Do we really need more stuff than Americans? Something to ponder as Christmas gift giving approaches: New Zealanders apparently think they need more stuff than the people we often regard as most materialistic — Americans. What’s more, older and male New Zealanders seem to be more into “things” than young people and females.
Q&As: Bank’s handling of a fee inquiry leads customer to switch banks; One good proverb deserves another; Should Gareth Morgan Investments be under more scrutiny? Plus: Meaningful Christmas gifts.
Q&As: What the Savings Working Group is up to, and why; Have banks been given a fair go in this column?; Is $8 worth worrying about?
How to get more out of KiwiSaver. About 40 per cent of people in KiwiSaver don’t know what kind of fund — conservative, balanced or growth — their money is invested in. Many of those won’t be in the best fund for them.
Q&As: Have I been too easy on the banks, or is a reader being too tough?; Why does it take so long to clear a cheque in this computer age?; Inland Revenue acknowledges delays in processing student loan bonus payments.
Q&As: Online banking timing — which banks do what?; Bank safe deposit boxes becoming a rarity; Why the price of gold is more likely to be heading down than up.
Non-KiwiSavers’ reasons don’t stand up to scrutiny. Many New Zealanders who haven’t joined KiwiSavers are missing out on their fair share of the government booty because they misunderstand how it all works. Meanwhile, others in the scheme are not getting as much as they could out of it.
Q&As: How to weigh up contributing to KiwiSaver versus repaying your student loan, now that there’s a repayment bonus; Gold investors should take care about who is storing their bullion; How long should it take to process a KiwiSaver application?
Q&As: What happens to your money when it seems to disappear for a few days in the bank?; Flexibility an issue when deciding how to go about repaying a mortgage quickly; Would gains on the sale of gold or silver be taxable?; The pros and cons of holding on to gold coin gifts.
Where did the finance company money go? A reader is trying to get his head around his finance company loss. “I’m wondering if you would please consider writing an article on how investment companies lose their money — actually our money — and what happens to the money,” he writes.