Your money mindset

We all have preferences when it comes to the way we handle money, and knowing yourself and understanding your unique money tendencies can go a long way to explain why you make certain money choices. Some of us spend on quality, others on quantity. Or we prefer to spend on experiences over things. There’s no right answer, only a scale that we tip one way or another. It’s just important not to swing too far either way. Here’s more on your unique tendencies with money.

The homes we grew up in had an immense influence on what we know and believe about money. We absorbed so much about money without realising it! Our parents, whānau and environment shaped what we believe, so it can be insightful to look back in order to move forward. A lot comes down to what we heard at home about money, but it also comes down to what we felt, too. Take a moment to reflect on what money was like growing up, and you’ll find some explanations for what you believe.

After growing up in different households, with varied work experiences and earning different amounts, we’d be surprised if you did, actually. (Did we mention that opposites attract?) Getting on the same page moneywise is one of the most important conversations you’ll have. Money talk can do great things for your relationship, especially if you find some shared goals. Here are tips for when you’re about to broach the subject, and for those times you can’t. It’s so worth it.. It’s so worth it.

When your money feels out of control, it can lead to many anxious moments. Making a plan for your spending and staying on track can help. It can also be insightful to look back on the money environment you grew up in, since as a child your parents communicated emotionally with you about money. Was it a calm vibe at home? Or more stressed? If you were raised in an anxious or unstable money home, this will influence your thinking today. Here’s more on your money household growing up.

Sometimes we just don’t want to know how we’re really tracking, so being in a bit of denial about our situation feels better and avoids stress and anxiety (in that moment). Money comes in, money goes out – as long as you’re not at zero, it’s okay, right? At some stage, however, you will reach a turning point financially – when you need to do something radically different with your money to reach an important life goal. We’re here for you! Here's how to stop procrastinating when it comes to money.

Debt has a way of sneaking up on us, whether it is a credit card balance or multiple Buy Now, Pay Later deals going on at a time. We may feel something’s not right, and believe it or not, even experience lower back pain just because of debt! The longer this goes on, the less we may want to see – it’s confronting to take a hard look at where you are moneywise. But like fire, you never want to let it get out of control as it can end up costing too much as time goes on. Here’s where to start when you are ready to tackle your debt.

It’s challenging to stay engaged with what’s happening with your money, but there are ways to track your spending. This is important, since getting ahead with money is essentially spending less than you earn and saving towards things you care about. There are different apps, but you can even simply write down everything for a few weeks. Tracking helps you create a spending plan (budget) and stick to it. Here’s more on money tracking.

There’s a funny thing that happens when you start earning or when you’ve just had a pay rise – you start buying new stuff, and it somehow becomes part of your regular expenses. That’s lifestyle creep at work. You may not look at your account often, or slip into overdraft even. But then you get to a turning point with your money. Having a spending plan (a.k.a. a budget) is key, but you’ll need to track your expenses first. Here’s more for when your money is slipping through your fingers each month.

After a tough day, you might find yourself impulsively buying something you didn’t plan to buy (but probably don’t need). Typically it’s stuff that makes us look better (clothing, shoes, make-up), feel better (a massage or a beer) or make life easier (kitchen gadgets). It’s not really the item that matters, it’s the feeling that goes with it – being in control and coping with the negative baggage from the day. The key to sorting this is to find ways to cope that don’t cost money. Here’s more on how to overcome overspending.

Our unique money tendencies go a long way to explaining what we choose to spend on. For instance, some of us spend on quality, others on quantity. Or we prefer to spend on experiences over things. There’s no right answer, only a scale that we tip one way or another. It can be truly insightful to understand yourself (and those you’re close to) – both to see your preferences and make adjustments to your spending plan if you need to. And if you need to make cuts, here’s how to keep your spending happy.

The short answer is probably in your unique money tendencies. But your question is also about spending too much, which many of us struggle with (1 in 5). We overspend when we cave in to social pressure, try to make a change to our lives or feel in control, or just because we’re disorganised with our money. The good thing is that there are good ways to sort each of these out, whether we are spending haphazardly or just because everyone else is. Here’s more on overcoming overspending.

