Your Money

Who's covering you?

If you are building a new home in an earthquake-prone area (listen up, Cantabrians and Wellingtonians), building insurance might seem like a dry old topic.

Red zone moaners - are they reasonable?

Financial agony aunt Janine Starks says many red zone homeowners face genuine financial fish-hooks.

Does $500,000 make you rich?

We are a couple who have recently inherited up to $500,000. We are confused about how to make the most of this money, as we want security for our future but also want to have some fun.

Driven up the wall

JANINE STARKS - © Fairfax NZ News

Home owners around New Zealand should be sitting up and taking note of the insurance issues around retaining walls.

With the recession still visible in the rear view mirror, food prices climbing and now GST at 15 per cent, backyard gardening is flourishing. AMANDA MORRALL considers the dollars and sense of growing your own.

Saving money: the formula is so simple

JANINE STARKS - © Fairfax NZ News

Financial Agony Aunt JANINE STARKS shares her tips on saving.

Gift duty serves no useful tax function

GEORDIE HOOFT - © Fairfax NZ News

Last week, the Government signalled its intention to repeal gift duty. The announcement was accompanied by a "regulatory impact statement" (RIS), outlining the key points of the proposal and considering its effects.

Money from nothing

It takes money to make money right? Sure, but you don't have to be a millionaire to make a go of it.

Bonds good but be wary

AMANDA MORRALL - © Fairfax NZ News

Equity-weary investors seeking palpable returns are flocking to bonds. But could the rush on this sweetheart market be another finance company fiasco in the making?

The great Jaffa Cake debacle

Believe it or not, New Zealand has a comparatively simple tax system.

Holiday's hidden sting

Planning an earthquake-induced mortgage holiday? In the long run, it could be more painful. AMANDA MORRALL reports.

Kiwi savers get the thumbs up

Kiwis have squirreled away billions of dollars of savings, spurring a slow economic recovery.

The great Kiwi rip-off?

BY AMANDA MORRALL - © Fairfax NZ News

New Zealand: 100 per cent pure rip-off or are we paying the price of paradise?

30-day limit to file claims

Canterbury residents are taking stock of losses and the Earthquake Commission is ramping up efforts to process tens of thousands of insurance claims. AMANDA MORRALL takes a closer look at the fine print.

Red-stickered

Financial Agony Aunt JANINE STARKS believes after the earthquake it's best to concentrate on the things you've still got control over.

Seek advice grounded in reality

OPINION: The changes to real estate law may see more buyers get a building check before buying a property, writes TONY BRAZIER.

Income splitting - who are the winners?

BY GEORDIE HOOFT - © Fairfax NZ News

It has been a long-term goal of the Minister of Revenue, Peter Dunne, to establish income-splitting as a key element of the taxation system. Last week, he introduced to Parliament a bill designed to deliver just that.

When cash is king

CAROL MIDGLEY says plastic is not so fantastic after trying to survive on cards alone.

Investing in oneself

Property has lost its puff, stock markets are sulking and Lotto wins are one in 30 million. So how do you get rich? Try investing in yourself. AMANDA MORRALL talks to Heather Carpenter about how to grow your career capital.

Help, we spend too much!

Making more money is no guarantee of greater financial security without a plan and safeguards in place to protect it. In our latest Money Makeover, we find out what one family needs to do to put their big house in order.

Caveat venditor

BY GEORDIE HOOFT - © Fairfax NZ News

You can find nearly anything you could want on Trade Me. Most people probably don't give a thought to tax issues when it comes to trading on the internet. Actually, there are no special tax rules to deal with e-commerce, so normal tax rules apply.

Greenbacks for yellowheads

BY AMANDA MORRALL - © Fairfax NZ News

On a silver bird flying from Manhattan to New Zealand, a yellow-headed winged biped that embodies the pre-European essence of the South Island found a friend in passenger Nigel Babbage.

