figure out if buying is smart and if anyone else with a relatively similar situation has purchased and had any thoughts. My mortgage advisor is saying buying would be perfect for me but I am still a bit apprehensive

I am 27 years old. Living in Wellington. No kids. In a relationship of 3 Years.
My annual income is around $100k as I am commission based. I have $50k in Kiwisaver + $10,000 cash savings. Just paid off my final debt so am debt free! I have been pre-approved for $650k with a boarder who will be my partner, but she is looking to move overseas for a period sometime within the next year or two. Because of this I am looking at places I can afford to buy and pay for on my own with my current salary.

My main reasons for wanting to buy is to have my own space and set up a place the way I want. I am a mechanic who often tinkers on my cars / motorbikes / bicycles. I also do a bit of woodworking / carving so want to be able to have space for these without taking over a communal space (Garage) which I feel I currently do as I am flatting with 3 others. I have been flatting for the last 5 years and have made some great friends but would LOVE a space of my own.

Then there is the option to continue renting / flatting and only spending around $300 p/w on rent & bills allowing me to save a bit more for a larger deposit / nicer place or to do some travel. For the last few years I've told myself I would look to do more travel which I still have yet to do so I am factoring that in.

Just looking to see what others have done with similar situations. Is it worth renting and having the freedom to travel, go on holidays and not be tied down by a mortgage or is it the time to look at buying to get on the property ladder and locking in a spot for myself.

Thanks!

Hello everyone, I’m planning to cancel my AMEX Airpoint Platinum card before its next renewal. I think it does not align with our household spending goal anymore. And I’m wondering if there is any other CC that is worth considering. I’d like a CC works with Apple Wallet.

Below is a list of cards I’ve got:

Sharesies Spend card - Apple Pay; InvestBack reward
sbs CashBack Visa - no annual fee, no additional card fee; lack of digital wallet support
Westpac Fee Free Mastercard - applied it for overseas travelling but stopped using it recently

Not considering any other AMEX for the next 18 months 😆

Your suggestions will be appreciated 🙏

I (20M) have a KiwiSaver with ASB sitting at 18.7k currently; I haven’t done any other form of investing but am interested in starting. I’ve been screenshotting the balance for the last year and a half to see how it changes, and have seen it go as low as 18.2k in march, and as high as 19k a month ago. During this time I’ve switched the fund type a handful of times, but it’s currently a growth fund.

Very unsure what I should go about doing, but have recently started a new job, and am seeing a lot of recommendations on here to switch to Kernel Wealth. Would this be the right decision, and if so how would I go about doing so?

Otherwise I have around 1k in an emergency account, and generally $300 floating (I’m a student). Just looking for advice at to where to start, and how to predict market changes, as I feel like I’m always late to it.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

My two siblings and I are looking to invest together to fund the construction of a small family holiday home on ancestral land in Aitutaki, Cook Islands, within the next 5–10 years.

Each of us contributes $XYZ per month. It's currently sat in a 90 day notice account earning just 2.75% We are all aged between 22-27 with decent paying corporate jobs (salaries deemed to grow).

We want to invest in equities, bonds and cash to grow the fund over time. I am comfortable deciding what to invest in; my main question is how to structure the ownership of the investments legally and efficiently.

Ideally, we want to pool our money, have clearly defined ownership and decision-making rights, reinvest returns, and eventually use the accumulated funds to pay for the holiday home. We do not intend to withdraw investment income for personal use along the way.

We would prefer to use Sharesies if possible, but it does not offer a standard three-person joint investment account.

The structures I am considering are:

• Partnership: Could we establish a partnership to pool contributions and invest collectively?
• Company: Could we set up a New Zealand company owned by the three of us and invest through a company Sharesies account?
• Trust: Would a family trust be appropriate for accumulating investments for this specific purpose, or would the setup and ongoing administration costs outweigh the benefits?

For anyone who has established a similar arrangement, what structure would you recommend, and why? I am keen to hear about actual experiences with partnerships, companies or trusts used to pool family investments.

Thanks in advance

I m22 currently have 45k in a serious saver account with anz, and 32k in KiwiSaver, in the next 2 years I am planning to go do a working holiday in London or somewhere in Europe on the YMS/WHV.

I’m wanting to know if i should keep that money in the serious saver or move some of it to an investing platform? I am not saving for anything specific as I would rather travel for a bit than lock into a mortgage, is it a good idea to split up the 45k into an investing platform, need some advice please.

Thanks

My Mondays musings from this curious cat.

What (if any) plans OR goals do you have in terms of what inheritance (again if any) you hope to leave for your kids when the time comes?

No right or wrong answers I don't think & I'm fairly in the middle atm but with both the cost of living compounding the challenges for some of society's kids, and some reminders recently that things can change very suddenly, it's really got me thinking about pro's and con's to different options and locking in some type of a plan or nothing will happen (& sorting a freaking will that I have no excuse to not already have organised).