Real-life read 25th anniversary special: Brendan

When did you first use Sorted?  

I was a kid, so I couldn’t tell you the year! My earliest memories are the TV ads and the online game Money Island. I really started using it myself when I began my career and signed up to KiwiSaver. The KiwiSaver calculator helped me understand what it meant for my future, and what different savings rates would look like down the track. 

What’s your favourite Sorted memory from the early days? 

Money Island and the mouse! Money Island was an online game where you learned to be good with money. I still remember choosing a bank from a line-up of pigs, each one trying to tempt you with a free CD voucher or a hoodie, when the smart move was checking the fees and interest rates. Then there were the TV ads with the Sorted mouse, usually about not getting trapped in debt. I wish they were still on today. 

What did you think of Sorted when you first saw it?

As a kid, Sorted just felt like it was everywhere. The ads were always on TV, and everyone knew what it was. What I loved was that it made money feel approachable, even fun. Learning through a game stuck with me far more than any lecture would have. 

Do you still use it now?

Yes! Over the years I’ve used loads of Sorted’s tools and calculators, and different ones have been useful at different stages of life, from the KiwiSaver calculator when I started working to the mortgage calculator when I was buying a house. Lately I’ve been using Smart Investor, and I’ve been checking out the Sorted Buffer builder™ app, which is really cool. 

How has Sorted helped you on your financial journey over the years? 

Sorted taught me how compounding works, for better and for worse. When I was about 11, I remember looking at bank accounts online, probably thanks to Sorted, and finding savings accounts paying around 7% interest. I convinced my parents to let me move my account over. I thought that was 7% a month, not a year, so I was expecting to be rich pretty quickly! That didn’t happen, but the lesson stuck. 

Is there a particular Sorted tool, calculator or resource that made a real difference to you? 

The mortgage calculator. It showed me you can end up paying for your house two or three times over, depending on the interest rate and how long you take to pay it off. Seeing compounding work against you like that was a real eye-opener. The savings calculator showed the other side: compounding working for you. Between the two, I got why it pays to borrow less and save early. 

What financial habits have you developed as a result of using Sorted? 

Paying yourself first. Sorted’s Tom Hartmann drilled that one into me, and I can still hear him saying it. Every payday, before I think about what I want to spend money on, I ask what it needs to do for me, whether that’s building freedom or giving me options.  

My budgeting habit came from a mistake in my flatting days. I impulse-bought a Sony surround sound system, and because I was paid monthly, I was broke until the next payday. For me, budgeting isn’t about restricting what you spend, it’s about choosing. I find it really freeing. 

You later worked on Sorted. What was your involvement? 

I first worked at a separate agency alongside the Sorted team years ago, including on a rebuild of the website. I loved working with them, and in 2018 I was lucky enough to join the Retirement Commission and work on Sorted directly.  

We launched a few new tools while I was there, but what I’m most proud of is the six Sorted steps. The idea was to make it easy, so anyone short on time could follow clear steps to get sorted. I remember spending hours with Tom and other experts working through every detail. 

How has Sorted changed over the past 25 years? 

Sorted has grown up alongside the internet. When it launched in 2001, lots of people were still on dial-up! Since then, we’ve moved through broadband, fibre and smartphones, and Sorted has kept up, adapting to how people actually live and manage their money. 

It must be exciting to see developments like the new Sorted Buffer builder app. 

Not surprised, really. Sorted has always moved with the times, so it makes sense that it’s embracing open banking. Buffer builder is a great fit too. Having a buffer is so important for protecting yourself from life’s shocks, and it ties in nicely with step one of the Sorted steps: start your emergency fund. Anything that makes that easier is a win. 

Why do you think Sorted is still so trusted and loved by New Zealanders? 

I think it comes down to who’s behind it. Sorted is run by the Retirement Commission, a government organisation committed to better financial outcomes for Kiwis. Sorted isn’t trying to sell you anything; it just wants you to be better off, and people can feel that. It’s also had consistent backing for 25 years, and the Sorted team have been there for the long haul.

That kind of consistency builds trust. 

What’s your proudest money moment? 

Buying my house. I had great landlords, but renting meant I couldn’t really plan long term. Having a place to call my own and knowing I got there through habits built up over years, many of them shaped by Sorted, is the thing I’m proudest of. 

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

“Nice work paying yourself first. Please don’t buy another surround sound system.” 

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

A quieter life, somewhere rural or near the beach with a bit more space. A veggie garden, books, good food and good friends. I’d still want to be contributing, because to me retirement isn’t about doing nothing. I also wonder whether retirement has to be one big finish line, or something you can weave through your life, like dropping to a four-day week, working part-time, or taking six months off in my 30s or 40s to get a taste of it.

If you’d like to join the conversation and share your own experiences with money, we’d love to hear from you. Fill in this form and we’ll get back to you. Ngā mihi! 

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