All in Saving

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.

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.

How We Pay Cash for Every Holiday

How We Pay Cash for Every Holiday

Ruth
Budgeting, PocketSmith, Saving, Wise

In January 2025, we boarded an eight-night South Pacific cruise. Today, I’m sharing our exact costs and how we paid cash for this holiday and every holiday we will take in the future. This blog post is not to convince you to book a cruise but to show you that if you have a holiday in mind that you want to take, I can help you make sure you have the money to pay for it. Travel is expensive, so it's essential to plan well in advance.

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. 

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.

Jonny makes more money working for someone else!

Jonny makes more money working for someone else!

Ruth
Saving, Retirement

This is an update on my blog post: We now work just two days a week! In the previous blog post, I talked about Jonny transitioning from being self-employed to working for someone else. In 2022, Jonny and I wrestled with the concept of him going to work for someone else as an employee. Given that many New Zealanders work for themselves or desire to, there is the misconception that you make more money and have more freedom when you work for yourself, and while this can certainly be true, it is not always the case

Paying in advance is a far more relaxing way to travel!

Paying in advance is a far more relaxing way to travel!

Ruth
Budgeting, PocketSmith, Saving

I wanted to share the exact costs of a holiday we took in January of this year when we went to Australia and took our first-ever cruise. I went in hugely sceptical of cruising, but I absolutely loved it. We holiday differently from some: Our holiday is fully paid for before we leave. Paying in advance is a far more relaxing way to travel, indeed, the ONLY way to travel, in my opinion.

Know the Retirement Savings Statistics and Then Beat Them

Know the Retirement Savings Statistics and Then Beat Them

Ruth
KiwiSaver, Retirement, Saving, Simplicity

This week's blog post got started because I received a random Instagram message from KiwiSaver provider kōura asking me to sign a petition they have launched. Although I chose not to sign the petition, reading it did get me thinking about the gap in retirement savings between men and women and that tinkering with KiwiSaver legislation won’t really address two of the critical findings of an earlier report from the Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission.

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