As this will be our last article for 2023, I felt it prudent to acknowledge just how much change has happened this year. From the massive and lingering impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, to moving out of COVID response structures, to continued fiscal pain and high interest rates, conflict in the Middle East and continued conflict between Russia/Ukraine, even a change in Government with the first ever 3 party coalition – it has been a very turbulent and uncertain year, and one I imagine many will be glad to see the back of.

As we roll ever-closer to that time of year where many of us will be hosting family and loved ones, our minds turn into lists. Festive gifts, who’s arriving when, items we need to get in that last stock-up shop before the big day (if you’re the kind to brave supermarkets this close to C-Day), and of course; some kind of run sheet for preparing the feast.

The halcyon days of Airbnb are over. The company has strayed far from its affordable, humble roots of offering up someone’s spare room, to now outstripping both the Hilton and the Wyndham combined in worth – and we are all caught up in the consequences of it.

Sometimes it is good to remind ourselves of the ‘essentials’ of financial planning. While markets are unpredictable, the strategies we take to account for this are very well documented and often very repetitive – as the late American economist Paul Samuelson noted, investors should only find a thrill akin to watching paint dry or grass grow.

Here’s a timely reminder ahead of the festive season: Placing pressure on yourself to ‘treat’ your whānau will only cause you more stress during what should be a joyful time.

It is Fraud Awareness week, so it seemed only fitting to focus on scams in this article. Scams have come a long way; if nothing else, you must hand it to scammers when it comes to ingenuity. They are the undisputed champions of spin.

Amid other debates, this year’s General Election has provided fertile ground for economic speculation. Who will commit to what for tax or fiscal policy, essential services, education, social support structures… all lined up against the backdrop of what any of this might mean for New Zealand’s economic outlook.

Holding wealth in cash makes people comfortable. We like to feel we control things, so having cash in the bank helps us feel in control of our finances. Keeping cash is accessible and carries little perceived risk to investors. After all, cash is king…

Have you ever wondered the cost of happiness? There’s a report on that. Or, more accurately – the S Money report details the point of income satiation from countries around the world, using data from a Purdue University study (among other sources).

No one likes to feel like they are missing out on a good thing.

Our brains are constantly comparing our reality to our expectations or goals, and when that doesn’t line up, it can get uncomfortable.

Time is a scarce and precious resource that we all have. It is finite, irreversible, and uncertain. We cannot create more time, undo what we have done with our time, or know for sure how much time we have left.

It’s that time again; Election 2023 is here. We the people have the chance to vote for who we want to lead our country – namely, who will steer the ship while we navigate out of the current stormy waters.

The world market cap essentially shows the ‘split’ of world markets, using the market price per a company’s common share multiplied by the number of common shares outstanding.

Many sayings have a second part which goes unsaid. For example, “curiosity killed the cat” is followed by “and satisfaction brought it back.”

The paradox of hedonism refers to the practical difficulties one might have while pursuing happiness and pleasure; the concept that if you are consciously chasing happiness, it becomes harder to find and maintain as other things get in the way.

Opposition leader Christopher Luxon has ruffled some feathers recently with comments regarding New Zealand being a “negative, wet, whiny, inward-looking country.”[i]

Lifestyle creep is insidious. It refers to the increase in discretionary spending when one’s standard of living improves – and it’s not all luxury goods.

Stewart Group has been providing advice for over 36 years. This month we are celebrating 20 of those years spent in partnership with Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA).

If you wanted to build a home to shelter you and your family in future, you would consult experts and skilled, certified professionals to get the job done.

If there is one thing we know from history, it is that people are vulnerable to hype – be it positively or negatively geared.