Emma Healey 
When I shared our Gold Coast money-saving tips from our year of travel with the kids on Facebook, something brilliant happened. Hundreds of NZ families who’d been there themselves piled in with their own advice – things we’d missed, things we’d got wrong, and insider knowledge you won’t find in a tourist brochure. So here … Read more
I burst into tears in my accountant’s office at 23. I was filling out a loan application to pay a $5,000 tax bill I hadn’t saved for, and it was the first time I’d ever seen my whole financial mess written down in one place. Credit card debt, store cards, a personal loan, and nothing … Read more
New data from Kiwibank’s 2026 State of Savings Index landed this week, and one number stands out: a quarter of New Zealanders don’t have enough set aside to cover an unexpected $500 bill. Not a holiday, not a new car – a $500 bill. A broken washing machine. A trip to the dentist. A car … Read more
I get asked about this a lot, so I figured it was time to just lay it all out. This is not a “you should do this too” post. Personal finance is personal, and what works for our family is specific to our situation. But I’m a big believer in transparency – because when I … Read more
One of the best (and easiest) ways to save money is by making it happen automatically. Remove the human from the process, and things happen a lot more smoothly. When I first started automating our savings, I didn’t trust it – I was convinced I’d “forget” and overspend without noticing. Six months later, I barely … Read more
A while back, I wrote a big rambling post about all the things I want my boys to know about money by the time they’re grown. Twenty-four lessons, all the way from “save 20% of every paycheck” to “marry someone with similar money views.” It felt good to get it out of my head. But … Read more
Finding family-friendly dining options that won’t break the bank is a win for any parent, especially when kids can eat for free! If you’re searching for the best places kids eat free or cheap in Hamilton, you’ll find plenty of family-friendly spots offering free kids’ meals or discounted children’s menus—perfect for enjoying a great meal without … Read more
Let’s be honest — most of us have made a few money mistakes. I know I have. The problem isn’t the mistakes themselves. It’s when they become habits, doing damage in the background while life carries on. The good news is that recognising these patterns is genuinely half the battle. Once you can see what’s … Read more
Investing in the right blogging courses — and then actually doing the work — can completely change your financial life. I know, because it changed mine. I started this blog in 2015. For the first year, I made basically nothing because I was guessing at everything. Then I started investing in courses, and something clicked. … Read more
If you’ve ever Googled “how to budget”, you’ll know there’s no shortage of money advice out there. Everyone has the system. The one that’ll magically fix your finances without you having to think too hard or change your behaviour (spoiler: that one does not exist). Over the years, I’ve tried just about every popular budgeting … Read more