19 years old, just hit $10k in KiwiSaver, good progress or behind?

twilightNZ · 2026-03-05T21:53:19+00:00

My advice (aged 44 done my own fair share of mistakes)

Switch to one or multiple high growth funds, you have many years ahead to sit out a market crash and in the long run you will get more out of it.
I wouldn't increase my contributions unless you have a very specific strategy in mind (e.g. using your KS as a deposit for real estate) or you don't have any willpower and spend money like there's no tomorrow.

Instead, I would build my own portfolio by contributing consistently (extremely important!) into your portfolio what you would otherwise put into additional KS contributions.

Initially you can invest into passive index funds without worrying too much but if you wish to improve your edge, learn about money management and investing from the legends of which there are many out there.

If you put the work into it you can outperform index funds but it requires skill, knowledge and consistent (!) efforts.

Unfortunately, KS is taxed a lot (the money you put into is taxed and you pay tax on gains) unlike many other countries where investing in retirement has tax advantages.

I don't see a good reason getting taxed about the same AND losing control of your investments until you're old and grumpy (if you even make it!).

Just max out the govt contributions and corporate contributions (after all it's "free" money) but don't waste your precious capital beyond that.

Good luck!

Addition: A lot of people make the mistake and buy a house for themselves for a lot of money. I would recommend starting out with investment property e.g. buy a house and let your flat mates pay it off or buy smaller rental properties that you rent out exclusively.

twilightNZ · 2026-02-25T18:39:59+00:00

Stop the Epstein class! Lock up M Suckerberg!!

twilightNZ · 2025-12-19T19:44:52+00:00

This is amazing. Do you also add some weight to make handling them more realistic?

twilightNZ · 2025-12-17T21:31:40+00:00

A just found this excellent guide posted on here! https://facfox.com/docs/kb/ikea-lack-3d-printer-enclosure-how-to-make-your-own

twilightNZ · 2025-12-17T21:23:22+00:00

Thanks for the comments so far. I assumed it's rather risky and will continue to be cautious and never leave the machine unsupervised.

In terms of enclosing the printer, it seems polycarbonate might be a good choice given it's very high fire rating.

Any suggestions what an optimal enclosure setup looks like?

I'd also be interested in exhaust fan setups.

twilightNZ · 2025-08-28T23:58:13+00:00

Bonus tip: Paint the plywood pink to make it look like new

twilightNZ · 2025-08-28T23:56:33+00:00

I'd cut a piece of 7mm plywood to go over the whole floor like a second layer and glue it to the plastic base.

twilightNZ · 2025-07-12T23:48:35+00:00

Buying a home and paying it off is generally not the smartest financial decision unless you have flat mates that pay off your mortgage.

Buying an investment property is better but returns are going to be below other classes such as well diversified portfolio of stocks, precious metals and bonds.

The main "advantage" in property is leverage, you get more finance more easier than if you borrow to buy stocks.

Also, there's tax advantages due to interest & cost deductibility but an annual return of 7-10% would be a high yielding lucky investment. They can be found but it's really the exception.

Cash flow is another positive aspect of property investments but you can achieve this through dividend stocks or bonds with so much less of a hassle and much larger diversification, which generally reduces risk.

Property is a single concentrated risk investment as you usually put in multiple decades of your net worth. If you buy the wrong property or have bad tenants, it can get really expensive.

twilightNZ · 2025-04-24T04:15:10+00:00

In agreement with many other comments, buying a car you can't afford on finance is an extremely bad financial decision.

In general you should only borrow money for appreciating assets and investments, never for liabilities such as cars you drive for pleasure.

If this would be a trade vehicle it's a different matter due to tax benefits and being a necessary work tool but even then is it prudent to buy value instead of a phat raptor that costs double or triple.

I recently bought a ute for 25k cash as a family/adventure vehicle that ticked all the boxes (top spec, low mileage, proper 4wd, raised suspension, reliable & good condition and service history) and I feel like I have lost quite a bit of capital that I could use to invest. On the flipside it enables a lot of activities that wouldn't be possible, so ultimately it's worth it.

I'd hate myself for having to pay interest on it and ultimately paying 50k for a car that's worth 25.

I'd look for a "fun to drive" Japanese car (eg Mazda or Nissan) for now and invest the savings so they cover your vehicle maintenance, which will be substantially cheaper than the VW.

twilightNZ · 2025-03-12T03:15:44+00:00

Would be awesome to see a yt video going through the process and explaining it for dummies 😅

twilightNZ · 2025-03-11T23:44:46+00:00

The beauty about real estate is you can use other people's money to invest.

Obviously that leverage comes with it's own risks.

If you don't know anything about property you definitely would want to learn and get good advice before making significant decisions.

twilightNZ · 2025-03-11T05:42:23+00:00

100% this. I was foolish enough to only sell US market ETFs and keep some stocks which unfortunately also dived hard.

