Navigating finances can feel overwhelming, and without a clear understanding you could be left ill-equipped and vulnerable to financial stress. Being financially literate can change your outlook toward money and help you make smarter financial decisions. From budgeting, saving, and building credit, to borrowing, repaying debt, or investing, we’re sharing these 5 steps to help you become financially literate.

Earlier this month, the RBNZ increased the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by 50 basis points, from 4.75 per cent to 5.25 per cent. It’s the 11^th successive increase and takes the OCR to its highest level since December 2008. As some New Zealand mortgage holders prepare to re-fix their mortgage in the next 6 months, many are likely to see their interest rates double from 3 per cent or less to more than 6 per cent. Before locking in new interest rates, it’s important for borrowers to know these 5 things.

As the end of another financial year looms, many New Zealand small business owners begin preparing to submit their tax obligations to the Inland Revenue. With a list of requirements and several boxes to tick, tax time is often seen as stressful and confusing for small business owners. But with a little organization and the right help, it is possible to take the stress out of tax time. Follow these three steps to prepare ahead of tax time and ensure your business is compliant.

Demand for housing in New Zealand may be at an all-time high, but recent climate change and extreme weather events have highlighted the importance of sustainable design when it comes to future building projects. Green buildings, eco-homes and sustainable design must be considered, while environmental responsibility and resource efficiency is critical if we are to preserve the future of housing in New Zealand. Read on to find out what green building is, what the benefits are, and how New Zealand can prepare for a sustainable future in building.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen a flurry of heavily discounted, “under the line” mortgage rates from some New Zealand banks, as they struggle to hit home loan targets in the wake of a floundering property market. As more first home buyers enter the market encouraged by lower house prices, and some existing homeowners near the end of the fixed term portion of their home loan, it’s timely to remind borrowers of the importance of comparing interest rates to ensure you’re getting the most competitive rate available to you.

With a high number of houses listed for sale at the end of 2022 according to data released by REINZ*, the New Zealand property market currently favours buyers in certain regions, with properties taking longer to sell and house prices trending downwards. A buyers’ market gives buyers more time to negotiate and to complete their due diligence, and for sellers, to carefully plan a realistic sales strategy and to align expectations on price. If you’re selling property in a buyer’s market, here are some things to consider.

Flooding and damage to property in New Zealand in January 2023 has been exacerbated by the devastation and destruction of Cyclone Gabrielle in February. With many homes left flood-damaged or uninhabitable, New Zealanders begin the big clean-up. Less than two months into the new year and this year’s extreme weather events are likely to set records when it comes to insurance claims. If your home has been compromised, here are some things you should know.

Inflation may have peaked at just over 7 per cent in the last quarter of 2022, according to Stats NZ, but ongoing high prices, rising interest rates, and a looming economic recession have many New Zealanders wondering just how they’ll get by, with households budgets being stretched even further than ever before. In a bid to help you navigate these tougher financial times, here are some tips on what to do when facing an economic storm.

It’s easy to feel discouraged when a lender declines your home loan application, but it isn’t necessarily the end of your home buying journey. Whether it’s because of low deposit, too much debt, a poor credit history, inconsistent income, or simply lender policy and lending appetite, it helps to understand why it happened and, more importantly, what your options are. Here’s what it means for you if a lender turns down your mortgage application, and what you can do about it.