Simplicity gives away thousands of books to help raise Kiwis’ financial literacy

9:36 AM, 1 August 2022

Kiwi non-profit fund manager Simplicity has teamed up with Potton & Burton publisher Robbie Burton to produce a smart money guide, in plain English, for all New Zealanders.

Their collaboration brings Money Made Simple to fruition and realises one of Managing Director Sam Stubbs’s long-held ambitions – to provide Kiwis with a straight-forward book to help them get a handle on their finances and grow their wealth.

Stubbs and Burton came up with the idea of writing the book in a straightforward style and giving away 150,000 copies to support local bookshops and their customers during tough economic times. This also fulfills one of Simplicity’s charitable aims, to educate New Zealanders about finance.

Funding the printing and distribution of 150,000 free books is unprecedented and will help boost Kiwis’ financial literacy. A te reo Māori version is also in development.

Stubbs says, “Money is important because it gives you choices. And a life with choices is a life with dignity. So how do you get the money you need for a dignified life? It's not always easy, but it can be easier than you think. And whatever circumstances you're in, learning about money can help, because knowledge is power.”

Money Made Simple distils Stubbs’s decades-long expertise into a handy guide, suitable for young and old. He reveals three simple truths and eight golden rules to help Kiwis take control of their finances, and their futures.

Burton says, “Potton & Burton are publishing Money Made Simple pro bono in conjunction with Simplicity, and apart from the book’s production, have organised this promotion exclusively to local booksellers. In the spirit of Simplicity’s non-profit goals, Potton & Burton receive no remuneration or revenue from the book’s publication. Our involvement is purely philanthropic.”

SAM STUBBS has an MA (Hons) from the University of Auckland and is the Co-Founder/Managing Director of Simplicity. Before that he was Managing Director of Tower Investments, Hanover Group and spent ten years working for Goldman Sachs in London and Hong Kong.

ROBBIE BURTON was born and has lived in Nelson most of his life. After working as a conservationist and community arts worker, he became the publisher at Craig Potton Publishing (now called Potton & Burton) and, over a period of 30 years, turned it into one of our largest publishers of non-fiction books.