Out of interest, I asked the KTC audience how their year was via Instagram. Let's go through some replies. Some raw ones there! And interestingly, 66% said that 2025 was better than expected. For all of us, let’s have a moment to reflect. Ask yourself, was 2025 better than you expected? Next, ask yourself this ripper… ‘What would I need to do in 2026 to have a GREAT year?’.

Hey thanks for listening! Please take some form of action from this content, don’t just be a consumer, become a producer! Make sure you’re subscribed to Money Mail via Keepthechange.co.nz to receive our weekly lesson on money and financial literacy. Stay close to us on social media and share this with someone that you think this content will help. Together we can collectively improve the financial literacy of New Zealand - let’s get on with it. 

Find us here:

@keepthechange_nz

https://www.keepthechange.co.nz/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blake Evans is 21 years old and generated $1.7million in revenue last month (November 2025). He's running a global e-commerce empire from his bedroom.

Blake breaks down the reality of making serious money online, selling his car to fund his business, losing most of his friends, and the journey from working at Wendy's to earning more in a month than the top 1% of Kiwis make in a year.

We cover the loneliness of entrepreneurship, why he doesn't care about haters anymore, and how posting lifestyle content brings in new audiences. Plus his advice: pick something and stick to it instead of jumping between shiny objects.

Most people his age are worried about assignments. Blake's worried about scaling to eight figures.

Find Blake: https://instagram.com/blakeevansnz

Amy from http://Levridge.co.nz has come on as a sponsor of Keep The Change to help people with their financial planning.

Stuck? Find Amy : [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy.levridge

Website: https://www.levridge.co.nz

Generate are supporting my vision to improve the financial literacy of 100,000 kiwis by sponsoring Keep The Change. Cheers Generate. Head to https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/change/ to find out more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this year a statistic from a Censuswide survey said Kiwis are checking their devices up to 50 times an hour. Another report said people get around 146 notifications daily. Recently, Gmail rolled out a new feature: you can now see all the email lists you’re subscribed to in one place. One glance, and you’ll probably realise you are subscribed to way more junk than you thought. I am!

Hey thanks for listening! Please take some form of action from this content, don’t just be a consumer, become a producer! Make sure you’re subscribed to Money Mail via Keepthechange.co.nz to receive our weekly lesson on money and financial literacy. Stay close to us on social media and share this with someone that you think this content will help. Together we can collectively improve the financial literacy of New Zealand - let’s get on with it. 

Find us here:

@keepthechange_nz

https://www.keepthechange.co.nz/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Half the stuff you buy, you can't actually afford. But debt dealers have found a way to break down payments so your future self can pay for today's bad decisions.

Luke and Mikey explore what would happen if all consumer debt was banned tomorrow: new car sales would drop 80%, white wear would last 15-20 years instead of 7-10, and people would focus on skills and experiences instead of stuff they can't afford.

Debt is a form of slavery. You're pledging your future self to pay for things you want now. Meanwhile, buy now pay later increases average order value by 40% because people add extra items when they're not paying real money.

The cage is disguised as convenience. You think you're using their money, but they're using your behaviour to make you spend more.

Stop being the bank for your future self. The journey matters more than the transaction.

Amy from http://Levridge.co.nz has come on as a sponsor of Keep The Change to help people with their financial planning.

Stuck? Find Amy : [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy.levridge

Website: https://www.levridge.co.nz

Generate are supporting my vision to improve the financial literacy of 100,000 kiwis by sponsoring Keep The Change. Cheers Generate. Head to https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/change/ to find out more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I headed into BDO to talk with their interns about what uni doesn’t teach you:

- How not to get stuck in survival & status mode

- How most people don’t like their jobs (and how to avoid that)

- Using your interests outside work as your advantage

- Money traps: debt, status spending & trying to look successful

- What freedom really is and how to start aiming for it now

If you’re a student or grad who wants more than just a paycheck and a job title, this is for you.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks to everyone who came along to KTC Unplugged 2025. Here's some thoughts from behind the scenes and some insights from the night.

