All in Money Education

The Happy Saver Turns 10: Giveaways, Gratitude and Your Wins

The Happy Saver Turns 10: Giveaways, Gratitude and Your Wins

Ruth
ETFs, Index Funds, KiwiSaver, Money Education, Net Worth, Personal Finance, PocketSmith, Sharesies, Sharesight, Smart

I know your time is important, and over the years I’ve taken up a fair bit of it, ten years in fact! Yes, The Happy Saver is 10 years old. This blog post is packed with gratitude, giveaways, and a celebration of your wins, because you haven’t just read my blog; many of you have changed your lives. I want to say a heartfelt thank you to you for being part of The Happy Saver, and to the Kiwi companies who continue to support the work I do. For ten years, I’ve been writing blog posts documenting our financial progress and answering the questions I regularly receive from you. The original goal of The Happy Saver was simple: help people. Ten years later, that goal has not changed. What has changed is our own net worth, and the net worth of thousands of people who have quietly and steadily become better and better at managing their pūtea.

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.

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.

Debt-Free at 18: The Money Systems We Put in Place Years Before University

Debt-Free at 18: The Money Systems We Put in Place Years Before University

Ruth
ETFs, Kids and Money, KiwiSaver, Money Education, PocketSmith, Sharesies, Smart, Budgeting

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.

The One Habit That Builds Wealth

The One Habit That Builds Wealth

Ruth
ETFs, Investment, Money Education, PocketSmith, Saving, Sharesies, Smart

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.

Meet, Learn, Laugh: Your Guide to FI Retreats

Meet, Learn, Laugh: Your Guide to FI Retreats

Ruth
Personal Finance, Money Education, Investment

Did you know there are retreats and conferences just for people chasing financial independence? Think of them as adult money camps - part learning, part laughter, part deep conversation (money and otherwise) with new friends. No, I’m not running one, nor selling one, but I’ve been lucky enough to attend a few, and they’ve been life-changing. People often ask how I find out about them and which ones are worth attending, so I’ve pulled together a list of some of the best upcoming events from New Zealand and around the world. Whether you’re just starting your FIRE journey or already FI and looking for your tribe, there’s something here for you.

Applying The Barefoot Investor in NZ - 2025 UPDATE

Applying The Barefoot Investor in NZ - 2025 UPDATE

Ruth
ETFs, Index Funds, Investment, InvestNow, Kernel, KiwiSaver, Money Education, Sharesight, Smart, SmartShares

The content I’ve created on applying The Barefoot Investor book to New Zealand remains some of the most regularly viewed on The Happy Saver, with collectively close to 100,000 views. I continue to gift his book to others because I believe it’s a perfect guide to getting on top of your finances. If you were to combine his book with Rebel Finance School’s free online course, you could pretty much call yourself “financially literate.” Since The Barefoot Investor remains so popular, it's time for me to update the March 2020 blog post I wrote, so that all those people reading the book for the first time, as well as those following along with The Barefoot Investor principles, have a reliable New Zealand resource to turn to. 

What 220 Kiwi Net Worth Millionaires Told Us

What 220 Kiwi Net Worth Millionaires Told Us

Ruth
ETFs, Index Funds, Investment, Money Education, Net Worth, Saving, Shares

Reaching a net worth of $1,000,000 is no small feat, it takes time, discipline, and a whole lot of intentional decision-making. I’ve been lucky enough to hear from over 220 Kiwis who’ve done just that, and they generously shared how they got there by filling out my Net Worth Millionaire Questionnaire. In this blog post, I used AI to analyse all of the responses, giving me a summary and highlighting the repeated themes across all submissions for each questionnaire question. The result? A fascinating look at how everyday New Zealanders are quietly building wealth. The beauty of becoming a millionaire is that, as you will see, there are many paths that lead to it. So, pick your own path, and enjoy the journey. Whether you’re just getting started or already on your way, I reckon you’ll find a few golden nuggets in what they had to say.

My Ever-Evolving List of Trusted Money Tools and Resources

My Ever-Evolving List of Trusted Money Tools and Resources

Ruth
FI Series, Hnry, Money Education, Personal Finance, PocketSmith, Sharesight

I receive daily emails from people asking me for resources and information to help them answer their money questions. I frequently share the same handy tools and resources. Today I wanted to share them all in one place. I firmly believe in sending helpful information your way and letting you explore and learn about it yourself because that way, you absorb it better and apply it directly to your situation. I know that when you educate yourself about your finances, instead of outsourcing the task to someone else, whether that be a financial advisor or a spouse, it puts you in charge, or makes you part of a team.

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