Q&As: Gift vouchers have their faults, but they’re not scams; How to find a financial adviser that doesn’t receive commissions; Why KiwiSaver returns on your own contributions are so high; KiwiSaver providers that don’t charge fees for under-18s; Winners of seminar tickets contest.
Q&As: Some spend too much on fun, but some spend too little; What to do if employer won’t contribute to KiwiSaver; 2 readers ‘self-insure’ for health insurance; Reader glad he had check-up before dropping health insurance; Another way to keep down health insurance costs; How have you done in KiwiSaver?; Win a seminar ticket.
Q&As: Perhaps we should celebrate a young man’s spending splurge; Don’t get rid of student loan, pay down mortgage; Dodgy share advice given to elderly couple; Think of NZ Super as insurance; Pension info there, but reader may have been distracted.
Spending too little, spending too much: Shopping is a favourite pastime; People who are too mean on themselves; People who spend too much — why do they do it? — 1. Keeping up with the Joneses, 2. Psychological, 3. Credit card company behaviour; Help for big spenders; Most important of all — Change your habits. PS: Final reminder about KiwiSaver tax credit.
Q&As: Ignore misleading KiwiSaver salesman, but maximize your tax credit; Change to contributions holidays just a suggestion; 1970s house much more modest than today’s houses; Well done! — but take care about judging others’ spending.
Q&As: Adding to already huge mortgages is playing with fire; It’s not interest rates but mortgage size that matters; Lack of family communication leads to big debt…; …so do pushy credit card providers.
Q&As: Is it really harder to buy a house now than in the 1980s?; A money coach explains an addiction to spending…; …And a reader describes how it affects her; Does it work to have life insurance with 2 companies?
Q&As: Thai retirement not so cheap; Buffett not unbalanced; 3 Q&As on investing in international index funds.
Q&As: New index will tell more about how 65-pluses spend; Was I dismissive to a reader last week?; Is diversification the main point in a high-yield share portfolio?; Original high-yield correspondent explains his strategy; Sharebroker info useful but don’t get into frequent trading.
Q&As: Live well on $15,000 a year in Thailand; Reader questions last week’s correspondent’s dividend income…; …While another reader explains it, and wonders about adviser role; Better to read the column regularly than to chance upon it in some packaging!