http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab There is no "One True Path" to emigrating. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:30 +0000 en hourly 1 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/hifx-vs-asb-on-exchange-rates/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/hifx-vs-asb-on-exchange-rates/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:44:38 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=4843 So, having opened up our US$ account, we needed to put US$10,000 into it. For the past week, I have been watching the exchange rate, and using HiFX’s online system to check how much in NZ$ it would cost me to buy US$10,000. I decided this morning after an overnight rise to make the move. [...] Related posts:

1. Watching the exchange rates like a hawk.
2. Unimpressed with HiFX
3. What’s happening with NZ interest rates?

]]> http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/hifx-vs-asb-on-exchange-rates/feed/ 0 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/opening-a-us-account-at-asb/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/opening-a-us-account-at-asb/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:30:50 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=4840 We have decided to open up a US$ account here in New Zealand. While our original UK accounts are still active, and based in the  UK, we really don’t need a UK£ account here. But the issue we have at the moment is that the shares we hold in IBM are in US$. And while [...] Related posts:

1. Avalon’s Money Thread: Revolving Credit Mortgages.
2. Avalon’s Money Thread: Moving your money to New Zealand
3. Avalon’s Money Thread: Am I a Big Spender?

]]> http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/opening-a-us-account-at-asb/feed/ 0 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/finance-challenge-not-going-so-well/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/finance-challenge-not-going-so-well/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:35:07 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=4807 “Could do better” I think Related posts:A financial challenge Kiwis don’t know much about Finance. Who would have thought? Why is it that the Media is the best place to challenge INZ decisions? Related posts:

1. A financial challenge
2. Kiwis don’t know much about Finance. Who would have thought?
3. Why is it that the Media is the best place to challenge INZ decisions?

]]> http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/finance-challenge-not-going-so-well/feed/ 2 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/the-47-rules-of-money/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/the-47-rules-of-money/#comments Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:00:23 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=4786 This appeared in the Herald on New Years Eve, written by Diana Clement. I really like her articles about personal finance, and shes well worth a read. Unlike Mary Holm, she writes about general finance and makes an awful lot of sense, rather than just bleating on about how wonderful Kiwisaver is and how bad [...] Related posts:

1. You don’t save when you have debts to pay.
2. Avalon’s Money Thread: Am I a Big Spender?
3. Paying off debt – still too hard for most people :(

]]> http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2012/01/the-47-rules-of-money/feed/ 0 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/12/charging-for-bonus-fly-buys/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/12/charging-for-bonus-fly-buys/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:39:24 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=4739 Fly Buys – the ubiquitous “loyalty” scheme that gives you points for spending money, that you can then in theory swap for flights. You need to spend about $25 in New World to get 1 fly buy – which is worked out generally to be worth 15-20c, depending on what you buy. If you get [...] Related posts:

1. Do you want Fry buys with your combine harvester?
2. Applying for a new credit card.
3. Charging 5c for plastic bags. The cheek of it!

]]> http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/12/charging-for-bonus-fly-buys/feed/ 0 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/09/the-mortgage-pig/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/09/the-mortgage-pig/#comments Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:58:46 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=4211 I was on the train today heading to the Wairarapa for the weekend, and I was mulling over our latest money saving exploits. And I was thinking about Fred’s comment and how we actually attempt to make sure that saving are just that – real savings – and that we don’t waste the money elsewhere. [...] Related posts:

1. Beating the banks with the Mortgage.
2. Would you pay your mortgage or your Sky TV bill?
3. Would you apply for a mortgage for someone else…

]]> http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/09/the-mortgage-pig/feed/ 0 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/08/where-to-save-some-money/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/08/where-to-save-some-money/#comments Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:19:32 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=4204 2 things have happened in the last month which have actually changed the way I need to handle our money – after  6 years of doing the same thing: We have a small issue this month with a new contract which pays on a different day to normal – so our income projections and bank [...] Related posts:

1. Avalon’s Money Thread: Am I a Big Spender?
2. Avalon’s Money Thread: How do I start budgeting?
3. How far would you go to save money?

]]> http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/08/where-to-save-some-money/feed/ 5 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/07/is-it-worth-moving-money-back-to-the-uk-right-now-part-1/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/07/is-it-worth-moving-money-back-to-the-uk-right-now-part-1/#comments Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:00:43 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=4034 I am actually trying to work through this myself, so I thought I would write about it as I’m going along, and see what conclusions I come to. Just so you know, I actually don’t know the answer at this point. First the reason for thinking about it: The exchange rate is historically low, running [...] Related posts:

1. Avalon’s Money Thread: Moving your money to New Zealand
2. Avalon’s Money Thread: Working out our net worth.
3. New Money Transfer company.

]]> http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/07/is-it-worth-moving-money-back-to-the-uk-right-now-part-1/feed/ 0 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/06/avalons-guide-is-on-sale/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/06/avalons-guide-is-on-sale/#comments Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:55:25 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=3830 I am down to my last few copies of Avalon’s Guide, and at this stage am not planning to do another reprint due to the costs involved. So to clear the shelves of the last remaining books – I have decided to drop the price – which also helps with the crummy exchange rate. So [...] Related posts:

1. Avalon’s Guide is now on sale
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3. Avalon’s Guide The eBook is almost ready.

]]> http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/06/avalons-guide-is-on-sale/feed/ 0 http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/02/you-dont-save-when-you-have-debts-to-pay/ http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/2011/02/you-dont-save-when-you-have-debts-to-pay/#comments Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:54:15 +0000 Avalon http://www.avalonsguide.com/anab/?p=3460 It is a fundemental rule of personal finance and budgeting: Do not save while you have debt to pay off. So why is it that the supposedly “clever” people in the savings working group want to force people to save because we have too high a level of debt? It makes no sense, in fact [...] Related posts:

1. Should you be forced to save?
2. The 47 Rules of money
3. Avalon’s Money Thread: Working out our net worth.

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