Talk Money: December 18, 2015

Tony Field (Paul Henry)
Tony Field (Paul Henry)

The Force Awakens was expected to break records - and it has.

Disney says the film set a new opening day box office record in New Zealand, earning just over $1.55 million at the box office.

The studio says that breaks the record set by The Avengers, which earned $1.022 million when it was released on Anzac Day in 2012.

The expectations have been huge for the film. Disney gained the rights to the Star Wars franchise when it bought LucasFilm in 2012 for more than US$4 billion.

Analysts believe the film could break the global box office record currently held by Avatar.

According to Guinness the current unadjusted global top 10 is:

1. Avatar (2009) US$2.78 billion

2. Titanic (1997) $2.18 billion

3. Jurassic World (2015) $1.68 billion

4. The Avengers (2012) $1.51 billion

5. Furious 7 (2015) $1.46 billion

6. Avengers: Age of Ultron $1.40 billion

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011) $1.34 billion

8. Frozen (2013) $1.27 billion

9. Iron Man 3 (2013) $1.21 billion

10. Minions (2015) $1.57 billion

THE REAL BOX OFFICE CHAMP

Some people would argue that Avatar is not really the biggest box office hit of all time.

Why?

Inflation. Ticket prices have risen a lot over the years.

If you adjust for higher ticket prices the global box office top ten looks like this:

1. Gone With the Wind (1939) US$3.44 billion

2. Avatar (2009) $3.02 billion

3. Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope (1977) $2.82 billion

4. Titanic (1997) $2.51 billion

5. The Sound of Music (1965) $2.36 billion

6. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) $2.36 billion

7. The Ten Commandments (1956) $2.18 billion

8. Doctor Zhivago (1965) $2.07 billion

9. Jaws (1975) $2.02 billion

10. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) $1.81 billion

DO NOT BE SCAMMED

We are all busy this time of year - and unfortunately if you are not careful you can end up being scammed

The Banking Ombudsman Nicola Sladden says you should not leave your wallet unattended in your bag on the beach, in the pool changing sheds or any other unsecured place.

That might sound obvious, but every year her office deals with complaints from people who have ended up out of pocket because they were not careful enough.

Her tips for keeping your cards safe include:

-   don't leave your cards unattended when out and about

·   take care where you leave your cards and make sure you always know where they are

·   don't reveal your card PIN to anybody or write it down

·   take care to ensure nobody can see when entering your PIN and if you think they may have done, contact your bank as soon as possible.

Her advice for keeping your money safe online:

·         make sure you know who you're dealing with online and that they are reputable

·         never accept money into your account to transfer to others

·         never give out any passwords

·         avoid conducting your finances online in public Wi-Fi zones as they aren't secure

·         check your accounts regularly to ensure money is only going where you want it to

·         if you're emailing somebody about transferring money, check arrangements with them using another means of communication in case your emails have been hacked

·         contact your bank immediately if you think you have been scammed - it may be able to reverse the charges but not if you have been duped into authorizing the payment.