Real-life read: Sarah

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

That your life partner is the biggest financial decision you’ll make. Your partner’s good and bad financial habits will, in time, become yours. As a family lawyer, I see first-hand the financial consequences of the life partner people choose when their relationship comes to an end – whether that is needing to re-enter the workforce without employable skills, experiencing financial abuse, a debt that was never discussed – or, on the flip side – benefitting from a partner’s dedication to building wealth.  

Are you a spender or a saver? 

I am 100% a saver – it pains me to spend money. But it can be to my detriment – for example, last summer I tried on a stunning one-piece set of togs that I loved the fit of, but I didn’t ‘need’. This summer, when I really needed new togs, I went back for that one-piece and of course, it was long gone. If only I hadn’t been such a tight arse! 

What’s been your proudest money moment? 

Successfully negotiating my first significant pay rise. Not only is it an immediate big money win to get that extra income, but the skills I learned from that first successful pay negotiation, I have used again and again (a great return on investment)! 

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

Knowing my numbers – my after-tax pay, my net worth, and what my expenses are each week – makes me feel ‘in control’ of my money which for me, which makes me feel sorted.  

Also, having an emergency fund. I got burnt when I moved to Australia in mid-2024. I had just finished renovating the home we’d purchased in Tauranga, we were paying the mortgage and didn’t yet have tenants, had to pay a bond for our rental in Australia and rent in advance – and then my job start date was delayed – which I had not budgeted for. Needless to say, it was an incredibly stressful period, financially. But I’ve learnt from that experience and now keep three months’ expenses in an offset account (which gives me better savings than keeping my emergency fund in a savings account)! 

What money beliefs have you inherited from your whānau? 

“Live within your means” was drilled into me by my parents. They didn’t buy cars if they couldn’t pay in cash, and we didn’t buy extravagant clothes or shoes. But, it’s only as I’ve gotten older that I’ve realised how much freedom and flexibility my parents had because they always lived within their means – to make large purchases on a whim when needed, or retire at an earlier age – and I have definitely adopted this.  

My whānau also highlighted that wealth is not for flaunting – it is about buying yourself freedom – and giving back when you have more than you need.  

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

Hmm probably, “you might want to lay off the caffeine!” 

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

I learnt about the concept of ‘mini-retirements’ from the book Money School by Lacey Filipich. Basically, rather than treating retirement as a final destination that you work towards, you take little breaks from your working life. For example, a year to travel, time off to consider a career pivot, or to have children – rather than retirement being the light at the end of the tunnel. That’s how I hope to experience retirement – I really love working and want to continue to work as long as I can – but would also love to be in a financial position to take some mini-retirements.   

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!