What a year it’s been! We’ve flipped and flopped all over the place like a barra out of water. So why is it a good thing?
Has someone ever bought you a book as a present, or told you to check out a podcast or watch a video they said would inspire you? But you never did…
This year’s Federal Budget was a little early… with an election around the corner, will it be the last one we see from the LNP for a while?
If you would rather do anything but think about the EOFY, here’s a strategy to take away some of the brain drain.
Have you ever thought about making a positive change but you couldn’t turn things around? Or you don’t know where to start?
It might be to get fitter, spend more time with your family, buy a property, invest some cash, get a new job; whatever it is for you.
Sometimes you come across remarkable young people.
None more so than this 17 year old.
When you have 5 minutes to yourself, away from distractions, we urge you to watch the video below.
After hearing the government’s 2018 Budget, you could be forgiven for thinking there just might be an election around the corner.
It has something for almost everyone.
Sometimes, there’s a monster lurking around the corner that you can’t ignore. And that financial monster is revealing itself right now.
As you know, we’re always positive with our outlook on all things financial.
We’re going to keep this short, sweet and straight to the point.
Here are 12 big tips to help you and your family make things happen and live the life you want sooner.
How will you know when you are living the life you always wanted? What exactly will you be doing? Who will you be doing it with? How much money will you have? Are you on track to have a six figure income for life? We’ve asked these questions of countless people.
There are certain success habits that will take you from zero to earning that first few thousand dollars of passive income; and from there to earning six figures (and beyond) for life.
We hope you’re year has started with a bang and you’re doing great.
Given the media hype about the US and Aussie stock markets this week, we thought we’d let you know our thoughts on what’s really happening…
Because the stats prove that over 70%* of us end up living on the Age Pension when we stop working – irrespective of how much we have earned during our lives.
Did you know the current full Age Pension is about $31,000 a year for a couple?
Whether you know it or not, the life you’re living right now, with all of its imperfections, IS the path to the life of your dreams.
Remember when your career or business was supposed to serve your life, not the other way around?
Here’s how you can help your kids buy their first home and protect them from unecessary risks.
Simple and Delicious Banoffee Pie!
Here is a but super delicious recipe for the most beautiful Banoffee Pie.
It is one of those desserts that has you going back for a second piece every time.
First up, we would have never made it to a 6-figure income for life without generating passive income from assets – property, shares (including super) and business.
But we had no idea our investing ‘hobby’ would evolve into a thriving business.
Whether you own your own business or work for someone else, referrals are the best new clients or customers because they already value and trust you (more than your competition), without you having to convince them. Your existing clients or customers have done all the hard work for you!
On your journey to a 6-figure income, your loans need to support your progress and not hold you back.
Matt Punter, CEO and specialist mortgage broker, at the savings centre takes us through the pros and cons of fixed vs. variable rate loans.
Tired of the same old pumpkin. Why not try this delicious Creamy Caramelised Onion Soup for a change! Perfect for winter and super delicious!
When it comes to financial advice, there’s no shortage of experts willing to offer their opinion as to what you should do with your money. However, most share the same thinking.
As the year comes to a close we thought it was time to have a laugh! In most families it’s a Christmas day tradition to pop your Christmas cracker and share the jokes amongst the family…some are very funny but some are just plain awful. We have scoured the globe to find the best and worst to come out of the Christmas cracker!
A 2 Minute Scenario…
Many clients these days want to help their children buy a property. However, there a few issues to consider.
Nothing is better than a Christmas pavlova so enjoy this delicious pavlova guilt free!
Many people often misunderstand the concept of Paying Yourself First (even a lot of full-time investors).
By this we’re not talking about buying a new TV, the latest device or new shoes.
The majority of borrowers out there are lead to believe by the banks that there is only one way to get an investment property loan:
A 2 Minute Scenario…
Many clients express concerns about how to manage blended families when it comes to estate planning. Let’s look at some options.
Here is an easy and tasty summer salad recipe that everyone will love!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the moment, you’re not alone. There’s the Olympics (just awesome!), Brexit in the UK, our own Aussie election, and an interest rate drop to boot! When big events happen, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and feel out of control. Here’s how to overcome that.
