Caroline’s story...

We are in a lucky financial position, in that COVID-19, is not likely to impact on us that much.

I am employed as a manager in a small health provider (not for profit), already on a much-reduced wage from my last national job. My partner is a postie so we both have “essential” jobs. So no real lockdown for us, busy with work and one teenager, who until recently has been at boarding school... and can’t wait to return!

If we had been carrying a lot of debt, this would be full-on, however, we have none. We have already been very frugal, we worked overseas (before this “the postie” was a computer guru), we live in a small and modest house by far, in a semi-rural area, with older cars. However, we are lucky enough to also have a seafront property in the Marlborough Sounds, and another lifestyle block (with a house that we usually rent out, but it’s currently being renovated...)

COVID-19 has affected us in that I am not even looking at our shares or my KiwiSaver because it is depressing, but it will get better.

I think the trick of assets, wherever possible, is diversity and also looking at the what were considerably ridiculously overpriced assets, and considering whether they represented good value.

I never get everything right, that is for sure - I put $10,000 and another $5,000 in two ETFs, right before all the recent COVID-19 slumps! Talk about buying at the absolute recent high! A bit depressing, but that’s life.

If possible “dollar-cost averaging” is not a bad ploy.

Best of luck everyone - money is just a tool, but it can be great not to have to worry about it.

Kia Kaha