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from EastLife - June 2022
by Times Media
Talking point:
CUSTOM DESIGNED LETTERBOXES
It was the search for a feature letterbox to complement their new home that led Sue Collyns to come up with a creative idea of working on a custom designed letterbox. The talented artist and photographer discovered that outdoor art was a perfect medium for it.
Soon, the custom designed letterboxes were created in their Howick factory. It wasn’t long before that they became a talking point as more people were out taking walks during the Covid lockdown. Lots of enquiries later, they added three designs on their Wild on Walls website that took off with orders being shipped off all over the country. Enjoying the fact that their photography and art business is getting creative by the day, Sue can’t stop smiling as she has a stroll down her garden path installed with an outdoor garden art panel she’s created along with a custom designed letter-box.
PLANNING FOR THE
FINANCIAL FUTURE YOU WANT
Liz Brown Douglas (left) and Dianne Barlow
Are you worried about your bank balance as years roll by? Financial coaches DIANNE BARLOW and LIZ BROWN DOUGLAS from enable.me are here to help you build your retirement nest egg.
Are you feeling ready for retirement? The 2022 New Zealand Seniors Retirement Living Report revealed that almost half of New Zealanders aged over 50 don’t feel they’re prepared financially to retire at the age they want to [1] .
This isn’t surprising when you learn that most Kiwis have less than six months’ worth of expenses saved, and two in five would be unable to access $5000 if something unexpected were to happen (2022 Financial Resilience Index).
With the recent sharp rise in the cost of living, the money we’re earning or have saved in the bank isn’t going to get us as far as we might like. And worrying that you’re not going to have enough money to pay off your mortgage or get you through your retirement comfortably isn’t a great feeling.
The good news is that it’s never too early and seldom too late to start growing your wealth and planning for the financial future you want. For those who have a few years left up their sleeve before retirement and have been relying predominantly on savings, now may just be the best time to pivot and look at investing instead. With inflation predicted to continue to increase, the future buying power of any savings will decrease, so it’s worth looking at ways to make that money work harder for you.
And, if you’re still paying off your mortgage, it’s worth exploring options for repaying it off faster. The earlier you’re able to get mortgage-free, the sooner you can use that surplus cash to boost your retirement savings or put towards an investment.
Don’t even have a mortgage yet? There are ways you can grow your wealth too by seeing where you’re spending unnecessarily, where you can cut costs, and diverting that surplus money towards building a financial buffer and saving for your deposit.
Get in touch
For help in achieving the financial future you want, book your consultation with financial strategist Dianne Barlow or Liz Brown Douglas at the Botany enable.me office today.
enable.me/book-a-consultation.
1: https://www.nzseniors.co.nz/documents/article-document-new-zealand-seniors-theretirement-living-report-2022.pdf
Dogged (not dog-eared) design
PET PROJECTS: French poodles woof ‘ooh la la’, princely King Charles spaniels have a throne of their own and even weary old English sheepdogs in need of a wellearned rest are flocking home to Hommes! The ACH Collection from Hommes Studio has been turning heads in Europe as pampered pooches expect the best in opulent pet beds.
Providing a level of comfort suited to the most loved ‘fur babies’, these beds are designed to be hard-wearing with removable, washable covers. What’s more, they are produced from vegan leather, without using harmful chemicals.
No ordinary mats for our mates, these ACH Collection designs have been devised to work in harmony with interior design schemes, making them contemporary art pieces as well as practical perches for lucky pups.
In addition to beds, the range includes pet bowls, with designs ranging from functional to funky – or should that be punky? Of course coddled cats could (theoretically) make use of these products too but that’s a different ‘tail’ altogether.
ACH Collection products can be shipped worldwide; see www.achcollection.com for details.
Make the most of it.
Get monthly returns from 5.50% p.a.* that make the most of your savings, so you can make the most out of life.
