YOUR TOP 5 – NEWS QUICK BITE
by Mieke Buchan
How much do you really have to earn to have it all?
Is money stress holding you back? We know that finding our how to get the most out of your money isnt always a lot of fun. A lot of people we talk to have spent years just avoiding the whole topic of money all-together because they’re worried they don’t know enough to do better for themselves and their families.. We’re here to make things as easy and stress-free as possible!
TO SAVE YOU TIME scrolling around to find out which finance, business, local and world news stories actually mean something for you and your cash – Here’s what you and you money need to know this week.
First up – How hard is the cost of living crunch hitting you and your wallet? The Aus Institute has done a deep dive into whats really going on.
The impact of the interest rate hikes has turned back time – and not in a good way!
And how much DO you have to earn to “have it all” ..
Enjoy the read!
Mieke Buchan – The Advantage – Head of Content and Brand
1 – OUCH !
“Wages are growing faster than inflation – but workers are $8,000 worse off than 3 years ago”
This one from the Australia Institute
We knew things were feeling a little tighter all over. Even if your wage has gone up – chances are youre still thinking about watching your wallet.
The passionfruit you used to nick from your neighbours vine is now worth a mint! Here’s why:
2 – TURN BACK TIME – THE INTEREST RATE HEADACHE –
“Australia took its interest rate medicine – and it has poisoned our living standards”
The Guardian Australia – Greg Jericho
Even as we spent less, the Reserve Bank kept raising rates – and now household disposable income is back to what it was in 2015 – but with inflated prices for everything! “Turn back time” alright – Cher would like her song back!
If you’re watching the cost of your fresh food more than ever, you’re not alone!
Click to read on – https://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2024/nov/21/australia-interest-rates-rba-economy-inflation-comment-disposable-income
3 – THE SALARY YOU NEED TO EARN TO HAVE IT ALL!!
MorningStar Investor – Shani Jayamanne
“Turns out that we all want very similar things from life. We look at the salary needed to achieve the most common financial goals.
At some point we’ve all imagined what life would be like if we had an unlimited about money. For the vast majority of people that is not reality, and financial goals are all about opportunity cost and the trade-offs we make in our day-to-day lives. We have limited resources (salary), and many goals we want to achieve.
What if that wasn’t the case and we didn’t have to choose? Here’s what you would need to earn to be able to have it all as a normal Australian that has existing expenses that meet the average Aussie monthly expenses – “
4 – MORTGAGE STRESS TO EASE IN 2025
HERES WHAT EXPERTS ARE PREDICITING FOR INTEREST RATES AND INFLATION NEXT YEAR –
From the The Conversation
“Cheaper mortgages, tamed inflation and even higher home prices: how 29 forecasters see Australia’s economic recovery in 2024-25..
Australia’s top economic forecasters expect the Reserve Bank to start cutting interest rates by March next year, taking 0.35 points of its cash rate by June.
If passed on in full, the cut would take $125 off the monthly cost of servicing a $600,000 variable-rate mortgage, with more to come.
The panel of 29 forecasters assembled by The Conversation expects a further cut of 0.3 points by the end of 2025. This would take the cash rate down from the current 4.35% to 3.75% and produce a total cut in monthly payments on a $600,000 mortgage of $335″
Fingers crossed they’re right! Who wouldn’t love a cut in their escalating monthly Mortgage repayments .. and a smaller grocery bill!
5 – Bad news – YOUR SAVINGS ARE SHRINKING!
Its vital to ask – are your savings keeping up with inflation? The simple answer here is also no. Your savings cash rate is sitting at around 1.3%. Meanwhile inflation is hovering around 4.9% – so your savings is making a net loss of 3.6% per year. All of that money you’ve worked so hard for is shrinking in value while it sits in the bank doing nothing. Your savings are now “losings”
Lets look at an example – your $120k in a savings bank account will increase to a net dollar value of $121,560 over a year
That’s 1.013 x $120,000 = 121,560
But, with inflation going up by 4.9% – your actual buying power is reduced
That’s .951% x $121,560 = $115,603.56
By doing nothing, you are losing almost $6000 a year!
You can probably do better with your hard-earned dollars and cents!
PRO TIP TO BEAT INFLATION – Aussies just like you are already on their way!
In our first live streaming event, I chatted to Miriam Ellis, whose home beauty salon was shut down during Covid. Her husband Craig was working at a local sign factory. As a single income family, they thought they had no chance to realise their dreams of proper financial freedom.
After learning how to streamline their debts, they were able to utilise the existing equity in their family home to start investing.
PRO TIP – When you invest in an asset that increases in value at the same rate (or higher) than the inflation rate – you can actually get ahead!
They now own a townhouse on a golf course in Queensland!! They only had to use $39K of their home equity and spent almost no money to get into it. The experts referred by our team helped them with everything. The investment in Beaumorris is growing in value, paying for itself off AND they are receiving a tax benefit.
It was so easy and stress-free, they are ready to jump into their next investment ASAP.
PAY OFF YOUR MORTGAGE IN HALF THE TIME!
It might sound too good to be true, but we have thousands of success stories to show our programs work!
In one brief, stress free chat – find out how you could start improving your overall financial position today.
Our own Shelly Horton has shared the incredible journey of moving from credit card debt stress in her 40s to paying off her first investment and moving onto her next one.
She started on her path to investing a little later than many people – but she’s now had an inspiring expedition from divorcing with debt to being financially secure, stable and excited about a comfortable future.
Click the link to see how she did it – https://theadvantage.com.au/2022/03/20/lets-celebrate-paying-off-our-investment-properties
DE-SCRAMBLE THE CHATTER
Sometimes financial news can feel like a whole lot of world salad.
The Advantage has helped thousands of Australians get ahead by simply breaking down each element of your financial footprint and seeing where you can do better. Maybe they can help you too.
There’s no need to worry about going backwards financially when you can take proactive steps today. Sometimes you just need a little financial education and guidance about whats possible.
A 30 minute initial chat is free of any fees or obligations, you’ll just find out what your options are.
Want to know how you can be getting more out of your money?
Maybe you could get on track to pay your mortgage off in half the time – Some of our clients are already saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest by slashign years off their home loan.
1000s of people are reaping the rewards of finally being financially educated. IYou could start the journey to financial freedom with just one no-stress (and no0charge) call.
Waiting to take the first step to becoming empowered by how you’re managing your money costs nothing .. waiting years to take a few easy steps could cost you thousands.
Dont let procrastination and fear stop you from really gettiing ahead.