With inflation like it is right now, you're only marginally better off having money in the bank than you would be having it stashed away under your mattress. So, what other options are there?
Bank term investments might seem like the way to go if you want to earn the best returns on your savings. But between all the T&Cs and fine print, are they really all they're cracked up to be?
Investors largely remain concerned about interest rate levels and access to bank finance. So when will they return to the housing market, and what will be the catalyst?
"Buy anything and wait" has been all the strategy you needed to make money in property over the last few decades. But as the world enters an extended period of low growth, doing well as a property investor will require a more active approach.
The Reserve Bank has played things pretty much as expected with today’s Official Cash Rate (OCR) announcement, pushing through a 0.50% hike to take us from 4.25% to 4.75%.
I recall mentioning last year there was a good chance that the housing market would bottom out around the end of 2022 then stage a small recovery over 2023 with prices maybe rising by 5%. But then the inflation numbers came in.
After hitting us hard with one massive OCR increase after another last year, the Reserve Bank's next announcement on 22nd February is one they can't afford to mess up.
The good news? Many signs seem to indicate that inflation is starting to come under control. The not so good news? Wage pressure could send us into a wage price spiral that prolongs the battle.
Not a lot of us have a spare $1k - $2k floating around each month. So, for those of us due for a fixed rate rollover this year, how do you fill the gap?
This article is a cautionary tale for anyone feeling tempted by the recent fall in long-term mortgage rates: fixing long-term can come with some wicked hidden costs.
Let's just say that if you take a conservative approach to investing your KiwiSaver nest egg, 2022 was not a good year.
A lot of us are guilty of taking a "set and forget" approach to our savings, and that can cost us big time when it comes to returns. With interest rates on the rise, now's a great time to be rethinking your saving strategy.