A third of New Zealanders have savings of less than $500, Westpac says, with Auckland and Northland lagging the rest of the country. By Susan Edmunds of RNZWestpac has released new data that shows Canterbury and Otago are top of the savings stakes – in both regions 28% of Westpac customers are making monthly payments into savings, and they have the highest median savings balance of $4200. Those regions also had the highest proportion of customers with savings of $15,000 or more, at 32%. Auckland and Northland were at the opposite end, with only 20% of customers making monthly payments into savings and median savings balances of less than $1500. But taking some time to review your overall spending and making small savings commitments can have a big impact over time."

Source: Stuff February 25, 2026 21:03 UTC