My Money Sorted: Acushla-Tara Kupe

A bit about Acushla-Tara: An internationally successful TV, film and theatre actor with an impressive and ever-expanding list of credits, Acushla-Tara Kupe (Ngāti Maniapoto) is based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, where she lives with her husband, actor Paul Waggott. Her most recent projects have included filming season two of The Gone (you can catch season one now on TVNZ+), in which she plays the lead role of detective Diana Huia. 

What’s the best money advice you’ve been given?

I think the best advice I’ve ever heard came from an audiobook I listened to back in the day, and it was: Find what works for you. I feel like it applies to every facet of life, but when I heard it in relation to finances, it really clicked. We’re often told we have to budget to be ‘good’ with our money, or we have to find the right accountant – all sorts of definite have-to’s –  but we're not all the same, and I've learned that finding a system that's right for the way my own life and mind work is the key to finding peace and a sense of safety with my finances.

Are you a spender or a saver?

Definitely a saver! It’s not to say I don’t make big or seemingly frivolous purchases from time to time, but I do take note of what’s coming in with each pay check and most of my disposable income will end up in one of my many different savings accounts. I think it stems from my work in the freelance world and not having a regular stream of income. That financial uncertainty has created a saving habit to ease the unease in a way.

What’s the proudest money moment you’ve experienced?

It’d have to be putting a deposit on my first home with my husband earlier this year. Although we haven’t been married long, we’ve been together for more than 10 years, so the “Shall we buy a house?” conversation has come up many times. We’re both actors and I think because of the rhetoric we’d heard most of our adult lives about freelance life and homeownership being inherently at odds with each other, we believed we’d never own our own home, so being able to put down a deposit was a very proud moment.

What makes you feel sorted when it comes to your money?

Automation! Automation is the key to all my money habits and how I’ve succeeded in living comfortably, with a good dose of travel and treats too. It makes it as easy as possible to pay bills, save and know that what I’m spending is available for those purposes. It takes time to set up at the beginning, but the payoff is so worth it. With everything set up to be paid on time, without me needing to remember, I know that whatever’s in my spending account is mine to use however I like, so not only do I pay everything off on time, I’m also able to spend what’s left with no “Should I?” involved – I can just enjoy it.

If your bank account could talk, what would it say to you right now?

Probably “Why are there so many of us?!”

When you think about your retirement, what do you see?

To be totally honest, I don’t see myself retiring – I love my work too much. However, I’ve got a healthy KiwiSaver account just in case I change my mind in the future. My end goal is to have a mortgage-free home and to keep working for the love of it.

Photography: Tabitha Arthur.