I was fortunate my parents taught and encouraged me to save from a young age.
For some, circumstances make it very difficult, if not impossible, to save as they struggle to clothe, house and feed their families on the income they earn.
For those in either camp, those who are not naturally savers or those struggling to get by, Tauranga Budget Advice's latest scheme could help greatly.
The Government-backed pilot scheme, believed to be a New Zealand first, will involve budget advisers managing all or some of their clients' income so they can save a deposit for their first home.
As house prices soar and living costs increase while wages fail to keep up, it is a service sorely needed.
According to QV the average Tauranga property value last month was $466,378, meaning the average 20 per cent deposit buyers have to come up with is more than $90,000.
That's a huge amount to save - a daunting amount.
Any advice on how best to manage your money to enable you to save enough should be grabbed with both hands.
The service will not only help people get into their own home but hopefully teach them to continue saving and managing their money well into the future.
An outside adviser can also pull you up on that extra and unnecessary spending and make you think twice before deciding to buy those new boots - a valuable service even for those who do save.
The scheme is one of the few real solutions available right now to help renters get into their own home.
My only fear is that people will be too embarrassed to take up the offer. I hope I am wrong.
I encourage anyone considering making use of the free service to swallow their pride and give it a go.
