Is your growing family stretching your budget? Here are seven tips to help you stay on top of your finances as your family grows. Growing your family can be one of life’s greatest joys, but if you already have one or two children, you’ll understand that raising kids can be costly. To cope financially with having more kids you’ll need to balance your income with the increasing expenses. Take a long-term view When you understand …
Six tips for becoming a senior entrepreneur Retirement is not a destination, it’s another stage in life’s journey—and that’s never been truer than today, as many over-50s are rejecting the quiet life and starting their own businesses. Do you want to do the same? Groups such as Elderberry, SeniorPreneurs Foundation, The Seniorpreneurs Network, National Seniors and OverSixty have sprung up to help you get started and connect with others on the same path. “You have …
7 tips on how to retire early Are you dreaming about early retirement, but unsure how to go about it? You might be surprised to learn that Aussies are retiring earlier, with 25% of men retiring before age 55 and 50% retiring between 55 to 64 years. For women, the figures are higher, with 55% stopping work before they reach 55 and 36% retiring between the ages of 55 and 64 years1. But while these …
Flying solo? You aren’t alone. Have you ever gone to the theatre alone? Dined out at nice restaurant at a table for one? Travelled overseas solo? Society tells us these types of activities can only be enjoyed with a friend or companion. But one in 4 Australian’s currently live alone[1] and this figure has been rising steadily for over 60 years – going from 8% in 1946 to 24% in 2011. So can we …
Getting more done with fewer interruptions Learn how multi-tasking affects your productivity, and not in the positive ways you might think. So you think you’re pretty good at multi-tasking? Well, research[1] tells us we’re not – in fact we’re awful at it! And, according to Dr Julia Irwin, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Macquarie University who specialises in cognitive behaviour, we can’t perform multiple tasks with the same level of skill as when we perform …
Diversifying inside super Find out what it is, how it works and why it matters to you What is diversification? Diversification is a risk strategy that lets you ride the ups and downs of investing. It reduces your exposure to risk, so your investments won’t be as affected by fluctuations in markets. How do you diversify? Investment diversification can be achieved by choosing a mix of: asset classes (cash, fixed interest, bonds, property and shares) …
5 ways to make your life more simple Time passes by so quickly that sometimes before we can cross the first item off our to-do list we’ve already added another. Here are some easy steps you can take to help simplify your life. If managing life’s everyday complexities only seem achievable when you’re daydreaming about the chef, cleaner, personal assistant or nanny that you don’t have, you’re probably not alone. And, if ‘turbulent’ is …
Not without my smartphone The nation’s fixation with logging on has people glancing at their devices more than 440 million times a day. Digital devices in Australia have not only changed the way we communicate, but how we socialise, plan, work, transact, access information and entertain ourselves—not to mention, multi-task! The advancement of digital technology has also given rise to improvements in education, personal development and, in some ways, reduced our impact on the environment, …
Would you caravan? If you’re thinking about taking the family on a great Aussie adventure or perhaps considering buying a caravan to see out your golden years, read on to find out what you need to know. Did you know that 85% of Australians have been either caravanning or camping at least once in their life?1 And 73% of buyers cite ‘seeing more of Australia’ as their main reason to caravan? But it’s not just …
Growing your wealth What is gearing? In simple terms, gearing is borrowing money to invest. The investment could be in direct shares or managed investments, such as an equity trust, balanced fund or property. Gearing is, in essence, directed towards producing a larger investment return by using borrowed funds, often in addition to your own funds, so that financial goals can be achieved more quickly. Gearing can be used as part of the overall investment …
