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Auckland Blues next home game on the 22nd of March at Eden Park, the
tickets include VIP entrance to the ground and corporate lounge along with
excellent seats for the game.
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go in the draw, to be drawn on Tuesday 18th of March
Thinking about health insurance?
There’s no denying that buying health insurance can be daunting. It’s hard to
know what type of insurance suits you best, what amount of cover you
should get, and what’s just a big waste of money. So here are 10 things to
consider when thinking about purchasing health insurance.
1. Tell the truth: Your insurer can cancel your policies and decline your
claims if they discover you've lied in your application. So if you’re a smoker,
don’t pretend you’re not!
2. Consider the big picture: While policies with limited cover are generally
cheaper, and thus more attractive, think about what you’d do if you had to
front up with $10,000 for knee surgery. Remember, insurance is there to
cover the things you can’t.
3. Disclose everything: When applying for health insurance, tell them
everything… whether it’s a symptom, treatment, or medical condition you
already have. Otherwise be prepared to fight for your claim.
4. Type of insurer: There are two types of health insurers in New Zealand –
those owned by shareholders and those owned by members. Shareholderowned insurers have to return profits to their shareholders, so either have to
be more efficient or pay out lower claims.
5. Understand what’s covered: There are some things that won’t be covered
under your policy. Make yourself familiar with these.
6. Keep an emergency stash: Even if you’re insured, you’ll still need some
emergency cash with most policies, as you can be up for 20-40 percent of
the cost.
7. Avoid blanket exclusions: Some insurers will try to pressure you to accept
blanket exclusions from your policy. For example, if you have a cough while
making your application, you might be encouraged to exclude any claims in
the near future related to your chest. Don’t!
8. Switch for lower premiums: Some people constantly switch between
5. Understand what’s covered: There are some things that won’t be covered
under your policy. Make yourself familiar with these.
6. Keep an emergency stash: Even if you’re insured, you’ll still need some
emergency cash with most policies, as you can be up for 20-40 percent of
the cost.
7. Avoid blanket exclusions: Some insurers will try to pressure you to accept
blanket exclusions from your policy. For example, if you have a cough while
making your application, you might be encouraged to exclude any claims in
the near future related to your chest. Don’t!
8. Switch for lower premiums: Some people constantly switch between
insurers in search of the cheapest deals. It may save you money, but if you
have an existing condition that you weren't aware of, you could lose your
cover.
9. Constantly review: As you age, your needs change. Buying an ultra-cheap
basic policy might not be too much of a risk when you’re 25. But when you’re
50, the risk rises dramatically. It’s highly recommended that you review your
health insurance policies at least once every year.
10. Don’t wait: As you procrastinate, the chances of you developing preexisting conditions increases. And then it could be too late!
Are men or women better at managing money?
The battle of the sexes heats up with the age-old question over who handles
their finances the best. A recent study by Financial Finesse, an American
company offering financial counselling services, shows stark differences in
the ways men and women feel about money. The firm analysed more than
3,000 responses to an online financial planning questionnaire, revealing
trends regarding spending, saving and investing.
Each statement is followed by the percentage from each sex who responded
positively to the statement.
I have a handle on my cash flow, so I spend less than I make each month.
• Women: 51 percent
• Men: 71 percent
I regularly pay off my credit card bills each month.
• Women: 36 percent
• Men: 61 percent
I pay my bills on-time each month.
• Women: 74 percent
• Men: 90 percent
I have an emergency fund to pay bills for a few months.
• Women: 34 percent
• Men: 53 percent
I have a general knowledge of stocks, bonds and mutual funds.
• Women: 40 percent
• Men: 70 percent
I am confident that my investments are allocated appropriately.
• Women: 24 percent
• Men: 40 percent
We’ll let you interpret those results for yourself.
I have a general knowledge of stocks, bonds and mutual funds.
• Women: 40 percent
• Men: 70 percent
I am confident that my investments are allocated appropriately.
• Women: 24 percent
• Men: 40 percent
We’ll let you interpret those results for yourself.
Financial tips for children
Helping your children brush their teeth in the morning and helping them with
their homework is the easy part. Teaching them how to manage money is a
little more difficult. These days most schools don’t offer much in terms of
teaching basic money management skills, so by giving your children a few
simple skills on how to save and handle money, they are likely to be more
confident and better equipped to handle the temptations of a growing
consumer society.
Here are a few financial tips and ideas:
Teach them from a young age. These days children are constantly being
bombarded with advertising for new toys and junk food, so it’s never too early
to start.
Give them an allowance. In order to learn about money, it’s important they
have the opportunities to practice with real money. Even a small allowance of
$1 per week teaches the value of saving.
Make them earn it. Instead of just handing your child an allowance, teach
them that their money must be earned by giving them responsibilities, such
as washing dishes or tidying the backyard. You could also encourage your
children to earn above their allowance by babysitting for friends, walking the
neighbour’s dog or even getting a job at the local supermarket.
Open a savings account in your child’s name where they can deposit the
money they earn. This will teach them about interest and the value of putting
money aside each month. You could even give them an incentive by
matching their savings.
Help them make a budget. When they grow up and leave home they’ll need to
be able to stick to a budget, so teaching them the importance of budgeting
early will help them in the long run.
Help your children establish goals. Many bad spenders suffer from an “I need
it now” attitude, which can be avoided by creating goals. If there is a new toy
they want, help them set up a savings plan so they know exactly how much
they’ll need, and how long it’ll be before they've saved enough.
Allow your children to make mistakes. If they spend all their allowance on a
frivolous purchase and then come to you looking for money (and they will),
don’t just hand it over. Instead, use it as an opportunity to teach them that
there are financial consequences that come along with spending decisions.
By consistently reinforcing these financial tips with your children, they will
develop a healthy understanding of money management – a great asset for
it now” attitude, which can be avoided by creating goals. If there is a new toy
they want, help them set up a savings plan so they know exactly how much
they’ll need, and how long it’ll be before they've saved enough.
Allow your children to make mistakes. If they spend all their allowance on a
frivolous purchase and then come to you looking for money (and they will),
don’t just hand it over. Instead, use it as an opportunity to teach them that
there are financial consequences that come along with spending decisions.
By consistently reinforcing these financial tips with your children, they will
develop a healthy understanding of money management – a great asset for
when they grow up.
Please feel free to reply to [email protected] with any questions or
comments you may have regarding the above publication. We can also be reached
by [(09) 480 7980]
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DISCLAIMER. The above publication expresses the views of its writers. It should be used as a guide
only when deciding on an appropriate interest rate strategy for home loan.