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
Many people get calls regarding the debt they don’t own, but you’ve got some tools up your sleeve to dispute your debt and deal with such creditors. Lyle Solomon from Oak View Law Group breaks down the recourse available to our friends in the USA if you’re being hounded by pushy debt collectors.
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 Tara uses PocketSmith to track her spending and stay accountable to her budget to meet her savings goals!
Money tips
So your account has been hacked or there’s been suspicious transactions in your bank account — now what? In the final part of our fraud series, Emma from The Broke Generation shares the steps you can take if you ever fall victim to a scam so your money stays intact.
Company
As the sun rose on a brand new year, co-founder and CEO Jason found himself ruminating on the ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ of 2021. As for the ‘why’? That’s going to be PocketSmith’s focus for the year ahead, and it can be yours too. Read on for Jason’s thoughts about approaching your ‘why’ with intent to help you reach your goals.
Money tips
As the saying goes, “tidy house, tidy mind”. Keeping a tidy wallet can have a similar effect on your well-being. But it can be easier said than done keeping something as complex as your finances organized and effective. Ruth The Happy Saver channels her inner Marie Kondo and shares how she’s decluttered her financial life.
Money tips
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes.” In the spirit of Proustian self-discovery, Head of Marketing Dora asked her 13-year-old son, Jordan, to pen some observations about common ways he thinks adults waste money. What she received was surprisingly pragmatic insight with a few truth bombs thrown in! Read on to see what he had to say.
Money tips
Goodbye 2021, hello 2022. After another year of ups and downs, a new year offers the opportunity to reset and reboot. If you want to leave questionable spending habits and bygone goals in the past, now’s the perfect chance. Emma from The Broke Generation shares the actions you can take to make sure you start off this year on the right financial footing.
Money tips
As a part-time employee with her own blog and podcast side business, Ruth Henderson has a more complex tax-life than the average person. That said, she decided from the outset to manage her freelance income the same way she runs her household finances: simply and fuss-free! Read on to see how she organizes her taxes.
Company
It’s that time of year to look back on the past 12 months and ruminate on all of your choices made. We asked some of the PocketSmith team to do just that and reveal their purchases of delight and disappointment in 2021. From video games, mops, stock and new beds, it’s been quite the year of retail therapy!
Money tips
Amidst fancy hors d'oeuvres and a chorus of ‘new year, new me’, a celebration of glitz and glamoring could have you clamoring to save your bank account in the morning. Emma Edwards shares her best tips for making sure you keep your budget intact over the new year period — because New Year’s Eve is one night, but financial confidence is forever!
Product feature
While reflecting on the changes released during 2021, we ended up striking upon a couple of new features that will make a lot of users' lives easier. Read on for details on how you can now perform math operations in key number fields in the application, and also filter through your financial events in the Calendar. But first, a quick recap.
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 Wellingtonian couple Renee and Jamie use PocketSmith to track their finances and identify their money leakages!
Money tips
Christmas is mere days, minutes, seconds away. If your gift list is looking woefully empty this close to December 25th, fear not! The Broke Generation’s Emma has been a helpful little elf for us and gathered up some easy, low-cost options for last minute Christmas presents. You’ve still got time, so get cracking!
Money tips
Do you have a secure password? And are your devices secure? There are plenty of actions you can take to ensure your money and related data are protected. In the second part of our fraud series, Emma from The Broke Generation shares ten ways you can defend yourself from would-be hackers and scammers.
Product feature
PocketSmith has a new main menu! Topline features are just a single click away, and organization of key secondary features and settings into menu groups makes everything more accessible. Check out the intuitive design and let us know your thoughts.
Money tips
Shopping can be a rotten experience this time of year. People are stressed, shops are busy, and you have to buy presents for every second cousin once-removed at the family Christmas party. That’s why Anton, our Marketing Intern, has created this list of fun and easily accessible Christmas gifts. So whether you’ve got no time or simply have no idea what to get your loved ones, you can check out these ideas for inspiration.
Money tips
Accountants aren’t just number-lovers deep in spreadsheets. If you handle your household’s finances, you can consider yourself one too! Sam Harith, The Comic Accountant, is an accountant by trade and he explores the benefits of using home accounting software and why PocketSmith is his go-to.
Money tips
No doubt you’re not a stranger to scams — you’ve probably been hounded by an unknown number, or had a suspiciously constructed email show up in your inbox. Money scams and attempts to fraud you are a dime a dozen. But what other scams are you likely to come across? Emma from The Broke Generation explores today’s common money scams and fraud.
Money tips
Whether it’s the holiday season, a birthday or an upcoming special event, picking the right gift can be a hassle. Have you ever thought about a gift that keeps on giving? Ruth The Happy Saver is a big fan of giving shares as a gift, and talks about how it can be a thoughtful present for experienced and budding investors.
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. Doug is “busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger”, so we’re keeping things short with a LIGHTNING ROUND! Read how he uses PocketSmith’s forecasting features to make sure he can cover all expenses at work and at home.
Money tips
Thanks to the gig economy, side hustle opportunities like Uber are abundant, but you might not have the capacity, nor the want, to go out and drive after work. By picking up a side hustle you can do online, you can earn a bit of extra income in comfort and at your own pace. Guest contributor Brian explores six of the best online side hustles for making the most of your time and resources.
Product feature
You can now automatically track balances over time for non-transactional accounts! Build a rich balance history for accounts without typical transactions, like passive investments, to give you deeper insights into your money. Check out how you can enable this new setting for each account (tl;dr: Account Summary > Manage Account > Other settings > Track balance changes).
Money tips
The mention of Black Friday sales evokes images of both mammoth bargains and massive fights at the cash register. As a sale period that’s so close to Christmas, it could be your chance to keep your holiday budget intact. If you’re wondering how you can make the most out of this annual sale, check out Ruth The Happy Saver’s tips for sorting your Black Friday game plan.
Company
A big welcome to our newest data partner, Sharesight, a global portfolio management tool for DIY investors. Now, with a direct integration, PocketSmith users can connect seamlessly to Sharesight to bring in your portfolio balance automatically.
