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Understanding KiwiSaver: A Complete Guide for 2026
Everything you need to know about KiwiSaver - how it works, choosing funds, and maximizing your returns for retirement.
24 Feb 20263 min read
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Fat Pocket Blog
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Economy
Marlborough mussel industry gets fast-track nod as warming oceans threaten spat supply
Six new mussel farms have been referred to New Zealand's fast-track process, with backers projecting $589m in annual exports and nearly 1000 jobs — but the driving pressure is climate change warming the waters that sustain one of Marlborough's biggest industries.
13 Jun 20263 min read
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Read articlePersonal Finance
Thinking about solar? Here's what to know before you install
As power prices rise and installation costs fall, more households are considering solar. But the economics depend heavily on your roof orientation, shading, and how you use electricity — and getting the right size system matters more than you might think.
13 Jun 20263 min read
solar-panelsrenewable-energy+4
Read articlePersonal Finance
When de facto relationships end: New Zealand's stalled relationship property reform
The UK is consulting on reforms to protect cohabiting couples on separation, but New Zealand's own Law Commission proposals to change how relationship property is divided have been on hold for years.
12 Jun 20263 min read
relationship-propertyde-facto-couples+4
Read articlePersonal Finance
Why so many New Zealanders earn only a little more than the minimum wage
About 5% of workers earn the minimum wage, but far more cluster just above it. Researchers say the floor has risen into territory that used to be comfortably above it — and structural factors beyond minimum wage policy explain why.
12 Jun 20263 min read
minimum-wagewages+4
Read articleMarkets
The great suburb divide: where house prices are climbing and where they're still falling
New data shows 56% of suburbs had stable or rising house values in the three months to June, but the gains are concentrated in rural Southland and West Coast while Auckland suburbs continue to lag.
12 Jun 20264 min read
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Eight in ten households under food budget strain as supermarket loyalty programs draw criticism
Consumer NZ's latest survey shows 82% of households report their food budgets are under strain, with researchers warning loyalty programs and supermarket data practices are making the problem worse.
11 Jun 20263 min read
food-pricessupermarkets+4
Read articlePersonal Finance
NZ Tesla owner takes company to tribunal over $4,800 self-driving feature that may never arrive
A University of Auckland senior lecturer is taking Tesla to the Disputes Tribunal after paying $4,800 for a full self-driving feature that Tesla says hardware in his car cannot support. He is seeking fair compensation under New Zealand consumer law.
11 Jun 20263 min read
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Read articleMarkets
Asking prices fall $50,000 in three months as property market heads into winter
Trade Me Property data shows the national average asking price dropped to $833,800 in May from $883,800 in February, with Auckland down $91,300 over the same period.
10 Jun 20262 min read
property-markettrade-me+4
Read articlePersonal Finance
Card surcharge ban stalls but consumers already seeing the benefit of earlier fee cut
The government's ban on credit and debit card surcharges looks increasingly uncertain, but a separate Commerce Commission intervention has already more than halved the interchange fees retailers pay — and that saving is flowing through.
10 Jun 20262 min read
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Read articlePersonal Finance
Insurance premiums up 916% since 2000: NZ's largest insurer calls for 15-year government roadmap
IAG NZ, the country's largest insurer, is calling for a clear government roadmap over the next 15 years, warning that natural hazard risk is growing faster than the system's ability to manage it.
10 Jun 20263 min read
insurancenatural-hazards+5
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Mortgage top-ups near half of all approvals as property market cools
Reserve Bank data shows mortgage top-ups accounted for 46.5% of new approvals in April, while property purchase mortgages fell to just over a third — the lowest share on record.
10 Jun 20263 min read
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Read articlePersonal Finance
What your appliances cost to run this winter: the numbers behind power bills
With winter driving up electricity costs, a closer look at what specific appliances actually cost to run — from heated towel rails to electric blankets — and where the savings are.
10 Jun 20263 min read
power-billselectricity+4
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