Retraining your savings brain

  Retraining your savings brain Where there’s a will there’s a way, especially when it comes to saving. The latest scientific findings reveal that although fewer than 25 per cent of us have a genetic predisposition to squirrel money away for the future, we can all learn to save if we set our mind to it. According to Dr Hersh Shefrin of Santa Clara University in California, a further 25 per cent of people will …

Love and money

Love and money – safeguarding relationships Are you or your partner making sneaky ATM trips? Engaging in late-night online banking sessions? If so, you – or they – could be guilty of ‘financial infidelity’. Forget sex, religion or politics, the experts all agree that money is the most common cause of relationship tension. “We think about relationship compatibility from just about every angle except money, yet finances are a top cause of divorce. Many people …

Let’s talk about money

  Let’s talk about money When it comes to analysing the state of Australian relationships, you can forget the bedroom. The really revealing behaviour takes place behind closed bank accounts. Let’s talk about money.. It is no secret that money is often at the heart of divorce and family disputes. Money has certainly not bought love for Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart who is locked in a bitter court battle with her children for control of …

Honey, the kids shrunk my retirement

Honey, the kids shrunk my retirement An increasing number of Peter (and Peta) Pans are refusing to fly the coop, staying in the family home well into adulthood. It’s estimated that in the next five years, more than one million 18 to 29-year-old Australians will still be living with their parents. Put another way, nearly a third of people close to retiring will still be supporting their adult children at the end of this decade.i …

Are we becoming a cashless society?

  Are we becoming a cashless society? Australians are edging towards a cashless future, as consumers use debit cards or other electronic payment methods in preference to cash at the checkout and online. But whether we will entirely shun notes and coins in the future is not certain. For one thing, cash has its benefits. It’s easier for small transactions such as buying a coffee or tipping a waiter. However, the rise of contactless, credit …

How to Get Yourself Independent from Credit Cards

How to Get Yourself Independent from Credit Cards Credit cards have almost become a necessity in today’s world for most people. They have made the use of hard cash a little less important in society while simultaneously becoming something on which people seem almost hooked up. Credit cards can be used constructively to have a positive impact on your life. However, there may be times when they cause a negative financial situation in your life. …

Grandparents unsung childcare heroes

  Grandparents unsung childcare heroes It’s meant to be a time to kick back and pursue all those interests you put aside while you worked and raised a family. But increasingly, grandparents are being called on to fill the gaps in Australia’s formal childcare system while their adult children go out to work. Grandparents provide a staggering 23 per cent of all childcare to children under 12 in Australia, according to a recent AMP NATSEM …

10 reasons your kids won’t listen to your money advice

10 reasons your kids won’t listen to your money advice …and how you can bring them around Every parent wants the best for their children but kids often won’t listen to the wisdom of your experience, especially when it comes to money. Don’t give up! Here are some of the common beliefs and misconceptions kids have about managing money—and how you could get them to take your advice. Money buys happiness This is one of …

4 Wise Quotes About Investing Money Explained

4 Wise Quotes About Investing Money Explained Investing money in the financial market is similar to surfing in an ocean. Hidden beneath the seemingly innocent ocean waters are sharks that can rip you apart in case you come near their territory. In the investment market, you are the surfer while the sharks are bad investments that can gobble up your precious savings within a matter of seconds. But you can save yourself from bad investments …

Like to work overseas?

Like to work overseas? Here are some things to consider before making an international move. When it comes to working overseas the options can be endless. You may be considering teaching English in Italy or taking a job that’s very similar to the one you’re doing now, only in New York City! Earn more than just money Where ever you’re planning to go, you could find there’s more to be gained by working overseas than …