Ten Years Later: What KiwiSaver Taught Me

Ten Years Later: What KiwiSaver Taught Me

Ruth
ETFs, InvestNow, KiwiSaver, Money Education, Smart

Ten years ago, on the 6th of June 2016, I published my very first blog post. It was about KiwiSaver. In that first month, I also wrote about Gold, Credit Cards and Kids and Money. And it's fair to say my thoughts have changed somewhat. I’ve sold our gold, cancelled our credit card, and spent the last ten years ensuring our ‘kid’, who is now a young adult, knows all about how money works. And what of KiwiSaver? Well, paying attention to that has really paid off. Ten years ago, I had absolutely no idea where that first blog post would lead. And I had no clue that a decade later I would be as fascinated by our personal finances and investing as I am today. So today, I wanted to go back to where it all started and talk about the evolution of our KiwiSaver investment.

Jonny’s Take: Becoming Debt-Free Changed Everything

Jonny’s Take: Becoming Debt-Free Changed Everything

Ruth
Debt, ETFs, KiwiSaver, Net Worth, PocketSmith, Retirement, Smart, Jonny's Take

Jonny has been thinking a lot about money, work, health, and what really matters lately. In this story, he shares his honest take on what becoming debt-free has made possible for our family, from paying off the mortgage to stepping back from full-time work and creating more freedom, flexibility, and breathing room in life. He also talks about why couples don’t both need to love spreadsheets or know every investing detail, but they do need to communicate, trust each other, and work towards the same goals together.

Our Coast FI Plan: Keep the House, Invest Less

Our Coast FI Plan: Keep the House, Invest Less

Ruth
ETFs, InvestNow, KiwiSaver, Net Worth, Retirement, Smart, Investment, Emergency Fund

After years of prioritising investing, we’ve made a decision that feels both strange and surprisingly freeing: we’re keeping the house, cutting right back on how much we invest, and letting time in the market do more of the work. For a while, downsizing looked like the logical next step. Sell the house, invest the difference, and fast-track our way to full financial independence. But the more we sat with it, the more something felt off. Coast FI has helped us find a middle ground between selling up, working longer, and creating a life that feels right for us now.

Which providers offer a Total World Fund in NZ?

Which providers offer a Total World Fund in NZ?

Ruth
ETFs, Financial Advisors, Index Funds, InvestNow, Kernel, Sharesies, Smart, Smart Invest, SmartShares

I am writing this blog post because I am constantly asked where you can purchase a Total World ETF from in New Zealand: “Could I use Smart or InvestNow?” “Sharesies, or a sharebroker?” Once you understand that low fees and broad diversification matter, i.e. buying the whole global share market instead of picking stocks or countries, you land in a new kind of confusion… where to buy. This post is not about finding the perfect platform. There isn’t one. But there are some perfectly good options. The goal is to understand them enough to choose one and get on with investing.

Succession planning: Deciding where your money goes

Succession planning: Deciding where your money goes

Ruth
Inheritance, Wills

For some, the question of leaving a monetary inheritance will crop up at some point. What do you do with your money once you die? When it comes to inheritance, Jonny and I are pragmatic and have a very simple plan: it goes to our daughter, and she can use it however she sees fit. In some ways, we have it easy. She is next in line, so it feels logical that we would leave her our money. But a recent chat with Poto, a single friend with no dependants, reminded me that it’s not always so straightforward. Some people are putting real thought into what they want their money to do after they’re gone.

Buckle up - here we go again!

Buckle up - here we go again!

Ruth
Emergency Fund, ETFs, InvestNow, KiwiSaver, Smart

This week, I wanted to go back in time, six years back to March 15, 2020, when the world was in turmoil. Again. At that time, I wanted to address your concerns about the global crises, particularly around COVID. I took the time to write a blog post about it, and today, I’ve summarised the key points and added an update. Because, surprise, surprise, here we go again, folks!

Someone Call an Ambulance

Someone Call an Ambulance

Ruth
Emergency Fund, ETFs, Insurance, PocketSmith, Smart

We’ve had a bit of drama recently, meaning all of our 2026 plans are currently up in the air. Jonny had a serious accident; he fell off the ladder, breaking his arm and fracturing his pelvis in four places. After eight days in hospital, he’s now home resting and beginning what will hopefully be a full recovery. One thing he said to me while in hospital really stuck: “Well, at least money is the last thing I need to worry about. In fact, it hadn’t even crossed my mind.” That peace of mind doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of years of building financial resilience so that when life throws a curveball, money isn’t another stress. While Jonny’s job in hospital was to lie still and recover, I suggested he write down a few thoughts about the experience. So this is his writing debut. I’ll let Jonny take it from here, and I’ll add a few thoughts at the end.

JL Collins Goes Global - And Why That Feels Familiar

JL Collins Goes Global - And Why That Feels Familiar

Ruth
ETF, Index Funds, ETFs, Investment, InvestNow, KiwiSaver, Shares, Sharesight, Smart

The financial clouds parted the day I picked up the 2016 edition of The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins. Instead of picking and choosing individual companies, just buy them all in one tidy package: an ETF or index fund - the simple path to wealth. For years, JL Collins has been known for one beautifully simple idea: Buy VTSAX and chill. VTSAX is an American index fund holding 100% U.S. companies. But readers began asking, “JL, what about the rest of the world?” He has long explained that U.S. companies are so large and globally dominant that U.S. investors could “get away with” owning only VTSAX. So when JL announced that he had added international stocks to his portfolio, people noticed. It felt like a big deal.

Explain It To Me FAST!

Explain It To Me FAST!

Ruth
ETFs, Index Funds, Investment, InvestNow, KiwiSaver, Money Education, Personal Finance, Smart

If you’ve ever listened to a money podcast, read a finance blog or chatted with that one friend who’s suddenly “really into investing”, you’ve probably heard a whole bunch of money words thrown around. People nod. No one wants to look dumb. And quietly, many think: I should probably understand what that means… So this post is for you. Here are plain-English explanations of the money words that come up again and again, using New Zealand examples and my common sense logic.

Load More