New Zealand Financial Literacy

Money skills for every
New Zealander

27 books. 4 series. One framework. A reader who starts at age 7 and stays through to 35 — building a genuinely healthy relationship with money, one story at a time.

G · Get R · Respect O · Organise W · Wealth

One journey from 7 to 35

The G.R.O.W Series follows Kiwi kids from their first money decisions at school all the way through to mortgages, KiwiSaver, and long-term financial design.

1

Kids

Ages 7–10 · Years 3–6 · 5 Books

Habits, confidence, and first money decisions. Physical tokens stand in for invisible digital value. Meet Jess, Ashni, Maia, and Luca.

2

Teens

Ages 11–18 · Years 7–13 · 6 Books

First income, peer pressure, Afterpay, digital spending, identity and money mistakes. The characters face real consequences for the first time.

3

Real Life

Ages 18–25 · Post-school · 5 Books

Independence, flatting, student loans, budgeting, building income. Money becomes pure data — and the stakes get real.

4

Real Life+

Ages 20–35 · Adult · 11 Books

Mortgages, KiwiSaver, investing, insurance, debt strategy, long-term financial design. The big decisions most Kiwis were never taught to make.

The G.R.O.W Framework

Every book in the series is built around one of four pillars. Together they form a complete financial education — from earning to lasting wealth.

G

Get

Understanding how to earn — effort, income, first pay cheques, side hustles, and the value of work.

R

Respect

Developing a healthy relationship with money — avoiding debt traps, peer pressure, and impulse decisions.

O

Organise

Planning, budgeting, saving, and building systems that work — from token jars to adult financial life admin.

W

Wealth

Long-term thinking — KiwiSaver, investing, home ownership, and designing a financial life with purpose.

The $20 Challenge

The first book in the series. Jess, Ashni, Maia and Luca are handed 20 tokens at the school fair. How do you Save, Spend, and Share when the decision is yours?

The teacher held up a small purple token between two fingers. Round, flat, a star stamped in the middle.

'Tomorrow is the school fair. This year, instead of cash, everything runs on tokens.'

— Scene 1, Book 1: The $20 Challenge

Built for Aotearoa

Every book is written for New Zealand classrooms, families, and communities — with NZ-specific content, currency, institutions, and cultural context throughout.

🏫

School Aligned

Curriculum-mapped to the Financial Education Implementation Guides.

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Culturally Inclusive

Diverse characters and stories reflecting the full range of Kiwi families.

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Cashless Economy

Money becomes increasingly abstract as readers age — just like real life.

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Story-Driven

Financial lessons through character decisions, not lectures or worksheets.

The G.R.O.W Series — All 27 Books

From ages 7 to 35. Filter by series or browse them all.

Series 1 · Book 1

The $20 Challenge

Organise

Save, Spend, Share — making a plan for 20 tokens at the school fair. The book that starts it all.

Series 1 · Book 2

The Birthday Money Mix-Up

Respect

Impulse spending, regret, and what to do next time. Learning that money decisions have feelings attached.

Series 1 · Book 3

The School Fair Business

Get

Earning through effort — planning, pricing, teamwork, and a first look at simple profit and loss.

Series 1 · Book 4

Saving for Something Big

Organise

Setting a goal, making a saving plan, and discovering the power of delayed gratification.

Series 1 · Book 5

The Giving Project

Wealth

Generosity and community — money as a tool for good, not just personal gain.

Series 2 · Book 6

My First Pay Cheque

Get

PAYE, deductions, take-home pay — understanding what earning actually means in NZ.

Series 2 · Book 7

Spend It or Save It?

Respect

Peer pressure and identity — spending to belong vs spending with intention.

Series 2 · Book 8

The Afterpay Trap

Respect

Buy-now-pay-later, debt awareness, and understanding the true cost of borrowing.

Series 2 · Book 9

Side Hustle Dreams

Get

Earning beyond employment — managing income from multiple sources as a teenager.

Series 2 · Book 10

Money Mistakes

Organise

Learning through financial failure — recovery, resilience, and what to do next.

Series 2 · Book 11

Planning My Future

Wealth

Goals, direction, KiwiSaver basics, and first long-term thinking.

Series 3 · Book 12

Surviving on Your Own

Organise

Real-world budgeting — rent, food, power, internet, and what's left at the end of the week.

Series 3 · Book 13

Student Loans & Reality

Respect

Understanding StudyLink, repayment, how debt compounds — NZ-specific and no jargon.

Series 3 · Book 14

Flatting & Bills

Organise

Shared finances, flat agreements, splitting costs fairly, and navigating flatmate dynamics.

Series 3 · Book 15

Building Income

Get

Growing from one income stream to stability — side income, salary negotiation, and tax basics.

Series 3 · Book 16

Your Financial Future

Wealth

Setting a 5-year money plan — goals, KiwiSaver optimisation, and first investment thinking.

Series 4 · Book 17

How Money Really Works in NZ

Wealth

The NZ financial system — tax, inflation, banks, the Reserve Bank, and how it all connects.

Series 4 · Book 18

Understanding Mortgages in NZ

Wealth

How home loans work — principal, interest, LVR, pre-approval, and the full process.

Series 4 · Book 19

Fixed vs Floating Rates

Wealth

Interest rate decisions — what they mean, how to choose, and when to fix.

Series 4 · Book 20

Buying Your First Home in NZ

Wealth

Step-by-step home buying — KiwiSaver First Home, grants, lawyers, and LIM reports.

Series 4 · Book 21

Renting vs Buying

Wealth

Real NZ comparison — financial and lifestyle trade-offs, with rent-to-buy calculators.

