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!
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.
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.
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.
At the start of every year, I open one spreadsheet that tells the story of a decade of choices. Updating our net worth spreadsheet helps me see where we’ve been, and where we might be heading. These annual check-ins matter, and I genuinely enjoy this process. 2025 was a good financial year for us, driven primarily by consistent investing in the share market through our ETF and, to a lesser extent, our KiwiSaver. Once again, we prioritised investing, never missing a month, and it paid off.
Our daughter is leaving home, off to Otago University. I’m so looking forward to her finding her next steps, but I will miss her terribly. She is ready to go! And, I’m not going to lie, I am looking forward to a tidier house. As we adjust to a new phase of long-distance parenting, I’m pretty determined to make one last push to get her as financially ready as we can for the big, wide world. I’ve always put a lot of time into making sure she understands how money works, long before she leaves home. In many ways, it all comes down to this moment: can she leave home and be fully financially capable? Without a doubt, I’m pleased to say the answer is yes. So today I’m sharing exactly how we have managed to, I hope, successfully let her financially set sail from home.
Once again, we’re celebrating the festive season with a special Christmas Giveaway for the fabulous people who subscribe to The Happy Saver. Thank you so much for your ongoing support throughout 2025. Nothing says CHRISTMAS like getting your finances in good shape, whether that’s through a brilliant money book, some powerful budgeting software, a handy investment tool, or even a boost to the grocery budget!
Invest first. Pay your bills second. Spend what remains. I recently watched a video featuring a group of people in their 80s discussing money. One of their biggest regrets? Not investing small amounts consistently throughout their lives. I meet many people who feel they have “done everything right”: paid their bills, avoided debt, managed a mortgage, and contributed to KiwiSaver. Yet when it comes time to step away from work at 65, they’re confronted with too many outgoings and not enough invested assets to cover their retirement. Invested money grows. Compounding growth builds the wealth you will rely on later. Those in the video I watched didn’t work this out until it was too late. One of the easiest mistakes to make is to spend first and invest second.
I’ve been hitting “reply” to as many emails as I can this week. If you write to me, I will write back, but due to the volume of emails I get, there is often a delay. I respond to every single email because the questions asked are so valid and important to the person doing the asking. Every email is different, weaving together a set of circumstances in a new way, so I provide a bespoke response that links to tools and resources to help answer the questions. While each is different, though, there are commonalities. Most of my emails give people a simple starting point and a rough map to follow, so I thought that, as we head for Christmas, a time when a lot of people do sit down and focus on money, this might help you head into 2026 more prepared.
