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!

Home ownership Sophia Golfinopoulos Home ownership Sophia Golfinopoulos

The costs of owning a home

What costs do you think of when you think of buying a house? It's so easy to simply think of the purchase price and mortgage payments - plus mortgage protection for peace of mind. Today, I thought it would be interesting to share what I pay for now that I own a home vs. when I was renting, and hope it will be helpful to both other homeowners and future homeowners!

Read More
Home ownership Sophia Golfinopoulos Home ownership Sophia Golfinopoulos

My personal home buying experience (Auckland, New Zealand)

In 2017, I ticked off one of my bucket list goals: to buy a freehold property. And by tick off, I mean literally – it had long been written in my kikki.k Bucket List Journal, alongside goals like ‘Go to Japan’, ‘Try anti-gravity yoga’, ‘Go to Tomorrowland in Belgium’ and ‘Fly a plane’. Needless to say, it was a dream come true.

After I shared the news, I got asked more or less the same questions from friends & acquaintances alike. So I’d love to share my home buying journey and what it was like, as a recount of my personal experience.

Read More

Follow me on @mindfulwithmoneynz

 
How we're saving money as a young family 👶 - Not upgrading our home yet or going on big holidays until both children are 5+ - Weekends with one no-spend day, one affordable café day - Borrowing most books, swapping toys - Meal planning ea
Mindful with Money 3rd edition is HERE! Grab your copy from the link in my bio - PDF or physical copy ❤️ Mindful with Money is a memoir about my personal finance journey - from being a broke 21 year old living paycheck to paycheck, drowning in cons
Sharing a recent money win - and options to help if you also have little ones in ECE! 👶
Tax refund or tax bill? Here's how to read your income tax assessment, which IRD is sending out to you between now and July! 💸 Remember: if you or a loved one has ever received support from the government - via public healthcare, student loans/allo
In NZ money news this week: government announcements, the average KiwiSaver balance, first home buyers' deposits, and more 💸 #newzealand #nz #moneynews
I've shared how I'm investing for my children's financial future - here's the why ✨️ Fun fact: all 3 of my children's investments are run by certified ethical B corps 🤍 Let me know if it's helped with ideas for investing for your own children!
Some of the changes happening tomorrow! How will these changes affect you? If so, for better or for worse? Would love to hear your thoughts 💸
Around 143,000 families will receive an extra $50 per week to help with rising fuel prices, the NZ government announced today. These families will already be eligible for the In-Work Tax Credit under the Working for Families Tax Credits scheme - in
Our EPAs sorted! ✔️ This has been on our financial to-do list forever, so it's a relief to have it done. Thankfully, our life insurance provider subsidised $1000 of the cost of this as part of their legal advice benefit! Do you have an EPA, or do y
Financial green flags in our relationship, and part of how I knew he was The One ❤️ What financial green flags do you look for in a partner?
Are you financially 'average'? From NZ's average household income to average savings, I decided to delve into some stats today - a fascinating look at how we're doing as a country! 💸
In NZ money news this week: the cost of living, longer prescriptions, changes to Best Start, KiwiSaver hardship withdrawals, and property asking prices 💸