Avoiding online scams
Online scams are on the rise and are becoming far more sophisticated.They come in the form of phone calls, texts, emails and social media.Scamsters can trick people through dating apps, employment schemes ... pretty muc…
Resources and news
A handy guide to credit ratings
CREDIT RATINGS COME INTO play when someone looks at buying a house, a car, or another big ticket item. Banks and lenders will check your rating before providing a mortgage or loan.Credit ratings give lenders an indicat…
Withdrawing from KiwiSaver
MANY NEW ZEALANDERS suffering severe financial hardship turn to their KiwiSaver accounts to withdraw money to pay for bills, mortgage and other basic costs.Nearly two thirds of New Zealanders have a KiwiSaver account -…
Guide to taking out a loan
IF YOU ARE LOOKING for a car or another big ticket item, you may need a loan to get over the line. The process for doing so can be overwhelming with the contracts often quite wordy and intimidating.So, firstly, you nee…
Reduce your debts
IF YOU HAVE a large debt or several debts it can feel like pushing a rock up a hill trying to pay them off.However, the team at MoneyTalks have some great tips to reduce those debts and to get rid of them.The first act…
The role of financial mentors
What is a financial mentor and how they can help you navigate the money jungle?Financial mentoring services are located around the country and their services are free. Each service will have trained and qualified financ…
Tasty Meals Don't Have to Break the Bank
Eating well doesn’t always have to be expensive – and we’re here to prove it.Sala Davai, from MoneyTalks, and Maria Bernard, from Heart Foundation, have teamed up this Sorted Money Week to give you some tips to eat well…
Don’t feel silly this season
Donald O’Meara describes the stress from ongoing debt as seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, except it moved further away every time he moved towards it.But this year, Donald and his wife, Trudy, are looking forw…
Financial Plan of Action
The Financial Plan of Action is a resource for families and whānau to document financial goals, supported, where necessary, by a financial mentor.It is a simple, paper-based document that is easy to update and keep fron…
Housing crisis: low-income left exposed
Garages, shared housing, tiny homes… the list of ways to afford housing in Aotearoa goes on.Housing is one of the biggest issues facing whānau through the country today – with both cost and availability being a huge bar…
Simple budget
Simple budgetThe budget worksheet is the best place to begin for most people. This is a simple excel spreadsheet you can download and use to create your own budget.The first time you fill out your budget worksheet you m…