Does money buy happiness? I think it does, in part. That doesn’t mean we’ll all be miserable unless we have a $1 million bank balance, but most of us know that the absence of money worries is an important prerequisite to happiness.
It’s a simple formula – get your personal finances in order and you’ll remove a source of stress that can block your path to personal happiness.
Helping Kiwis lay the foundations for financial wellbeing is the goal of this year’s Money Week, 1–7 September. It’s New Zealand’s second national Money Week – participating organisations all over the country will be encouraging us to make a date with our money and start putting money worries behind us.
The first step on your journey to financial satisfaction might be having a conversation about money and your goals with someone close to you. If you want to take a step further and find out more about managing money well, a wide range of interesting seminars and ‘how to’ sessions are being held for people of all levels of financial knowledge during Money Week.
That makes Money Week a great opportunity to get involved in your community. Last year, Kiwis from Kaitaia to Bluff took part in over 100 events, and this Money Week is set to be even bigger. Check out moneyweek.org.nz for events in your area.
There’s no stopping you holding your own event either. If you’re part of a group that wants to get involved with Money Week, or you want to do something for you and your colleagues, check out the website for ideas. We have a step-by-step guide to ensure events inspire people to take charge of their money and get ahead. From money morning teas to teaching your own kids how to budget, there are many creative ways to get involved with Money Week and get smarter about your finances.
So, with the start of spring, it’s a good time to use Money Week as an excuse to spring clean your finances – removing a bit of stress that might be getting in the way of happiness.
Sorted is New Zealand’s free independent online money guide. It offers free booklets, material for seminars that you can run for your own organisation, and calculators to help you make financial decisions at sorted.org.nz. For more on Money Week, see moneyweek.org.nz.
