This month we are wrapping up the year together with a few light Q&A about the year that was and what is to come.

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What are you looking forward to in 2023?

Lance - Surfing in Hawaii

‍Brendon - Looking forward to ticking off some running goals and having some overseas adventures

‍Ben - More tramping and exploring, kicking it off with 2 weeks of walking in January down the west coast.

‍Tania - To have a more settled year family wise (and maybe a big holiday?)

‍Elizabeth - Getting married to the coolest guy and getting to see friends that are coming from overseas to attend!

‍Willie – Training for and running my first road marathon!

Dean - Watching my children continue to blossom into wonderful humans

Shona - Buying another property.

Manisha - Looking forward to a fresh start!

Graham - I'm looking forward to continuing the incremental changes put in place in 2022 (and surfing more)

Rebecca – Travelling overseas again!!!

Suzanna - Wedding planning for 2024 & all Velocity Financial has instore.

Joshua - Oversea travel - can't wait to visit Europe!

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What is one thing you have learnt this year that surprised you?

Graham - The one thing that continues to surprise me is the power of small incremental behaviours... the personal impacts of personal compounding interest

Shona – A blue whale can make a fart big enough to fit a horse in it.

Simon – I’m more resilient than I thought.

Joshua - How much I enjoy playing golf haha

Bella – That my interest rate predictions from last year were not even close....

Ben - The house buying process is actually a bunch of people just doing their best and that it is by no means a perfect regulated process.

Lance - You can't do everything.

Manisha - I can do more than I know.

Suzanna - I can fit a lot into my schedule, if it’s important to me. “I have no time” is not really a thing. If it’s something I want to do or achieve, I will find time for it.  

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What was your most played on Spotify - go.

Willie - May Bygraves - You're a Pink Toothbrush (my girls love singing along to this)

Manisha - Chris Brown - Under the influence (no surprises)

Lance - Runnin' by David Dallas

Bella - No Surprise – Daughtry

Simon - Short history of...(podcast)

Graham - Alabama Shakes seems to have taken out my Spotify tracks of the year

Shona – Toots and the Maytals Radio

Ben - Un Nouveau Soleil by M83

Joshua - Try Again - Andy Shauf

Willie - May Bygraves - You're a Pink Toothbrush (my girls love singing along to this)

Dean - Daylight by Miskeyz

Brendon - I have developed a new fan crush (is that a thing or is it just a bit creepy) on Alicia Keys..  however, I do play her songs to my wife, so I think that is OK.

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You have $50k, what do you invest in now?

Willie – Memories with my kids.

Joshua - Hummus, it's going places.

Graham - 50K would be invested today in a growth orientated managed fund

Lance - Property.

Ben - Managed funds, focusing on clean energy and water. Putting some in individual tech stocks that have taken a hit in the last quarter.

Tania - My house - renovations ($50k won’t get me far though!)

Brendon - Getting my mortgage paid off and then turning my attention to retirement funds (however that $$ might need to go on a new roof??)

Elizabeth - A managed fund that matches your risk tolerance, investing for your future, or if you are all set then for your children's future. This would be diversified, accessible, has a clear goal and can even be ethical if that's up your alley!

Dean - A globally diversified equity portfolio and take a long-term approach

Shona – Elizabeth and Dean will help me with that!!

Manisha - Deposit for a new build, he he..

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What financial decisions are you proud of this year? What will you do differently next year?

Dean – Proud of my new retro bike, as it will go up in value. Next year what I will do differently is stop buying bikes.

Shona - Next year I am getting my financial plan done, and I can’t wait. Just to have that confidence and security is going to feel huge. I am very excited.  

Ben - Buying a house, it is great knowing I'm a good financial risk! Spend less on lunches next year would be nice, but damn those kebabs are tasty.

Manisha - Proud to have purchased turnkey but wish I had done more shopping around as I think I could have got a better "deal”, but we just wanted a house!

Brendon - I bought a new car that was good value for money and will do me fine for the next 10 years, rather than paying for something I don't really need.

Lance - a. Actually, spending money on renovations to my home to make it more enjoyable to live in and b. Spend less on handbags and shoes.‍

Joshua - I didn't impulse spend $30k on a new motorcycle haha

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Favourite place to eat in Wellington.

Suzanna - Lucky Chicken (Best vegetarian gravy!)

Graham - Favourite place to eat is currently Damascus in Tory St

Simon - Aroy Thai, Lower Hutt

Bella - Either Taste of Home (Vivian Street) or Sunday Cantina (Kapiti Coast)

Joshua - Soul Shack, best chicken in Wellington!

Tania - Bella Italia, Yellow Chilli, Pickle Jar (great brunch)  

Lance - KFC (I also like the ones out of Wellington)

Brendon - My go to has been the "Mr Go's" ...  "The Old Quarter" ...  "Hide Out"   (casual Asian fusion feel) in 2022. I think it might be a bit "2020's" though so looking for a new culinary challenge for 2023.

Elizabeth - Swagat India in Brooklyn is the tastiest Indian food my side of Wellington at least, it's the most common takeaway when I'm too tired to cook!

Willie – On deck with my wife and kids.

Dean - Mr Go’s

Shona - It is still Sweet Mothers Kitchen on Courtney. The milkshakes and curly fries are everything. Especially after a movie at the Embassy on the big screen.

Ben - My favourite recently closed down so I will be perusing everyone else's list for recommendations, but Thai Chef is definitely up there.

Manisha - KFC which ever one is closest #wickedwings4life

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What's your pick for interest rates in 2023?

Brendon - I think at this time next year a discounted 1-year fixed rate will be sitting at around 6.50%

Graham - Interest Rates end of 2023, Fl 8.7%,  1 year 8% , 2 year 8.1%.

Bella - 1 year @ 7.40%

Ben – 5.6%

Suzanna - I think they will spike again mid next year and then level out around the mid 7s by this time next year.

Joshua - 5.8%

Manisha - 4.45% by the end of the year.

Tania- Between 6.5% and 8% - 1 -5 years

Dean - I wouldn’t like to guess, maybe if Santa is kind to Adriane, he will pass on the good cheer next year…

Rebecca – 9%

Lance - 7%

How did we do from our interest rates and house prices predictions from last year? Erm.... you be the judge! Read them here

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Give us a quote to inspire us.

Dean - “Life is a great adventure or nothing at all.” Helen Keller

Shona – “The answer to the pain is in the pain.” Rumi.  

Bella – “There is no "right time" - there is just time and what you choose to do with it.” Rachel Wolchin

Elizabeth - “Friendly reminder; On the days you only have 40%, and you give 40%, you gave 100%"

Simon - "Life's pretty short. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it". Ferris Bueller

Willie - “Don’t dream of winning, train for it!” — Mo Farah

Ben - “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” Babe Ruth

Graham - “Pain plus reflection equal progress.” Ray Dalio.

Rebecca – “You can’t pour from an empty cup”.

‍Joshua - "The more you wake up to who you are, the more unbearable it becomes to be who you are not.' Unknown

Lance - "What's normal for the spider is chaos for the fly " Morticia Addams.

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