All in Personal Finance
This episode explores a form of investing that doesn’t often feature heavily in the wealth-building stories I usually share. I spoke at length with Lilly about the successful property investment business she and her husband, James, built together. The more I learned about how they deliberately grew their rental portfolio, the more I wanted to share their story as an example of how property, when done well, can be incredibly lucrative.
Carla lives in a small regional town in the South Island with her husband and their three children. Carla’s story is about money, but it’s also about health. By listening to such a wide variety of people share their money journeys on this podcast has given Carla the courage to make some big changes in her own life, because she knows that no two people manage money the same, and you do what works for you and your whānau. Carla and I have been emailing back and forth for quite a few years now, and those emails tell a story I absolutely love to witness: the slow, steady progression of thought over time.
Jennifer first emailed me in early 2023. She knew I was a big advocate for parents teaching kids to invest and had a few questions. Her then 17 and 19-year-old children didn’t know they had a small amount of money coming their way at 25. Nearly three years later, Jennifer finally agreed to share a much deeper financial story than she first intended. She genuinely thought she was the only one in her position, struggling to make ends meet, trying to get out of debt, and managing a solo financial journey within a happy marriage. This episode is a frank look at how so many couples who think about money very differently are actually dealing with it today, and why her experience is far more normal than she realised.
Today I’m sharing the story of Steve and Sarah, a UK couple who, many years ago, packed up their lives, moved to Aotearoa, and built a really solid financial life together. They’ve had a few financial detours, several property disasters, but their long-term habit of saving and investing has quietly set them up for a strong and flexible future as they approach retirement in their late 50s. This conversation is full of insights from Steve’s engineer’s brain, the steady teamwork he and Sarah share, and the real-life curveballs that have made them rethink what matters most. It’s an honest, practical story about the power of keeping things simple, staying curious, and building the kind of financial life that lets you enjoy today, while still planning for tomorrow.
Maria and Michelle were late financial bloomers who only really got started in their 50s. Now 71 and 69, they’ve paid off their mortgage and student loan, invested in the sharemarket, built up $1,000,000 in savings and investments, and receive NZ Super and a US pension. Through hard work, investing as much of their income as they possibly could, and carefully tracking and measuring their progress, they went from feeling anxious about retirement to completely calm about it. Moving from the US to New Zealand at age 50, however, felt like pressing a giant reset button. Soon after, she met her partner Michelle, who was also late to the financial party. Together, they realised they were well set up to succeed if they put in the effort. And so, they did. They’re a textbook example of starting right where you are, no matter your age.
This week, I’m sharing the story of Rachel. Although she just assumed that hers might be a standard life plan of go to school, complete some tertiary study at some point, get a full-time job and work your way up the career ladder, she has ended up veering off on a path entirely of her own making. Aged 32, she now works where and when she wants to and is not afraid to work full-time or not at all. She’s created a financial cushion for herself, which is smaller than you might expect, but plenty enough for her, and that is coupled with a large and supportive family and community, meaning that she gets to go out and be herself, knowing she’s never alone.
In today’s episode, I spoke with Marian, who in turn spoke on behalf of herself and her husband, Jon. Originally from the Netherlands and now based in New Zealand, they’re in the middle of a big transition, preparing to sell their home in the greater Wellington region and move down to Canterbury as they edge closer to semi-retirement. Forays into using a financial advisor and investing in rental property didn’t serve them well when they tried to take that next step into investing. It was really only when they stepped back and decided to educate themselves and manage their own index fund investments that they got off the side roads and onto the freeway to financial independence. With a move to ahead and the ability to step back from full-time work, Marian and Jon are at an exciting stage of life, still aiming to reach their financial goals, but with the freedom to shape what the future looks like.
Today’s guest, Gail, has been on quite the financial trip and she’s still very much on it. Back in 2019 she found herself with plenty on her plate: a failing business, an income of just $25,000, no savings, no emergency fund, drawing down on her mortgage to pay the mortgage, mounting IRD debt, $4,000 on the credit card, and using buy now, pay later just to cover the basics in life. Ultimately, she realised that she was the solution to her own problems. Today, aged 47, Gail’s got a plan. And that is to put the past behind her, build her future and retire by the age of 53. Her financial situation is so common, and by sharing her story, she’s not only showing how far she’s come, but also helping others believe they can turn things around too.
Late in 2023, useful financial resources started appearing on 51-year-old Julian's radar, and they set him on a journey. From there, he began his financial U-turn, which led him to The Happy Saver, The Barefoot Investor, Rebel Finance School, Mr. Money Mustache, and the world of financial security and independence in general. He feels that as a late starter, he has found a community that values discussing money. And although he still has a way to go, he’s feeling increasingly confident with the financial scaffolding he has begun to put in place. He’s got 14 years to go before his 65th birthday and, if he can keep himself on track, he’s setting himself up for success.
In this episode, you’ll meet Kate and Taka, an awesome couple in their early 30s who are doing life and money a little differently, and doing it well. They’ve stepped back from full-time work, now each working just two days a week, so they can spend more time with their three young kids and focus on what matters most. We chat about how they’ve built a life of freedom and stability by sticking with frugal habits from their student days, questioning whether more work really means more money, and making financial decisions as a true team. It’s an honest, practical look at what it means to live by design, not by default.
This is a revisit episode, with Hamish, whom I spoke with in 2021, Episode 50, An Investor With Military Precision. 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. With two minds on the case, they’re refining their investment strategy, slowly shifting from property-heavy assets toward a simpler, more diversified approach, while still living a good life with their growing whānau.
This episode revisits my August 2022 conversation with Neil in Episode 69. Now 52, Neil has lived in New Zealand since moving from the UK in 2005, and began learning about personal finance around 2006. After a previous long-term relationship ended with a fair asset split, Neil started investing more in a range of ETF funds. A new relationship followed, and he became a father, but without a relationship property agreement in place, the eventual breakup led to a bitter legal dispute over money. While I’m mindful this is only Neil’s side of the story, I’m pleased to share that this difficult chapter ultimately ended well, and I hope the details provide insight and hope to others navigating similar situations.
In this episode, I chat with Tracey, a long-time reader and listener of The Happy Saver. Tracey and her husband have reached what's known as Coast FI. It’s an interesting episode, with quite a bit of complexity, as this couple have independently and collectively created a lot of options for themselves. Tracey said she has had a “lumpy” journey, and that “there is no need to go anywhere in a straight line.” She is a firm believer in setting up an investment, making regular contributions to it, but not being afraid to make changes and do things differently as you continue to research and learn new information.
