Asking for a pay increase after a pandemic sounds as palatable as drinking a fish milkshake. Many organisations will be struggling, so asking for a pay rise at a time when they’re struggling to start up again and keep other employees on could be seen as a douche move. However, some industries boomed during COVID.…read more
One of the things that frustrates me most is people who say: “If only I had enough money, I would retire on the spot. “And do what?” I normally reply. There’s a reason ageing rock-bands like The Rolling Stones, The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac (in all their various incarnations) keep on playing. Some of the…read more
Paulette Perhach first popularized the term F*ck-Off Fund when she wrote an essay that went viral a few years ago. She built up hers—and then used it to travel throughout South America and jumpstarted her dream career. A F*ck Off Fund can be for positive reasons like that or they can be cause you need to…read more
Volatility is the enemy of the patient person; the friend of the opportunistic. Nope, I’m not quoting anybody … I just made it up on the spot. But then I had to check Google to see if anybody else said it first. Nope .. phew … proceed. Other Google quotes I found are close. “Volatility…read more
Australian homeowners are loading up their offset accounts in record amounts, so much so that the average household is now almost four years ahead on their mortgage payments. Quick question: do you have an offset account (or several) attached to your mortgage? They’ve become quite popular in recent years, especially since the RBA’s official cash…read more
You’ve probably noticed that house prices in Australia consistently outstrip growth in wages. But by how much? And what can you do to make sure you’re not forever chasing the great Australian dream? Each generation faces its own unique set of challenges (and opportunities!). And for the current crop, one big challenge can be breaking…read more
The average Australian homeowner is paying more than $37,000 in extra interest over the life of their home loan due to the loyalty tax, and it’s got three-quarters of borrowers feeling “ripped off” and “angry”. What’s the loyalty tax? It’s this sneaky lender trick where borrowers with older mortgages are typically charged a higher interest…read more
Right now, most people who own assets like houses or investment properties should be happy. House prices up; superannuation up; share prices have been at record levels. All good, right? YES (mainly) For the most part, yes! The increase in property prices is directly related to falling interest rates and easy access to debt. And…read more
*And it’s one of the best decisions I ever made! My investment property was an impulse buy. Sounds extravagant huh? Let me explain. It was 2011 and I’d flown home to Queensland for my Mum’s birthday. I had a long chat to my parents about wanting to buy my own investment property. I’d been divorced…read more
1. SPARE CASH IS LIKE WINE, THERE’S RARELY ANY SPARE One of the dilemmas for any person or family is what to do with spare cash (though many would argue that, like wine, there is rarely any spare). But if you are broadly following a financial plan and setting some money aside for future disasters…read more
Its not pretty, but heading to Splitsville will cost you if you don’t follow these top tips It’s not pretty but if you know you are heading to Splitsville here are some top tips to follow that I wish I’d known before my divorce. 1. Get a lawyer and an accountant I was lucky in…read more
*It could be stealthily eating your wealth. Inflation: National Versus Personal In the last few weeks, the official annual inflation rate in Australia jumped to its highest point in 13 years – 3.8 percent. Normally this would ring alarm bells that interest rates are about to rise, because part of the Reserve Bank’s charter is…read more