Starting over on your own

BY AMANDA MORRALL - © Fairfax NZ News

Separation and divorce can exact a high price financially. We examine one man's efforts to rebuild and grow his wealth.

Urban cool

Hot on the heels of its footballing triumphs, New Zealand has scored another victory - this time as one of the cheapest places to work and live in Asia-Pacific. AMANDA MORRALL takes a closer look.

The reality of LACQs

A friend recently asked me what all the fuss was about LAQCs, and what they were anyway. He had read about them having something to do with the property market and that the Government was looking at cracking down on them.

Dreams risks and money

Multimillionaires move in elite circles, and Brian Martin is no exception, but his focus these days is on those living below the line of poverty.

Pay rises - for some

AMANDA MORRALL looks at the prickly issue of post-recession pay.

Cold reality of rising bills to hit soon

BY SARAH HARVEY - © Fairfax NZ News

Brace yourselves – the four horsemen of a grim winter of rising bills are on their way, experts warn.

Money world is simply a rush

Michelle Smith, new blood on the Marac Finance board, talks to Press business editor MARTA STEEMAN about the world of international finance in the second profile of a new monthly series on Canterbury's movers and shakers.

That's one smart Kiwi gal

BY AMANDA MORRALL - © Fairfax NZ News

In part two of Good Living's series on women and money, AMANDA MORRALL talks to Wendy Pye, one of New Zealand's wealthiest and most successful female entrepreneurs.

Merger proposed to create new bank

Hard on the heels of KiwiBank's success, three local finance institutions want to form a $2.2 billion bank headquartered in Christchurch.

You are woman, you are poor

AMANDA MORRALL talks to financial adviser Joan Baker about why women ought to care more about money.

Balancing act

Managing one's money amid the juggling of kids, jobs and household duties can sometimes be chaotic and revolving mortgages can add to the confusion.

Funds defy odds

There is no disguising the ugly aftermath of the worst market meltdown since the Great Depression.

Get rich, the new age way

It's not about how rich you want to be, it's about how you want to be rich.

Investments of passion

Sales in luxury goods are booming, signalling a shift among the well-heeled to passionate investment. AMANDA MORRALL reports.

Timely to talk tax

There's nothing sexy about tax, save a refund. Unfortunately, many miss out on just that because tax tends to evoke more dread than interest. AMANDA MORRALL talks to the authors of a new book who are hoping to turn Kiwis on to it.

Pitfalls in property

Financial agony aunt Janine Starks looks at the pitfalls and gains of investment property.

Save power, save money

Conserving energy not only helps save the planet. It can save you money.

Nest eggs and the single man

Debt-free, mortgage-free and money in the bank - it's an enviable place to be.

The first fortnight in review

OPINION: Our Lady in the Red looks back on her first fortnight trying to save money.

New law makes giving easy

AMANDA MORRALL finds out how the new payroll giving scheme makes it easier to give and receive.

Knowledge is money

BY AMANDA MORRALL - © Fairfax NZ News

The starting point for getting a better grip on one's personal finances is budgeting.

Getting older's no cakewalk

The economic outlook for our greying population is questionable at best.

Credit crackdown

Buy now, pay later. Trouble is, the repayment part is easy to put off.

Splitting headaches

The difficulties of divorce

Divorce. It is not what any couple plans on, but it is a sad fact of life for more than a third of Kiwis who tie the knot. Emotionally and financially it can exact a high cost.

No sex please, we're broke

Money-stretched Kiwis are feeling the stress in the bedroom, according to a barometric survey. AMANDA MORRALL looks for the financial Viagra.

Wants vs needs

Find out how to balance the current wants versus future needs.

Storm over advisers' advice

BY AMANDA MORRALL - © Fairfax NZ News

If confidence in financial advisers was low before, it may have hit rock bottom.

Avoid the Christmas credit hangover

Tips on keeping your budget under control this Christmas.

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