FeaturedKiwiSaver
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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Personal Finance
Budget 2026 raises FIF threshold to $100,000 — what that means for overseas investors
The de minimis cost threshold for New Zealand's Foreign Investment Fund rules doubles from $50,000 to $100,000 from 1 April 2026 — the first increase since 2000.
15 Jun 20264 min read
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Read articlePersonal Finance
Fuel Prices Set to Fall as Hormuz Reopens — And Farm Theft May Ease Too
The US-Iran peace deal has sent oil prices lower and could bring relief at the pump for New Zealand households. For farmers, a quieter side-effect may be less incentive for rural fuel theft.
15 Jun 20263 min read
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Read articleInvesting
When your KiwiSaver balance drops and the urge to switch kicks in
Short-term market dips are a normal part of investing — but research consistently shows that switching KiwiSaver funds in response to volatility tends to cost more than it saves. Here's what to understand before making a move.
14 Jun 20264 min read
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Read articleMarkets
May 2026: Another Flat Month for NZ House Prices
The Real Estate Institute reports a 1.3% monthly lift in median price to $775,000, but sales volumes are down 12.6% year-on-year as buyer caution and cost-of-living pressure persist.
14 Jun 20263 min read
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Read articleEconomy
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 articleEconomy
Q1 GDP due next week: why economists are calling it 'the calm before the storm'
Economists expect New Zealand's March quarter GDP to grow around 1%, but the data will largely predate the Middle East conflict that broke out in February — and the full economic impact is expected to show up in later releases.
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
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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
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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
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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
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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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