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
RNZ Radio 17 December 2020
You don’t HAVE to jump on house buying bandwagon!
– First homebuyers and investors in rental property
– Market has gone mad! Prices and sales
– Last time sales were high — then what happened?
– First home buyers: wait and keep saving, or buy and don’t worry
– Investors: No high return with low risk. Do worst case scenario
NZ Herald 12 December 2020
Q&As:
– Young couple should maybe take a rest from house hunting
– Which mortgage term? Split it
– Reader argues for concentrating on energy shares, but I disagree
– Why Boomers have had bad luck with Southern Cross
– Online game aims to help children learn about money
NZ Herald 5 December 2020
Q&As:
– Diversification — the only free lunch
– Drop health insurance and self-insure? It’s risky
– Increasing insurance excess slashes bill
– Leave GST alone, says reader
Plus:
– Meaningful Christmas gifts
– ‘Please don’t stop giving’
RNZ Radio 3 December 2020
The high costs of Christmas
– Survey — NZers value time with family way ahead of giving and getting gifts
– Ideas to cut cost of gifts
– Donate to charity in the name of family member
– Thoughts about Christmas food, drinks and decorations
– I wrote article on this — on RNZ website from December 18