Jihee Junn 
Homeownership has long been touted as the great Kiwi dream, but not everyone’s looking for a permanent fix. Jihee Junn explores the rising phenomenon of renters by choice. Even if I had a hundred grand sitting in the bank for me to spend right now, I’m not sure buying a house would be my first … Read more
How to stop procrastinating and actually (finally) get on top of KiwiSaver. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it. Read the full series here. As we learned in part two, being in the right fund can make all the difference: you could save thousands … Read more
With more than a thousand locations in 250 cities worldwide, UK company Stasher allows travellers to store their luggage while offering local businesses a way to earn extra cash. Having recently launched in New Zealand, co-founder and CEO Jacob Wedderburn-Day explains how the business works. How did Stasher start and what was the inspiration behind … Read more
After a decade in business on Auckland’s North Shore, the multi-storey complex that once attracted out-of-town shoppers has finally closed its doors. Its owner, fashion designer Karen Walker, explains why The Department Store had run its course. Opening an upmarket shopping hub is the last thing you’d expect to be doing in the middle of … Read more
As the world’s second-largest economy rushes to contain the deadly coronavirus which has killed more than 360 people, what effects will it have on some of New Zealand’s key industries in the short term? Aviation From Monday, foreigners arriving from or transiting through China will be refused entry into New Zealand in an attempt to … Read more
Its arrival has been said to herald the next generation of innovation, but in a world where we’re already conditioned to expect near-instantaneous speed from our mobile internet, what kind of change can we actually expect to see from 5G? It’s easy to forget that much of what we take for granted – browsing Facebook, … Read more
How to stop procrastinating and actually (finally) get on top of KiwiSaver. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it. Read the full series here. In a lot of ways, KiwiSaver is a bit of a misnomer. Sure you’re saving for your future retirement, but … Read more
Michael Fuyala helps run his family’s wildly popular Misa Christmas Tree Farm in Auckland. But in recent months, he’s decided to venture into something a little bit different, setting up not just one but two startups: an online fundraising platform for charities, schools and clubs called Rewardhub, and an affiliate marketing network called Linkshop. Jihee … Read more
What is a managed fund and how does it work? We’re here to answer all your questions and more. Let’s start with the basics: what even is a managed fund? As the name suggests, a managed fund is an investment fund that’s taken care of by a team of experts. When you put money into … Read more
What was once a distinctly US pastime has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon worth millions of dollars. But as consumers, how do we know we’re not just falling for the hype? Here’s what to keep in mind ahead of November 29. One of my earliest memories of Black Friday comes from watching the six o’clock … Read more
Host of personal finance podcast Cooking the Books and now author of a book dubbed ‘the realest guide to money’ Frances Cook tells us why it’s so hard for people to be open about money, finding new ways to channel her spending habits, and why more young women should look to invest. Read more: … Read more
The government has announced a suite of practical changes to the Residential Tenancies Act in its bid to make renting fairer and more secure. Here’s what you need to know. What’s happening? A number of changes to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) has just been announced by associate minister of housing Kris Faafoi. The RTA … Read more
Where do we watch content, what do we want from it, and how do we view New Zealand news? Here’s what we learned from NZ On Air’s latest survey on identity, culture and the media. We still like to watch free-to-view TV Despite the lingering doom and gloom around linear television, almost three-quarters of respondents … Read more
You’ve heard of Black Friday, you’ve heard of Cyber Monday, but have you ever heard of mega shopping bonanza Singles’ Day? If not, here’s what you need to know about Double 11. What is Singles’ Day? Singles’ Day is a shopping holiday that’s held every year on November 11. It first started in China as … Read more
How to stop procrastinating and actually (finally) get on top of KiwiSaver. Because there’s a good chance that if you’re reading this, you don’t know a single thing about it. Read the full series here. I don’t actually remember ever starting a KiwiSaver, and that’s because I didn’t – my parents started one for me. … Read more
