Money and relationships
– Follow-up on last time’s financial knowledge quiz — angry comments about women
– Survey on money and relationship problems
– Worse for the young, and worse for low and high income than for middle incomes
– Conflict more likely if … overspending etc.
– What to do about it
Economic wellness. Also National’s KiwiSaver idea.
– What ‘economic wellness’ means
– How can we achieve it
– Will our health improve if we achieve economic stability?
– Is it easier to be well if you have money?
Plus: Is National’s plan to let people withdraw $20,000 from KiwiSaver to start a business a good idea?
Q&As:
– Who’s right about fund choice — husband or wife or neither?
– Which bank products are subject to haircut if bank fails?
– What about government bonds, Bonus Bonds and safe deposit boxes?
– Halt to dividend payments should strengthen banks
– ETF tax problem no big deal
– It’s great to continue contributions to KiwiSaver and other funds in down markets
– Don’t assume gloom will continue — and a look at past recoveries
– Drip feeding not quite so good with lump sums
I won’t say “I told you so”. But I sort of did!
– Listener points out that I warned of share plunge a week before
– At least people have learnt from what’s happened
– Renewed interest in share investing
– Don’t believe market forecasters
GETTING A KIWISAVER WOF — for people of all ages in KiwiSaver. Whether you’re worried about the market downturn or just want to use some spare time productively, now is a good time to check you’re doing as well as you can (you’re probably not!) in KiwiSaver.
Q&As:
– How to replace a condescending financial adviser
– Okay, reader can time the market a little …
– … and what Baron Rothschild said about that
– Moving KiwiSaver money should have nothing to do with the economy
– Why drip feeding is best — it’s partly psychological
What to do in KiwiSaver as share markets wobble:
– Best to do nothing — but learn about yourself and your investing
– What if you need your money soon?
– Listener letter: which shares to buy in this environment? And which to sell?
– Listener letter: Are KiwiSavers treated badly when it comes to moving funds?
Q&As:
– Reader can’t bring herself to enjoy her wealth …
– … While another reader has splashed out on an Italian holiday home
– 65+ reader is loving being in KiwiSaver
– How come passive funds are trading shares daily?
– ‘Passive’ KiwiSaver funds are not
– Is it better to invest in US index funds, with their lower fees?
Should you use extra cash to reduce your mortgage or top up your KiwiSaver?
Notes from a conference
Westpac Massey Fin Ed Centre conference on “Building financially capable communities: our pathways to success”
– Current Financial teaching in schools is not effective, especially for lower sociology economic kids
– Self efficacy — whether you believe your actions and effort will affect your outcomes — is more important to wealth than things like financial literacy. Can it be changed?
– Changes coming to regulate payday lending. Will they help?