The Happy Saver Podcast - Personal Finance in New Zealand
Your friends might not want to talk about money, but I do! Hi, I’m Ruth and I’m a blogger on Personal Finance and in this podcast I tell the stories of Kiwis and their experiences with the money in their lives. How do they use it or how does it use them? Where do they save and invest it and does it work? What are their financial triumphs and financial train wrecks? How can you extract the most out of life and spend as little as possible while doing it? Join me as I ask the questions everyone else...
107. Revisit with Hamish: An investor with military precision!
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 107
What's In This Episode?
This is a revisit episode, I enjoy doing these because I like you wonder, “Whatever happened to…?” I last spoke with Hamish in 2021, Episode 50, An Investor With Military Precision, back when he was a 27-year-old solo homeowner and disciplined saver working in the New Zealand military. Fast-forward four years, and life has changed: he’s now 31, married to Sophie, and the two of them are navigating homeownership, investing, and future planning as a team. It’s clear from talking to Hamish that theirs is a partnership built on communi...
106. Revisit with Neil: A Financially Complicated Breakup
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 106
What's In This Episode?
This episode revisits my August 2022 conversation with Neil in Episode 69, A Financially Complicated Breakup. Now 52, Neil has lived in New Zealand for 20 years, working in IT since moving from the UK in 2005. He retained his UK property as a rental and began learning about personal finance around 2006. When KiwiSaver started in 2007, he joined up, and by our first chat, his KiwiSaver had grown to $200,000. After a previous long-term relationship ended with a fair asset split, Neil began to invest more and more in a range of ETF...
105. A Lumpy Journey – No Need to Go Anywhere in a Straight Line
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 105
What's In This Episode?
In this episode, I chat with Tracey, a long-time reader and listener of The Happy Saver who first came on my radar through her detailed Debt Free Questionnaire in 2022. Tracey and her husband have reached what's known as Coast FI—meaning they already have enough money invested that, even if they never added another dollar to their investments, by the time they reach 65, it will have grown to their required amount. This gives them the flexibility to reduce their working hours in their self-employed HR roles if th...
104. I Have Stopped Sleepwalking Through My Finances
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 104
What's In This Episode?
After my long kōrero with Sammy to prepare this episode, my head was spinning from all the twists and turns of her story. After 57 years of personal and financial trauma, last year, in 2024, Sammy had her “aha” moment when she said “Screw it, I’m sick of this,” and started to let a little light shine on her money. Once she had opened the door a crack, she basically just ripped the whole roof off her financial life, and has had a complete, and hopefully permanent, financial t...
103. 20-Year-Old on the Path to Financial Freedom
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 103
What's In This Episode?
In November 2024, I attended Black FI-Day, New Zealand’s first financial independence hui. Nearly 40 people gathered for this three-day event to share their financial journeys. One of them was Amelie, the person in the spotlight today. Just 19 at the time, she showed up on her own and was understandably nervous. But before long, every participant was in awe of this young wahine from Taranaki, who had decided that if spending a weekend with a bunch of strangers meant learning about money and building financial confidence, it was wo...
102. Once you have won the money game, stop and enjoy life.
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 102
What's In This Episode?
Today, I’m sharing the financial ins and outs of Alan and Katie Donegan, the world-travelling English couple behind Rebel Finance School. Over the years, we have become friends, and learning about their journey to financial independence and then watching them move into full retirement has been incredibly motivating for both Jonny and me. They finally made it to New Zealand, and back in early December 2024, we sat down at my kitchen table, where they generously answered all of my nosy questions. I’m looking forward to shar...
101. Pushing Themselves - Financially Going For It!
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 101
What's In This Episode?
I first met today's guest, Ajith, when he emailed me with a couple of questions back in 2024. He’d come across The Happy Saver while on the hunt for some motivation to keep pushing towards the goal that he and his wife Arya have to become debt-free by his 39th birthday, which is in 2028. When they began to lose patience and motivation, hearing both my journey with money and that of others helped to keep them on track. This couple are in their mid-thirties, with an eight-year-old da...
100. A Solo Journey to Financial Independence
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 100
What's In This Episode?
In mid-October 2024, I brewed a coffee, sat down, and gave Poto a call. She’s been a long-time listener of the podcast, drawing on insights from past guests to help guide her decisions over the years. Back in 2021, she and I started exchanging emails, and we've stayed in touch ever since. When we recently crossed paths in person, I learned more about her journey and couldn’t help asking if she’d join me for a kōrero. True to her kind and generous nature, she agreed. Poto is...
99. Work, Life, Balance: With Plenty of Free Time!
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 99
What's In This Episode?
This week, I’m making a bit of an exception and chatting with someone who was a bit reluctant to talk about money. Which is ironic, given this is a podcast that talks about money. Rob, a 33-year-old plumber from Western Australia, took a little persuading to come on my podcast, but I persisted because I knew enough about him to know that his personal finance story is one that many of us will be able to relate to and draw ideas from. Rob is essentially financially in...
