Seven rules to fix your personal finances

Setting yourself up for life financially can be done with seven easy steps. Photo / Thinkstock

I opened my email inbox this morning to find a raft of personal finance news from around the world.

But there was one which stood out the most for being simple and yet it could make a big impact on your life.

Telegraph writer Andrew Oxlade has put together a list of the seven rules he would follow if he had just one day to set up his personal finances.

You can see his list here.

Here's an adapted version for Kiwis:

Step 1
Make a will.

Step 2
Pay off your credit cards and loans. Then close the accounts: this is the most expensive debt for most of us.

Step 3
Set term life insurance if you have a family to support. Shop around to get the best deal.

Step 4
Join KiwiSaver and put in at least $1043 per year to ensure you get the maximum tax credit from the government of $521. That's $521 of free money from the government every year until you turn 65 (or they change the rules).

Step 5
Put aside emergency savings to allow you to live for up to six months should you lose your job or face any other event which forces you to face a sudden loss of income.

Step 6
Buy a house if you want to live in a house and can afford it.

Step 7
If any of this confuses you, or you have something special going on (retirement, tax issues) get professional financial advice from a reputable adviser.