Shares are not a very popular investment with New Zealand investors. For the good of our economy and our investment portfolios, shares need to win a few more friends.Only around 10 percent of New Zealanders own shares compared to over 40 percent of Americans and Australians. You can point to many reasons for why shares are so much more popular overseas than they are in New Zealand.

For starters, our alternative investments are so much more attractive than they are overseas. Even though our government stock rates and term deposit rates are currently only barely over 4 percent, they remain the highest in the developed world. Investors overseas are lucky if they earn 0.5 percent on cash and 2 percent on bonds.

It is many peoples dream to be able to invest their hard earned cash in something that will earn them more money. There are many investment opportunities available but some of them may be hard to reach or even understand the intricacies involved in operating them. You want to be in a position to invest not only to earn some money but also have a sense of security.When looking for an investment, it is important to look for one that will have the capacity to stay productive for a longer period of time. There is a wide variety when it comes to these assets opportunities. You can choose to venture into the stock exchange, banks, real estate etc. It can be quite challenging when you are looking to venture into a business opportunity, especially if you do not have any collateral. You may not have enough money to pump into an investment and you will have to look for a partner to help achieve this.

The worth of the Child Trust Fund is a subject that has been much debated since its inception in 2002. The Conservative Party have now said that they will reduce the Child Trust Fund so only children from the poorest families will receive it should they win the 2010 general election. The have not yet specified by which specifications it will be decided who will receive it, and who will not.Most people would agree that the poorer areas of society should receive more help from the state than those who don’t need it, and this is something that the Conservatives have taken on board with their Child Trust Fund policy. Poorer children can have a disadvantage when they are young adults, as wealthier parents are more able to help their children with University or getting on the housing ladder. Less wealthy parents are unable to help in this way even if they would like to. Some though, have argued that this benefit should not be limited in this way. Is this something that all children should be entitled to and not based on a child’s background? After all, is their any guarantee you will be wealthy just because your parents are.