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Paint it Orange - Arthritis - 1st - 29th November 2025
Paint it orange with Resene for Arthritis NZ!
Buy any orange Resene testpot 60 ml at your local Resene owned ColorShop in November and Resene will donate $1 to Arthritis NZ!
The more orange testpots you buy, the more will be donated.
Tony and June feel like the luckiest people living in a Ryman village.
The couple have lived in their large, sunny serviced apartment for four years now and still can’t quite believe what a good score it was.
“It was the best thing we’ve done,” says June. “It’s north facing, so it… View moreTony and June feel like the luckiest people living in a Ryman village.
The couple have lived in their large, sunny serviced apartment for four years now and still can’t quite believe what a good score it was.
“It was the best thing we’ve done,” says June. “It’s north facing, so it gets lots of light, and it’s a good size, so I’ve got room for my card-making supplies.”
Click below to read their full story.
About seven out of 10 shoppers are being offered an extended warranty at Apple Stores, Harvey Norman and Noel Leeming.
While extended warranties promise to pay for repairs for a specified period after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired, you’re likely paying hundreds of dollars for … View moreAbout seven out of 10 shoppers are being offered an extended warranty at Apple Stores, Harvey Norman and Noel Leeming.
While extended warranties promise to pay for repairs for a specified period after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired, you’re likely paying hundreds of dollars for protection you already have under consumer law.
Our latest retailer survey found that three big retailers – Harvey Norman, Noel Leeming and Apple Stores – were the most likely to offer an extended warranty.
Only 2 to 3% of shoppers at the three big retailers were told by store staff what protection they already have under consumer law.
The more expensive the item, the more people were offered a warranty. This is especially so for large appliances (54%) and home tech (50%) purchases across all retailers surveyed.
Extended warranties may also be marketed as product care or damage protection plans.
We were happy to see only 3% of people who were offered an extended warranty went ahead with buying one. Although, we suspect this is because we surveyed our members and supporters, and they’re likely to be more clued up on their rights.
You’re already covered
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Under the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA), manufacturers and retailers are obliged to guarantee the products they sell are of an acceptable quality and fit for their purpose. Most appliances, certainly the big-ticket ones, can be expected to perform well for many years, not just the period covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
This means that if your product develops a fault when it’s still reasonably new, you can have it repaired or, if that isn’t possible, replaced – even if the manufacturer’s warranty has expired.
If the fault is substantial, you can choose between a refund, repair or replacement.
Therefore, there’s no value in having an extended warranty if the only thing it gives you is cover beyond the period of the manufacturer’s warranty.
The extended warranty may cover accidental damage, but so does your home and contents policy – for example, your contents insurance should cover damage to computers and electronic appliances from power surges.
When is an extended warranty a good idea?
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An extended warranty is worth considering if it goes beyond the protections provided by the CGA. An example would be if a warranty guarantees replacement with a new item if something goes wrong, rather than having to wait for repairs.
When selling you an extended warranty, the retailer should tell you the extra rights it gives you on top of the CGA.
And remember, the CGA doesn’t apply to goods normally used for business purposes. So, if you’re buying items for business use, extended warranties may give you protection you don’t automatically have by law.
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My cars got stolen from Mount Albert Street near Scout Avenue traffic lights. Was parked on the street where it was usually parked over the years. Any spotting please report.
From 24 November to 9 December, stop/go traffic management will be in place on SH2 between Irish Road and Steen Road on multiple nights between 9pm and 5am(Sundays to Thursdays).
During the day, all lanes will be open, but speed restrictions will apply to allow the chipseal to set and to protect… View moreFrom 24 November to 9 December, stop/go traffic management will be in place on SH2 between Irish Road and Steen Road on multiple nights between 9pm and 5am(Sundays to Thursdays).
During the day, all lanes will be open, but speed restrictions will apply to allow the chipseal to set and to protect vehicles travelling over the newly laid surface.
There may be delays to your journey when travelling through the area. Click to find out more.
💸💸💸 Before you get caught, test your scam knowledge with Netsafe’s fun new Scam Spotting Quiz or try our online module for even more skill-building.
Selling as I cut this to the wrong size
72cm x 18cm
Pick up from Avondale
Picture shows what the sticker looks like when applied
Hopefully this puts things into perspective for people who complain about op shops throwing away clothing.
Every year the world produces 100 billion articles of clothing for an approx population of 8 billion. 15 - 45 billion items are never sold and are dumped by stores. Of the items that do … View moreHopefully this puts things into perspective for people who complain about op shops throwing away clothing.
Every year the world produces 100 billion articles of clothing for an approx population of 8 billion. 15 - 45 billion items are never sold and are dumped by stores. Of the items that do sell 3 out of 5 items are discarded within the first year by consumers.
As opshops are pretty much the last line before these items hit landfill, you can hopefully understand why opshops have to picky about what they are putting out for sale, there is just too much. Also within an op shop there is only so much space to store/display items and most are receiving donations daily.
