Posts Tagged :

saving

Managing your finances when life throws you a curveball

Occasionally life will throw you a curveball that directly or indirectly impacts your finances: you’re made redundant, your furnace dies or you’re expecting a child and you realise you’ll need to upgrade homes in the not-too-distant future. The last thing you want is to dig yourself into a deeper hole because you weren’t able to manage the financial side of things. Here are some ways to avoid that, so that you can bounce back sooner rather than later. 1.  Put…

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7 ways to save money this holiday season

Here are a few tips to help you ring in the new decade with as little debt as possible. 1. Reconsider whom you need to shop for At different points in our lives, it makes sense to shop for certain people and not for others. For example, when our nieces and nephews are young, gifts are appropriate but when they’re adults, maybe a heartfelt card is enough. Go through your list and decide whom you really need to shop for…

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This could be the secret to better budgeting

If you’ve never had a budget, or if you’ve tried and given up on one before, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Visions of complicated spreadsheets and living on nothing but 2 minute noodles make the idea seem at best, snore-inducing and at worst, overly restrictive. But the truth is it takes very little effort to get a basic system – ‘money buckets’ – in place. This is great news, as it can mean the difference between major savings…

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7 tips to save money in 10 minutes
7 money saving tips you can complete in 10 minutes each

It can be all to easy to chuck anything money or finance related in the too-hard basket. But the truth is, spending a few minutes sorting out just one aspect of your finances can make a big difference. If you’ve got 10 minutes to spare, complete one of these money saving tips and you could see instant financial results. Empty your spare change into a jar Then pop on the lid. Now every time you’ve got a few bits of…

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How to enjoy a low-spend long weekend

As the long weekend kicks off, it can be all too easy to fill your time with fun and frivolous spending. But before you know it, Monday night rolls around and your bank balance is looking more than a little depleted. Luckily, it doesn’t take much to reset your default setting from ‘spend’ to ‘save’ for a few days, and the savings can be pretty significant. Read on for our tips to boost your savings in just a few days.…

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Top tips to avoid over spending at Christmas

As we approach the silly season and our bank accounts begin to bear the brunt of it, Kiwis should aim to be careful shoppers and only spend what they can afford. We commissioned research which reveals nearly one in three New Zealanders put their Christmas and holiday spending on their credit card and are potentially facing a New Year hangover, saying they won’t pay the full bill before the due date (29%). CreditSimple.co.nz spokesperson Hazel Phillips said the holiday season was…

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Have you ever felt too lazy to budget? (We may have the answer)

It’s a more common feeling than you might think. According to our recent survey, nearly one in 10 people say they don’t budget because they simply feel too lazy to. Beyond that, one-fifth started a budget but gave it up because they felt it was too difficult. That’s understandable – and it’s okay. But it doesn’t have to be the way things go. Use technology to help you budget When you’re on a budget, how do you track your spending?…

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Scared of your finances? 5 ways to get control over your money without looking through your fingers

Money management can be a terrifying thing. Especially if you’ve got debt – seeing large sums go in and out of your bank account is enough to give anyone the willies, even if it’s ‘good’ debt (such as a home loan). But there are strategies you can use to cope, and to not only manage your money but actually overcome those ghosts of spending past. Here’s five we’ve rounded up. Know where your money is going. Knowledge is power, and…

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DIY or call in the experts? Sometimes there’s a cost to being cheap

Saving money and cutting corners is a thoroughly enjoyable way to pass the time, not only for the cash you get to keep but for the smug feeling of satisfaction at having outfoxed the system. Unfortunately sometimes corner cutting backfires. Our Scrooge-like urge to save a buck by doing something ourselves, instead of paying an expert to do it properly, actually costs us more – not necessarily just in money, but in time and effort. This makes me feel most…

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Invest or save? Three things every Kiwi should consider before plotting a path to financial freedom

You, your wallet, and your spare change walk into a bank. What, were you expecting a punchline? Well, these isn’t one! Your financial future is no joke. That said, the wealth of savings options available to Kiwis these days will have you laughing all the way to the bank. Or credit union. Or investment company. Or or or… do you see the problem yet? Saving money is always a smart idea. But we reckon being spoiled for choice still presents…

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