Your Money and careers writer for the NZ Herald
We are your advocate, Aotearoa. Uncovering stories that matter, asking hard-hitting questions of those in power, live-blogging sport events, monitoring the highs and lows of the NZX and providing Premium expert opinion and analysis. Bringing you distinctive, quality journalism and breaking news from across New Zealand and around the world. With specialists working together to create indepth reads, engaging video, and unmissable podcasts.
Diana Clement: How to have a thrifty Christmas
Having a thrifty Christmas in New Zealand doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice joy.
Diana Clement: Why do smart people make dumb financial decisions?
OPINION: Turns out the human brain is not well evolved to handle money.
Diana Clement: Mortgage rates are falling ... but should you lower your repayments?
OPINION: Don't go rushing into grabbing those lower interest rates just yet.
Why get-rich-slow strategies often work - Diana Clement
OPINION: People chasing quick bucks don't know how experienced 'boring' fund managers are.
Diana Clement: Would you pay for goods with your face?
OPINION: Criminals are already finding ways to get around facial recognition security.
Diana Clement: How to boost your returns amid falling term deposit rates
OPINION: The OCR cut bringing lower returns is the other side of the coin.
Diana Clement: Doom Spending and Stealth Wealth? The in-trend financial jargon
OPINION: The creation of new financial terms has gone into overdrive.
Diana Clement: The wealth destroyers you should be aware of
OPINION: The behaviours that sabotage your chances of building savings.
Diana Clement: How to avoid being caught out by NZ Super rules when retiring overseas
OPINION: Lessons from readers.
Diana Clement: How to get NZ Super while living overseas
There are special rules for going to Australia and the UK.
Diana Clement: Getting back into work after a break
OPINION: Tips to help you not sell yourself short.
Diana Clement: How to beat the buy now, pay later debt trap
OPINION: BNPL can lead vulnerable Kiwis into impulsive buying and debt.
Diana Clement: How to handle your child’s first Eftpos card
OPINION: Arming your child with their first Eftpos or debit card is a scary move.
Diana Clement: How ethical are your KiwiSaver investments?
OPINION: KiwiSaver funds have quietly invested in industries that cause significant harm.
Diana Clement: How to compare KiwiSaver funds
OPINION: It’s important to understand the pitfalls of switching KiwiSaver.
Diana Clement: The pitfalls of travel insurance for older travellers
Travel accidents can be expensive at all ages but insurance tends to rise in cost.
Diana Clement: How neurodiversity impacts financial decisions
OPINION: Financial services providers need to consider their neurodiverse clients' needs.
Diana Clement: How apps are teaching kids about money
OPINION: New digital banking apps are revolutionising kids' financial learning.
Diana Clement: Open banking is getting closer - what you need to know
OPINION: Bank customers in particular need to educate themselves about what this means.
Diana Clement: Where there is a will there is a way
OPINION: You don’t need to be rich to leave a little something to charities when you die.
Diana Clement: Where to go when you have a complaint
OPINION: There are free services in NZ that can help with all manner of complaints.
Diana Clement: How to stop shame tempting you into poor financial choices
Many people feel the need to borrow to get the latest phone to keep up with their friends.
Diana Clement: How a small nudge could give a big boost to your finances
OPINION: Nudging isn’t about forcing us to do things. It’s about how choices are framed.
Diana Clement: Comfort around money is vital to financial wellbeing
OPINION: Managing money well can be key to financial wellness.
Diana Clement: Deep fakes and the new frontier in scams
OPINION: Deep fakes are already fooling real humans.
Diana Clement: Can women overcome the motherhood penalty?
OPINION: Women have to ask the hard questions to get change.
Diana Clement: Tips for teaching your teens not to spend
OPINION: Every child and young adult is different with money.
Diana Clement: What you need to know about the right to repair movement
OPINION: Who hasn’t thrown out a perfectly good item because it couldn’t be repaired?
Diana Clement: Preparing you and your KiwiSaver for a market fall
OPINION: Never say never when it comes to predicting market declines.
Diana Clement: The pitfalls of travel insurance if you want to ride a scooter overseas
OPINION: Read this before you hire a motorcycle or moped on holiday.
Diana Clement: Managing money using digital budgeting
OPINION: A cluster of new and updated budgeting apps have launched in New Zealand.
Diana Clement: Caring for old people and their money
OPINION: Financial exploitation of older people is a big problem in our country.
Diana Clement: Is crypto investing taxable?
OPINION: Crypto investors need to keep on top of their records.
Diana Clement: Is crypto just another 'bubble'?
OPINION: What to look out for when dealing with cryptocurrencies.
Diana Clement: Why a digital disruptor could offer a better deal than your bank
OPINION: There's a growing number of digital accounts available from disruptors.
