First Home Buyers - September 8th Revealed: The Hidden Costs of Buying a Home If you’re new to the house buying game, you can be forgiven for thinking the only costs involved are the deposit and the mortgage. But unfortunately, there are hidden costs of buying a home that …
Home Loans - May 8th What to do if You Have Less Than a 20% Deposit for a House Up until recently, one of the biggest hurdles for those with a small deposit was the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's (RBNZ) loan-to-value ratio (LVR) restrictions. An LVR represents how much deposit you have against the …
Credit Cards - April 29th Is it Better to Use PayPal or a Credit Card for Online Purchases? Handing over payment information online can sometimes be risky, with concerns around cyber security and theft of private details or money. With more transactions being made online every year, the question often lingers: what’s the best way …
Credit Cards - February 23rd Applying for a credit card: how do I get approved? Common questions about the credit card application process Do I need a good credit rating to get approved for a credit card? Which credit card should I apply for? How do I apply for a …
Home & Contents Insurance - February 20th Your Home is a Precious Asset – Here’s How to Protect that Investment Investing in property tip one: make sure your home and contents insurance is up to scratch When investing in property, such as buying your first home, the most obvious form of protection for your new asset …
Car Insurance - February 18th Insurance one-stop shops are not for everyone You know how health hubs are becoming more popular? You've got a dentist, doctor, pharmacy and physiotherapist in one convenient location? You can think of bundling your financial products a little like that. Having your …
KiwiSaver Funds - February 18th If you’re starting a new job, it’s time to review your KiwiSaver contributions Currently, KiwiSaver works on an opt-out system. This means that when you start a new job, if you're not already a KiwiSaver member, you'll get automatically enrolled into the employer's chosen scheme, or a default …
Credit Cards - February 17th Avoiding credit score ‘black marks’ from credit cards A credit score, or credit rating, is one of the most important factors in your financial life. A credit history report allows lenders to do a credit rating check on your financial fitness, before giving …
Credit Cards - February 17th It takes two, baby … why a joint credit card requires careful thought First things first, what is a joint credit card and how does it work? Theoretically, there are actually two ways you can share a credit card. However, the permissions and responsibility of debt vary, depending on …
KiwiSaver Funds - February 16th Strict evidence requirements for KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals Tapping into KiwiSaver early (ie not for a first home or retirement) isn't an easy process, nor is it meant to be a get-out-of-jail-free card if you've been careless with money. Be warned, if you're …
