The Happy Saver Podcast - Personal Finance in New Zealand

Today I’m doing something a bit different. I thought I’d give you a little update on what Jonny and I are up to. If you've been listening for a while, you might remember that way back in 2018 I released Episode 12, It’s All About Me. Since then, The Happy Saver blog has become a bit of a diary, tracking our financial journey and the thinking behind the decisions we’ve made. The podcast, on the other hand, has always been about everybody else. But while kind people constantly tell me they love hearing other people’s money stories, I’m still regularly asked to share more of my own. So, eight years on, I thought it was probably time. This episode isn’t going to cover every tiny detail; the blog is still the best place for that, but I’ll share a few numbers, what’s changed, what we’ve learned, and where Jonny and I find ourselves financially today. It’s not easy interviewing yourself; I can tell you that much!

I had a great chat with Rose and Adam on a cold winter’s day in July, and this warm and friendly duo came to our conversation well prepared. Just over 20 years ago, they made the move from Israel to Ōtautahi Christchurch. They joined KiwiSaver early, eventually bought a home of their own, and continued investing in both the sharemarket and residential property. Mindfulness is also central to their lives. Their daily meditation practice and Zen philosophy have taught them to let go of drama, avoid dwelling on setbacks and view mistakes as opportunities to learn. That perspective is particularly valuable now as they chase down FIRE and rethink their investment strategy. While some of their investments are doing extremely well, others are performing extremely poorly. After eight years of owning rental properties, they have accepted that the strategy has not worked for them. They are now steadily untangling themselves from those investments and redirecting their money towards share investments they better understand and believe in. Throughout their relationship, they have always lived within their means and spent less than they earn. Combined with their mindfulness practice, that habit allows them to view past mistakes as tuition fees rather than failures: take the lesson, make a better decision and move forward.

Today’s guest is Olivia, a 59-year-old single woman who is on track to pay off a 30-year mortgage in just 10 years, entirely on one income. But this is not simply a story about paying off debt. It is a story about rebuilding financial safety after divorce, relationship breakdowns, solo parenting, financial mistakes, grief, and years of carrying the full load alone. Olivia shares why becoming mortgage-free matters so much to her, why she believes financial independence is essential for women, and how she changed her financial life through consistency, frugal living, tracking every dollar for 27 years, and learning to trust herself with money. This episode is honest, practical, and relatable for anyone who feels “behind” financially.

Anna has developed strong money habits through years of study, careful saving, and living well below her means. After following the traditional advice to buy a home, Anna and her partner, Thom, began to question whether home ownership really suited the life they wanted. Once they ran the numbers, they made the bold decision to sell their house, rent a home that better fits their lifestyle, and redirect their surplus income into sharemarket investments instead. Anna’s story is about much more than money. It’s about questioning lifestyle creep, rethinking housing as the automatic path to wealth, biking instead of driving, budgeting with intention, and creating enough financial margin to have real choices. She and Thom are still early in their journey towards financial independence, but they are already experiencing what it can look like in practice: breathing room, flexibility, and the ability to choose how they spend their time.

Today, we hear from Petra, whose life has taken her from the UK to Australia and then to New Zealand, with a few moves back and forth along the way. Auckland is home for now, but aged 60 and widowed about five years ago, Petra is still rebuilding her life without the love of her life beside her. She shares the deeply personal story of losing James suddenly at just 53, and finding herself forced to untangle a complicated financial life while grieving. For decades, they did what many ordinary families do: worked hard, raised children, bought houses, carried big mortgages, spent money as it came in, and often “jinked and jived” financially without any real long-term plan. It was only after James’s death, through life insurance, superannuation payouts, years of accumulated assets, and the difficult discovery of a missing will, that Petra began to understand the bigger financial picture. This was never how she imagined financial freedom would arrive. Her story is about far more than money. It is about love, loss, resilience, wills, insurance, investing, family, and learning, often far later in life than expected, how to create security, confidence and choices when life changes.

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.