FAQs
Straight answers about Home Steps — the free 24/7 companion for household explainers, checklists, and NZ support.
Questions about Home Steps
Yes. Home Steps is free for whānau. There is no paywall, no trial ending, and no pressure to use it every day.
Yes. You need a free account to use the app. Your account keeps saved checklists, preferences, and optional notes available across devices.
No. Home Steps offers educational explainers and NZ resource links. It does not replace advice from lawyers, budget advisors, Tenancy Services, Employment New Zealand, or emergency services.
Home Steps supports whānau managing household life across Aotearoa — renting, money, bills, employment changes, and emergency readiness — with calm tools you can open anytime.
Face-to-face household help in a community is precious — and often only available in short windows, such as a couple of hours a fortnight. Home Steps adds something complementary: calm, free guidance you can open day or night, so whānau aren’t left waiting between those moments of care. We celebrate community helpers; we don’t replace them.
Today gives one gentle household step you can try when you are ready, plus short suggested reads and checklists. It is designed for ordinary weeks, not perfect routines.
Steps are short, practical explainers across six pillars: household, renting, money, bills, employment, and emergency readiness.
Checklists are templates you can tick and save — bill tracking, document folders, moving-out prep, emergency kits, and similar household tools. Nothing becomes overdue.
Ideas lets you tap a common situation (like “worried about rent”) and see matched steps from our library. Helper lets you type in your own words — it only points to the same reviewed content. It does not invent advice.
Notes are private reminders on your account — a phone number, a due date, or something you agreed at home. Optional, and separate from Steps and Checklists.
Call or text MoneyTalks (0800 345 123 / text 4029). Use Sorted.org.nz for free tools. In Tauranga and the Western Bay (Katikati to Ōtamarākau), Bay Financial Mentors offer free confidential mentoring — book online or call 0800 236 123 (bfm.org.nz). Home Steps also has budgeting and debt steps and checklists in the app.
Open the Crisis week checklist and the Urgent costs step in the app. Check Work and Income urgent costs, contact your power retailer early, and call MoneyTalks or CAB for warm referrals. If anyone is in danger, call 111.
Ready when you are
Open Today or browse Steps for one small household action you can try this week.
Using the app
Yes. Tick items as you go — your progress is saved. Come back anytime. Nothing becomes overdue.
Yes. You can share links to explainers and checklists so others in your household can read the same guidance.
Home Steps can be installed on your home screen. Some app areas may work offline after loading, but full browsing and syncing need a connection.
When you sign in, settings, saved checklists, and optional notes are stored in your Home Steps account on our servers. See the Privacy page for details.
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 111. Home Steps emergency content is for readiness planning — kits, contacts, and simple plans — not a substitute for emergency services.
Valued supports include Tenancy Services (0800 836 262), Citizens Advice Bureau (0800 367 422), Sorted.org.nz, Work and Income, Employment New Zealand, and Get Ready (getready.govt.nz). Home Steps walks alongside them.
Yes. Account and privacy controls are available in Settings. You can also read more in the Privacy and Terms pages.