98. Life and times of a property investor, turned global traveller.
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 98
What's In This Episode?
In today's episode, I will be sharing the financial journey of Jack, a Kiwi from the lower North Island. Jack found The Happy Saver when he was searching for podcasts on money. As an investor in rental property, he was looking to learn about shares. As you’ll find out shortly, he leads an interesting life. He has a personality that I can relate to; he said he could talk to a lamp post, and as a result, he meets heaps of people, so he had no qu...
97. Revisit with Chris and Rosemary: These two are not mucking around!
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 97
What's In This Episode?
Today’s episode is an update on North Island couple Chris and Rosemary. Their first episode came out in March 2021 — it was episode number 49. Since then, we’ve kept in touch, and today’s episode is an update on where this couple are now, in terms of both money and life. It’s safe to say they have absolutely transformed their situation, and I hope this episode lights a fire under those listening and prompts you to reach for a few stretch goals, whatever they might be. Over the l...
96. Reality Check
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 96
What's In This Episode?
Today's episode began with an email from a Kiwi couple in their mid-40s, who asked to be called Tokyo and Rio, inspired by the show Money Heist. Tokyo reached out just before Christmas 2023, sharing how a sinking fund she started nearly a year ago was making her happy amidst a tough financial year. It had been a challenging one—an overseas trip, big bills for their rental property, tax and ACC bills, and a lower-than-expected income. They were considering a $15,000 mortgage top-up to cover it all. Bu...
95. On the Verge of Lasting Change. Hopefully.
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 95
What's In This Episode?
When I received an email from a guy called John saying that he and his wife Betty have gone from being terrible with money and trying (unsuccessfully) to grow wealth via debt to completely changing their mentality to one of getting away from debt, even going so far as to head to the mines in Australia to clean up the consumer debt mess they had created, they had my attention. Today, I want to share the story of a 38 and 39-year-old married couple with two primary school-aged...
94. Continuous Improvement
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 94
What's In This Episode?
Ruby stumbled across The Happy Saver in October of 2022, prompting her to email me with a couple of questions. She’d recently signed up with Sharesies and was testing the waters by investing $20 a week, and had a few questions about where to start. Plus, she had a question about her KiwiSaver. While at home with two young tamariki, she had just realised that even when she was not in the paid workforce, she could voluntarily contribute money into her account, which she immediately started doing. Taking a...
Part 6: INVESTING - FI Series
FI Series - Part 6: INVESTING
What's In This Episode?
Congratulations, you have made it to the final episode of this series of six: INVESTING. Investing can be incredibly complex, but I found a way to simplify it. I used to feel overwhelmed by the options available, but now I don't. I’m hoping to help you feel the same way. But still, this is one of the most challenging podcasts I have EVER written. Condensing “investing” into a single episode is no easy feat. The Happy Saver was born out of my search for information about...
Part 5: DEBT FREE - FI Series
FI Series - Part 5: DEBT FREE
What's In This Episode?
Get out of debt, and stay out of debt. I think of debt as a phase of life that I moved through. That period has passed, and I’ve moved on. Jonny and I have been entirely debt-free since our early 30s, and I encourage you to head down the debt-free path as well. Debt has always had an ‘ick’ factor for me, a feeling I am grateful for. I like earning interest, but I hate paying it. Despite our bank trying to lure us back i...
Part 4: KIWISAVER - FI Series
FI Series - Part 4: KIWISAVER
What's In This Episode?
The fourth part of this six-part series is one of the easier topics to cover, KiwiSaver. Joining KiwiSaver is a no-brainer, and it still surprises me when I meet people who are not in it. I’m always looking ahead and doing my best to determine what I might need money for and how much I might need. I keep my ear to the ground about how affordable retirement is for New Zealanders. I talk to people over 65 and ask them what advice they would give me...
Part 3: EMERGENCY FUND - FI Series
FI Series - Part 3: EMERGENCY FUND
What's In This Episode?
The best thing I ever did was set some cash into a bank account, which we could instantly access in a financial emergency. It is an amount of money set aside in a specific bank account to be used for bailing myself out if something happens that I didn’t otherwise plan for, but I need money to pay for. It takes me less than one minute to log into my banking and move money from my emergency account to my spending account. My previous epis...
Part 2: BUDGET - FI Series
FI Series - Part 2: BUDGET
What's In This Episode?
In the first episode in this series of six, I quickly showed you how to calculate your net worth. It will take a little longer today, but I want to explain why you need to keep an eye on how and where you earn and spend your money, i.e., budgeting. When you learn to budget, your net worth will begin to increase. Budgeting is simply making a plan for your pūtea (money). Although I meet hundreds of people who are keen, motivated, and willing t...