Backed by tech giants Google and Atlassian, not-for-profit Humanitix redirects thousands in booking fees to charitable causes while at the same time disrupting the highly competitive ticketing industry. Jihee Junn talks to the CEO of its New Zealand operations to learn more about how the platform works. Founded in Australia in 2016, Sydneysiders Adam McCurdie … Read more
New collaborative gifting platform Joyable is looking to shake up how we group-purchase gifts. Co-founders (and sisters) Rochelle Sheldon and Kimberley Crossman explain how their latest venture works. Joyable (not to be confused with the social anxiety-reducing app of the same name) is a somewhat left-field move for co-founder Rochelle Sheldon. Having spent the better … Read more
Some TVNZ OnDemand viewers have reported feeling alarmed at a series of ads that address them by their names. So how does it work? Jihee Junn finds out. Recently in a Spinoff Facebook group, a rather lively discussion was sparked by a post about an ad shown on streaming platform TVNZ OnDemand. “Does the Skinny … Read more
How New Zealand startup myReflection is making bespoke, affordable, mass-produced breast prostheses using 3D printing. In a garage on Auckland’s Te Atatu Peninsula, dozens of 3D printers work mechanically away to a rhythmic, whirring hum. On a nearby table sits an array of white “blobs” – some large, some small, some more spherical than others. … Read more
What effect will the government’s changes to the electricity market have on consumers? Here’s what you need to know. What’s happening? The government has just announced a series of changes designed to protect consumers in the electricity market. The changes are in response to recommendations made by the Electricity Price Review (aka a panel set … Read more
From declaring a climate emergency to setting a 1.5 degree regional target, Auckland Council has repeatedly emphasised its commitment to doing its bit to tackle climate change. The question is, how exactly does it plan to do that? Acting chief sustainability officer Alec Tang explains. The Spinoff: Tell me about the key areas Auckland Council … Read more
Sustainability is no longer just a ‘nice to have’ for businesses – it’s as pivotal as profit to their long term survival. For as long as any of us can remember, sustainability and profit have been at odds with one another. Profit means efficiencies and efficiencies mean doing whatever it takes to do things faster, … Read more
Antibiotics are becoming increasingly less effective, so what treatments can we look to when the drugs stop working? With help from plant extracts, award-winning company HerbScience is seeking to breathe new life into how we treat bacterial infections. When Cynthia Hunefeld was just 10 years old, her father was hospitalised with a severe bacterial infection. … Read more
Western companies trademarking culturally significant words and phrases? It’s not as uncommon as you think. Here are just four examples from the past year. Air New Zealand & Kia Ora No word in te reo has had more mainstream cut through than our national greeting. Now, Air New Zealand is attempting to go one step … Read more
That poop-inspired kids’ clothing brand you keep seeing everywhere? Turns out it’s a viral marketing stunt. On Sunday, scrolling through Instagram as you do, I came across a sponsored post for a brand called Fe-Cál Kids. The post featured a photo of a little girl in a colourful short dress with the caption “the latest … Read more
Spark ramps up its Internet of Things (IoT) network with a leading investment in Kiwi tech company Parkable. Auckland-based startup Parkable has raised more than $4.6 million in its first funding round led by telecommunications giant Spark. The funds will be used to increase Parkable’s international expansion and continue developing its technology and product. Currently, the … Read more
Ahead of debuting her solo show at New Zealand Fashion Week, Korean-NZ couture designer Cecilia Kang talks about growing up ‘feminine’, being influenced by the LGBTQ+ community, and why an ‘administrative error’ at Fashion Week left her so shaken up. ‘I like something big,” says Cecilia Kang, gesturing to the giant nest of tulle protruding … Read more
Sometimes, less is more. Even when it comes to Quentin Tarantino (Warning: Contains mild spoilers). Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is an impressive film. It’s got great acting, stunning visuals, and a twist ending, all laced with the sort of attention to detail you’d expect from the nuttiest of film nuts out there. It’s … Read more
Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein on the band’s ninth studio album, working with St Vincent, and the departure of bandmate and drummer, Janet Weiss. It’s been almost five years since Sleater-Kinney broke their decade-long hiatus with an album that received almost near-universal praise. It was “raw”, “bristling”, “emotive”, “taut” – all adjectives you’d expect to hear when … Read more