You may be spending because you’re feeling FOMO (caving into social pressure), trying to change your life or feel in control, or simply because your money life is a bit disorganised and you’re spending haphazardly. Happily, we’ve got some ways to sort each of these out and keep you from overspending. If you’re spending more than you wanted to because you’re out with friends for drinks or an event, you can prep better with a plan. But if you’re spending to impress them, here’s how to skip it.

If you’re trying to cut back all your ‘wants’ in order to keep your spending to just your ‘needs’, it’s understandable if it leaves you feeling deprived. We get an emotional return each time we spend, so it’s important to not cut out the joy. If you go through what you spend money on, you can rate it 1-5, with 1 being spending that leaves you feeling terrible, while 5 leaves you the happiest. For anything low on the scale, cut away, but leave those 4s and 5s. Here’s more on happy spending.

To us, winning with money means meeting your needs now, as well as moving your finances forward so they grow and help you reach your long-term goals. We tend to spend money on things we can have right now – they feel more real. The future feels so far away. Luckily, long-term thinking is like a muscle, a superpower that can be strengthened by practicing. Here are some key tips to train yourself to think long term. Your future self will thank you!

It’s challenging to get motivated to save in itself. You need to find your ‘why’ – your reasons why you want to save. For many of us this means setting goals, which focus our money on reaching them. Whether they’re bigger goals, like saving for a house deposit, or even smaller ones, like replacing your laptop in a few months – you’ll need to set aside money, preferably automatically each time you’re paid in a separate account. Here’s help to set some goals to shoot for.

Don’t beat yourself up too much. Sometimes we all need to try stuff, to risk on a choice that may not work out. But if by mistakes you mean spending more than you intended to, you should know there is a way to sort that, depending on the reasons behind it. Do you find yourself spending out of FOMO with friends? Or trying to make a life change? You may simply not have a plan in place – if that sounds like you, here’s where to plan your spending with a budget.

Have you heard of lifestyle creep? It happens when we start earning, or each time we get a raise – our spending somehow swells to fit just below our income level (or above if we’re using debt). This makes life a struggle, as there is little money left over to build a savings buffer and fund your goals. To exit this cycle, you’ll need to save from every pay, and not leave it for last – you’ll need to pay yourself first. Here are 7 tips to get past living pay to pay.

Much of what we do with money is due to the habits we’ve fallen into. They are patterns recorded in our brains that we automatically return to. They can change! It can be also helpful to look at your preferences with money, as everyone has a unique style with it. You can gain a lot of insight into yourself if you reflect on the money household you grew up in as well. Was it anxious? Calm? Was money talked about openly? Or was it taboo?

We are all creatures of routine, and we fall into behaviour patterns that become habits over time. If you look your expenses over the past three months, you’ll see you’ve spent repeatedly on the same things, in the same places. Habits are powerful shortcuts our brains have permanently recorded – a cycle of triggers, routines and rewards. But they can be adjusted and replaced if you’re ready to make some changes. Here’s more for when you’re ready to kick your habits and pick others.

Good news: habits are not our destiny – they can be adjusted, or even replaced by new routines. A habit is a cycle of triggers, routines and rewards. Although they are stored in our brains permanently, we can find new routines that give us the same rewards. The key is to recognise what the triggers are. For example, if something leaves you anxious and you feel the urge to spend in order to cope, you can replace the shopping with something else to feel better. Here’s more on picking your habits.

This depends on what’s been happening in your money life, but for many of us it’s our relationship with money, especially debt, that needs a makeover. It can keep us from winning. That said, making changes can be confronting, because we have to examine what we’re actually doing by tracking our spending. Yet the only way out is to have a good hard look at what's happening with your money, and then to make changes. Then you can make your plan for your spending and flow your money towards your goals. That’s how you win with money.

Many of us feel hesitant to search (and pay for) financial advice, so there are many kinds of advisers that are not as well known. Money advice can come from financial mentors (who used to be called budget advisers), or financial advisers specialising in planning, mortgages or insurance. If you’re not sure who’s right for you, reach out to our partners at MoneyTalks, which has a free helpline. You can easily chat online, call 0800 345 123 or text 4029. For more, here’s our guide on getting advice.

Good advice is gold. It can help at every income level. But it’s important to find the right support – sounds like you’d benefit from a financial mentor (not a financial adviser). They provide a one-on-one service focused on empowering people. We highly recommend you discuss your situation as soon as you can – even anonymously – with our partners at MoneyTalks, which has a free helpline. You can easily chat online, call 0800 345 123 or text 4029. They can also refer you to other great services that are available.

