Money Made Simple

In this episode of Economy Made Simple, Chief Economist Shamubeel Eaqub unpacks why insurance has become one of the fastest-rising costs in NZ, and what that means for the assets we most need to protect.

Insuring everything you own would now swallow close to 15% of the average income, and with disasters growing more frequent, Shamubeel argues the days of leaning on a government bailout may be numbered. He explains how to keep meanin...

There’s no shortage of money info out there. Everyone seems to have something to say about budgeting, investing, mortgages, KiwiSaver and more.

But how do you know what’s helpful, what’s marketing, what’s just someone’s opinion, and when you might actually need personalised financial advice?

In this episode of Money Made Simple, Liv and Jennie unpack the surprisingly important question of...

In this episode of Economy Made Simple, Shamubeel Eaqub takes a moment to unpack NZ's mid-2026 economic outlook, from the fallout of the war in Iran to signs of a tentative peace.

With inflation pressures building, interest rates trending up again, and an election year adding noise, Shamubeel separates the cyclical shocks from the structural challenges Aotearoa NZ still needs to face.

This episode covers:

• Why the tentative truce i...

Buying your first home can feel exciting, overwhelming, and full of unfamiliar jargon, forms and deadlines. In this episode of Money Made Simple, Liv and Jennie break down the first-home buying process into three key stages: getting your finances ready, making an offer and doing your due diligence, and understanding what happens from going unconditional through to settlement.

This is a practical, plain-English guide to help ...

In this episode of Economy Made Simple, Shamubeel Eaqub chats with journalist, author and personal finance expert Susan Edmunds about KiwiSaver, the questions New Zealanders are asking, and why getting the basics right still matters.

Susan has just written a book about KiwiSaver, based on the questions people regularly ask her - from choosing the right fund and contribution rate, to hardship withdrawals, first-home access, fees, sel...

Retirement can feel like something to worry about “later” - especially when you’re in your 20s or 30s. But every decade comes with opportunities to improve your financial future.

In this episode of Money Made Simple, Jennie and Liv talk about what retirement planning looks like at different ages and stages of life. From making the most of KiwiSaver early on, to checking whether you’re on track in your 40s and...

In this week's episode of Money Made Simple, Liv and Jennie tackle a topic that deserves some airtime: the finances of self-employment. Nearly 1 in 5 Kiwis work for themselves - and the financial scaffolding that employees take for granted simply doesn't come with the territory. They break down what that means in practice, what to set up early, and how to make sure your future self doesn't miss out.

This episode covers:

• The scale...

In this episode of Economy Made Simple, Shamubeel Eaqub sits down with journalist and publisher Bernard Hickey to talk about how economic stories are told, why trust in media matters, and what’s changed in journalism over the past few decades. Bernard reflects on the major economic shifts in NZ, how his own views on markets and capitalism have evolved, and why good reporting still matters in a world shaped by social media, mi...

In this episode of Money Made Simple, Jennie sits down with Barry Coates, CEO of Mindful Money, to unpack what ethical investing really means and how Kiwis can put their KiwiSaver and other investments behind the values they care about. Barry brings decades of experience from the UK and NZ ethical investment communities, and more recently founded Mindful Money as a charity to give New Zealanders free, comparable information on what...

 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 cont...

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 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 t...

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...

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...

In this episode of Money Made Simple, Liv sits down with Annè Lensink from Villa Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors to break down “Accounting 101” for everyday Kiwis. Whether you’ve got a side hustle, are freelancing, or just feeling a bit unsure about tax, this episode helps make sense of the basics in plain English.

Annè is a Chartered Accountant based in Northland, known for helping people und...

Note for listeners: This episode was recorded just before the recent escalation of conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran. While those developments are likely to influence the global and local outlook, the economic trends and data discussed here remain relevant to understanding the current state of the New Zealand economy. 

In this latest episode of Economy Made Simple, Shamubeel Eaqub takes a step back to look a...

In this week's episode of Money Made Simple, Liv and Jennie tackle a surprisingly common KiwiSaver question: how do you switch providers, and is there a “right” time to do it? They break down what happens behind the scenes with your provider and the IRD, why switching can be a smart long-term move (without trying to time the market), and the most common worries that stop people from taking smart action.

This episode cove...

In this episode of Money Made Simple, Liv and Jennie unpack a stubborn and confronting reality: the retirement savings gap between men and women. While the gender pay gap has narrowed in recent years, the KiwiSaver gender gap remains - and in some age groups, it’s even widening.

With International Women’s Day in mind, this episode dives into the data behind the gap, why it exists, and what it means for women’s fina...

In this episode of Economy Made Simple, Shamubeel Eaqub breaks down inflation in plain English, explaining what’s actually driving rising prices in NZ and what households can realistically expect in 2026.

Inflation has dominated headlines and kitchen table conversations alike. From groceries and electricity bills to mortgage rates and job prospects, Shamubeel explores why the cost of living still feels intense, even as headlin...