NZ Herald 6 March 2021
Q&As:
– Couple should follow their lifestyle block dream
– Why shareholder loyalty to NZ share may be misguided
– Must you use money tied up in your home for investments?
– Kind landlord helps others into their own homes
NZ Herald 27 February 2021
Q&As:
– Share market not yet like tulip bulbs — stay invested!
– Are passive investments the next bubble? Plus a note on mis-timing the market
– Low-risk funds not all like bank term deposits
– Risk and return do go together, despite reader’s claims
– Landlords can get hit in a long-term rental
RNZ Radio 25 February 2021
Follow-up from last time: If not paying extra off mortgage, where is best place to invest? Shares?
– But first: 2 texts commenting on last session
– Alternative investments need to be: high enough risk, long-term. Also: can you cope with volatility? Are you strong financially?
– 2 choices: property and shares. Are they over-valued?
– Rental property might work, but…
– Shares: Some people too fearful, others too brave.
– 2 ways to approach shares: trade, or hold for long term.
– 2 ways to select shares: pick individual shares, use share fund
– In a share fund, 2 styles: active and passive.
NZ Herald 20 February 2021
Q&As:
– Safe, accessible, and going backwards — invest beyond bank accounts
– KiwiSaver a good spot for grandfather’s gifts
– My “cavalier response” last week about p/e ratios angers reader
– Comments from a café in Thames
– Why long-term rental leases might not work…
– … And how they might be made to work
NZ Herald 13 February 2021
Q&As:
– What can we learn from a commonly used share ratio?
– What I do instead
– Readers’ property value has zoomed, but shares are similar
– A tale of bad landlords
– A tale of good landlords
RNZ Radio 11 February 2021
Is paying down your mortgage still the best strategy?
What to do with extra savings — beyond KiwiSaver minimums etc.
Also lump sums — inheritance, redundancy, win
– Mortgage used to be the winner — after include tax and fees. Now — with 2–3% loans?
– Other options: more into KiwiSaver, non-KiwiSaver funds, shares, rental property?
– The main issue: risk — needs to be high enough risk, long-term. Can you cope with volatility? Are you strong financially?
– Other issues: security (psychological and financial), simplicity, but diversification, learning about markets
– Penalties for paying fixed-term mortgage early
– Conclusion: perhaps do what you want!
NZ Herald 6 February 2021
Q&As:
– Reader sees no reason shares shouldn’t keep rising…
– Another predicts a crash, and wonders about KiwiSaver defensive action
– Should we take note of shoeshine story?
– Where should millennial save for apartment?
– Reader’s tenants don’t want long-term leases
– Property managers defended
– Column inspires musician to write a song
NZ Herald 30 January 2021
Q&As:
– Are tenants “kicked out”? And why are landlords unloved?
– Property investing not as safe as houses
– Should 57-year-old buy a rental?
– Is now the time to sell shares?
RNZ Radio 28 January 2021
Watch Your Spending
New Zealanders’ household spending is way up, compared with late 2019.
Spending is OK if not getting into debt
Why spend on non-essentials?:
– Happiness. But often short-term.
– Appearances.
– Pressure to spend on special shopping days.
What to do:
– Use credit cards?: pluses and minuses
– Estimate spending in different categories, then keep track for 2 months
– Change a habit for just a month. Letter to futureme.org.
– 2 birds with one stone: Cut spending on unhealthy things
– Help w budgeting: MoneyTalks. Free, confidential and non-judgmental, around NZ.
NZ Herald 19 December 2020
Q&As:
– Reader near 60 struggles to get mortgage…
– …Could she buy house with another reader?
– Southern Cross doesn’t cover some cancer drugs
– Happy with health insurance