Part 1: NET WORTH - FI Series
FI Series - Part 1: NET WORTH
What's In This Episode?
Welcome to the first episode in a short six-part series. On my blog, thehappysaver.com, I created a comprehensive Financial Independence Series of six blog posts where I mapped out a plan to help you on your way to becoming financially independent. Because I know that there are some in my audience who only read my blog and others who only listen to this podcast, I wanted to make sure that both parts of my audience got the same information, so what I've done is...
93. Revisit with Nic: In the process of making a financial U-turn!
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 93
What's In This Episode?
Today, I have an update on Nic from Episode 78, released in March 2023. A lot can happen in a year, which I wanted to share with you today. When Nic and I spoke in early 2023, Nic was still very new to the whole concept of personal finance and long after we had finished the episode, I wondered how she was getting on. A year after we spoke, an update email arrived in my inbox. She said it's been an interesting 12-plus months, and they are slowly but surely...
92. An adventurous 19-year-old
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 92
What's In This Episode?
I met 19-year-old Josephine in mid-2023 when she emailed me with some questions about money. I actually already knew a little about her because her Mum and I have been in contact for a number of years, chatting about personal finances over email. Josephine hoped that I might be able to answer a few of her questions too. She mentioned that her Mum had sparked an interest in personal finances in her, which had led her to do a lot of reflecting on her money skills. She...
91. With only $100 in the bank, something had to change.
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 91
What's In This Episode?
In early January, I was lucky enough to have a long chat with Grace, who is now in her late 20s. Grace has been following my podcast since 2019, which is when her money journey did a sharp U-turn as she moved out of about $40,000 of consumer and education debt and onto a new path of saving up to buy a home by the age of 30. Listening to money stories on this very podcast from people all across our motu gave her ideas of where to start because...
90. Revisit with Bradie and Paul: The First Year of Early Retirement
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 90
What's In This Episode?
I’m particularly excited about today’s podcast because it is a revisit episode with Bradie and Paul. This is actually the fifth time we have caught up on their money journey. The elevator pitch for them is that they felt they were drowning in debt just seven short years ago, and now they have just completed their first year of early retirement! The entire point of this podcast is to show you that becoming financially independent is entirely possible. Bradie and Paul did it, Jonny and I ar...
89. Creative Planners Working Towards a Retirement of Plenty
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 89
What's In This Episode?
I chatted with Isobel and Sam for almost three hours on a sunny Sunday afternoon. As with all of these interviews, straight out of the gate, we were into the nuts and bolts of the financial lives of this 56 and 57-year-old deeply-in-love couple who are parents to three adult tamariki. Very handily, Sam had sent me a four page Vision Board of their financial and life journey. To sum it up I’d say they are creative planners who work as a tight team towards their goal of...
88. Birds of a Feather Flock Together
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 88
What's In This Episode?
In this episode, I’m going to be sharing the experiences of Scott and Jane. This couple are from completely different backgrounds and also from different countries. Scott’s from New Zealand, in his late 20s and Jane’s from South America and in her mid-30s. They’ve been together about four years and have settled into life in the Central North Island. Today, I want to share how they have melded their lives together and where they are headed from here. Jane wanted to share their jo...
87. My Partner Died Without a Will
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 87
What's In This Episode?
Today I am really looking forward to sharing the financial ins and outs of Rachael, a wonderful wahine who has been listening to this very podcast for years. She enjoys this podcast because the stories I share are relatable because they are, of course, about everyday Kiwis in Aotearoa. Hers, as you are about to find out, is a cautionary tale that she hopes you don’t have to go through yourself, but you will come out more aware and informed having heard about it. Her partner of...
86. You can’t live with a lifestyle that is above your income.
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 86
What's In This Episode?
The standout for me today is how quickly you can change your financial lot in life simply because you decide to. Helen and Scott are 45 and 42 respectively, and have lived a life common to many of us, with good bits, not-so-good bits and, to a large extent, following the crowd for whom managing money is a struggle. With five tamariki between them, they have known each other a long time, yet only became a couple a few years ago. Both carry the scars and financial lessons from...
85. Revisit with Kiri: The Rollercoaster Continues
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 85
What's In This Episode?
I’ve been corresponding with Kiri for about five years now. Those back-and-forth email conversations eventually led to me picking up the phone and chatting in person for the first time, and back in September of 2021, I released that episode: 60. First Home Buyers, where I detailed the rollercoaster that Kiri and her husband John had been on with their money and their life. That episode was all about the lead-up to buying a home. Today’s episode is what happened after that; it’s much less house focuss...
84. Early Retirement: But still working stuff out.
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 84
What's In This Episode?
