Rnz: Your Money With Mary Holm

New Zealand's inflation rate has hovered around 2 percent for most of this century, but experts say it could reach 7 percent this year. Financial journalist Mary Holm offers some advice for people worried about how to secure their money in the face of rising inflation and wobbly sharemarkets.

Today Mary talks about why comparing returns on rental property and shares is tricky. She explains that people usually borrow to invest in rental property, and most don't in shares. Borrowing to invest is called gearing in NZ, leveraging in the US. If you borrow, you get growth on the bank's money as well as your own. So she says a geared rental property is likely to bring higher returns than an ungeared share investment. But Mary warns there are other pitfalls to think about.

Mary talks to Jesse about dividend reinvestment and how to grow your shareholdings painlessly. The idea is that instead of shareholders being given a cash dividend they are given more shares instead.

Today Mary talks about why everyone should be in Kiwisaver and how to do it well. She says that age is no barrier to having a Kiwisaver account. She also has some tips on how to keep an eye on your provider and the fees they are charging.

Today Mary Holm talks to Jesse about the New Zealand share market's current downward trend and what to do when your Kiwisaver value wobbles.

Today Mary continues her talk on money and relationships and how this time of the year can cause tension.

Mary Holm talks to Jesse about economic harm and how it affects more than half of all New Zealand women at some point.

Today Mary Holm talks about some big changes coming to Kiwisaver. From December first your provider and your risk level may change without you knowing about it. Mary shares how to find out if the changes will affect you and suit you, and what to do about it if they don't.

Today Mary looks at the 'buy now pay later' option and whether or not these are a good idea. The products are usually quite tempting as you don't pay any interest, but Mary warns there are quite high penalties for late payments.

Today Mary is talking about IPO FOMO. Translated it means Initial Public Offerings when a new stock is launched and people feel they need to invest in them because everyone else is! She talks about what you should be thinking of if you're keen on investing money in shares and IPOs.

Today Mary Holm talks about how people are doing Kiwisaver badly and how that can change. She also has some answers to listener questions sent in during previous appearances.

Mary talks about ethical investing following on from a report by The Responsible Investment Association of Australasia which reviewed the investment practices of 27 financial institutions in New Zealand.

Today Mary looks at ways to manage your mortgage in particular with an eye on interest rates which are predicted to rise in the near future.

Today Mary talks to Jesse about the money quiz and talk in particular question which many listeners believe we have the wrong answer for. Spoiler alert - we don't!

Today Mary Holm talks to Jesse about online share trading. She says research shows that nearly 40 percent of adult New Zealanders use or plan to use micro-investing platforms.

Mary Holm answers listener questions about their Kiwisaver options and personal finances.

Today Mary talks about gender differences in handling money and investing. Research shows that fewer women live from payday to payday but have less financial knowledge than me. She talks to Jesse about the research she's been looking at which also shows that women with children also have less financial know how than women who don't have any.

Today Mary Holm talks to Jesse about Kiwisaver for all non-employees of all ages.

After speaking about reverse mortgages with Jesse one of the two banks which offers them, Heartland, got in touch with Mary to argue she was being too negative about taking up that financial option.

Mary Holm talks about reverse mortgages, which are seen as a way to free up money for retired homeowners.