All in PocketSmith

How Our Daughter Will Pay Cash for University

How Our Daughter Will Pay Cash for University

Ruth
Kids and Money, Money Education, PocketSmith, Saving, Investment

Our daughter will likely attend University or Polytech in 2026. She still has to complete Year 13 in 2025, but after that, she has some decisions to make as she attempts to answer the dreaded and most commonly asked question, “What do you want to do when you finish school?” Going into further study is not a foregone conclusion, but it is certainly an option. As we spend the next year trying to help her decide what comes next, we will also take the time to help her (and us) financially prepare. She has no firm plans as to what she might do, but money comes in handy, that much I know. We want her to pay to study using cash. I’ve met too many ex-students who regret their student loans. Given we all know this cost is coming, we can save for it. 

PocketSmith Helps Me Manage and Understand Our Money

PocketSmith Helps Me Manage and Understand Our Money

Ruth
Budgeting, PocketSmith, Money Education

Budgeting is particularly at the top of my mind as I’ve been leaning heavily on it since quitting my day job in late October. Given that my regular paycheque is now gone, it is during times of change that I pay closer attention to our pūtea until things settle down. In the lead-up to finishing work, I’d used my budgeting and saving skills to build up various bank accounts, which would act as a cash buffer/backup plan. My hunch was that we would be OK, but it pays to double-check. So I could feel confident about stepping away from a paycheque, PocketSmith, as always, played a massive role in helping me plan.

I quit my job!

I quit my job!

Ruth
ETFs, Hnry, Investment, KiwiSaver, PocketSmith, SmartShares, Smart Invest, Smart, Budgeting, Net Worth

In a recent blog post, I rebalanced our investment portfolio; this time, I’m rebalancing my life. I resigned from my PAYE job. I’m another step closer to early retirement, and I’m VERY excited about it! I always looked forward to working on Wednesday and Thursday each week, and deciding to leave a job I enjoy, plus giving up $20,000 a year, has been challenging. 

Financial Reset: Spending less and earning more for a month!

Financial Reset: Spending less and earning more for a month!

Ruth
PocketSmith, Simplicity, SmartShares, KiwiSaver, Budgeting, ETFs

My latest bright idea was for our whānau of three to spend the month of July earning more money while spending less of it. Call it a Financial Reset. Why? When the general societal vibe is that we are all in a rough state economically, it is easy for an individual to feel powerless. Although optimistic by nature, I’m not immune to this feeling of gloom. But instead of accepting that we are in a financial crisis, I’d prefer to take the bull by the horns and own our situation.

8th Anniversary Giveaway: Guess the Piggy Bank Total!

8th Anniversary Giveaway: Guess the Piggy Bank Total!

Ruth
Saving, PocketSmith, Sharesight

I'm hosting a giveaway to celebrate The Happy Saver’s 8th Anniversary. This isn't just any ordinary giveaway. With her creative flair, my daughter made a paper mache piggy bank way back in 2021. It’s taken three long years of her diligently filling it up, and now it’s time to break it open and see just how much she’s saved. To enter to win one of the prizes, take a wild guess at the total amount inside the piggy bank.

Investing Is Not Black and White

Investing Is Not Black and White

Ruth
ETFs, Index Funds, Investment, Money Education, Personal Finance, PocketSmith, Simplicity, Sharesies, Kids and Money, KiwiSaver

It’s standard for me to get at least one blunt email saying I’m wrong about a financial decision or purchase I’ve made on behalf of my whānau. Generally, the reasoning given will be based on one aspect, often a technical math issue, ignoring all the other points I mentioned. I used to panic that they might be right and that I might have this money stuff entirely and utterly wrong. But I no longer do. Instead, I take their comments with a grain of salt and consider that it’s probably them who are wrong. Although it takes time, often I’ll research their argument and find that they are.

Giving Frugality a Workout

Giving Frugality a Workout

Ruth
PocketSmith, Money Education

I was recently writing about Mr. Money Mustache (MMM) for a future blog article on PocketSmith’s blog. One of their customers said they liked the ethos of MMM, but they were still determining if they could get on board with the frugal lengths he goes to save money. They got the point that the more you invest, the greater your future opportunities are, but they were not yet prepared to sacrifice now to make it happen. No sooner had I finished my article than the perfect example of frugality in action landed on my doorstep. That’s what I want to share today.

Easily Track Your Net Worth

Easily Track Your Net Worth

Ruth
Money Education, PocketSmith, Personal Finance

One of the critical behaviours that financially independent Kiwis have in common is that they track their net worth monthly. I’ve “properly” tracked the net worth of my whānau since 2015. I’ve watched it grow from $650,000 to $1,400,000. Tracking my family's net worth has been the most helpful tool in determining whether all the mahi I’m putting into my family's finances is paying off. I want you to track your net worth each month, and this blog post intends to show you how. Like all of my financial behaviours, I keep things relatively basic.

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