"I have six or so bank accounts on the go.
"Having a specific purpose for saving makes it way more meaningful."
Dione Forbes-Ryrie, managing director at Les Mills NZ Group.
Money. It's the driving factor behind many life choices, but is it the be-all and end-all?
'Me and My Money' is a weekly feature that investigates Kiwi attitudes towards money and what drives the choices they make.
Newshub spoke to Dione Forbes-Ryrie, managing director at Les Mills about using a SodaStream to save money and waste, recycling wardrobe items to make way for new things and using multiple bank accounts to encourage saving.
Share a goal that you've set for 2020.
A couple of goals are paying off a loan I took out in 2010 to buy into Les Mills and spending four weeks in my favourite village in France.
One month in, both are looking doable.
Are you a saver or a spender?
Both in equal measure. Yes, it is possible.
You need a new dishwasher. Are you mainly driven by quality, price or both?
I do need a new dishwasher! The Fisher & Paykel we recently inherited from my late Dad stopped working after 30 years plus.
Quality and price are equally important to me: if I can’t have both, I go for quality.
Give an example of a recent purchase that you consider was great value for money:
A SodaStream. I love sparkling water, but not the single use bottles it comes in. The SodaStream is great for my wallet and the planet.
Have your buying habits changed from in-store to online?
Absolutely. I love Google and that’s where all my shopping journeys begin in terms of research.
Any repeat orders are almost always online, but I still buy the majority of my clothes and shoes in-store as the fit is critical to me.
If you've got spare money to invest, what would you invest in?
Property - preferably with the opportunity to add value e.g. a do-up.
What was your last impulse or 'fritter' purchase and how did you feel about it afterwards?
I went out to buy asparagus and came back with two pairs of shoes (and the asparagus)!
Afterwards, I had to decide on two pairs of shoes to give away to a girlfriend or charity (Dove). I have a rule that anything coming into my wardrobe needs to be matched by something being recycled out.
Do you have a household budget?
Not as such, but we have a separate account that all household expenses are paid from so we are conscious of the spend.
Does having more money increase happiness?
For me personally, yes. I know how I like to live my life and money makes that possible.
I don’t think the answer to this question is a one-size-fits-all though.
I spend time in Kenya every year and interact with many people who have less but seem at least as happy as I am.
What's your golden rule for saving money?
I have six or so bank accounts on the go (all suffixes of the one main account).
They each have a purpose, e.g. a ‘travel’ account which I put money into every pay day.
Another account is called ‘refurb’ and this is building up a fund to refurbish the place my husband and I recently purchased.
I find having a specific purpose for saving makes it way more meaningful.
How much cash do you have on you right now?
$20,000 Kenyan Shillings (NZ$306) and $1,850,000 Indonesian Rupiah (NZ$208).
Not particularly useful in Auckland, but I’ll spend it when travelling this year.