All in Sharesies

The Financial Job I’ve Been Avoiding For Months

The Financial Job I’ve Been Avoiding For Months

Ruth
ETFs, InvestNow, Net Worth, Sharesies, Sharesight, Smart, PocketSmith, KiwiSaver

I’m pretty good at financial admin. Most of the time, I really look forward to it. I genuinely get excited about the first of the month because that is when I check the value of each bank account, our ETF, and our KiwiSaver, and use that information to update our net worth spreadsheet. Tracking my net worth, however, doesn’t tell me how our investments are actually performing. It’s all well and good investing in something, but if it’s not making any money, what’s the point? Which is why I’ve always used an online share portfolio tracker, a Kiwi company called Sharesight, to do all the maths I’ve got absolutely no interest in doing myself. It tracks our ETF investments and tells me whether they are actually making us any money, or not.

How to Break Up With Your Financial Advisor

How to Break Up With Your Financial Advisor

Ruth
ETFs, FI Series, Financial Advisors, Index Funds, InvestNow, Kernel, KiwiSaver, Money Education, Personal Finance, Shares, Sharesies, Sharesight, Smart

By all means, use a financial advisor if you want to. But don’t assume that you have to, or that you will make more money by doing so. You are perfectly capable of managing your own money, including investing. My point today is not that financial advisors are bad (although some certainly are); it’s that many of you don’t need one. We have been led to believe that we can’t manage our own money. We constantly hear the words “Seek financial advice.” But when doing so pushes you towards an entire financial industry that has developed around our fear of investing money, and is extremely profitable for those who work within it, I question the advice they give.

Applying Rebel Finance School in NZ

Applying Rebel Finance School in NZ

Ruth
ETFs, Index Funds, InvestNow, Kernel, KiwiSaver, Personal Finance, Sharesies, Sharesight, Smart

For seven years in a row, I’ve watched the free online money course, Rebel Finance School. For the last couple of years, I’ve joined course creators Alan and Katie Donegan for a Kiwi-specific session. The entire 10-week, self-paced course is the money education you never got. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Thousands have already watched the Kiwi-specific session, but I knew it would be helpful to create a blog that specifically details the investment funds we discussed. Plus, many of you have asked me whether, as a result of new investment options this year and the fee comparison we shared, Jonny and I will make any changes to our portfolio. 

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.

Which providers offer a Total World Fund in NZ?

Which providers offer a Total World Fund in NZ?

Ruth
ETFs, Financial Advisors, Index Funds, InvestNow, Kernel, Sharesies, Smart, Smart Invest, SmartShares

I am writing this blog post because I am constantly asked where you can purchase a Total World ETF from in New Zealand: “Could I use Smart or InvestNow?” “Sharesies, or a sharebroker?” Once you understand that low fees and broad diversification matter, i.e. buying the whole global share market instead of picking stocks or countries, you land in a new kind of confusion… where to buy. This post is not about finding the perfect platform. There isn’t one. But there are some perfectly good options. The goal is to understand them enough to choose one and get on with investing.

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.

Christmas Giveaway!

Christmas Giveaway!

Ruth
PocketSmith, Sharesies, Sharesight

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!

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.

How We (and Our Daughter) Plan to Pay for University Without a Student Loan

How We (and Our Daughter) Plan to Pay for University Without a Student Loan

Ruth
Budgeting, ETFs, InvestNow, Kids and Money, PocketSmith, Sharesies, Smart

Well, the moment has arrived. The tiny five-year-old who started Primary School back in 2012 has just turned 18 and completed her final day of Year 13 at High School. Just. Like. That! I was warned that time would pass quickly, and it has. She has a few exams to get through, then she is done with school for good and can enjoy a few well-deserved weeks of R&R. Once the weather heats up, she will launch into full-time summer work for a local cherry packhouse. Going to university is expensive. Most of the cost is in the accommodation. We have always explained to her that we will financially assist her through university, provided she also contributes. She has done that. It’s going to be a family effort to get her through her degree debt-free.

Load More