To make the most of your money, it pays to think about how and why you spend and save. Pick up tips on how to boost your savings, spend carefully on your wants and living costs, and check your financial health.
How to manage rising living costs
Food, power bills, petrol prices – you name it – remain high. Here are some ideas that could help you manage higher costs as well as options for assistance.
Managing rising living costs
Also in this section
How to save a $2k cash cushion
A financial reserve or emergency fund helps when the unexpected happens. Here are some ideas to kick-off or build your buffer.
Save a cash cushion
Starting financial wellbeing conversations
Thinking about your finances can feel hard enough, let alone discussing money with your friends and whānau. These conversation starters could help.
Financial wellbeing conversations
Nice ways to say 'no I can't afford that'
Whether it’s a Friday night pub meal with your pals or a weekend away with the whānau, sometimes you just have to say no.
Ways to say I can't afford it
Five ideas for your financial wellbeing WOF check
Set aside 30 minutes to put your money under the spotlight. There’s no pass or fail, just five easy steps that could help your finances run smoothly.
Financial wellbeing WOF check
Cut your grocery bill with these six hacks
How do you keep grocery costs down without giving up things you love? Here are our top supermarket hacks that could help you save money.
Cut your grocery bill
Five ways to save without sacrificing what you love
Saving – the key is having a realistic plan. Here are five ways to reduce spending and help save more money, without giving up things that are important to you.
Save without sacrifice
How to build a saver mindset
Want to grow that account balance? Your mental approach is key. Saving is less about putting aside large chunks of money and more about attitude.
Build a saver mindset
Three digital habits to help you save
Adapting traditional ways of savings to suit a digital and cashless world can make a big difference over time – to your money habits and your bank balance.
Digital habits to help you save
How to thrive with fewer subscriptions
Hidden among your must-have apps and subscriptions may be some you rarely or never use. Work out which to keep and cut, your bank balance will thank you.
Trim your subscriptions
How to have fun on a shoestring budget
Catching up with friends and whānau needn’t be a budget breaker. Here are cheap and cheerful ideas to balance a social life with spending carefully.
Fun on a budget
How compound interest works
Compound interest might not be widely understood, but it can be powerful when it comes to planning for your future – especially if you start early.
How compound interest works
Top tip
To help you save or reduce debt, try paying yourself first. This means setting up regular payments each payday to move money into your savings or loan repayments.
It's a good way to make sure your money goes where it'll benefit you most.
Related articles
Ways for couples to combine their income
Three couples told us their stories about managing money as a team. Here’s how they negotiated their shared expenses and savings goals.
Ways for couples to combine their income
Saving tips for couples
Saving with a significant other means you’re not going it alone. You’ll have twice the skills, resilience and capacity to max your savings.
Saving tips for couples
Save for the future you want
How do you save for a house deposit while also saving for your retirement? And how much do you need? The key is starting early and being consistent.
Save for future you
Related tools
Budget calculator
Plan your spending and saving with our budget calculator. Plug in your after-tax income and main expenses to create a budget that works for you.
Budget calculator
Savings goal calculator
Use this calculator to work out how much money you need to save weekly, monthly or each year to reach your savings goal.
Savings goal calculator
Saver personality type quiz
Take this nine-question quiz to find out if you’re a Spender, Striver or All-Rounder.
What 'Saver Personality Type' are you?(PDF 401.7KB)
Steps to financial wellbeing
Our financial wellbeing programme can help.Try one step or two, or work through the programme's six steps in any order.
Plan your spend
Tips to understand your needs and wants, and then track how you spend your money.
Plan your spend
All steps in the financial wellbeing programme
Set a savings goal
Start with microsavings – putting aside a bit of money each payday – and build up to a goal.
Set a savings goal