Most people do a clean out of excess stuff at least once a year but they really need to think about what they are donating and if it's actually fit for reselling.
Thank you to all the op shops out there that have to deal with this excessive amount of clothing let alone the multiple other items you receive daily.
Every year you see articles about parents not having enough money for presents for their kids. But does this really have to be a bad thing?
My parents were ‘salt of the Earth’ working class people, born in 1933 and 1941 respectively, working hard from an early age on to build up Germany … View moreEvery year you see articles about parents not having enough money for presents for their kids. But does this really have to be a bad thing?
My parents were ‘salt of the Earth’ working class people, born in 1933 and 1941 respectively, working hard from an early age on to build up Germany from the ruins and rubble it was after the Second World War. I was the first of four children, all born in a small village in the middle of nowhere in the 1960s, and my early Christmas memories are of the whole house being cleaned, everything being made to look festive, a big meal being cooked, kids all scrubbed and dressed up, a lot of stress and shouting, and then at 6 pm being lined up in front of the door and expected to beam happily for the camera my father had bought before my birth to document our family life - when in reality you didn’t feel particularly happy due to having been shouted at and the stress all day long. In reality it was a performance, a farce really.
As I got quite active in church and took religion seriously back then, I declared at the age of 12 and weeks in advance that I do NOT want presents: "After all, It isn’t MY birthday!”. Of course the usual scenario played out and I got presents - which I refused to open. Cue more shouting, upset mother, festivities ruined even more than usual.
But I stuck to my convictions, and after three such Christmases we reached a compromise. There was not going to be a big meal anymore but something simple so that mother wasn’t exhausted and rushed off her feet trying to fulfil some silly social obligations - after all, Jesus and his followers drank from wooden cups, not out of golden goblets, and if simple was good enough for them, it was good enough for us. And instead of presents we would donate the money to a good cause.
The difference this made was enormous. No more stressing about and running around for presents. No more spending money that was in short supply anyway. No longer thinking giving presents was the main point of Christmas. No fancy tableware or food, slaving in the kitchen for hours. No exhaustion. No shouting. No bad atmosphere.
And simple and easy doesn’t mean it isn’t tasty - a potato salad and sausages, or later smoked salmon (bought and stored in the freezer when it was on special) with lettuce and horseradish on toast was plenty festive enough, and quite honestly: we kids didn’t care about fancy food. We wanted plenty and tasty - and that we got in spades.
Now we simply relaxed at the table, eating and talking and enjoying ourselves while waiting for the next toast to pop up, and playing board games after dinner - playing with each other instead of with some new toy that we didn’t really need anyway. And at midnight walking through the dark and cold, with the snow crunching underneath our feed, going to mass …
These were by far the best Christmases I had with my family. It really FELT like Christmas.
Sadly when the next generation of kids came along, my siblings reverted to the old-fashioned way. Social pressure is immense, and with my niece and nephew being the only kids in our extended family for quite a while they got absolutely hammered with presents. Everyone seemed to compete with each other (I stayed out of it) and when my nephew was just 10 he got a mobile phone, a bike, a table tennis table with all the trimmings, and much more that I don’t remember anymore.
I always found it fitting that in English another word for presents is ‘gift’ - because in German ‘gift’ means poison.
And for me, these presents have always been a poison to the meaning of Christmas …
Your location can affect how much you pay to see a GP. So, someone on the West Coast might pay around $33, while a person in Wellington might pay closer to $70.
❔ We want to know: Where do you live, and how much do your GP visits cost?
These prices are influenced by underfunding, subsidy … View moreYour location can affect how much you pay to see a GP. So, someone on the West Coast might pay around $33, while a person in Wellington might pay closer to $70.
❔ We want to know: Where do you live, and how much do your GP visits cost?
These prices are influenced by underfunding, subsidy caps, and the pressure they put on wages. Read more about how the GP lottery impacts you in Harriet Laughton's piece in The Post.
Did you know there’s a global shortage of sweet pea seeds?
In Aotearoa New Zealand, dedicated gardeners are working to revive authentic sweet pea varieties and keep their beauty blooming for generations to come 🌸🪻🌻
Read more about their efforts here.
We hope this brings a smile!
Tertiary Education Union organiser Jill Jones says redundancy can have a deep effect on a person’s sense of identity.
Jones has dealt with many redundancy proposals over the years, the latest being NorthTec.
The result of redundancy went far beyond the financial implications, especially if … View moreTertiary Education Union organiser Jill Jones says redundancy can have a deep effect on a person’s sense of identity.
Jones has dealt with many redundancy proposals over the years, the latest being NorthTec.
The result of redundancy went far beyond the financial implications, especially if people were qualified in a niche area.
“It can make it incredibly difficult for them to find another job, especially if they have a commitment to a particular subject, and it becomes part of their identity in a sense,” Jones said.
“The narrower the field, the less likely it is you’re going to find employment.”
