The Happy Saver Podcast - Personal Finance in New Zealand

This episode shares the story of Emma, a solo mum who, from the outside, appears to have it all together: a home of her own, strong finances, and a clear plan for the future. But behind that picture is years of hardship, resilience, and determination to rebuild her life after leaving an unhealthy marriage. She is now rebuilding from a much stronger foundation, describing her life as being in “financial rehab,” making up for lost time as she steadily rights her waka and moves into calmer waters. Through grit, determination, and a series of deliberate, intentional steps, she has rebuilt her confidence and created a safer, more stable life for herself and her children. Emma chose to share her story to help other women who may be feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin. Her journey is a powerful reminder that change is possible, step by step, and that with the right support, courage, and practical action, you can work your way toward safety, stability, and a future where you truly believe: I am going to be OK.

Back in November 2017, in Episode 04, I sat down with Rachel and David. They had reached financial independence long before the term was widely used, doing it through property and achieving what many Kiwi investors dream of: owning a portfolio of rental properties outright, spending little time managing them, and living off the income. They had around $3 million in equity across their rental properties, not including their own home, and a lifestyle built on freedom, travel, and choice. It was one of the first real examples I’d seen of property generating enough income to fully fund a life. Eight years later, their story has taken a very different turn. They’ve moved away from property and into the share market, with the help of a plan they took the time to properly understand and make their own. We talk about why they made the change, how they approached it, and what it looks like to shift from one asset class to another without losing sight of the bigger picture. Rachel and David are a great reminder that money is not just something to protect and preserve, but something that can be used to create freedom, joy, generosity, and a life well lived. As they said to me at the end of our chat: “We have abundance.” And it’s pretty special to hear what that looks like in real life.

Emily and I first met over email and via one of my Phone A Friend chats back in late 2023. Like me, she loves regional Aotearoa and everything it has to offer. She’s happily ensconced in the Taumarunui community, and she has exactly the right attitude to thrive in a small town. She gets stuck in, makes things happen, and helps out whenever needed. She owns a tiny house on rented land and works a variety of jobs. From a young age, Emily decided that financial independence was essential to her. Since the age of 19, she has stood on her own two feet financially, and she told me that doing so is essential to her well-being. She has never been a high earner, but she has paid her own way regardless. More recently, she has invested time in her financial education, and that has led to her investing her money too. She’s focused on living a vibrant life today, while also planning for a secure future. By sharing her own journey today, she hopes to be the catalyst that inspires others to take control of their money and build a life they absolutely love, as she has.

I really enjoyed creating this episode because it explores a form of investing that doesn’t often feature heavily in the wealth-building stories I usually share. I spoke at length with Lilly about the successful property investment business she and her husband, James, built together, and what struck me most was the intention behind it. This wasn’t accidental landlording, but a strategy grounded in maths, business savvy, long hours, and consistent hard work. The more I learned about how they deliberately grew their rental portfolio, the more I wanted to share their story as an example of how property, when done well, can be incredibly lucrative. I have no doubt this conversation will leave many listeners reflecting carefully on their own investment property decisions.

In today’s episode, I had the great pleasure of speaking with Carla. She lives in a small regional town in the South Island with her husband and their three children. Carla’s story is about money, but it’s also about health. I don’t think I’ve spoken with someone with quite the mix of things going on that Carla has, but listening to such a wide variety of people share their money journeys on this podcast has given her the courage to make some big changes in her own life, because she knows that no two people manage money the same, and you do what works for you and your whānau. Her story is about stress. It’s about values. And it’s about what it can look like to protect your relationships, while also protecting yourself. Carla and I have been emailing back and forth for quite a few years now, and those emails tell a story I absolutely love to witness: the slow, steady progression of thought over time. It’s like watching someone move from, “I should probably look at this,” to, “Oh wow, I’m actually doing this,” to, “This is now how I live.”