It’s hard to know how much money we will need in our retirement and it’s even harder to know if we have saved enough. So it’s important to have some forward thinking and to make some savvy decisions in order to make that money last for what can be 30 years or more in...
It’s one of those things that we all know we should have but never get round to putting in place. Life gets busy and to be honest we don’t like thinking about what might be once a loved one has passed away but honestly will’s really are one of the easiest things to...
Owning a home in New Zealand has become quite an issue for first time home buyers (FHBs) especially in the recent housing boom. Pulling together a deposit and being able to afford a mortgage are all things that stand in the way for FHBs. So is it any wonder that FHBs...
Most families these days are looking at creative ways to reduce their monthly spend and one of the things that often gets cut is the food budget. But is this a false economy in the long run and does it really save money? Here are five top tips on how to help reduce...
Interest rates have been a hot topic over the past month with many financial institutions lowering their rate in line with the official cash rate cut (OCR). In fact some economists predict a "new record low for the OCR awaits", based on the current balance of risks in...
You have a mortgage, a family and you have heard about life insurance but do you really need it? How do you know how much life insurance you should really have and is it affordable. These are questions we at FDG Insurance get asked all the time and we are happy to...
Statistically we’re living much longer these days. So we all need to plan for our future and make sure we have enough money coming in to enjoy our life once we retire. From the age of 65 most New Zealand residents receive fortnightly payments of NZ Super. Additional...
Equipping all young New Zealanders for their financial futures. Earlier this year the first government-funded financial capability programme was launched called Sorted in Schools. This is being rolled out in schools around the country and if all goes to plan, by 2021...
Come on guys, don't let the winter blues get the better of you. Here are some cool ideas for activities in Auckland - great for corporate team building but also awesome for groups of friends. Get your Smile On. The Classic has been Auckland's home of comedy for over...
So you’re working for yourself and living the dream. Well, perhaps not in the depths of winter but come the summer, life is good! But what about when things go wrong? Yep - like Winter’s not depressing enough, but stay with me! Don’t be a tool. You’ve parked up the...
Broadly speaking, insurance is a thing providing protection against a possible eventuality. If a risk exists then you can take out insurance to mitigate that risk. This insurance is normally provided by a company or the state undertaking to provide a guarantee of...
I think every month in the garden is busy but as Summer starts to slip away it’s essential that we prepare our gardens for Winter and get the most out of our plants and veggie patches. Autumn is natures planting time as the soils are warm and moist. Plants have the...
It’s always nice to have a list of recommended restaurants to go to but when that list is from one of Metro’s Top 50 recommended restaurants in Auckland, you are sure to have a great feed! To earn a place in this prestigious list, restaurants must excel not only in...
Our friends at sorted.org.nz have created this cool quiz that looks at how you manage your money It consists of 25 multiple choice questions that are easy to answer and let you see your financial strengths and possible weak spots. Are you an insightful investor, an...
We all like the idea of investing our money, whether it’s for a specific goal, for retirement or for a rainy day but do we really know what questions to ask before we decide to invest. It seems when it comes to investing there are 5 questions you should ask yourself....
For some it’s essential, for others it’s a luxury. Private medical insurance or health insurance as it is known more by these days is something that often creates quite a debate amongst people. This is mainly because as a nation we are actually lucky enough to have...
Hobsonville Point If someone had said to you 10 years ago that there would be a whole new township on the North Shore of Auckland that would have access to the CBD by ferry, that would house thousands of new families, have two new schools, various eateries and a...
It’s hard to believe that the first quarter of the year is nearly over and many of us are still feeling the cost of Christmas debt. Add into this the school donation, activity fees for the kids and the holiday excess and it’s easy to understand how some people lose...
We use analogies to compare one thing to another as a way to make it easy to explain. Here’s a few we came across that relate to financial planning. These relate to our everyday lives, and we think they’ll make you smile. Investments and Motorway Driving Just...
Insurance comes in many forms but the biggest reality is that most people people begrudge paying their premiums. For some it’s an annoying necessity, for others a legal requirement but one thing’s for sure - it’s just another bill that has to be paid each year. We...