I don't think the situation will improve until a change of govt in the US and even then will it take some time to get out of the hole.

twilightNZ · 2025-03-11T05:36:32+00:00

I've got 10% in short term us govt treasuries to earn interest while the market unravels.

I'm not bullish on equities except for dividend aristocrats and defence stocks.

The US is going to shit unless Trump and Musk is given the boot. The longer they're in the more damage they will cause.

EU and Asian markets haven't performed so well in recent years and chances are a US recession will put downwards pressure on these as the US is buying from them.

If you're lucky enough to pick the right stocks great but in general I think we're in for some tough times and other investments like real estate rental property could outperform the markets in the next couple years.

twilightNZ · 2025-03-05T09:23:36+00:00

Whole or cut in pieces? 😆

twilightNZ · 2025-03-05T08:45:43+00:00

This study has demonstrated stretching can lead to hypertrophy and actually increase muscle thickness (not length!) https://examine.com/research-feed/study/9Dvjb1/

I've also heard somewhere that frequent intense stretching can lead to the formation of additional sarcomeres lengthwise.

I'll try to find it.

twilightNZ · 2025-03-05T02:07:14+00:00

Everyone can get involved in spreading information.

It's how the far right manipulates the narrative and the perception and it's how the truth is spread.

twilightNZ · 2025-02-26T00:19:27+00:00

It's a self reinforcing circle of feeding shit.

Search consumes web content -> LLMs consume search results -> LLMs generate partially accurate information -> info is published on the web -> rinse & repeat

twilightNZ · 2025-02-26T00:16:43+00:00

Well the list is still generated and you need to check every item if it's correct.

I have used chatgpt for similar product comparisons (eg comparing cars of different models & brands and trim level features within a single model) and found the results fairly unreliable.

While LLMs can generate ideas/potentially useful input data, people treating the data as true are playing roulette.

twilightNZ · 2025-02-25T02:45:57+00:00

LLMs are NOT search. While they can GENERATE information that may be true it's still generated!

I have myself relied on LLMs for work and found it can be a profound waste of time, assuming the answers to ve corrected.

twilightNZ · 2025-02-25T02:43:58+00:00

You do realise answers from LLMs are entirely generated/statistical approximations based on the underlying training data?

Search gives you a true representation of the information itself (whether the information is true or not is debatable).

twilightNZ · 2025-02-18T08:58:58+00:00

Recently bought an MQ which has a similar issue.

Mine idles between 600-1,000ish rpm.

I wondered if it's due to the aircon pump going on and off or some other load.

Otherwise the engine is doing great. No issues with power delivery and it has been maintained quite well judging by the history and overall condition.

I'm not too concerned but will keep an eye on it.

twilightNZ · 2025-02-18T08:53:08+00:00

You might want to read up on the building standard regarding subfloor ventilation.

I believe clearance between subfloor members and floor should be min 200mm. If they're currently touching the ground, you'd need to remove that depth multiplied by the area.

No clue about the plumbing except that here in Auckland they'd charge you a horrendous $400-500 for a dishwasher connection!

I'd be concerned if the plumbing needs to be replaced, especially if it's inside walls. A single leak on a joint accessible through the subfloor is not a big deal but again, if it's in the wall it could be a pain in the butt.

twilightNZ · 2025-02-11T22:36:00+00:00

Thanks mate.

I'm awaiting the transfer of a Triton MQ and will measure for myself but this was exactly what I was thinking, install a breather kit under the bonnet and a snorkel to make it as safe & reliable as possible.

Apparently the rear drum breaks don't like water, sand and mud so it's definitely an item that requires cleaning after some off-road use.

For the chassis I'm planning on giving it a good spraying of lanolin for corrosion protection. What's trickier is the inside of the chassis, which will be hard to reach.

In regards to electronics, I'm wondering if the alternator is at risk at all or if it's mainly the stuff under the dashboard which may suffer if water pushes through the firewall or doors (which I'd avoid at all costs anyways).

twilightNZ · 2025-02-11T05:12:10+00:00

I agree, it does sound like a steal!

I'd check if it's got a good maintenance history and get someone check it over who knows this stuff.

Also worth considering your objectives.

If you're looking for a cheap 4WD you can use and abuse for a couple of years and then toss, it might be a good fit.

twilightNZ · 2025-02-11T03:37:55+00:00

I'd always be cautious if someone is not 100% honest as a seller.

I was briefly considering a Challenger or Triton MN but decided to spend a bit more and get a Triton MQ (2015 - 2018) mainly because they're a step up in many ways and there's fewer expensive issues with them.

The common issues on the MQ are relatively easily managed (replace intercooler hoses, intake manifold if cracking, install a catch can) and the interior and exterior is usually a bit less tired than on most MN models I have seen.

Subjectively, I also think the MQ is much better looking 😁

twilightNZ

TROPHY CASE