Diana Clement: Check under the bonnet, you may have a KiwiSaver tax leakage
OPINION: Why it's not just fees and returns you need to keep an eye on.
Diana Clement: How to bank better so your money goes further
OPINION: Banks make billions from us. So why not get a bit back?
Diana Clement: Are you guilty of ‘harmless’ fraud?
OPINION: 'Harmless' fraud is a crime we all pay for.
Diana Clement: Tax and the gig economy
OPINION: Knowing your tax obligations when it comes to side hustles.
Diana Clement: Why managing your money on autopilot will cost you
OPINION: Don't go on autopilot with your money.
Diana Clement: How to find extra cash to beat inflation
OPINION: Inflation is biting - so how can you combat it?
Diana Clement: Insurance snag - when is an e-scooter a motor vehicle?
OPINION: Is your electric scooter or bicycle covered by your contents insurance policy?
How the pandemic changed the rules of personal finance
OPINION: Four years ago, no one considered the toll Covid-19 would take.
Diana Clement: Rise of AI changing the way we live
AI technology is going to impact the way we deal with money in the near future.
Diana Clement: Make 2024 the year of the better credit rating
OPINION: Cleaning up your credit is a good place to start new year.
Diana Clement: How to spend nothing for a month
OPINION: Avoiding dining out or ditching single-use shopping items are just the start ...
Diana Clement: How to slash your grocery bill
OPINION: Five of the top columns of the year from Diana Clement.
Diana Clement: Lessons I learned in 2023
OPINION: Every year there are new concepts and jaw-dropping moments.
Hero to zero? Buyers cautious about Auckland's stunning cliff-top homes after slips
Property values took a hit as a result of extreme weather events.
Diana Clement: Beware fake Boxing Day sales
OPINION: The best bargain is often the one you don’t buy.
Diana Clement: What to do if you've maxed on credit
OPINION: ‘Tis the season to be maxed out on credit.
Diana Clement: Why you shouldn’t buy joke Christmas presents
OPINION: Sudoku toilet paper anyone? Scented candle?
Diana Clement: Biggest money mistakes people make when Christmas shopping
OPINION: Every year, retailers have a field day regarding our psychology at Christmas.
Diana Clement: Giving the gift of financial literacy
OPINION: Board games can help foster financial skills.
Diana Clement: The pain of paying for aged care
OPINION: A very basic room in a care facility can cost $1350 or more a week.
Diana Clement: Is that really saving money or just confirming what you believe?
OPINION: What to look out for.
Do meal kits really save you money?
Meal kits are a convenient, fast way to produce a tasty dinner. But what about the cost?
Diana Clement: How to DIY your KiwiSaver
OPINION: There are a few providers who make this product available.
Diana Clement: How to get off the mortgage hamster wheel
OPINION: Slowly paying the mortgage off has become a bit of a forgotten art.
Diana Clement: Talk isn’t cheap - how to pay less for your phone
OPINION: It’s always worth comparing prices.
Diana Clement: How green are your investments?
OPINION: Companies may have a net-zero target. But is that target in 2025 or 2070?
Diana Clement: How to earn more and spend less
OPINION: Make changes within your abilities and financial situation.
Diana Clement: Why holiday jobs aren’t just about the money
OPINION: The right one can be a life-changing experience for students.
Diana Clement: The legal minefield of the bank of mum and dad
OPINION: For many families, it works a treat.
Diana Clement: How much are you paying in 'lazy tax'?
OPINION: Banks make money from our complacency.
Diana Clement: How to make your money go further on holiday
OPINION: Tips on accommodation, transport and insurance.
Diana Clement: How to get the best deals on flights
OPINION: International travel is affordable again; here's how to save some money.
Diana Clement: Don’t replace it, repair it
OPINION: New Zealanders grew up repairing everything, what happened?
Diana Clement: How to make the most of free money advice
Opinion: Banks aren’t always the big bogeyman that some feel they are.
Diana Clement: A high interest rate means more bang for your savings buck
OPINION: Term deposits are currently quite generous.
Diana Clement: How to get better with money
OPINION: Focus on your finances and come out the other side in better shape.
Diana Clement: ‘I can’ are two of the most powerful words
OPINION: Too often we limit ourselves by thinking “I can’t”.
Diana Clement: How to streamline your supermarket spending
OPINION: Now is the time to think longer and harder about the food we buy.
Diana Clement: A matter of life and death - how to pay for your own funeral
OPINION: Even just being cremated can cost a few thousand dollars.
Diana Clement: Why can’t banks be open about open banking?
OPINION: They have it in Australia and the UK but why not here?
Diana Clement: The perils of having too many eggs in one basket
OPINION: Best to take a hit on 10 per cent of your savings than 100 per cent.