Jeremy Tauri is an associate at Plus Chartered Accountants.
Jeremy Tauri is an associate at Plus Chartered Accountants.
As New Zealand moves towards a slightly more relaxed form of lockdown, many of us are starting to think about what the new world might look like. It's possible to pick up lessons from this experience.
Have an emergency fund: It's been made pretty clear tomost of us the importance of having rainy day savings. It can be hard to feel motivated to put money away "just in case" when times are good — but Covid-19 proves that there is potentially an unpredictable threat ahead at any moment.
Spend less: Many people didn't realise how much they could cut their spending until they were forced to stay home for four weeks. While you don't want a permanently locked down life, you could call on this experience in future when you need to save money quickly.
Gain efficiencies: Lots of businesses have discovered efficiencies they didn't know were there, through being forced out of the office. We're moving to new technology, and dropping in for video meetings. See what you can carry through when "normal" life resumes.
Understand investments: Many people got a shock when their KiwiSaver balances fell suddenly earlier this year. Lots of investors didn't really understand where their money was invested, or how those investments should be expected to behave. It's a good reminder to understand the risk, and why that can pay off for you over time.
Keep debt under control: If you're highly leveraged, any drop in income seems a lot scarier. This experience will remind many people that maxing out your borrowing is not always a great idea, even if things are looking rosy. There are often ways to negotiate if debt starts to become a problem.
Look for opportunities: Even in the bleakest economic times, there are chances to do well. We may not be able to see all of them yet, but this experience will prove again that there are opportunities, if you know where to look for them. Be kind: We keep being told to be kind and gentle with each other. You never know when you might need to rely on others.
Jeremy Tauri is an associate at Plus Chartered Accountants. www.plusca.co.nz
