Money Talk column

The Investor 26 March 2011

Why a dollar in the hand is worth more. The recent attempt by Bernard Whimp to buy shares in half a dozen companies cheaply — and the Securities Commission’s response to it — is a good illustration of how a dollar now is worth more than a dollar later.

Read More

The Investor 12 March 2011

When small is not beautiful. This goes against the grain, given that I think direct shareholders should own a wide range of shares. But there’s such a thing as too small a shareholding.

Read More

The Investor 12 February 2011

So much for the “can’t afford to save” excuse. Practically all New Zealanders can save. If they want to. In the wake of the release of the Savings Working Group (SWG) report on February 1, various people have been saying that many New Zealanders just can’t afford to save. I don’t buy it — or should I say save it.

Read More

The Investor 29 January 2011

Turning interest into your friend. New Zealanders are, apparently, a fairly satisfied bunch — except when it comes to our financial situation. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

Read More

The Investor 18 December 2010

A financial gift for both the giver and recipient. Christmas or not, here’s a way you can give to someone else and also gain yourself. Sponsor an adult who is struggling financially to make the most of KiwiSaver.

Read More

The Investor 4 December 2010

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.

Read More

The Investor 20 November 2010

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.

Read More

The Investor 6 November 2010

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.

Read More

The Investor 23 October 2010

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.

Read More