Hope to see you at the next one!

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If everything you do is safe and predictable, then the outcome will be safe and predictable too. This was a tough life lesson for me to accept. But it seems to be very common nowadays that a lot of people expect extraordinary outcomes with zero actual risk. There’s nothing wrong with these choices, but they’re safe choices. You can’t reasonably expect unsafe rewards from safe behaviour. Our lack of eduction OR acceptance of this can lead to envy.

Hey thanks for listening! Please take some form of action from this content, don’t just be a consumer, become a producer! Make sure you’re subscribed to Money Mail via Keepthechange.co.nz to receive our weekly lesson on money and financial literacy. Stay close to us on social media and share this with someone that you think this content will help. Together we can collectively improve the financial literacy of New Zealand - let’s get on with it. 

Find us here:

@keepthechange_nz

https://www.keepthechange.co.nz/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan breaks down his journey from employee to business owner: 12 years working for others, multiple failed attempts at partnerships, and finally finding a seller in Ashburton. We cover the 8-year vendor finance deal that made it possible, why his house losing $45K in value didn't stop him, and how he's now building the practice he always dreamed of.

The reality? Most optometrists stay employees forever. Ryan refused to accept that path, even when deals fell through and relationships ended. He kept pushing until he found the right opportunity.

From Specsavers pathway programs to independent practice owner, sometimes the long way around is the only way that works.

We cover cash flow challenges, paying loans with after-tax income, building community connections, and why small town optometry beats city employment. Plus his next vision: owning a deer farm while running his practice.

Twenty years from childhood dream to business reality. Persistence pays off.

Find Ryan:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-o-connor-827a9562/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanoconnornz/

Website: https://www.asheye.co.nz/

Amy from http://Levridge.co.nz has come on as a sponsor of Keep The Change to help people with their financial planning.

Stuck? Find Amy : [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy.levridge

Website: https://www.levridge.co.nz

Get tickets to the 2nd annual in person 'keep the change unplugged' event: https://www.ticketmaster.co.nz/keep-the-change-tickets/artist/3925924

Generate are supporting my vision to improve the financial literacy of 100,000 kiwis by sponsoring Keep The Change. Cheers Generate. Head to https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/change/ to find out more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most first home buyers think they need 20% deposit and will take 8-16 years to save it. Meanwhile, house prices keep rising faster than their wages.

Jared from Tamaki Regeneration breaks down shared home ownership. We cover how it works with banks, why it's not a scam, and how families are getting keys to new homes in 2-3 years instead of waiting decades.

There is hope. You just need to know where to look.

Find Jared

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-partridge-21615694/

Website: https://tamakiregeneration.co.nz/

Amy from http://Levridge.co.nz has come on as a sponsor of Keep The Change to help people with their financial planning.

Stuck? Find Amy : [email protected]

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy.levridge

Website: https://www.levridge.co.nz

Get tickets to the 2nd annual in person 'keep the change unplugged' event: https://www.ticketmaster.co.nz/keep-the-change-tickets/artist/3925924

I believe 100,000 kiwi with better financial literacy will create a better New Zealand. The Generate KiwiSaver Scheme are helping me reach this goal. Cheers Generate. Head to https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/change/ to find out more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most employees think their boss is “making a killing.” In this episode, I break down the hidden costs of running a business, the real risks owners carry, and why comparing your hourly rate to what the client pays is a massive misunderstanding. Strap yourself in.

Hey thanks for listening! Please take some form of action from this content, don’t just be a consumer, become a producer! Make sure you’re subscribed to Money Mail via Keepthechange.co.nz to receive our weekly lesson on money and financial literacy. Stay close to us on social media and share this with someone that you think this content will help. Together we can collectively improve the financial literacy of New Zealand - let’s get on with it. 

Find us here:

@keepthechange_nz

https://www.keepthechange.co.nz/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.