It's No Secret

Today on the podcast we're back with another Money Moments episode with Cat & Christine. Money Moments is where we chat with real Kiwis about their journey with money.  In our case, it's an update on what happened after the Christmas break, how our international trips went, and what we've been up to with our finances since then. Specifically, we chat about:  What challenges we f...

With the 2023 general elections right around the corner, now is a great time to take a moment and reflect on how any change in leadership or government might impact your financial stability. Today we're looking at some key policies from a few political parties that could financially impact you if they are elected (or reelected). In this episode we cover: Different policies that a few parties...

With interest rates on the rise, many of you are feeling the pinch - especially those with a mortgage! So, what steps can you take to help deal with the extra interest payments? Tune in to see what you can do to cut costs and give yourself more flexibility in the short term. In this episode we cover: Why extending your mortgage may be an option for you to consider, especially if you are well into...

As the saying goes, "You have to spend money, to make money" but how much do you really have to spend, especially when it comes to investing?  In New Zealand, there are costs that come with using investment platforms. More commonly, these include transaction fees and fund management fees, but what if we told you that there are a few more hidden costs that may fly under the radar?  In thi...

Where and how you decide to invest your money can be a big decision for many. So, it's important to consider all the factors that could affect the safety (or security) of your investments – including those in the fine print. In this episode we cover: A few common investing myths when it comes to the security of your money. e.g., Can I trust that my money is safer with an older investment plat...

In 2022 alone we’ve seen record interest rate rises, the highest rate of inflation in 30 years, house price declines, the threat of a looming recession and a number of global events that have added to the uncertainty. The good news is that there is still an opportunity for you to grow your wealth in 2023 - if you know the habits that lead to long-term success. To help you on the journey, let’s tak...

Are you nearing the stage of life where expanding your family is a focus or goal?  In this episode, we cover:  Costs to consider when having kids, and whether these should inform your decision or not  Why you often have much longer to save for the expenses than you think  Whether the reality of the finances with having kids versus the idea of it are the same How Cat's finances have faired bef...

For most Kiwis, withdrawing your KiwiSaver to purchase a first home is a no-brainer. In fact, NOT withdrawing it to do is likely more of a rarity. But is there an argument in favour of the former? Let's discuss.  In this episode, we cover:  The impact of withdrawing your KiwiSaver balance to buy a first home (or not)  Whether Cat & Christine will be/have withdrawn theirs to purchase homes...

Feeling the holiday financial stress? You're not alone - a recent survey found that 60% of Kiwis are feeling stressed by the costs of Christmas.  If you're wondering how much you should be spending on presents, you're in the right place. In this episode, we'll help you set a budget that works for you and your loved ones, and give you some ideas for finding affordable and meanin...

Today on the podcast we're back with another Money Moments episode with Cat & Christine. Money Moments is where we chat with real Kiwis about their journey with money.  In our case, it's an update on what's been happening with our finances recently.  After a bit of a break, we share what we've been up to over the past 3-6 months with our moolah.  Specifically, we chat about...

You would have thought that rising inflation and increased cost of living might've stopped a lot of Kiwis from traveling to see the world. But it hasn't! In fact, according to Intrepid Travel, 85% of Kiwis are planning to travel in the next year.  And among those 85% is us! With our own upcoming holidays, we'd highlight a few key money mistakes that you can avoid when planning your...

Did you know that for a lot of Kiwis their KiwiSaver is likely to be the 2nd largest asset that they will own in their lifetime? With that in mind, you would think we'd be more inclined to engage more with it, right? Turns out we’re not! ⁠ Research shows that 1/5 Kiwis don't even know who their KiwiSaver provider is. So today, we're going to motivate you to check in with your KiwiSa...

Every parent wants to set their children up for success and this usually includes a financially secure future. And one of the best ways of doing this is through investing for their children early and consistently. However, there are a few nuances that parents may not consider when it comes to investing that can actually hinder their returns over the long run.   With this in mind, today's podc...

Today on the podcast we're back for part two of our how to budget for a baby series. if you haven't listened to part one, stop right now and go back to our previous episode. It's one not to miss. This podcast will also probably make a bit more sense after listening to the first one too. Please note: this episode was recorded a wee while back, however, the information is still releva...

Just in case you missed it, Cat is having a baby! With this in mind, we're talking about all things kids and how you can financially plan ahead for the journey to parenthood. So, strap in and grab your notebooks as we talk through the first part of how you can budget for a baby. Please note: this episode was recorded a wee while back, however, the information is still relevant and applicable...

Today on the podcast we're chatting with Josh Storey, farmer and Kernel investor.  Starting his money journey young, selling chicken eggs from the farm, Josh is now investing his way towards farm ownership - no easy feat in our eyes.  In this podcast, we dig into how Josh is working towards this big goal, and how his money journey to date has shaped the way he's approaching it.  Specific...

Passive income is often over-glamorised on social media as the thing that millennials and Gen Z’ers rely on to get them to their dream lifestyle or financial freedom. But what does it actually mean to have a passive income? And how does one get to the point of living off it? In today's episode Cat and Christine discuss exactly this. They chat about how there isn't a right or wrong way to...

Today on the podcast Cat and Christine are joined by the lovely Clarissa, Head of Content & Marketing at the Financial Services Council (FSC). They chat with Clarissa (AKA Riss) about her personal journey with money but also shed light on a very important campaign that the FSC has just kicked off focused on improving the financial wellbeing of women. This is a topic that Cat and Christine are...

2022 has been a crazy year, high interest rates and inflation has caused the markets to take a tumble. And with so much fear and uncertainty in the air, everyday investors are left wondering what to expect for the rest of the year. With all of this in mind,  we wanted to touch on all of these things and share reminders of what you could be doing during times like these.   Specifically, we cover: W...

Today on the podcast, Cat and Christine share an update on how their finances are tracking as we continue into 2022. It's been a hot minute since they last let you into what they're changing, or not changing when it comes to money and investments. So here they go!  Specifically, they chat about:  Christine pays off her student loan! WOOP. This means more money in each paycheque, so what&...

After two years of border restrictions, it's safe to say that a lot of Kiwis are itching to leave the country. In fact, the government is estimating that 50,000 New Zealanders are going to leave over the next year to work overseas. If you are 1 of the 50,000 Kiwis thinking of heading off,  here are some things that you should consider. So, grab your pen and paper, and make sure to take a note...

Hello and welcome back to It's No Secret! Today on the podcast we're bringing you the sixth and final summer series podcast episode. The summer series is dedicated to looking back at our most popular episodes of 2021 and sharing our favourite golden nuggets. This week we're chatting about investing in ourselves! Yep, the thing you want to do but never want to spend the money on. Thi...

Hello and welcome back to It's No Secret! Today on the podcast we're bringing you the fifth of six bonus episodes as part of our summer podcast series. The summer series is dedicated to looking back at our most popular episodes of 2021 and sharing our favourite golden nuggets. This week, we're chatting about all things retirement. When we need to start thinking about it, how much we...

Hello and welcome back to It's No Secret! Today on the podcast we're bringing you the fourth of six bonus episodes as part of our summer podcast series. The summer series is dedicated to looking back at our most popular episodes of 2021 and sharing our favourite golden nuggets. This week, we're chatting about the 101 of investing in the share markets - what the share markets are and...

Hello and welcome back to It's No Secret! Today on the podcast we're bringing you the third of six bonus episodes as part of our summer podcast series. The summer series is dedicated to looking back at our most popular episodes of 2021 and sharing our favourite golden nuggets. This week, we're chatting about the 101 of investing in cryptocurrency - what the heck it is, whether it’s...