Welcome! I’m Sophia, the author of Mindful with Money (@mindfulwithmoneynz). I’m passionate about all things personal finance, currently work in the NZ financial industry, and hold the NZ Certificate in Financial Services (Life, Disability & Health Insurance; General Insurance; Residential Property Lending) and NZ Certificate in Money Management. This blog is my money diary, and I hope it gives you plenty of helpful tips and inspiration on your own personal finance journey!
5 ways to learn about money - for free
Financial literacy is important. And who doesn’t love free money resources? Today I’d like to share with you where I go to learn about money and all things personal finance - without paying a cent.
How you could get 25% or $200,000 towards your first home: First Home Partner explained
The New Zealand government recently launched First The New Zealand government recently launched First Home Partner, a new shared ownership scheme to help aspiring first home buyers. So what is it exactly, and how does it work?
Cashing up your annual leave
Did you know that you can get up to a week of your annual leave paid out in cash? That’s right - of your four weeks’ minimum entitlement to annual leave every year, you can request for up to one week of this to be paid out to you in cash! Here’s what you need to know and how much money this could mean for you.
Lockdown diary #1: staying sane with books, TV & ASMR
Happy Sunday! It’s officially our second weekend in lockdown in New Zealand. Today, I’d like to share with you six things keeping me sane this lockdown, from TV and movies to books and ASMR.
How to get money back from your charity donations
Are you a New Zealander who has donated to a charity or non-profit organisation in the last 4 years? You can claim some of it back! Today I’ll be showing you how in a few simple steps.
Five books to read in lockdown
Right now, New Zealand is in lockdown due to our first positive case of COVID-19 in six months. It’s hard to describe my emotions at the moment: a mix of anxious, discouraged, optimistic, restless, determined, devastated, and content.
If you’ve also been on an emotional rollercoaster, I’d love to share with you five books to read during lockdown - five of my favourite books, and words that are perfect for this strange time we’re in.
The truth about taxes
It’s a common myth that we pay a third of our income in taxes. But not only does New Zealand have some of the lowest income tax rates in the OECD, we definitely don’t pay a third of our income in taxes!
So how much do we actually pay? Today, I’ll illustrate how income tax works and let you know how to check it out for yourself.
A $14,000 pay rise
Would you take a higher paying role that is aligned to your career path, or take a lower paying role that is aligned to your purpose and passion? Here’s what happened when I received two amazing job offers, and the exciting outcome.
My job hunting journey, interview tips & job offers
Here’s everything I did during my job hunting journey: where to find jobs to apply for, keeping track, how to ace job interviews (and come across genuine), and encouragement to keep going when dealing with feelings of rejection, doubt and failure.
Budgeting, saving, and making space for each other’s needs & wants
As a couple, my husband and I have always been extremely open and honest about money. While personal finance books constantly cite money as the #1 topic couples fight about, I feel like my husband and I have avoided this due to a few reasons:
I took it upon myself to manage our money, purely out of curiosity and eagerness to try out the tips in all the books I read;
We are both the same with money - neither much of an impulsive spender or obsessive saver;
We talk about our money goals, and are on the same page when it comes to our personal goals, careers, kids, etc;
We both contribute to our fortnightly couple's budget, allowing both of our needs & wants to be met.
Today I'd like to share with you how we do this fortnightly budget. It's super quick and easy to set up and maintain, and of course, free!
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