Money Made Simple

In this episode of Money Made Simple, Jennie and Liv revisit one of the most important - and most overlooked - parts of your KiwiSaver: your contribution rate. With changes coming into effect in 2026, including a lift to the default minimum, now's the perfect time to check in and ask whether you're actually contributing enough. 
 From what's changed and what it means for your take-home pay, to how to think about contributions based on your income, life stage and goals, this episode breaks down how to make KiwiSaver work for you - not just what the default says. 
This episode covers:
What's changing in 2026, including the rise in minimum contributions from 3% to 3.5% (with another increase planned)
Updates to government contributions and new eligibility rules
Why 3.5% is a useful baseline, but not necessarily the right number for everyone
How to think about contributions based on your income, life stage and long-term goals
The trade-off between contributing more to KiwiSaver vs investing outside it for flexibility
Why small increases like 0.5% can make a big difference over time thanks to compounding
What to do if cash flow is tight, and when it might make sense to temporarily reduce contributions
How self-employed Kiwis can approach KiwiSaver, including voluntary contributions and government incentives
Why fund choice and fees can matter just as much as your contribution rate
 Jennie and Liv explain in plain English why there's no one "perfect" contribution rate - only the one that works for you. The key is not leaving it on autopilot. A quick check-in now could make a meaningful difference to your future. 
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Please help us share the good word (and make Kiwis richer and smarter with money) - the more we grow, the more good we can do %) Don't forget to follow, subscribe and rate the podcast if you found it useful!

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Disclaimer: This podcast contains personal opinions and is intended to provide educational information only. It doesn't relate to your particular financial situation or goals and is not financial advice or recommendations. Simplicity New Zealand Limited is the issuer of the Simplicity KiwiSaver scheme and investment funds. For product disclosure statements please visit Simplicity's website simplicity. kiwi.

In this episode of Economy Made Simple, Simplicity's Chief Economist Shamubeel Eaqub is joined by Money Made Simple host Liv to unpack one of the biggest quiet shifts happening in New Zealand right now: our rapidly changing ethnic make-up, and what it will take to turn that into something genuinely good for everyone.
Drawing on his recent research for the Auckland Policy Office, Shamubeel walks through the numbers, the tensions and the choices in front of us, and why Auckland is the place to watch.
This episode covers:
Why Auckland is the leading edge of NZ's rapidly changing ethnic make-up
What just shifted in NZ's newborn population for the first time, and why it matters
Why low fertility and ongoing migration mean immigration is now locked into our future, not a cyclical choice
How NZ's attitudes to immigration compare with Australia's, and why that gap between the two nations matters
The hidden economic cost of under-using highly qualified migrants, particularly in Auckland
Four practical policy levers that could turn diversity into shared economic benefit
Why multiculturalism, integration and the melting pot describe very different futures for NZ - and what we should be aiming to adopt
The two tensions underneath every diversity conversation, and how we might move past them
By the end of this episode, you'll have a clearer sense of the real choices in front of us when it comes to diversity and migration, and how to live alongside each other well. As Shamubeel puts it, when we talk with openness and curiosity, we usually find more common ground than difference.
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Please help us share the good word (and make Kiwis richer and smarter with money) - the more we grow, the more good we can do %) Don't forget to follow, subscribe and rate the podcast if you found it useful!

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Disclaimer: This podcast contains personal opinions and is intended to provide educational information only. It doesn't relate to your particular financial situation or goals and is not financial advice or recommendations. Simplicity New Zealand Limited is the issuer of the Simplicity KiwiSaver scheme and investment funds. For product disclosure statements please visit Simplicity's website simplicity. kiwi.

The world feels a bit uncertain right now - headlines are full of market volatility, rising oil prices, and global tensions. In stories about investments, you might be hearing a lot about the importance of “diversification”… but what does that actually mean? And how do you put it in to practice?
In this episode of Money Made Simple, Liv and Jennie break down the main investment asset classes - what they are, how they work, and why spreading your money across them is one of the simplest and most effective ways to diversify and manage risk over time.
This episode covers:
What asset classes are, and the key types: shares, bonds, property, commodities, and cash
How each asset class works, including how you make money from them (growth, income, or both)
The trade-off between risk and return - and why higher returns often come with more ups and downs
 Why different assets behave differently depending on what’s happening in the world
What diversification really means (beyond the jargon) and how it helps “cushion” market volatility
Real-world examples of why not putting all your eggs in one basket matters
How KiwiSaver and managed funds make diversification easy - often without you even realising it
The difference between active and passive (index) investing, and how both can fit into a diversified portfolio
This episode is a reminder that investing isn’t about picking winners or predicting the future. It’s about building a mix of investments that can handle whatever comes next. If you’ve ever wondered what’s actually inside your KiwiSaver fund, and why, this is a great place to start.
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Please help us share the good word (and make Kiwis richer and smarter with money) - the more we grow, the more good we can do %) Don't forget to follow, subscribe and rate the podcast if you found it useful!

