@ruth_henderson
Financial blogger and podcaster from New Zealand. Creator of The Happy Saver blog and podcast. Advocates for "spend less than you earn, invest the difference" philosophy. Semi-retired at 50, focusing on simple, practical financial independence for everyday Kiwis.
Crowdsourced from publicly available information and may change over time. View source
Tools
PocketSmith
RecommendedPremium subscription
Ruth's main budgeting and financial tracking platform for monitoring family finances and forecasting.
Ruth regularly "plays around" with PocketSmith forecasting. Uses it to automate financial tracking while maintaining oversight.
Sharesight
RecommendedFree for basic, paid for advanced
Portfolio tracking and performance analysis tool for monitoring investment returns.
Essential for tracking investment performance across multiple platforms. Popular with Kiwi investors.
Choose FI Calculators
RecommendedFree
Collection of financial calculators including retirement, FI number, and mortgage calculators.
Ruth frequently recommends these for retirement planning and financial independence calculations. All the tricky math done for you.
FICalc Retirement Calculator
RecommendedFree
Powerful calculator that evaluates retirement plans using historical data and various scenarios.
Ruth calls this a "powerful calculator" for testing if retirement plans are robust enough. Worth the effort to learn.
Sorted Retirement Navigator
RecommendedFree
New Zealand-specific tool for retirement planning that accounts for NZ Superannuation.
Designed specifically for Kiwis to bridge the gap between NZ Super and KiwiSaver in retirement planning.
Rebel Finance School
RecommendedFree
Comprehensive 10-week personal finance course by Katie and Alan Donegan.
Ruth co-hosts Kiwi-specific sessions. "Cannot speak highly enough about this course" - transforms lives through education.
The Simple Path to Wealth
Recommended$15-25
JL Collins' book that "transformed Ruth's life" - explains simple share market investing philosophy.
Ruth shares the Google Talk video so often she only needs to type one letter. Core principle: don't pick stocks, just buy all the stocks.
The Barefoot Investor
Recommended$20-30
Scott Pape's practical money management book focused on Australian/NZ context.
Ruth recommends books that offer solutions, not vague advice. Focuses on basics: budget, emergency fund, debt elimination.
Retirement
KiwiSaver
RecommendedVaries by provider
Core retirement savings vehicle for New Zealanders - Ruth's foundation for long-term wealth building.
Essential for every Kiwi. Ruth combines KiwiSaver with additional ETF investments for diversified retirement planning.
Investments
Sharesies
RecommendedMonthly fee + trading fees
New Zealand investment platform where Ruth serves as guest educator. Accessible investing for everyday Kiwis.
Ruth has been featured on Sharesies for investor education content. Great starting platform for new investors.
Smartshares ETFs
RecommendedManagement fees vary
Ruth specifically mentions the US 500 Fund as part of her diversified ETF investment strategy.
Key part of Ruth's index fund strategy. Provides exposure to US markets for New Zealand investors.
Hatch
RecommendedMonthly subscription + FX fees
New Zealand platform for investing directly in US and Australian shares.
Popular among Kiwi investors for direct US market access. Complements Ruth's diversified approach.