Prospering from booze, bets, bombs and butts. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea — or perhaps I should say glass of scotch — but the performance of a US share fund called the Vice Fund suggests that investing in what other people shun can pay off.
Are we bad savers, or was it a bad survey? A recent report on New Zealanders’ savings habits annoyed me — and not because it starts by saying that the Savings Working Group, of which I’m a member, “is likely to face a tough challenge”. What got my goat was its misleading conclusion.
Grab your big chance to painlessly boost your wealth. In the next few weeks, every New Zealand wage or salary earner will get a chance to considerably increase their wealth — painlessly.
More losers than realised from income sharing. When I die, I hope that over my lifetime I’ve paid more in taxes than I’ve got back from the government. That’s because people who do it the other way around — getting more than they’ve paid for — have often led tough lives, with long periods of unemployment, illness or disability.
Turbulent times lead to confusing KiwiSaver returns. Confused KiwiSavers are asking some probing questions about the returns on their accounts, and I can’t blame them.
Ridiculous offers shouldn’t be banned. Two recent press releases had a similar ring to them. Both warned about offers to buy investments at low prices. But there’s a key difference between the two situations.
Getting into gear not always wise. The four most hateful words are said to be, “I told you so.” So I’ll put this another way: One of my key messages in seminars, books and columns over the years — that borrowing to invest is more dangerous than many people realise — is easier to “sell” these days than a couple of years ago.
Generous KiwiSaver first home help applies to many. The first of the KiwiSaver first home withdrawals and subsidies will be paid out shortly. But many people still don’t realise just how good — and how widely available — the KiwiSaver first home help is. It is clearly the best place for any New Zealander to save for a first home.
Too good to be true — but it is true. It sounds like a too good to be true scheme that’s bound to end in tears: “Earn 36 to 56 per cent a year on a low-risk investment!” But there is such an investment, and it’s called KiwiSaver.
Plans or no plans?: Readers differ. If you’ve wondered who that bloke is hanging around stores in the weekend watching people buy 3D television sets, it could be Blair Vernon.