My Money Sorted: Jaelyn

Kia ora, ko Ngaati Maniapoto raaua ko Ngaati Wai toku iwi, ko Jaelyn Retimana au. I was raised in the Hawkes Bay and moved to Tāmaki Makaurau to study! I'm now in my last year of my degree in Psychology and Māori Studies and I'm excited to see where this could lead me in the future! 

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

Always put 10% into your KiwiSaver, no matter what.  

Are you a spender or a saver? 

I think I’m a bit of both, but more of a saver. I’m pretty stern on my savings, but when I do need to make big purchases I often think – I may as well treat myself while I’m at it. But overall, I’m definitely more of a saver, I love seeing it grow and enjoy the process of watching my money accumulate! 

What’s a memorable money moment (success or learning)? 

A good one was when I saved my first $1000. I was so proud! 

A bad one was when my car broke down and it felt like everything needed to be fixed on it. It was $700, and I was like “What? $700 – where is this coming from?”. It was pretty stressful.  

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

Having an emergency fund to fall back on! Nothing stresses me out more than wondering if I’d be okay if my car broke down or if another emergency popped up. When I have money saved, I know I can go out and do things because I have the money there if I need it.  

What money beliefs have you inherited from your friends and whānau? 

My mum was an avid saver! Any and every spare cent she could, she’d put into a cute little jar with a goal in mind. From then on, I wanted to have my own, it felt like a fun little reward system. It made saving feel more fun for me. But my dad was good at spending on non-essentials and giving his money away.  

What’s most challenging when it comes to saving and investing money? 

I don’t know how to invest – so for me it’s that I don’t even know where to start. I know KiwiSaver is investing, but outside of that I don’t know how.   

Also, not touching my savings when I want a treat, sometimes I’m like “oh I could really do with some KFC or a McDonalds hot chocolate”. That’s probably my biggest challenge with savings – not being tempted to dip into them.  

What are some things that have caught you out where you needed money suddenly? 

There’s one I mentioned before that really sticks with me – I went to get my WOF one time, and they said, “you need to fix this and this and this...” and I had no idea where I was meant to get the money from. From there, I was like okay girl, you need to pull yourself together and start saving more. That was my biggest learning curve.  

What’s your proudest money moment? 

Last year, our friends decided we were going to go to San Fran for the week, with only a month’s notice. I was able to pay for it all beforehand – flights, accommodation, and tickets for Beyonce’s concert. It was so expensive, but I was able to tap into my savings and go and had a great time. That was my proudest moment, being able to afford something like that at short notice. 

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

I see me playing with my grandchildren in a beautiful home. I actually feel at ease about it – for me it doesn't feel like a big problem because I know you need to be prepared. I think I’ll be good, because I know it’s a goal that I need to save for now. Whereas, if you asked me when I was 40 and I wasn’t prepared, I’d feel different. But at the moment I feel excited for it, it sounds like leisure living!