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Disclaimer: This podcast contains personal opinions and is intended to provide educational information only. It doesn't relate to your particular financial situation or goals and is not financial advice or recommendations. Simplicity New Zealand Limited is the issuer of the Simplicity KiwiSaver scheme and investment funds. For product disclosure statements please visit Simplicity's website simplicity. kiwi.

Cost of living is spiralling higher and higher - but we're here to help you tackle it. In this episode of Money Made Simple, Liv and Jennie discuss the psychology of spending, the traps that make it easier to overspend, and how to (gently) retrain your brain so your money decisions feel more intentional and less impulsive. We unpack the “Want Monster” - that little voice in your head telling you to buy the coffee, click the sale, upgrade the phone, or treat yourself because you “deserve it”.  
This episode covers:
What the “Want Monster” is, and why it's so dangerous in today's cost of living crunch
How instant gratification, social media, and constant sales shape our spending habits
Common spending traps like buy now pay later (BNPL), credit cards, interest-free loans, sales, and subscription creep
Why these habits can become even more impactful when money is already tight
Simple ways to create friction, reset habits, and make better spending decisions
Practical ideas like tracking your spending, using separate accounts, trying a no-spend challenge, and finding free ways to socialise

This episode is a reminder that money decisions are not always just about maths... they’re often about habits, mindset, and the stories we tell ourselves. You'll walk away armed with a realistic, kinder approach to spending less without feeling deprived, and some small ideas for changes which could make a big difference over time.
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Please help us share the good word (and make Kiwis richer and smarter with money) - the more we grow, the more good we can do %) Don't forget to follow, subscribe and rate the podcast if you found it useful!

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Disclaimer: This podcast contains personal opinions and is intended to provide educational information only. It doesn't relate to your particular financial situation or goals and is not financial advice or recommendations. Simplicity New Zealand Limited is the issuer of the Simplicity KiwiSaver scheme and investment funds. For product disclosure statements please visit Simplicity's website simplicity. kiwi.

In this episode of Economy Made Simple, Shamubeel Eaqub breaks down the recent surge in oil prices driven by conflict in the Middle East - and what it means for NZ households, businesses and the wider economy.

While price shocks like this are not new, the episode highlights why they may become more frequent and what we need to think about as a country, as we prepare for the future.

This episode covers:
What’s behind the current spike in oil prices, and why conflict in the Middle East has global impacts 
New Zealand’s reliance on imported refined fuel - and why that leaves us more exposed
How rising fuel costs flow through to everyday expenses like transport, groceries, and other essentials 
The difference between price increases and actual fuel shortages, and why that distinction matters 
Which sectors and regions are most affected - from transport and agriculture to provincial communities 
How households and businesses have responded to oil shocks in the past 
The role government can play, from crisis planning to more targeted support measures 
Why global instability could make supply disruptions more common in the future 
How investing in local, renewable energy could improve long-term resilience 

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clearer understanding of why fuel prices are rising, how this impacts your day-to-day costs and the bigger picture for New Zealand’s economy. Shamubeel also explores the longer-term choices we face - and why building a more resilient, locally powered energy system could help reduce the impact of future shocks.
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Please help us share the good word (and make Kiwis richer and smarter with money) - the more we grow, the more good we can do %) Don't forget to follow, subscribe and rate the podcast if you found it useful!

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Disclaimer: This podcast contains personal opinions and is intended to provide educational information only. It doesn't relate to your particular financial situation or goals and is not financial advice or recommendations. Simplicity New Zealand Limited is the issuer of the Simplicity KiwiSaver scheme and investment funds. For product disclosure statements please visit Simplicity's website simplicity. kiwi.