Survey reveals more Kiwis concerned with weight loss than retirement

Are you more concerned about losing weight than about saving for retirement? Photo / Getty Images

What worries you more - losing some extra weight or having enough money in the bank to retire comfortably in the future?

If you answered losing those few extra pesky kilograms, it turns out you are definitely not alone.

According to a new survey, Kiwis are spending more time worrying about how to lose a few more kilos than they are by the concept of not having at least $100k in their retirement fund.

The survey of 1000 New Zealanders by National Capital, which offers personalised KiwiSaver advice, shows that 67 per cent of Kiwi women aged 18 to 65 said weight loss was their top goal for the next six months.

Only 28 per cent of them had planning for retirement as a priority.

And 57 per cent of men surveyed said weight loss was also their main goal, with only 19 per cent having retirement planning at the top of their to-do list.

National Capital founder Clive Fernandes said it was "concerning" that Kiwis were unprepared for retirement, when evidence shows that they aspire to achieve a better standard of living in retirement than can be supported by superannuation.

And it turns out we'd rather pay for a personal trainer than get financial help as well. The survey showed both men and women are more likely to get personal training or therapy than financial advice, such as from a KiwiSaver adviser.

According to a Massey University study, you should have around $100k in your KiwiSaver account by the time you're 30 to be on track for a comfortable retirement.

Newstalk ZB host Kerre McIvor says women should be saving more for retirement. Photo / Jason Oxenham

That would involve saving just over $145 a week from age 18 to 65.

Is learning the guitar or improving your Spanish high on your to-do list? Apparently, 46 per cent of Kiwis would rather learn a new language or take up a new instrument than sort out their retirement as well.

Newstalk ZB radio presenter and journalist Kerre McIvor believes retirement should be more of a priority for Kiwis, "especially women".

"It's tough enough being old. Imagine how much worse it would be to be old and poor. Yet, when it comes to planning for our retirement, three in four of us, myself included, are putting it off until we are closer to 65 which is too late," she says.

"Ladies, we need to take care of ourselves - the same way we take care of other people and with the same focus that we put on getting fit.

"We think we'll do it one day, and then all of a sudden one day is here."

The Government started the Kiwisaver scheme in 2007. It's since seen around 2.8 million members join across around thirty different schemes.