NZ Herald 8 December 2007
Q&As: Why 20 shares are much better than two; Reader claims diversification is not a great idea. I disagree; Is land a lower risk investment than a share fund?
NZ Herald 1 December 2007
Q&As: In defence of so many questions about KiwiSaver — and a challenge to readers; Getting the best out of KiwiSaver for a non-earning wife and college kids; Getting the best out of KiwiSaver for an early retiree on a low income.
NZ Herald 24 November 2007
Q&As: Eggs in baskets don’t really apply to term deposits, but there’s another way to diversify; Taxing options if you take flatmates in to help you pay the mortgage; 2 Q&As on how to make the most of KiwiSaver if you are in and out of the work force.
NZ Herald 17 November 2007
Q&As: Why don’t banks lend money for share investment?; 2 Q&As on how you can best help your grandchildren (or children) into KiwiSaver; Christmas gifts for those who really need them.
NZ Herald 10 November 2007
Q&As: Is now a good time for a 36-year-old to buy a house? And if so, should it be a bigger house, so she can take in tenants?; Four Q&As on how KiwiSaver works — or doesn’t work — for those living overseas or planning to live overseas.
NZ Herald 3 November 2007
Q&As: Why does the price of our milk rise when overseas demand goes up?; How and when to take a KiwiSaver contributions holiday — for children and adults; Two Q&As on KiwiSaver tax credits and timing.
NZ Herald 27 October 2007
Q&As: Twenty-eight-year-old with two rental houses wonders if this is a good time to buy a rental apartment; Difficulties finding a KiwiSaver provider to accept tiny contributions from low-paid worker; Saving kiwis.
NZ Herald 20 October 2007
The Other B Word. Budgeting is rather like eating healthily or exercising. Some people like to do it, but for others it’s a chore. And for many it’s a source of guilt. They think they should do it, but they don’t. This article could be yet another telling the laggards how they will be much better people if they keep track of all their spending. But that’s hardly likely to make any more difference than other such articles. As poet Robert Frost wrote: “Nobody was ever meant, to remember or invent, what he did with every cent.”
NZ Herald 13 October 2007
Highlights from Holm Truths. For a few weeks, this column is running highlights from Mary Holm’s quarterly newsletter Holm Truths. Mary’s regular Q&A column will resume on October 27. STAY AWAY: New Zealanders’ increasing tendency to travel overseas is a wonderful development. We enjoy it, we learn tolerance and we pick up ideas — ranging from what to eat to how to make a living. The trend has made us all more aware of the changing value of the Kiwi dollar. When it rises, we perhaps take a longer or more expensive trip. But when it falls, we don’t all stay home. Some of us modify our plans; others carry on regardless, maybe spending less on other items. Over the years, too, we’ve become more likely to own international shares — directly or by investing in a world share fund or a managed fund that includes international shares.
NZ Herald 6 October 2007
Highlights from Holm Truths. Over the next few weeks, this column will run highlights from Mary Holm’s quarterly newsletter Holm Truths. Mary’s regular Q&A column will resume on October 27. MORTGAGE MOVES: You’ve probably got the message by now: It’s a great idea to pay off your mortgage as fast as possible. Paying off a 9 per cent mortgage, for example, is equivalent to making an investment that pays you a guaranteed return of 9 per cent after fees and taxes. And it’s risk-free. But not everyone is in a position to pay extra off their mortgage. There are other ways you can make the big loans work better for you. Here are some FAQs…