You can live in today’s world without coins. You can pay for goods and services with your credit or debit card, a cheque, or paper money. Before you dismiss coins as uninteresting and no longer needed by today’s society, take a look at a few curious facts about coins.The Oldest Coin The oldest coin in existence today was discovered on the coast of Lydia. This coin is patterned only on one side. On the reverse side is a punch mark. The coin maker ...more »

Is the old saying “money doesn’t buy happiness” correct? Studies show it is true that money does not buy happiness. Wealthy people might not be happy.People living in poverty might discover a brighter world if they suddenly receive a windfall or an extra income. Sudden wealth will make an enormous difference to the lifestyle of the poor; however wealth does not guarantee poor people will be happy.Whether you are rich, poor, or middle class a ...more »

The NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) allows businesses to trade carbon credits to reduce the overall greenhouse emissions in New Zealand. While households will not have to trade carbon credits, the scheme will have an impact on all New Zealand households. With all the hype in the media about the scheme, there has been some confusion about how the ETS will affect people. The following facts from the New Zealand government‘s website on climate ...more »

Winter is the season of the year when you want to feel warm and cosy when you are at home. Keeping your home warm in winter can be very expensive. Use these eco-friendly tips to help you keep warm and lower your energy bills this winter.Prevent Draughts You will be more aware of the cold weather if you are living in a draughty house. To help prevent draughts coming into your home, purchase weather stripping for your windows and draught excluders ...more »

When the Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised the official cash rate from 2.50 to 2.75 percentage points last month, the debate on whether it is better to have a fixed or a floating home loan began again. While the official cash rate remained at the all time low of 2.50 percent for so long, economists and financial planners were suggesting a floating interest rate would be the way to go. Now that it appears the Reserve Bank will raise the official ...more »