Today, I have the pleasure of sharing the story behind how Tony and his wife Karen came to create a net worth of $2.8 million and retire aged 49 and 54, respectively. Now that I have your attention, you might also be interested to know that they own one home and have a large retirement fund which they built from always investing a portion of their take-home pay, about 10%, from their 20+ year careers in the New Zealand Police. Despite their success, there are still many unknowns as they try to...
83. Iron Fisted Lucy
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 83
What's In This Episode?
Lucy, Steve and their two teenage children openly talk about money in their family. It comes from them trying to make sense of their complicated financial upbringing and then joining their financial lives together at 19. When they were young, they made many decisions because their backs were against the wall, and they now know they want their children to head out into the world more prepared than they were. While I understand that failure is a good teacher, I just don’t see why you would willingly se...
82. From Paycheque to Paycheque to Home Sweet Home
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 82
What's In This Episode?
In this episode, we hear from Jess, a single 52-year-old woman who reached out to me in early 2022 when she sent me a lovely email telling me she had been using my blog and podcast, plus The Barefoot Investor, to learn more about money to help her keep on track with some long-term money goals. After paying off her credit card debt, Jess was working on building up her emergency fund, but beyond that, she struggled to see how she could ever afford a home of her...
81. Turning good opportunities into reality!
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 81
What's In This Episode?
I met 29-year-old Dylan when he heard my call out for younger people to get in touch and share their stories with money. Through luck and good timing, aged just 21, he found himself buying his first property, an empty section, and then one thing led to another; he stumbled upon a cracking good deal, paying just $18,000 for a second section. This sounds impossible, and stories such as this need a deeper dive. As a sound bite, it's a good one, but I know that there is a...
80. Young, Bright, and Financially Wise
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 80
What's In This Episode?
In this week's episode, I wanted to revisit an earlier episode with an update on Nathan from episode 71, and introduce a new guest, Sam, a 16-year-old Year 12 student who is starting a financial journey similar to Nathan's and already demonstrates a forward-thinking mindset towards his financial well-being. He recognises that financial stability is vital to achieving his goals. Nathan and Sam's experiences provide a valuable opportunity to educate young people about the importance of financial literacy and equip them with the tools they need to make wise...
79. I'll drink to that!
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 79
What's In This Episode?
I’m looking forward to telling you all about 37-year-old Tui. She described herself as someone who has worked hard to get her financial house in order, and in the last three years in particular, she has made great progress. She had spent her teens and twenties gathering life experiences by living and working overseas, getting an education, beginning a career and buying a home with a friend. But more recently, she has increased her understanding of personal finance, and when she added that new knowledge to he...
78. In the process of making a Financial U-turn!
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 78
What's In This Episode?
Nic described herself as a 42-year-old professional who sometimes has to pinch herself at the job she has. It’s a tough demanding role in a field she loves that pays really well. A mum to two tamariki and a partner to the world's most laid-back, carefree non-money-driven man. Her money journey started slowly, full of bad decisions, good luck, and some great times. Now she finds herself in the very fortunate position of earning an above average income, which up until recently, she spent. More recently, sh...
77. Saving is the new shopping!
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 77
What's In This Episode?
When Rachel told me that she had very recently moved from a super consumer to thinking instead that saving was the new shopping, I knew the story of this single, city-dwelling, dependent-free, self-employed 54-year-old was one worth sharing. Covid was to be the tipping point for Rachel. Realising that when her income stream dried up, she was in trouble financially. Today I’m going to tell you how she managed to stop living pay cheque to pay cheque and managed to catch a break instead.
TH...
76. Part-time work. Full-time life.
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 76
What's In This Episode?
This week I’m sharing the financial life of Ngaio and Ben, a Coromandel couple in their early 30s. They struck a chord with me because I love seeing examples of life enjoyed a little bit differently to most, in their case, choosing to build and live in a tiny home, work part-time, take mini-retirements and do a lot of adventures, which often include a bike. They are rare due to the fact that they have more invested in the share market than they do in housing, wh...
75. If it’s not simple, you shouldn’t be doing it.
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 75
What's In This Episode?
This week I caught up with a couple in their mid 20’s, Richard and Jane. Their express aim in putting themselves out there is to comfort the other twenty-somethings that their financial situation is in their own hands and they, to a large degree, get to write their own story. In 2019, they purchased a home when they were just 22 years of age and are now setting about paying it off. Buying a home so young is unusual, but having the goal from the beginning to pay it of...
74. Interesting things happen to interesting people.
MONEY JOURNEYS - EPISODE 74
What's In This Episode?
This week I’m sharing the story of Ayana, a woman who sure does have a zest for life. However, life keeps throwing her curve balls, and she has to keep adjusting course. Ayana has worked since she was a teenager and left school with money in the bank. She had a brief stint in the Navy and then completed a degree at university. She no sooner started an internship in LA before it was cut short by Covid! She picked up work at a radio station, th...
