What changes when you talk to us
In everyday life, topics such as KiwiSaver, mortgages, insurance, saving, and planning for the future come up in conversation.
We can help you move from general thoughts and questions to a structured view of your position and your options. Sometimes this leads to small adjustments. Other times, it means reconsidering your approach. Either way, we work through it with you.
After our conversations you will have a straightforward written view of where you stand now and practical options to help you decide what your next steps are. Many people tell us that after talking things through, decisions that felt overwhelming start to feel manageable.
How we think about money
We’re not here to remove enjoyment from your life or to police your spending. Our focus is on whether you feel you are managing your money in a way that brings you the most value. In our conversations, we'll consider:
Your past
and how your experiences shape your habits and views about money now.
Your present
and where your money is going, including what genuinely adds to your life and what doesn’t.
Your future
and the kind of life you want and how your current decisions support that.
How we work with you
We understand that navigating personal finance can be challenging, especially with the societal and structural forces at play in our lives. You might be wondering who you can trust when it comes to getting advice, questioning long held beliefs about money, or feel too overwhelmed to make a decision about what you want to do next. We help you gain clarity and confidence.
One-to-one sessions
In our confidential one-to-one work, there are usually two steps:
Step 1 – our conversation
In our one-to-one sessions, you can expect:
● Questions to help us understand your position and what you’re aiming for.
● A discussion about the possible options available to you, including their risks and trade-offs.
● Time to ask questions and ensure that we’re explaining financial concepts and jargon clearly.
Step 2 – your summary and follow-up
A clear written summary of your position, the main options, and their risks and trade-offs after our meeting. As part of our service, we offer a follow-up session once you’ve had time to review this, so we can discuss further questions and ensure you have what you need to take your next steps.
You do not need perfect spreadsheets or polished questions. We may send you a document to collect some information before we meet. This is simply to collate what you can, so you’re not relying on memory during our discussion. Clients often find this process helps to focus their thoughts and questions.
Group sessions
We offer group sessions through Community Education Centres and for the staff of not-for-profit organisations and small businesses in Christchurch.
We can tailor these sessions to cover any financial topics including managing your KiwiSaver, reviewing your finances, and preparing for the future. There is always time for questions and discussion, and we offer participants the option of a confidential one-to-one follow-up session.
What "unfiltered" means to us
“Unfiltered” does not mean harsh or sensational. It means:
- We are open about how we arrive at our guidance.
- We explain the pros, cons, and assumptions behind different options.
- We are not limited to discussing only certain products or providers.
- We are willing to say when something aligns with your goals and when it doesn’t, and why.
- If something is outside our expertise or scope, we will tell you and help you think about where to go next.
We’re not here to tell you what to do, but to help you think clearly and act in line with your own goals and values.
Our aim is to give you time and structure to think through important money decisions before they become urgent problems, and to support you in making considered choices.
What we do not do
To stay within our legal and ethical boundaries, there are things we do not offer:
- We do not sell financial products, and we do not receive commissions or referral fees.
- We are not a licensed Financial Advice Provider and we do not provide regulated financial advice. We do not design complex investment schemes.
- We do not provide legal or tax advice.
- We are not a crisis financial mentoring service. If you are in immediate financial hardship, we recommend that you contact Money Talks immediately.
When regulated or specialist advice is needed, we will tell you and, where possible, describe the type of professional or service to look for. Our conversations are about helping you understand your situation and options so that, if you do seek specialist advice, you can use it more effectively.