Savings fall as property wealth balloons

Increases in spending outpaced income growth, leading to a decline in household savings (Image: Deposit Photos)

Fri, 23 Jul 2021

* Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly interpreted quarterly household savings figures as cumulative. In fact they show the amount saved in each quarter, not the total level of savings. Household savings returned to pre-covid levels in the first quarter of 2021, after a big increase in 2020.Households earned $199m more than they spent in the three months to March, the lowest quarterly savings total in almost two years.Households are in a position to spend more and save a bit less with more than $12b squirrelled awa...

Subscribe to BusinessDesk

Stay informed on business, government and financial developments across New Zealand.

Deeply researched, twice-edited and fact-checked news
Annual subscribers also receive a complimentary subscription to The Wall Street Journal
Personalised email news alerts, plus gift up to 5 stories a month to non-subscribers

You can cancel anytime with two clicks, an email or a phone call.
Find out more.

We are serious about journalism.

Name {{ registerForm.errors.get('name') }}

Email address {{ registerForm.errors.get('email') }}

Phone Number {{ registerForm.errors.get('phone') }}

Job Title {{ registerForm.errors.get('title') }}

Password Minimum password length of 8 characters.
Require at least one upper and lowercase, numeric, and special character. {{ registerForm.errors.get('password') }}

Repeat password {{ registerForm.errors.get('password_confirmation') }}

We had trouble validating your card. It's possible your card provider is preventing us from charging the card. Please contact your card provider or customer support.

Credit Card

Cardholder's name

{{ __(plans[index].name) | capitalize }} {{ plans[index].attributes.old_price | currency }} {{ plans[index].price | currency }}

All subscriptions auto renew but are easy to cancel.

I Accept The Terms Of Service

{{ registerForm.errors.get('terms') }}

Tax: {{ taxAmount(selectedPlan) | currency }}

Total Price Including Tax: {{ priceWithTax(selectedPlan) | currency }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerSeat ? '/ '+ spark.seatName : '' }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerTeam ? '/ '+ __('teams.team') : '' }} / {{ __(selectedPlan.interval) | capitalize }}

Bloomberg Opinion

US bonds have never been risk-free, and never will be

It will still be a low-risk asset and in high demand.

Bloomberg 5:00am

World

Morocco volunteers on Sahara clean-up mission

Some 50 people, gloved and equipped with rubbish bags, toiled away for five hours.

AFP 5:00am

Morocco volunteers on Sahara clean-up mission

On the Money

On The Money: Passports, road love and more ...

Our weekly round-up of things you didn't know that didn't make the news.

Pattrick Smellie 5:00am

On The Money: Passports, road love and more ...

Sponsored

“Not an invisible footprint”: Why technology supply chains need optimising

Outdated hardware is a supply chain and cost risk.

Datacom

Sponsored

Bayleys Total Property Issue 3 out now

Backed by Bayleys’ national strength and global reach

Bayleys

More Economy

Economy Free

Consumer confidence back on the up – ANZ survey

Consumer confidence rose five points to 98.3 in April, according to the latest ANZ-Roy Morgan survey, shoring up the upward trend that was starting to look wobbly.But inflation expectations also rose sharply – up 0.5 points to 4.7%, the highest reading since July 2023.“Household...

Staff reporters 24 Apr 2025