Each of us has our natural tendencies when it comes to giving away money – we either lean towards planning ahead or being more spontaneous. If you sign up for regular donations, you’re a planner; if you give to everyone you see in need, you’re more spontaneous. Some of us can be generous to a fault – giving when we really need it for something else, or even going into debt and giving more than we have. It’s hard to say no! The first step is knowing yourself: here’s more about your money tendencies.

Kei tēnā anō ōna ake hiahia whakahaere moni, ā, mā tō mōhio ki a koe anō me ō ake tikanga whakahaere moni e whakamārama i ō ake kōwhiringa moni. Ko ētahi ka hoko i ngā mea kounga, ko ētahi ka hoko i ngā mea maha. Ka hiahia rānei ki te whakapau moni i runga i ngā wheako kē. Kāore he whakautu tika, he āwhata noa iho ka taka ki tētahi taha, ki tētahi taha. He mea nui hoki kia kaua e tawhiti te taka o te āwhata ahakoa ki hea. Anei ētahi kōrero mō ō tikanga ahurei mō te moni.

He nui te whakaawe o tō tātou whakatipuranga ki ngā mea e whakapono ana tātou mō te moni. He nui ngā whakaaro moni i mitia e tātou me te kore e mōhio! Nā ō tātou mātua, te whānau me te taiao i hoahoa ō tātou whakaaro, nā reira he pai tonu te hoki whakamuri ki te ahu whakamua. Ākene kua rongo kē tātou i ngā kōrero mō te moni i te kāinga, otirā ka hoki anō ki ō tātou ake whakaaro. Me huritao ki te āhua o te moni i te kāinga, ā, ka kite pea koe i ētahi whakamārama o tāu e whakapono ana.

Ka ohorere mātou mēnā he ōrite ō kōrua whakaaro, i te mea i tipu kōrua i ngā kāinga rerekē, ā, he rerekē hoki ngā wheako me ngā moni whiwhi. (I kī rā ahau ka pipiri te hunga tauaro?) Ko te whakakotahi i ō kōrua whakaaro ki te moni tētahi kōrero rangatira i waenga i a kōrua. Ko te kōrero moni he mea pai mō tō hononga, inakoa ka kitea he whāinga ōrite. Anei ētahi huatau e tīmata ai te kōrero, ā, me ngā wā kāore e taea. Ka nui te hua, āe, ka nui.

Ki te kore e tareka e koe te whakahaere tika i ō moni, tērā pea ka māharahara koe. Ka āwhina pea te hanga mahere whakapau, me te ū ki tērā. He hua pea o te hoki whakamuri ki te taiao moni i tipu ai koe, i te mea i kōrero ā-kare ā-roto pea ō mātua ki a koe mō te moni. He kōrero mārie i taua wā? He anipā rānei? Mēnā koe i tipu i tētahi kāinga anipā, pāhekeheke hoki mō te moni, ka whakaawe tērā i ō whakaaro i te rangi nei. Anei ētahi kōrero mō tō momo kāinga moni i tō whakatipuranga mai.

I ētahi wā kāore tātou i te tino mōhio kei te pēhea te haere o te moni, nō reira he pai ake te whakapeka i ngā whakaaro me te kaupare i te anipā (i taua wā). Ka kuhu mai te moni, ka puta anō - engari ko te mea nui e kore e pau katoa ne? Engari ka tae ki te wā ka huri kōaro ā-ahumoni koe - arā, me tino rerekē tō whakamahi i ō moni e eke ai ki tētahi whāinga nui o tō oranga. Kei konei mātou ki te āwhina! Anei ētahi huarahi e aukati ai i te whakaroaroa i ngā take moni.

Ka whakamōkihi atu te nama ki a koe, ākene pea he tapeke kāri taurewa, he nui ngā Buy Now, Pay Later rānei i te wā kotahi. Tērā pea kāore i te tau tika tētahi mea, otirā ka whakapono rānei koe, ka mamae tō tuara i te taumahatanga o te nama! Ka roa e pēnei ana kua kore e tino hiahia kite atu - he whakatumatuma te titiro kei hea koe me ō whakahaere pūtea. Engari, pērā ki te toro o te ahi, kei tukua kia mura rawa, i te mea ka piki te utu i te hekenga o te wā. Anei te wāhi tīmata kia rite koe ki te whakakore i ō nama.

