The Prosperity Project

Kiwis are pretty familiar with the idea of investing in property, but more often than not, it’s in houses, apartments, or other types of residential property.  But more and more people are asking if they should instead consider commercial property. This week, Nadine talks with CEO of property investment firm Rethink Group, and commercial property investor, Scott O’Neill, to discus...

How long could you last if your income stopped tomorrow? Culd you handle a big, unexpected bill without going into debt? And how often do you worry about money?  Those are all metrics in the Financial Resilience Index, a survey on Kiwis’ money habits and stability - so what does it tell us, and crucially, what should we do with that information?  This week, Nadine is talking with t...

The path to becoming a social media influencer or content creator is one a lot of people aspire to these days - in fact, one survey suggested 57 percent for Gen Zers want that career path.  But how easy it is to get into this path, and make it pay?  Julian Sewell is a Kiwi who’s made it big on Instagram and TikTok, although you may know him as his silver haired alter ego, Paloma Di...

When the US President Donald Trump announced a pause on reciprocal tariffs last week, prompting a massive rally on the markets - he admitted he did so after watching the bond market.  So, why is the bond market so significant, and what do you need to know about how it works - especially given you likely own some in your KiwiSaver fund! Today, Nadine is joined by Matt Logan from Fisher Funds t...

More than 3.3 million New Zealanders are in KiwiSaver, and they now have more than $110 billion invested  - but too many of us are not making the most of the scheme.  So this week, Nadine is joined by finance expert, columnist and author Mary Holm, who has just revised and updated her 8th book, Rich Enough, to get some guidance on how to ensure you are making the most from the schem...

Recently, the price of gold has been hovering near record highs at over NZ$5000 an ounce - that’s less than 30 grams for those of us only versed in the metric system! It’s commonly thought of as a ‘safe haven’ asset, but why is that? How does it help your investments when the world is an uncertain place? How do you make money out of it? How do you own it? And does your jewe...

March 31st marks the end of the financial year, and while that doesn’t mean much for the average employee, it does mean that you are probably due for a pay review.   Salaries are a big topic of discussion right now – specifically, how salaries in New Zealand compare to those overseas, with so many Kiwis leaving the country.   So if you are booked in for a pay review...

If you’ve peeked at your KiwiSaver or other investments lately - it might have given you a bit of a rude shock.  With the US introducing tariffs, withdrawing them, threatening to double them, and other countries starting to retaliate, there’s a lot of uncertainty out there, and that's one thing market really don’t like.  So what do you need to know, and what – if...

Emily Owens has grim personal experience of adversity and financial insecurity – from sleeping in her car, feeling trapped by domestic violence, and becoming a widowed single mother at age 20 when her son was just 5 weeks old. But she’s channelled that experience into a meaningful career focused on helping others make good financial decisions. She shared her story of survival and findi...

Today’s episode is for anyone who’s looked at the price of houses in this country and felt a bit depressed - for many, it seems like that particular dream out of reach, so why bother trying? While housing is expensive, there are other ways to get onto the housing ladder – but there’s a fair bit you need to know to ensure it doesn’t go pear-shaped.  To help everyo...

if you have a mortgage, you’re likely weighing up your next move after the Reserve Bank cut the Official Cash Rate from 4.25% to 3.75%.  More than 80% of mortgages are due to refix this year, because most people have been opting for floating rates or short terms,  waiting for the right time to pounce as interest rates fell.  So is that time now or should you continue to wait?&...

The word ‘Retirement’ can prompt a range of reactions. Some yawn, because it’s ages away and there’s heaps of time to sort it. Some people feel a little uncomfortable because it’s not ages away, and they’re not sure if they’re sorted - and some panic because it’s just around the corner they  know they’re not sorted.   Listener Sa...

Having a baby is life-altering in every respect - and your finances are no exception.   But there are ways to navigate how much growing your family can turn your finances upside down.   Stephanie Pow is the founder of Crayon. She’s on a mission to make it easier for parents to effectively manage the dollars and cents alongside the nappies and sleepless nights.  She j...

If every time you have holiday at the beach you think ‘how can I just stay here fulltime and escape the rat race in the city’ - today’s episode is for you.  Dallas and Donna Gurney were two corporate high fliers hustling hard and enjoying city life – when a major life curveball prompted them to re-think everything.  They chucked in their Auckland jobs to take on a...

If feel like you’re done working for ‘the man’, and you want lexibility, autonomy, to be the master of your own destiny - you might be considering chucking in your job and working for yourself.  But behind the romantic ideal of self employment, there is a bit to get your head around if you’ve only ever been an employee. This week, Nadine is joined by James Fuller,&nbsp...

If your enthusiasm to maintain your “New Year, new me” financial goals is starting wane already, you’re not alone – most resolutions are abandoned by February! But experts in finance and psychology say there’s both art and a science to setting financial goals and adopting the behavioural change that helps you stick to them. Join Nadine this week as she discusses how t...

If you have a question you want answered, or a financial story to share, get in touch at nadine.higgins@nzme.co.nz   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.