So, you have decided you want to save the planet.  Of course, you have started recycling the oil from the local fish and chip shop as a substitute for petrol.  Now you want to turn your attention to your investment portfolio. Well what better way to change behaviours.  You can educate people, that takes time. 
Read More…

As a Financial Adviser I often get asked what should I do with my money, where should I invest or what should I invest in.  My answer will often depend on my mood, whether I feel like having some fun or how many pale ales I have had.  The real answer is boring to most
Read More…

Playing Poker and Investing – What can we learn? 7 elements discussed for your Poker and Investment education I play poker semi regularly with a group of local guys.  It was supposed to happen once a month.  I think due to the toll it generally takes, this has been pushed out to six monthly.  We
Read More…

After you have been around for a while you start to see things move in cycles.  I’m not sure I am ready to admit that that makes me old, but it probably does!! I am not just talking about the markets as we all know these move in cycles that no one can really predict. 
Read More…

  The sooner you start, the better off you will be  Money invested accrues compounding returns.  What does that mean?  You earn money on money.  The longer your funds are invested, the better off you will be. $10,000 invested now at 5% for 20 years will be worth $26,532 gross $10,000 invested in 10 years
Read More…

Term deposit rates have been low in recent times.  At the time of writing, the highest advertised 12-month rate I could find was 3.70%pa.  Interestingly, I found a 9-month rate of 3.85%pa and a 6-month rate for 3.70%pa.  So, the question must be asked why would you invest in 12 months’ vs 9 months vs
Read More…

The times are tough now, they’re just getting tougher.  So why is diversification important? I have heard many people talk about the importance of diversification.  Sometimes when I have asked them how they have diversified their wealth to reduce risk, some of the responses indicate that there is a real lack of understanding out there
Read More…

We’ve all now heard the result of the election.  Given the polls just before election day, the outcome was a surprise, to say the least.  The result has been compared to Brexit, which was one that was similarly surprising. Perhaps we are less sceptical.  Living in the world of financial markets, we know that probability
Read More…

So the latest talk is about interest rates, and that they may be on the move up.  The Federal Reserve, which is the US equivalent of the Reserve Bank, is talking rates up and some wholesale rates (the rates that the banks buy money at) have recently increased.  Are rates going to increase?  Probably over
Read More…

So it seems like as Kiwis, we are obsessed with property.  Property is an asset class which does deliver good returns over time.  However, they are not always positive capital returns.  We only need to look back to 2008 to see that.  Historically though, residential property has returned 9%pa capital compounded returns according to Valuation
Read More…

Stay close to me.  These are the lyrics from the song with the same title sung by UB40. I chose this song this week because many of us enjoy a tipple of red wine every now and then, and sometimes a little more often than that!!  It became relevant to me when I was doing
Read More…

Like the song made famous by the British rock band, Queen, I have finally broken free from the shackles of corporation.  It feels good, if not a little frightening! Anyway, the reason why I chose the title of that famous song is not because of my new found freedom/anxiety, or because I like it, although
Read More…