He uaua te whakamau ki te ara me ō moni, engari he huarahi anō mō te whaiwhai haere i ō moni. He mea nui tēnei i te mea ko te ahu whakamua me ō moni, ko te iti ake o te whakapau i tāu i whiwhi ai, me te penapena mō ngā mea e whakaaro nuitia ana e koe. Tērā ngā momo taupānga, engari ka taea hoki te āta tuhi i ō whakapaunga mō te rua wiki. Mā te whaiwhai haere, ka āwhina ki te hanga mahere whakapau me te ū ki tērā. Anei ētahi kōrero mō te whaiwhai moni.

Ka pā tētahi āhuatanga rerekē i te wā ka nui ake tō whiwhi moni, ka whakapikihia rānei tō utu - ka hokona e koe ētahi mea hou, mea rawa ake ka noho hei wāhanga auau o ō whakapaunga. Ko te āhua tērā o te āhua noho ninihi. E kore pea e auau te titiro ki tō pūtea pēke, otirā ka noho nama pea. Engari he wā anō ka tau koe ki tētahi wā e huri kōaro ai koe me ō moni. Ko te whiwhi mahere whakapau (arā, mahere pūtea) te mea nui, engari me whaiwhai i ō whakapaunga i te tuatahi. Anei ētahi kōrero mō te wā e riringi ana te moni i ō matimati ia marama.

I muri i tētahi rā taumaha, ka tipu te koronga ki te hoko taputapu ahakoa kāore i maheretia (ā, kāore i te hiahiatia). Ko ngā mea pea ēnei e pai ake ai te āhua (kākahu, hū, panipani), e pai ake ai te wairua (mirimiri, waipiro) he māmā ake ai te oranga (taputapu kīhini). Ehara ko te taputapu te mea nui, ko te kare ā-roto kē - te whakahaere i ngā waiaro kino o taua rā. Ko te mea nui hei whakatau i tēnei, ko te kimi huarahi kore utu. Anei ētahi kōrero ki te whakapoke i te nui o te whakapau moni.

Ka whakamārama ā tātou wēanga moni ahurei he aha ngā mea e hokona ana e tātou. Hei tauira, ko ētahi ka hoko i ngā mea kounga, ko ētahi ka hoko i ngā mea maha. Ka hiahia rānei ki te whakapau moni i runga i ngā wheako kē. Kāore he whakautu tika, he āwhata noa iho ka taka ki tētahi taha, ki tētahi taha. He hua nui kia tino mārama koe ki a koe anō (me te hunga tata ki a koe) - kia kite i ō hiahia ake, me te panoni i tō mahere whakapau mēnā e tika ana. Ā, ki te tapahi hoki i ngā whakapaunga, anei te huarahi e koa tonu ai te mahi hokohoko.

Ko te whakautu poto, ko ō wēanga moni ahurea. Engari ko tō pātai, mō te nui rawa o te whakapau moni, ā, he uaua ki ētahi o tātou (1 o te 5). Ka nui rawa te whakapau moni ina tūraki tātou ki ngā pēhanga pāpori, ki te panoni i ō tātou oranga, kia rongo rānei i te mana, kāore rānei i tino mōhio ki te whakahaere pūtea. Ko te mea pai, tērā tonu ngā huarahi pai ki te whakatikatika i ēnei, ahakoa he hāpūpū te whakapau moni, i te mea rānei kei te whai i ngā mahi a ētahi atu. Anei ētahi kōrero mō te nui rawa o te whakapau moni.

Ākene pea kei te nui tō whakapau moni nā te FOMO(te tuohu ki ngā pēhanga pāpori), te ngana ki te panoni i tō oranga, te whiwhi mana rānei, i te mea rānei he āhua rangirua tō ao moni, ā, e hāpūpū ana te whakapau. Engari he huarahi ā mātou ki te whakatikatika i ēnei, ā, kia kore ai e kaha tō whakapau moni. Mēnā he kaha rawa tō whakapau moni i te mea kei te taha koe o ō hoa, e inu ana, i tētahi hui rānei, he pai ake mēnā ka whai mahere koe. Engari mēnā e whakapau moni ana koe ki te whakameremere noa iho, anei te huarahi ki te karo i tērā mahi.