Jones said one man had told her he had still not told his adult children he had been made redundant, despite it happening months earlier.
“Because he felt embarrassed and ashamed.”
She pointed out that people who worked in roles with cultural or social impact sometimes experienced a loss of mana as well.
Redundancies are just one of the hardships faced by Northlanders.
Between September 2024 and 2025, the proportion of the working-age population receiving Jobseeker Support increased in most regions, according to Work and Income data.
By the end of September, Northland had the highest proportion receiving Jobseeker Support, at 11.4%.
That coincided with a surge in applications per job listing on Trade Me from July to September, where applications were up 11.8% quarter on quarter.
Though Work and Income had no data readily available to illustrate how many of those on Jobseeker Support had been made redundant, layoffs have undoubtedly played a part.
People Potential chief executive Bronwyn Ronayne recalled that one of the biggest redundancy bouts in Northland was when the Marsden Point oil refinery closed in 2022.
Many people were left with “niche” skills that they struggled to transfer.
There were now “really nice stories” starting to emerge of people who had started their own businesses and made opportunities out of the change, she said.
“There are so many people I can think of personally who are made redundant who are doing really cool stuff.”
Northland’s jobseeker levels came as no surprise to her.
“I think Northland’s always a bit slower to come out of whatever economic impact there is, a bit slower to recover from the knocks.”
Muriel Willem, director and lead careers practitioner at New Focus NZ, said the wellbeing and community-development company had noticed an increase in redundancies over the last six months.
That was particularly in trades associated with building projects that had stalled with the economic downturn, as well as hospitality after cafe closures.
She said clients who had been made redundant often worked through shock, disappointment, sadness and anger.
“The process can be an emotional rollercoaster, especially for those who haven’t needed to update a CV for years or previously found work through word of mouth.”
Willem said people over 60 struggled disproportionately with redundancy.
“Often they have CVs full of experience and knowledge, yet with retirement only a few years away and competition from younger applicants who may accept lower pay rates, they are often overlooked in the job market.”
However, she said mental health was often the greatest barrier for anyone returning to employment.
Trade Me data from July to September showed a 2% decrease in job listings in Northland, which head of Trade Me jobs Nicole Williams said was driven by major centres like Auckland and Wellington recording drops.
“We know job hunters are still finding it tough to land on their feet with the unemployment rate [nationally] at 5.2%,” Williams said.
Northland received the highest growth in applications per listing year-on-year.
Trades and services had the most listings started (approximately 22%), and this category saw 4.7% quarter-on-quarter growth and +14.1% year-on-year growth.
Other categories experiencing quarter-on-quarter growth in the region were transport and logistics (up 24.2%), retail (23.3%), healthcare (18.3%) and construction and roading (17.6%).
The average salary for Northland jobs listed during the July-September quarter was $73,858, a record high.
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Hey neighbours! Skip the crowds and shop from the comfort of your couch this Black Friday. Mags4Gifts.co.nz has up to 40% off magazine subscriptions for a limited time. From gardening and homes to lifestyle and entertainment, they make the perfect gift (or a little treat for yourself) that lasts … View moreHey neighbours! Skip the crowds and shop from the comfort of your couch this Black Friday. Mags4Gifts.co.nz has up to 40% off magazine subscriptions for a limited time. From gardening and homes to lifestyle and entertainment, they make the perfect gift (or a little treat for yourself) that lasts all year long.
Scams can happen to anyone, especially during Black Friday and Cyber Monday when online shopping increases. Scammers use trust, hope and fear to get money or personal information:
TRUST: Pretending to be a courier, retailer, or bank.
HOPE: Offering fake “too good to miss” deals or miracle … View moreScams can happen to anyone, especially during Black Friday and Cyber Monday when online shopping increases. Scammers use trust, hope and fear to get money or personal information:
TRUST: Pretending to be a courier, retailer, or bank.
HOPE: Offering fake “too good to miss” deals or miracle products.
FEAR: ‘Limited time deals’ messaging, fake ‘missed delivery’ updates
✋ Remember the SCAMS red flags:
Surprise contact
Control or pressure
Access to your device
Money request
Stop and seek support
If you think you’ve been scammed, stop contact, call your bank, and change your passwords.
This arrangement features soft mauve cymbidium orchids paired with golden-yellow chrysanthemums, creating a warm and elegant colour palette. Accented with pink and burgundy snapdragons, fresh greenery, and touches of silver eucalyptus, the bouquet feels lush, stylish, and full of texture. Wrapped … View moreThis arrangement features soft mauve cymbidium orchids paired with golden-yellow chrysanthemums, creating a warm and elegant colour palette. Accented with pink and burgundy snapdragons, fresh greenery, and touches of silver eucalyptus, the bouquet feels lush, stylish, and full of texture. Wrapped in premium newspaper-style craft paper and finished with a double ribbon, it has a modern boutique look — perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, or special surprises.
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