As Valentine’s Day looms in February, there will be thousands of ads calling for you to spend money to show your true love.

Romance doesn’t go amiss with the Debtfix Crew and while red roses and choccies are gorgeous – so is showing some adoration to your KiwiSaver account.

After all, your long-term saving scheme will still be there to care for you when your skin sags and your eyesight fades.

Simplicity KiwiSaver and Debtfix have launched a pilot programme for KiwiSaver members who want to withdraw funds when they are experiencing financial hardship.

Now, people applying to Simplicity to withdraw KiwiSaver funds will be referred to Debtfix, New Zealand’s first not-for-profit debt solution provider. The holistic service supports people beyond the hardship application and looks for solutions that may mean people don’t need to draw down on KiwiSaver funds.

Think of debt like a beautifully kept car, with regular cleaning and maintenance it’ll remain shiny, reliable and functioning. But with a few months or years of neglect, it’ll become messy and at risk of a breakdown.