Mēnā e ngana ana koe ki te whakaiti haere i ō 'hiahia' kia whakapau noa koe ki ngā 'matea', ka mārama ki a mātou mēnā ka rongo koe i te wairua whakatiki. He momo kare ā-roto anō ka puta ake ia wā ka whakapau moni, nō reira he mea nui kia kaua e whakakorea te harikoa. Ki te titiro koe ki ngā mea ka hokona mai e koe, raupapatia mai i te 1-5, ko te 1 te mea ka heke tō wairua, ko te 5, ka hiki tō wairua. Mō ngā mea iti te raupapa, whakakorehia, engari waiho ngā mea 4 me te 5. Anei ētahi kōrero mo te hokohoko harikoa.

Ki a mātou, ko te tikanga o te toa me te moni, ko te whakatutuki i ō matea ināianei, me te whakakake i ō pūtea kia tipu ai, kia āwhina i a koe ki te whakatutuki i ō whāinga pae tawhiti. Whakapaua ai ō tātou moni ki ngā mea ka taea te kapo ake ināianei - he tūturu ake. He tawhiti rawa te anamata. Waimaria ko te whakaaro pae tawhiti he rite ki te uaua, he mana nui ka taea te whakapakari mā te whakaharatau. Anei ētahi huatau matua ki te whakangungu i a koe anō kia anga ki te pae tawhiti. Ka mihia koe e tō kiripuaki anamata!

He uaua te whakahihiko i a koe ki te penapena. Me kimi e koe tō ake tikanga - ō tikanga e hiahia ana koe ki te penapena. Mō te nuinga o tātou, ko te whakatau whāinga tērā, me te aro o ngā moni ki taua whāinga. Ahakoa he whāinga nui, pēnei i te penapena mō tētahi monikuhu whare, mō ngā whāinga iti rānei pēnei i te whakahou i tō rorohiko - me penapena moni, ko te painga mēnā he aunoa, ia wā ka utua koe, ki tētahi pūkete wehe. Anei he āwhina ki te whakatau i ētahi whāinga hei whāinga mōu.

Kei kaha rawa tō whakawhiu i a koe. I ētahi wā me whakamātau ētahi mea hou, te mōrearea i tētahi whiringa e kore pea e whai hua. Engari mēnā ko te hapa e kōrero ana koe, ko te nui rawa o te whakapau moni, tērā tētahi rongoā hei whakatikatika i tērā, i runga anō i tōna take. Ko te take o ō whakapaunga ko te FOMO me ō hoa? E ngana ana ki te panoni i tō oranga? Tērā pea kāore ō mahere - mēnā ko koe tēnei, anei te wāhi whakamahaere i ō whakapaunga, mā te mahere pūtea.

Kua rongo koe mō te āhua noho ninihi? Ka pā mai i te wā ka mahi moni, ia wā rānei ka whakapikihia tō utu - arā ka piki hoki te whakapaunga ki raro paku iho i tō tātou taumata moni whiwhi (kei runga ake rānei mēnā ka uru ki te nama). Nā tēnei ka uaua ake te oranga, i te mea he iti te toenga ki te whakatipu i te tauārai penapena, te utu rānei i ngā whāinga. E puta ai koe i tēnei raru, me penapena mai i ia utunga, ā, kei mahue koinā te mahi whakamutunga - me utu i a koe i te tuatahi. Anei ētahi huatau e 7 e puta ai i te noho mai i tētahi rā utu ki tētahi atu.

Ko te nuinga o ā tātou whakaritenga moni, kei runga i ō tātou whanonga. He momo tauira kua whakairohia ki ngā roro, e hoki aunoa ai tātou ki aua mahi. Ka taea te panoni! He pai tonu pea te titiro ki ō hiahia me te moni, i te mea kei tēnā anō āna ake taera. He nui te mōhio ki tō ake āhua ki te huritao koe ki te kāinga i tipu ake koe, me te āhua o te whakahaere moni. He wā anipā? He wā mārire? I kōrerotia whānuitia te moni? He mea tapu rānei?

