NZers Getting Sorted in Their Thousands

NZers Getting Sorted in Their Thousands

8 October 2001

Media Release

New Zealanders Quick to Get Sorted

Thousands of New Zealanders have taken to the new independent financial planning web site www.sorted.org.nz since it was launched a week ago.

Liz Read, public education manager with the Retirement Commission, the organisation behind Sorted, says since the site was launched last weekend, more than 17,000 visitor sessions have been recorded.

"This is a fabulous level of interest in such a short time. We expected the site to be popular, but thought it might take off more gradually, given Sorted is a new programme and needed time to establish in people's minds.

"But clearly the personalisation and interactivity the site offers to help people get sorted on everyday money matters is really capturing people's interest." said Ms Read.

"The site's ten interactive calculators have been used to do more than 40,000 calculations. The Get Out of Debt calculator is proving the most popular, attributing for over a third of all calculator usage."

"Not surprisingly too, the Money Personality Profiler is also really popular. More than 4,000 people have used the profiler to work out their money personality and what that means for the way they behave with money." said Ms Read.

"It is designed as a fun tool and that obviously appeals to people. But it has a serious side too, in that it helps identify people's weaknesses as well as their strengths with money. We hope people use some of the other tools on the site to help them manage and overcome some of those weaknesses."

Ms Read said comments from people who've used the site have been extremely positive.

"People are telling us they love the simplicity of the site, and the comprehensive information it has to offer. For those who simply want independent information and tools to manage their money better, they clearly think Sorted is a winner."

"We've also been impressed with the number of parents registering their interest in the 'Kids and Money' section. We have big plans to add games, interactive tools and lots of resources for parents, grandparents and teachers.

"The level of interest indicates the thirst parents and teachers have for resources that can help them teach their kids about money." Ms Read said.

The Sorted programme is designed to help New Zealanders with financial planning skills and information for life.

The programme marks a shift in direction for the Commission away from financial planning for retirement per se, to focus on helping people of all ages get sorted on money matters.

"Helping people achieve the financial security and lifestyle they want in retirement is still the end goal - all that's changed is the means to the end.

"If we can help New Zealanders get better skills to manage their money throughout life and make more informed financial decisions, in the end, they're more likely to achieve the financial position they want to be in later in life." she said.

End

Further information: Liz Read Public Education Manager 04 494 6242

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