The Superannuation Debate Rages On

December 9, 2020

Lately in Australia, people were able to access their Super of up to $10,000 if suffering because of COVID19 layoffs. However, it seems that four in 10 Australians who withdrew from their super under the Federal Government’s Early Super Access Scheme actually saw no drop in their income at the time. In fact, as some were collecting stable Jobkeeper payments rather than being a part-time casual worker, collated data shows that 21% of these recipients had their overall earnings rise by more than 10%. (Savings.com.au) Recipients of the second round…

Does Planning your Financial Goals Make Better Outcomes?

December 13, 2019

Personal finance and scams

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Yes, those people who create their own financial blueprints – including budgets, big goals for the future, and spending plans/prioritising – are better off financially than those who do not. For proof, you can read the stories of a New Zealand blue-printer here and an American blue-printer (Mr Money Mustache) here. I guess we like the words financial blueprint because it reminds us that we can be the architect of our own financial life. And we can! Why Write Goals? It pays to write goals down because it lets you…

How will Creative Ways help my Money Flow?

November 23, 2019

Personal finance and scams

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Over the past year, I’ve been busy knitting together creativity with money (conceptually, not literally), and looking at what would increase our money flow. It’s more about what stops it and what blocks your creative thinking, than anything else. When we think of money and finance, we often get all crazy. Fear of not having enough, fear of investment losses, fear of missing out, and confusion over the array of investing choices seems to block our minds from truly thinking outside the money box. I’m concerned that many are blissfully unaware of…

Looking after your Prosperous Future Self

November 4, 2019

Personal finance and scams

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After all my learning through both painful experience and miles of research into personal finance over these past 12 years, I have come to this conclusion: If you don’t look after your money, no-one else will. If you think that your Super is someone else’s problem, don’t believe it. It’s yours to manage, with annual reviews to make sure you are on track to live comfortably, when the time comes. Keep the management costs low by selecting your Super Fund manager wisely, make sure you put in more than any…

Want a rich retirement? You need creative money ideas!

October 25, 2019

Book Writing, Personal finance and scams

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There’s nothing that makes me madder than some journalist rabbiting on about sacrificing lots of salary into superannuation. Well, that is all very well if, a) you are employed; b) your employer is amenable to that; and c) you make enough money that you could easily miss 5 or 10 percent of it. But what about all of us in business? What about those retiring now? I don’t expect that people earning $120,000+ per year are going to be that interested in my 2020 book, Creative Ways with Money, and…

Setting Goals: Are you Doing it the Right Way?

April 26, 2019

Book Writing, Personal finance and scams

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If you take the step of setting a big goal that excites you, you’ll at least be putting it into your vision. But some stab at a goal without really considering all the factors. Are they aiming correctly? In 2003, I had two goals: meet a man and write a book. I had a list of desired attributes and my write a book goal was written on a piece of paper, taped to the wall. Since dating and this blog have little in common, let’s quickly move to the book…

My Financial Life in Books

May 23, 2017

Book Writing, Personal finance and scams

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Oh, what have I done to deserve this wretched financial life statement? This five-digit retirement fund? Did I not start and run a freelance business, had this book, How to Start and Run a Freelance Business, that served clients well with persuasive copy? ‘Planning is the secret to success’, you say? Well, that is my middle name. So faithfully I planned, set goals, budgeted, paid myself first, sought education and read up on Money. Just in case it found me one day. Alas, you have to go seek it. So…

How do you keep Positive when all your Income Streams turn to Custard…?

November 3, 2016

Personal finance and scams

My dear bloglings, I am so qualified to write this post that it’s not even funny! Circa 2008 – 2010 was tough, tough, tough. Going backwards is never fun. Positive thinking is lambasted, but what I write about is positive psychology and ideas to keep you motivated. I know we’re all trying to put on a brave and successful public face, but at times do you feel like you’re one key client account away from closing shop… or are you royally pissed off at your expensive marketing going nowhere? Been…

THW Global – another work at home scam

August 19, 2016

Personal finance and scams

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Dear readers, today I am among the tens of millions of gullible online workers around the world. Welcome to THW Global, paid video viewing (‘a reverse of Youtube’) – where “apparently” you can make up to $25 an hour (who knows what currency) and recruit others and make even more money (20% extra for the first level). In some parts the rambling made sense, although the use of ‘up to $25 an hour’ is a bit cagey…. but they failed to convince when I couldn’t find a PAYMENT setting in the…

What Can We Learn from a Ponzi Scheme?

August 12, 2016

Personal finance and scams

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Recently a news story caught my eye – its real life plot truly ‘stranger than fiction’. A dead man’s body washed up on a Sunshine Coast beach. A tale told of a $100-million-dollar investment ‘Ponzi scheme’ – but hardly a trace of money has been found, apart from $1 million worth of US property and $91K cash. The “trading syndicate” invested in shares, real estate and commodities, and aimed to achieve returns of 24% a year. The fund manager had no Financial Services license. Police did not suspect foul play,…