Radio host Sam Wallace on the cost of staying in the spotlight – Money Talks

Coast FM host Sam Wallace.

Is a hair transplant tax-deductible?

Broadcaster and Coast FM morning host Sam Wallace is keen to find out.

Wallace cites his newly follicled scalp (transplanted at a clinic in Sydney) as one of his most indulgent recent purchases.

“I took that money out of the tax account. So that will come and haunt me at some point,” he jokes.

It’s definitely a career-enhancing move, Wallace argues.

“Hopefully, that keeps me relevant for a long time. It’s 100% deductible. Well, that’s what will be passed on to my accountant, he might say something different!”

Wallace, a former children’s TV presenter, weatherman and TV breakfast host, still maintains a strong focus on video with the content he produces for social media.

He certainly takes a multi-media approach to his career these days.

“I talk between songs is what I do. And I try to engage audiences as much as possible. That’s across Coast, which is an absolute joy to be a part of with two wonderful hosts [Toni Street and Jason Reeves].

“But I’m also very passionate in terms of video creation. I love making videos so I’m a film-maker and I love doing that.”

Wallace describes himself as someone who is careful with money ... until he isn’t.

“I think my parents set me up with good habits in terms of: you need to put away money and everything like that,” he says.

It’s just harder now that he is a parent, he says. Wallace has three young children.

“I surround really good money decisions with really bad money decisions,” he says.

“I’ll make good decisions for a long time. Then make a really stupid purchase.”

He compares his financial approach to that of his fitness regime. You do all the hard work so you can indulge every now and then, Wallace says.

“That’s exactly how I run the training. I’m not a complete miserable bastard the whole time. I’ll be miserable for a time and then I’ll go on holiday and then I’ll completely let my hair down,” he says.

“But for me, that’s what it’s all about. Then it becomes a treat. I think my philosophy on food, and I know this is not a food podcast, but it’s about getting it right 90% of the time, so you really can enjoy the stuff you do when you relax.”

Wallace is currently launching a new business that brings his passion for fitness and training to the fore.

It’s an exercise training app which is directly targeted at parents with really busy lives, he says.

“We’re old, my wife and me. I’m nearly 45, and we have three young kids. But we’ve been able to maintain the shape of our bodies and get in the best shape of our lives through this whole process by making a few decisions.

“So we’ve developed what’s called The Body Blueprint.”

Wallace hopes to launch the app in November.

“We’re really passionate about seeing people change their lives for the better in terms of their health. And this is something we’re pretty excited about.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more from Sam Wallace.

Money Talks is a podcast run by the NZ Herald. It isn’t about personal finance and isn’t about economics - it’s just well-known New Zealanders talking about money and sharing some stories about the impact it’s had on their lives and how it has shaped them.

The series is hosted by Liam Dann, business editor-at-large for the Herald. He is a senior writer and columnist, and also presents and produces videos and podcasts. He joined the Herald in 2003.

Money Talks is available on iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.