Series 4 · Book 22

Investing for Everyday Kiwis

Wealth

Shares, funds, Sharesies, InvestNow — starting from zero in the NZ investment context.

Series 4 · Book 23

KiwiSaver Strategy

Wealth

Optimising KiwiSaver — fund types, employer contributions, voluntary top-ups, and withdrawal rules.

Series 4 · Book 24

Insurance & Protecting Your Future

Organise

Life, income protection, and health insurance in NZ — what you need and when you need it.

Series 4 · Book 25

Managing Debt Without Stress

Respect

Debt strategy — avalanche vs snowball, negotiating with lenders, and getting unstuck.

Series 4 · Book 26

Life Admin & Financial Systems

Organise

Building systems — spreadsheets, automation, annual reviews, and financial filing.

Series 4 · Book 27

Designing Your Financial Life

Wealth

Long-term vision — values, goals, wealth as freedom, and the full G.R.O.W arc complete.

Resources & Tools

Free downloads, activity packs, teacher guides, and more — all NZ curriculum-aligned.

Classroom Resources

Everything you need to bring the G.R.O.W Series into your classroom.

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Teacher Guides

2–4 page PDF per book. Discussion questions, G.R.O.W framework mapping, and cross-curricular links to NZ curriculum areas.

Free Download · All Series
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Printable Activity Packs

Expanded classroom activities — 6–8 pages per book, curriculum-mapped and ready to print. Includes token cut-outs for Book 1.

Free Download · Series 1 & 2
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Curriculum Alignment Map

Full mapping of all 27 books to the Financial Education Implementation Guides and key NZ curriculum areas.

Free Download
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Workshop Kits

Physical and digital kits for author classroom visits. Token cards, activity sheets, and discussion guides included.

School Programme · Book a Visit

Home Resources

Take the learning home with conversation starters and simple activities.

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Parent Take-Home Notes

One page per book. What your child is learning, 2–3 conversation starters, and one simple home activity.

Free Download · Series 1
🫙

Save / Spend / Share Tracker

A printable jar tracker to bring the three-jar system home. Designed for ages 7–10 alongside Book 1.

Free Download
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Savings Goal Chart

A printable savings tracker poster for children saving toward something. Pairs with Book 4.

Free Download
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Family Conversation Guide

Age-appropriate conversation starters organised by G.R.O.W pillar — for families at any stage.

Free Download

Schools & Workshops

Author visits, classroom programmes, and pilot opportunities for NZ schools.

🏫 Pilot Programme — Now Open

We're offering a free trial resource pack and a 20-minute author classroom visit for Years 3–6. No cost, no commitment — just great financial literacy content for your students.

Interactive author visits

Mapped to the G.R.O.W Series. Each workshop works as a standalone session.

Series 1 · Years 3–6

The Token Challenge

⏱ 20–30 min · Ages 7–10

Students receive 20 token cards and decide how to allocate them across Save, Spend, and Share. Group debrief on choices. The most impactful visit for this age group.

Series 1 · Years 4–6

The Mini Market

⏱ 30 min · Ages 8–10

Students plan a simple stall — product, price in tokens, pitch to the class. Introduces earning, pricing, and basic profit. Best for Year 5–6.

Series 1 · Years 5–6

The Giving Project

⏱ 30 min · Ages 9–10

Groups identify a cause and plan a simple community contribution. Connects money to values. Strong end-of-year visit.

Series 2 · Years 10–11

The Afterpay Trap

⏱ 40–50 min · Ages 13–16

Real-cost BNPL scenarios, peer pressure discussion, and a personal spending filter. High relevance — this one lands with teenagers.

Series 2 · Years 11–13

My Financial Future

⏱ 45 min · Ages 15–18

Goal mapping, KiwiSaver introduction in plain language, and a one-page personal plan. Best for school leavers or Year 11–12.

Book a visit or pilot

Interested in a pilot or workshop? Send us a message and we'll be in touch within 2 working days.

Or email directly: contact@axiombooks.co.nz

Membership

Access resources, ebooks, and exclusive content — choose the plan that suits you.

Free
$0 / forever

Everything you need to get started.

  • Access to all free downloads
  • Teacher guides for Series 1
  • Parent take-home notes
  • Curriculum alignment map
  • Monthly newsletter
School
$49 / year NZD

Whole-school access for staff and students.

  • Everything in Individual
  • Unlimited staff accounts
  • Class set licensing
  • School-branded resource packs
  • Dedicated workshop scheduling
  • Progress tracking tools
  • Invoice-friendly billing

Ebook Store

Members get full access to all 27 books. Browse the library below.

🔒
Members only. Sign up for a free or paid membership to access the ebook library.
Book 1
The $20 Challenge
Series 1 — Kids
Organise
Book 2
The Birthday Money Mix-Up
Series 1 — Kids
Respect
Book 3
The School Fair Business
Series 1 — Kids
Get
Book 4
Saving for Something Big
Series 1 — Kids
Organise
Book 5
The Giving Project
Series 1 — Kids
Wealth
Book 6
My First Pay Cheque
Series 2 — Teens
Get
Book 7
Spend It or Save It?
Series 2 — Teens
Respect
Book 8
The Afterpay Trap
Series 2 — Teens
Respect
Book 9
Side Hustle Dreams
Series 2 — Teens
Get
Book 12
Surviving on Your Own
Series 3 — Real Life
Organise
Book 13
Student Loans & Reality
Series 3 — Real Life
Respect
Book 18
Understanding Mortgages in NZ
Series 4 — Real Life+
Wealth
Book 23
KiwiSaver Strategy
Series 4 — Real Life+
Wealth