Sometimes it can be hard to balance the need to save for your future, as well as enjoying the adventures that pop up every day. Our unique investment model offers you the flexibility to do both. At Southern Cross Partners, we offer mortgage secured loans that allow investors to pick and choose their level of involvement. With current returns from 5.50% p.a.* paid out monthly. Talk to us today about a new, flexible way to invest, minimum investment $10,000.00.^
To find out more, visit us online at southerncrosspartners.co.nz
* Investment rate subject to change. ^Subject to availability. Southern
Cross Partners Ltd is licensed to provide peer-to-peer lending services under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013.
LEARN. PREPARE. ACTIVATE.
BILL POTTER – Maverick Thinker. Global Speaker. Personal Power Coach. Bill has made personal presentations in 53 countries. Here is a summary of a keynote to 7,600 in Hong Kong https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToRhF22nARM
As I write this column for you at my desk, powerful music drifts all around me, inspiring me to be sure to help you believe that... not all is ‘lost’. We still have an amazing world, once we explore beyond the negativity that relentlessly dominates every headline on every platform every day. Music please. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=zKN_ pnzIM7k
As the 3Guy©, the creator of 3Law© and the designer of the 3be©, I have always treated the past, the present and the future, with equal relevance, because ‘stop living in the past’, ‘live in the now’ and ‘the future isn’t here yet’ doesn’t hack it and never will!
Since ‘time’ is a ‘continuum’ (endless) all these dimensions are part of the ‘time team’.
The ‘past’ is the time of Learning. The ‘present’ is the time of Preparing. The ‘future’ is the time of ‘Activation’. BTW. We actually ‘live’ in the future, because that is where we are heading. Imagine arriving in the future, unprepared!
Humans divided the time continuum into parts... from ‘seconds’ to ‘centuries’. So, if we want to invite ‘reality’ into our lives, we must understand that we are continuously ‘stepping into’ the future. But, it’s OK, because all three dimensions belong to our journey!
The key to a more positive, thereby more powerful you, is how you use the three dimensions to best effect. But please, start this journey now. You can. You really can. Please go to this URL and let the music play on. https://80000hours. org/problem-profiles/ Go on then. (
My LeaderSpeak© Course, will be available in late June 2022. It is only for achievers, who have the courage to inspire and lead, especially for those who have ‘lost their way’ during’ the Pandemic. I am a lifelong ‘Maverick’, so I do things ‘differently’. Many Leader courses do not! If you want to believe in yourself and a better world... contact me. Now is good! Cheers. Bill.
duitdammit@gmail.com
Cleaning with an essential difference.
@yours_nz
YOURS Eco Products
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WHAT’S UP WITH ANGELA WHY CHOOSE AN AGENT CAREFULLY?
When circumstances change and you decide to sell your most valuable asset, you should carefully consider the ins and outs of choosing an agent, says ANGELA RUDLING from Bayleys Howick.
Knowledge with experience in the area and skill in negotiation are paramount, as well as their company’s reputation. Beware, if an agent is not from your area, then they are likely pursuing you because business is a little quiet in their normal patch.
As much as it is tempting to list with an agent who offers you free marketing or low commission, it is most prudent to consider why they would do this? Ask yourself how hard will this agent work to ensure he or she achieves the very best offer rather than a quick offer?
Saving a few hundred or thousand dollars at the outset might seem tempting, however, consider these facts. The experience of a local agent to negotiate their own value by way of commission will be an indicator of how much skill they will display when they are negotiating on your behalf.
Now more than ever, area knowledge, experience, and skill are required in achieving a great price for your home, especially since interest rates are rising and banks are tightening up lending criteria. REINZ chief Jen Baird says, “The strength of an agent’s local knowledge can help sellers.”
Recently One Roof reported REINZ statistics which prove involving an agent fetched an average of 9.3 per cent more than those sold by private sales or unregistered salespeople in the last 12 months.
Reputable agents are looking out for your best interests, and an expert also knows the best ways to translate this into results. They are better able to mitigate the risk of problems and react intelligently if something unforeseen arises—saving you potential headaches.
Ultimately, expertise and experience are priceless – a smart vendor will place their best asset in the safe and capable hands of a local expert.
For anyone needing first-hand advice, please feel free to call my number below.
If a sale could be on your horizon, Angela would love to chat to you.
