When I flicked through the Jetstar Magazine on our recent flight from Auckland to Sydney, a statistic caught my eyes. According to the Magazine’s sources, 326 couples get married in Australia every day, and on average, each spends AUD51,245. That’s a whopping AUD6.1bn...
In need of smart, no-nonsense advice to help you solve life’s common problems? It’s all here for you.
How to protect your personal data and avoid online identity fraud
The cybersecurity statistics are astonishing: According to The Identity Theft Research Center (ITRC) Annual Data Breach Report, 2022 had the second-highest number of data compromises in the USA alone in a single year. At least 422 million individuals were impacted. ...
40+ ways to cut your spending and reduce your household budget
You may have been made redundant and face financial hardship. Or you work towards achieving financial independence. Whatever your financial goal, cutting your spending is (almost) always part of the equation – at least temporarily. We’ve helped you take (and stay in)...
What to do if you are robbed while travelling
Recently on a Facebook group for digital nomads, someone posted they had just been robbed in Thailand. All their gear was stolen, and they wanted advice on what to do. The post got us thinking: (Almost) all we own is in our travel packs, each and every item has value...
Need insurance? Find a policy that suits your needs
Insurance is an integral part of managing risks. You can’t avoid unexpected events from happening, but you can limit their (financial) impact. Having insurance can massively improve a potentially disastrous situation or add insult to injury (so to speak) – if your...
21 surprising things about Japan – Know before you go
Japan is a country where the ancient and modern seemingly coexist in perfect harmony. But there's much more to the Land of the Rising Sun than meets the eye. With a rich history and complex social norms, Japan may surprise even the most seasoned travellers. In this...
How to take control of your finances and get out of debt (as quickly as possible)
Financial well-being is an important element when it comes to leading a happy, balanced life. Yet many people struggle to stay on top of their finances/live within their means – even higher income earners. Financial worries can cause huge amounts of stress and are one...
Mail Forwarding New Zealand / Australia: How to get mail when you travel
While many of us receive our bills online these days, we can’t avoid physical mail altogether. So, what do you do with letters and parcels if you travel (around New Zealand or Australia) for more than just a few weeks? How do you provide proof of residential address...
Digitise your old photos, negatives and documents with this step-by-step guide
Do you want to simplify your life but have boxes upon boxes of old photos, photo albums, and even some 35mm negatives gathering dust in your attic or garage? What about those piles of old documents in your office and the recipe clippings in your kitchen? Isn’t it time...
Could you gift differently these holidays?
Every year, in the weeks and days before the holidays (or Mother’s/Father’s/Valentine’s Day), the same frenzy unfolds: Facebook groups are full of ‘What gift should I get for … ?’, often followed by ‘They already have everything’. Retail stores are packed; parking...
An Intentional Life: Be inspired by these must-watch documentaries
Podcasts, books, (video) blogs and documentaries about intentional living (and its various incarnations) have been a great source of inspiration (and motivation booster) on our journey, and we are happy to share with you a shortlist of documentaries and television...
Goodbye Fast Fashion: How sustainably and ethically made is what you wear?
What fits into our travel packs is pretty much all we own these days. We have researched almost all our gear, and whatever made the cut fits our needs as location-independent, minimalist travellers and is sure to stand the test of time. Quality over quantity is not...
Demystifying credit cards: How to make them work for you and avoid debt
In 2020, Americans carried on average USD5,313 in credit card debt. Credit card balances in New Zealand added up to NZD6.457bn in November 2020 – about NZD1,313 for every Kiwi. While the pandemic saw people repay more credit card debt (at least for a period of time),...
COVID-19: 15+ things you can do to stay healthy and positive
As more and more people are finding themselves in self-isolation or complete lock-down in the combat against the COVID-19 pandemic (including ourselves here in New Zealand), one concern that keeps coming up in our chats with friends and family is: How to stay positive...