Author page: Rheo Vargas

With my first grandchild on the way, I found myself drawn to the baby department in Farmers looking at all the things a modern baby needs. Tiny singlets. Miniature gumboots, and lots of other things that I don’t recall even existing when I had my daughter. And because I can’t quite switch off the accountant…

Money conversations between couples usually go wrong when they start with blame, or when they don’t happen at all. Research by Drs John and Julie Gottman shows the first three minutes set the tone. Start gently, ask what money means to your partner, and talk regularly, not just in a crisis. “You are screwing with…

An unexpected vet bill hits hard because it can feel like a test of how much we love our animal. Stress narrows our thinking, so an emergency fund buys clear thinking as well as money. Without savings, talk to your vet early about options, staged treatment and payment plans. Last week, my beautiful boy Jett…

Before buying an investment property, budget for more than the mortgage, including rates, insurance, repairs, empty weeks and interest rate rises. Keep good records from day one, get independent tax advice before you sign, and make sure you could still afford it if things don’t go to plan. I remember going to a property investment…

Using your business bank account for personal spending makes it hard to see how your business is really doing, and it creates a mess at tax time. Keep a separate business bank account, pay yourself a set amount into your personal account, and ask your accountant to help untangle anything that’s already mixed. One of…

Getting paid feels hard for many small business owners because asking for money can feel personal. Set clear payment terms before you start, follow the same reminder process for every customer, check your debtor list regularly, and remember that asking to be paid for work you’ve done is simply completing the transaction. I had a…

There’s a particular kind of relief that comes from swiping a card when you’re short. The bill gets paid. The groceries make it to the counter. The petrol tank gets filled. Whatever crisis was sitting in your chest a moment ago quietly dissolves, at least for now. That relief is where a lot of debt…