He ngārara whai hātepe tātou, ā, ka taka ki ngā momo whanonga kua noho hei ritenga i te hekenga o te wā. Ina titiro koe ki ō whakapaunga i ngā marama e toru, ka kite koe i te tōai o te hoko i ngā mea rite, i ngā wāhi rite hoki. He tapanga poto kaha ngā whanonga kia pūmau ki ō tātou roro - he huringa o ngā turupana, hātepe me ngā whiwhinga. Engari ka taea te urutau me te whakahou mēnā kua rite koe ki te panoni. Anei ētahi kōrero ina rite koe ki te pana i ō whanonga me te kimi mea hou.

He rongo pai: ehara ngā whanonga i tō tātou āpōpō - ka taea te urutau, te whakahou rānei ki ētahi hātepe hou. Ko te whanonga he huringa turupana, hātepe me te whiwhinga. Ahakoa kua pūmau te noho ki ō tātou roro, ka taea te kimi hātepe hou e riro tonu ai aua whiwhinga. Ko te mea nui ko te whakakite he aha ngā turupana. Hei tauira, ina noho anipā koe, ā, ka toko ake te hiahia ki te hoko rawa e tau ai te anipā, ka taea e koe te whakakapi i te mahi hokohoko ki tētahi atu mea pai ake. Anei ētahi kōrero mō te kōwhiri i ō whanonga.

Kei runga tēnei i ngā whakaritenga moni i tō ao, engari mō te huhua o tātou, ko tō tātou hononga ki te moni, inakoa te nama, te mea me panoni. Koinā te mea e here ana i ā tātou. I runga i tērā kōrero, he whakatumatuma te panoni i te mea me tirotiro e tātou kei te aha tātou mā te whaiwhai i ā tātou whakapaunga. Engari ko te huarahi e puta ai i tēnei raru ko te āta titiro kei te aha koe me ō moni, kātahi ka panoni. Kātahi ka mahi i tō mahere whakapau, ā, ka ahu i ō moni ki ō whāinga. Koinā te huarahi e toa ai koe me ō moni.

Ka tawhitawhi ētahi o tātou ki te rapu (me te utu) mō ngā tohutohu ahumoni, nā reira he nui ngā momo kaitohutohu kāore i tino rongonui. Ka ahu mai ngā tohutohu ahumoni i ngā kaiārahi ahumoni (i kīia ai he kaitohutohu mahere pūtea), ngā kaitohutohu ahumoni rānei e mātanga ana i te mahi mahere, mōkete, te inihua rānei. Mēnā kāore i te tino mōhio ki te mea tika mōu, toro atu ki ō mātou hoa i MoneyTalks, mā runga waea kore utu. He ngāwari noa te kōrero tuihono, waea ki 0800 345 123, pātuhi rānei ki 4029. Mō ētahi atu kōrero, anei tā mātou aratohu rapu tohutohu.

He taonga te tohutohu pai. Ka awhina i a koe ahakoa te nui o te moni. Engari he mea nui te rapu i te tautoko tika - ko te āhua nei ka whai hua koe i te kaiārahi ahumoni (kaua te kaitohutohu). Ka tuku i te ratonga takitahi e aro ana ki te whakamana i te tangata. E tino whakahau ana mātou kia wawe te kōrero i tō āhuatanga - ka taea ā-kirimuna hoki - ki ō mātou hoa i MoneyTalks otirā he waea kore utu tā rātou. He ngāwari noa te kōrero tuihono, me waea ki 0800 345 123, pātuhi rānei ki 4029. Ka taea hoki e rātou te tuku i a koe ki ētahi atu ratonga pai e wātea ana.

Kei tēnā kei tēnā anō tōna wēanga o te tuku moni ki ētahi atu - ko tā ētahi he whakamahere, ko ētahi he wairua ohorere kē. Mēnā koe ka utu koha auau, he kaiwhakamahere koe; mēnā ka tuku noa ki te hunga pōhara, he wairua ohorere tōu. Ko ētahi o tātou he tino māhorahora - te tuku ahakoa e tino hiahia ana koe ki aua moni, te tiki nama rānei hei tuku ki tētahi atu. He auau te kī kāo! Ko te mahi tuatahi ko te mōhio anō ki tō ake āhua: anei ētahi atu kōrero mō ō wēanga moni.