Organising finances as easy as surfing the web

By MARK FRYER

The internet-fuelled boom in international share prices may be just a fading memory, but the net still has plenty to offer anyone who wants to do more with their money.

Out in the limitless reaches of cyberspace are sites that can help you plan, save, invest, find the best deals and even complain when things don't work out.

Here are a few of the things you and your money can do on the net, and a sampling of sites that can help.

Find a term deposit

To compare interest rates on offer from banks and other institutions, try interest.co.nz, Good Returns (click on "deposit rates") or Investment Research Group (click on "Free Services" then "Deposit Rates").

Convert currency

Thousands of sites will help with this task. At The Universal Currency Converter you can convert your kiwi dollars into Bulgarian leva, Venezuelan bolivares or most other currencies.

At OANDA you can do conversions and print off a customised "cheat sheet" to take to your destination, so you don't have to haul out the calculator whenever you make a purchase (assuming rates don't change too much while you're travelling).

Get into shares

If you're keen to buy and sell shares on the internet, check out online brokers Direct Broking, Access Brokerage, or ASB Securities.

For a list of brokers who trade on the New Zealand Exchange, and links to those with a presence on the net, go to NZX.

If you want information on the ins and outs of buying and selling shares, market updates, news from listed companies or the chance to chat online with like-minded investors, try Sharechat.

Other sites for share investors include Share info, Investment Research Group, and the Herald's own Stockwatch.

And, if you want to go straight to the source, the local exchange can be found at NZX, and its Australian counterpart at ASX.

Grapple with tax

The net hasn't made tax less painful, but it has made it more convenient.

Individual taxpayers can now go to IRD to do things such as file an IR3 tax return online, ask for a summary of earnings, change their child support status, download a rebate claim form for charitable donations and obtain many other forms and booklets.

The site also has several calculators, such as the one that tells whether it's worth your while to ask for a personal tax summary, or whether doing so will just add to your tax bill.

Manage your student loan

Go to IRD Student loans and click on "Repayment calculator" to see how much you should be paying, work out how long it will take to get out of hock, and calculate how much you can shave off that time by increasing your repayments.

Other sources of information for anyone intent on getting into or out of a student loan include Sorted Students and StudyLink.

Get into a mortgage...

To compare what the different lenders are charging for various terms and amounts, try interest.co.nz, Good Returns, or Investment Research Group (click on "Free Services" then "Mortgage Rates").

The first two sites also have interest rate news, if you're trying to work out where rates are heading.

... and get out

The internet includes a vast array of calculators which allow you to play "what if" with your mortgage - what if I pay more, pay more often, pay a lump sum ...

For a dead simple version, try Consumer Online (look under "Bank Accounts" then under the "Calculators" heading and click on "Calculate repayment options").

For something a little more sophisticated, try the Herald's online calculators and choose "Repaying your mortgage earlier" for a calculator that allows you to work out the impact of changing the amount and/or frequency of your payments, or paying a lump sum. Another place is Sorted (click on "calculators" then "repayment options calculator").

Invest in a managed fund

If you're happy to make your own decisions without an adviser, several websites can help you invest without paying up-front fees.

Among them are: FundSource, MoneyOnline, NZ Investment Journal and Share info.

The same places also offer research on managed funds, articles for beginners, and regular price updates.

Investors looking to make a choice from the hundreds of managed funds on offer should also check out Morningstar.net.nz.

See into the future

First destination for anyone planning their financial future, especially if it involves retirement, is the Retirement Commissioner's site.

As well as calculators to help decide how much you'll need to save for retirement, there's a mass of information on topics such as budgeting, setting goals and choosing investments.

The retirement calculator at Gareth Morgan is one of the simplest to use if you want to play the game of "how much can I retire on if I save x dollars a week?"

Research a property

Before you put your hand up at an auction, the net can help decide whether a property really is as hot as it looks.

Quotable Value's site is the place to find (for a fee) the ownership and sales history of a single property, a street or a neighbourhood.

If you want to get in touch with other property investors, try the Property Investors' Federation site .

And if you're new to the business of landlording, the Ministry of Housing has information about tenancy agreements, bonds and handling disputes.

Stand up for your rights

If you have a beef with your bank, the Banking Ombudsman's website can help decide whether you have a case and what to do next.

For complaints against an insurance or savings company, try the Insurance & Savings Ombudsman.

For information on pursuing complaints on a host of topics, go to Consumer Online and check the "Legal Rights" section. The site also includes a collection of letters you can copy and customise to complain about a variety of goods or services.

For general advice about your rights as a consumer and how to take action, try the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and click on "advice".

* To contact Personal Finance Editor Mark Fryer write to: Weekend Herald, PO Box 32, Auckland.
Email: Mark Fryer
Ph: (09) 373-6400 ext 8833. Fax: (09) 373-6423.