By DITA DE BONI
For a nation of financial underachievers, what could be more apt than a slew of programmes teaching us how to better spend our money?
The latest instalment in the "Idiot's guide to ... " series is the state broadcaster's It's Your Money (Thursday, 7.30 pm, TV2) a half-hour of rapid-fire advice on how to cut corners and maximise your disposable cash, fronted by a young, go-getting team of vaguely asthmatic-sounding presenters.
Maybe they're on speed, or just excited about what they're saying. Whatever, take away the goggle-eyed excitement and panting, and there seems to be some fairly decent advice in this 30-minute grab-bag of fiscal flubber.
Last week's Money threw together an eclectic mix of pointers, geared at an audience which seemed to try to encompass everyone from teenagers to young mothers to wizened antique hunters.
First came best auction tips, where we learned you would not end up paying for $5000 worth of gear simply by scratching your nose in view of an auctioneer. Phew!
It seems a common complaint of auctioneers is that participants think a nod or wink is enough to guarantee their participation in the bidding frenzy.
As the teacher once said, "Raise your arm, so I can see it."
Second came a segment on the merits and disadvantages of scooters, skates and skateboards (with the obligatory warning about helmets and kneepads thrown in).
Perhaps the entire problem with our national approach to spending is that young 'uns are more likely to buy a $600 pair of in-line skates than pay off their student loans, but then that's a whole different programme. Perhaps Mary Lambie's anti-cappuccino propaganda vehicle Money Doctor?
The last segment concerned cost-effective party planning, which could probably have made a whole programme in itself.
But it was most alarming to see host Scott Cleaver attempting to blend in at a kids' birthday party, and sequences stolen wholesale from the TV2 stablemate programme Weddings.
In a nod to the nation's growing interest in the stock market, two stilted women from ASB securities and DF Mainland update the audience on imaginary portfolios of speculative and conservative stocks.
Unfortunately, unless you watched the first few episodes you may not know why the particular stocks had been chosen.
And it would be nice to see more analysis of the reasoning behind betting on a particular portfolio. It may not break down into shiny sound bites such as, "After all, it's your money" but explaining why, for example, certain technology stocks will survive the Nasdaq's dip, or why many iconic New Zealand companies are shifting their primary listing to the Australian Stock Exchange, gives people the contextual knowledge that they need to be more than flippant stock-market dabblers.
Most endearing about Money overall are its presenters, who make a nice change to the fogies usually wheeled out to comment on matters financial. Geoff Stagg in particular is natural, easy on the eye and well under 70 years old.
If only the programme would "hold up, waiddaminute" and explore the issues in more depth - a criticism which could be levelled at almost every show - it might manage to give a wider range of viewers food for thought.
Financial tips on television's newest money programme
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