How do you feel about approaching The Bank of Mum and Dad to help you get into your first home? The idea of asking your family for assistance can feel a little embarrassing for some, while for others, it's a welcome lifeline. Ruth The Happy Saver shares her thoughts for first-home buyers, and how to approach this particular path to your first home.
Interviews
Previously known as the Welcome Home Loan, the First Home Loan scheme is one of the New Zealand government's tools for helping Kiwis get into their first home by only requiring a 5% deposit. Laura Sheehan, Mortgage Adviser at Lighthouse Financial, breaks down the First Home Loan, its lending criteria and how much you can expect to borrow.
Money tips
Regardless of whether it sends a shiver of thrill or dread up your spine, Christmas is just a couple of months away. Follow Emma’s tips for getting the jump on the silly season to save your wallet, and your sanity, from stress.
Money tips
We’ve all experienced money mistakes that have us asking ourselves, “Was it really worth the money? Could I really afford it?”, which always leads to one of the more frustrating human emotions — regret. For Rachel? She’s incorporated it into how she uses PocketSmith to employ more accountability in her spending.
Interviews
We asked some of our wonderful users to share how they use PocketSmith to be productive with their money and plan for the future. Read how Sarah achieves peace of mind by using PocketSmith’s forecasting features to ensure she has enough funds for upcoming expenses.
Money tips
Diversification, making regular payments and staying calm amid market volatility — who knew that these are core tenets of healthy investing no matter what your age or experience is! Teenage investor Jordan is back to update us on his investment journey and the wisdom he’s picked up.
Money tips
When one spouse is more financially-inclined than the other, how can you make sure that you're both invested to make the most of your money? Ruth shares her thoughts in this new edition of Ruth's Two Cents.
Money tips
Interested in dipping your toes into crypto investing? In a market that is exposed to intense fluctuations, employing a bit of caution is the diligent option. WallStreetZen founder Nate Tsang offers his advice for minimizing risk when investing in cryptocurrencies.
Money tips
Thanks to pandemic-fuelled online shopping, the rise of Buy Now Pay Later services has been swift and significant. Emma explores the potential pitfalls of this new form of credit, so you can make informed purchasing decisions when buying now and paying later.
Product feature
The march of progress is upon us! We're very happy to announce that we're currently integrating with new data provider Basiq in Australia. Through them, we'll be getting access to open banking feeds for all banks in Australia as they come online, and reliable traditional feeds in the interim.
Company
You can wipe your tears and put away your handkerchief — we’re not going anywhere. Pocketbook’s announcement of their closure cast some confusion over our own state of trading due to our similar names, but CEO Jason sets the record straight and offers some insight on the inspiration behind our treasured title.
Interviews
We asked some of our wonderful users to share how they use PocketSmith to be productive with their money and plan for the future. Read how Amy makes the most of PocketSmith’s bank feeds to keep up-to-date with her expenses and savings.
Money tips
If you’ve ever wanted to find out how much money you need to save for retirement or whether you’re on track to meet a particular savings goal, you might have tried to work it out with a pen and paper. Luckily, there’s usually a calculator available online to figure it out.
Money tips
Making our money go further and doing some good while we’re at it — sounds right up our alley! Our friends at Supergenerous help you to do just that, allowing you to regift up to 33% of your charitable donations. CEO and co-founder Guillaume Dehan talks to us about how they’re helping charities all around New Zealand.
Money tips
As inflation continues to rise, those who are self-employed have the unenviable task of contending with the effects on both their personal and business finances. Emma shares some tips for managing the effects of rising inflation in self-employment.
Money tips
When was the last time you read a personal finance book focusing on finances for Kiwis? Frances Cook delivers in spades with her second book, expertly covering topics from FIRE to earning more and controlling what you earn to the basics of investing. Anton shares his thoughts on this excellent read!
Money tips
A recent study revealed that women have significantly less money saved in their KiwiSaver fund, New Zealand’s voluntary retirement savings scheme, compared to their male counterparts. Ruth reflects on her own experiences with saving for retirement when contending with diverse employment and motherhood, and how she’s managed to buck the trend.
Product feature
With the closure of Pocketbook in August 2022, we'd like to take a moment to discuss how to move your data into PocketSmith. Things are a bit different around here, but you'll be up and running in no time!
Interviews
We asked some of our wonderful users to share how they use PocketSmith to be productive with their money and plan for the future. Read how Alex uses PocketSmith to remain elastic in tracking his budgets and adjust to any unforeseen circumstances.
Money tips
Deciding to grow your money together is a big step in any relationship. For some, it’s a no-brainer, while for others it might not be a good fit. If you’re thinking about combining your finances with your partner, check out Emma’s considerations to help you make the right decision.
Product feature
Rollover budgeting can now be visualized in much more detail than before, providing a clear picture on the state of your budgets. Software engineer Mike runs us through the new improvements to PocketSmith's rollover budgeting feature.
Money tips
Traffic light methodologies are widely used in project, time and even behavioral management — so why not financial management too? Guest writer and PocketSmith super user Rachel uses her own custom traffic light system, and she shows us how she’s combined it with PocketSmith to organize her finances.
Money tips
At the end of 2021, with house prices skyrocketing and rental shortages across the country, journalist Derek Cheng decided to buy a house with a few of his friends. Five months later, he reflects on his experience and shares some intriguing insights.
Money tips
How do you raise financially resilient kids? For Head of Marketing Dora, getting her teenage son, Jordan, started on his investing journey early was vital. It’s been a few weeks since he opened an account with investment platform, Sharesies, and he shares his experiences making his first investment with us.
