The Prosperity Project

Buying your first home can feel impossible, but you may be closer than you think. Mortgage adviser Michelle Isemonger joins Nadine Higgins to explain how to prepare before applying for finance, what banks are looking for and whether you really need a 20% deposit. They also cover pre-approval, KiwiSaver, auctions, insurance, buying with friends, credit card limits and the common mistakes that can derail a mortgage application.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The OCR has risen, but does that automatically mean your mortgage rate will rise with it? Economist and commentator Bernard Hickey explains what really drives fixed mortgage rates, why New Zealand’s banks remain exceptionally profitable, and whether the Reserve Bank has moved too soon while the economy remains weak. He also decodes the jargon surrounding monetary policy — including hawks, doves, neutral rates, LVRs and DTIs — and considers whether New Zealand can build a functioning economy without relying on house prices to keep climbing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Casey from Rewiring Aotearoa says solar can now pay off faster than many households realise, but the biggest savings come from understanding how your home actually uses energy. From gas hot water to EVs, batteries and green loans, Mike and Nadine break down what to weigh up before going electric.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Think back to 1996. Dial-up internet, bulky desktop computers and no KiwiSaver. Investing looked very different. And most New Zealanders had never even heard of Exchange Traded Funds. In this special episode of The Prosperity Project, Nadine Higgins sits down with PJ Harding to explore 30 years of investing in New Zealand, how access has changed, and how kiwis can get started on their investing journey to build wealth for the future. For 30 years, Smart’s been helping New Zealanders invest and grow their wealth, including launching NZ’s first Exchange Traded Fund back in 1996.  Find out more at smartinvest.co.nz This episode is brought to you by Smart.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government currently spends about a billion dollars a fortnight on superannuation payments, it's a growing problem that we're running out of time to address. So who shouldn’t be counting on getting the pension in future? Shamubeel Eaqub, Simplicity chief economist and head of policy, joins Nadine Higgins with some hot takes about the future of NZ's pension scheme and his thoughts on proposed changes to KiwiSaver.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Landlords, capital gains tax and the future of property investing. Owner of 43 properties and founder of Opes Partners, Andrew Nicol, joins Nadine Higgins to explain why he thinks mum-and-dad investors have become an easy political targe and why he still has faith in housing despite the market slump.  He also shares his thoughts on what New Zealanders should be doing to prepare for retirement and where he stands on the idea of a capital gains tax.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SpaceX has gone public in the biggest IPO in history, with OpenAI and Anthropic expected to follow. Together, the three companies could be worth more than US$3 trillion. So are they the investment opportunity of a lifetime, or the next great tech bubble? Fisher Funds portfolio manager Sam Dickie joins Nadine Higgins to break down the hype, the risks and what investors need to know.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could an old job be holding money you’ve forgotten about? In this episode of The Prosperity Project, Nadine Higgins speaks to NZBritannia founder Alun Rees-Williams about the UK pension money many Kiwis lose track of after working overseas. Some people discover multiple pension schemes from different jobs, and in rare cases, the amounts can be life-changing. They discuss why these funds are so easy to forget, how UK pensions differ from KiwiSaver, what to consider before transferring money back to New Zealand, and why the worst mistake is simply losing track of what exists. Even if you’ve never worked in the UK, it’s a useful reminder to keep tabs on every retirement account attached to your working life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The IRD is ramping up crypto enforcement and some investors are discovering they owe tax on gains that have long since disappeared. Crypto tax specialist Tim Doyle joins Nadine Higgins to explain why even small investors are now in the IRD's sights, the mistakes that create nightmare tax bills and what to do if you've fallen behind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us enter negotiations with a level of awkwardness and trying not to sound greedy. It's not the strongest tactic, but nor is making demands based on your perceived value.  Negotiating expert and founder of Sheer Negotiations, Noa Sheer, joins Nadine to share her advice on how to handle everything from salary reviews to buying a house, The pair discuss the psychology behind successful negotiating and why women often undersell themselves before the conversation even starts. There are simple mistakes that could cost you thousands, and a few tricks that could help you reach your negotiating goals. Noa also explains why 'winning' isn’t always about money, and how understanding what really matters to both parties can completely change the outcome.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealanders owe 9.5billion dollars in overdue tax, with small business owners and the self-employed most likely to get behind. Director of Future Focused Accountants, Catriona Knapp, joins Nadine to explain what can go wrong if you don't get on top of your tax obligations and why it's better to face the debt head-on than bury your head in the sand.  With the IRD cracking down on collecting overdue tax, now is the time to school up on what you need to know to avoid a knock on your door from the taxman. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interest rates are rising again, fuel prices are climbing and many homeowners are wondering what to do next. But according to Squirrel mortgage adviser Adam Clark, too many Kiwis are focusing on the wrong things. In this episode of The Prosperity Project, Adam joins Nadine Higgins to unpack the psychology of mortgages, why obsessing over tiny rate differences can backfire, and the financial habits that quietly cost borrowers hundreds of thousands over the life of a loan. They also dive into refinancing, cashback offers, fixing strategies, mortgage structures, EV lending and the dangerous temptation of “cheap debt”. Plus: Why banks hike rates before the Reserve Bank moves The truth about cashback “free money” Why fixing for the shortest term isn’t always smartest See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's one thing to talk about money, and and something else entirely to talk to it. But for Rachel Davies, that shift changed everything. Rachel and her Hi Money co-founder Angela Meyer join Nadine to unpack the emotional side of money. From avoidance and binge spending to deeply held beliefs about luck, scarcity and security, they argue most of us don’t have a knowledge problem, we have a relationship problem. They share the therapy-style exercise that reframed their thinking, why so many people still rely on “it’ll work out somehow”, and the hidden costs women face, from the wage gap to the pink tax.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.