The Investor 2 September 2008
Is saving always good? In some circles, saving has a bad name. People think it’s about deprivation — “I either save or I spend, and spending is more fun.”
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 29 September 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. STUFF AND HAPPINESS: A woman I know wasn’t sure what to do. Should she renovate her current house, or move to a cheaper suburb and buy a house that was already up to the minute? She preferred to stay put, but would have to borrow to renovate and wasn’t sure if she could afford to repay that debt.
NZ Herald 12 May 2007
Q&As: Three readers defend baby boomers and suggest how today’s young could afford to buy homes; A Generation Xer speaks up for her generation; A reader worries that apartments may lose value.
Holm Truths Summer 2006–07
The other B word: While some people find it easy to follow a budget, others struggle. Here are some tips for the latter group. Also in this issue: From the Mailbox — Couple who sold their house save heaps by renting. But should they wait for a price fall before buying again?
The Investor 5 December 2006
The investment games people play. Let’s say you’re playing a game in which everyone has been given $20. In each round, you choose whether or not to put in $1, and a coin is then tossed. If it’s heads, you get back $2.50. If it’s tails, you lose your $1. How often would you put in a dollar?
NZ Herald 9 September 2006
Excerpt from Get Rich Slow. This week, and through September, we are running excerpts from Mary Holm’s bestselling book, “Get Rich Slow: How to grow your wealth the safe and savvy way.” Mary’s regular Q&A column will resume in October.
NZ Herald 12 August 2006
Q&As: A few fewer luxuries and many New Zealanders could afford to buy homes; 2 Q&As on whether the Reserve Bank got it right with the new coins; A financial planner objects to what I said last week about how to choose an adviser.
The Investor 18 July 2006
Owning your home not always the best option. Most New Zealanders grow up expecting to own their own home, but soaring house prices have made it harder for people to get into the market. Does that matter? Is home ownership all it’s cracked up to be?
NZ Herald 15 July 2006
Q&As: Lessons from the Bible: Is borrowing bad?; Is luck or attitude the secret to wealth?; Sharebrokers shouldn’t always be expected to give ongoing advice.