We’ve noticed a disturbing trend recently. So many people beating themselves up because they haven’t reached their big financial goals. And plenty of people ask us “Should I set smaller goals?”. Whether this is because the Olympics are on, we’re not sure. But if you’re not an Olympic athlete, the thing is, most of the time you just need to be more realistic.
A 2 Minute Scenario…
There are a number of estate planning issues to think about when you have young children.
Serves 8
This delicious pork stuffed with prosciutto and spinach is a modern take on a traditional favourite and is always a huge hit!
In today’s busy, hurried life it really is rare to find someone that hasn’t had moments of feeling stressed, unhappy, lost, empty or simply like their life is in a rut.
There are people who don’t know what they’re passionate about, or who don’t know what their purpose is. There are people who don’t feel inspired. There are people whose lives feel flat and who personally feel ‘flattened’. It may be you? A long time ago it was us.
In the pursuit of happiness, life experiences matter more than the acquisition of material objects.
Even after all the splurging over Christmas and the New Year sales, you may find yourself with a bit of cash to spare. You’ve been working hard, and you want to treat yourself. Should you spend it on an experience, such as a holiday or concert, or a material object?
A 2 Minute Scenario…
You have a business succession plan in place. Funding has been organised via insurance and a Buy Sell agreement has been completed.
Sometimes you need a really quick and easy meal mid week meal. Here is a really simple meatball recipe that is sure to be a hit with the whole family.
In 2007, we saw the turmoil of 2008 coming and we took action for our clients’ investments (inside and outside super).
And it paid off very well.
In the few years following the GFC our clients experienced excellent returns (some of the best returns in 70+ years!)…
One of the biggest reasons many people fail financially is not having a strong financial foundation.
When most people are building their financial future, they focus only on making money, which is of course important. But they often forget the foundation of your financial future is what makes it strong.
Two minute scenarios…
Looking after a new partner as well as children from a previous relationship, can be tricky. This edition we look at one strategy to tackle this challenge.
It’s 3pm, blood sugar levels are crashing and you’ve got a serious case of the mid-afternoon munchies. But before scrounging for coins and heading to the vending machine, why not take a look at this delicious and healthy snack to get your through the afternoon.
Have you lost sight of what you really want in life?
Had you set yourself some amazing goals that seem lost to you?
Maybe it was to have a remarkable share and property portfolio that served you – instead of feeling like you’re a slave to your debt…
We’re asked all the time about the best financial lesson we’ve ever learnt.
It sounds simple but it’s taking stock of our mistakes. Everyone who is successful has made some whoppers. We sure have!…
Having a Will is arguably one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your family. Not only can a Will legally protect your spouse, children and assests, it can also spell out exactly how you would like things handled when you have passed on…
These tasty delights are quick to prepare and simple to make – an easy weeknight dinner that the family will love…
What do you believe success is? What does being rich mean to you? Our belief of success and what it means to be rich are summed up in this video clip by The Minimalists. We hope it inspires you and adds value to your life!
While the Australian banking industry enjoys many positive qualities, we believe it faces a number of challenges including a normalisation of internal rates of return on the back of the recent strong run. Here’s on our thoughts why…
My go to dessert when entertaining has always been the humble pav. I find that this is a sure fire crowd pleaser and I love that I can make the base the night before and leave it in my oven over night.
Courtesy of Matt Punter, The Savings Centre. There has been a great deal of media coverage about APRA and investment lending over the past month and rightly so!
Let’s face it; we’re all hung up about money. And whether we like it or not, it affects everything important in our lives…
With the cold weather upon us there is no better way to heat your family up than dishing out a warm soup for lunch or dinner on a frosty winters day…
The top 3
1. Small cuts for business
2. Age pension changes – good and bad
3. Childcare boost…
Two minute scenarios..
Entering a second relationship can present issues for some people who are concerned about protecting their children’s inheritance…
Did you know that we live for about 4,400 weeks?
What are you doing with the weeks you have left?
If you want more out of life and you want to do more, what’s the first step?…
This is a topic we often talk about because it’s something that has affected every one of us from a very young age.
It’s actually shaped the way most of us live our lives.
Recently, we gave a presentation to two classes at a local high school…
Autumn is a great time of year to explore and experiment with different recipes and after a summer full of salads it’s always nice in autumn to cook something warm – and nothing hits the spot better than a delicious risotto…
Email marketing can be a fantastic and inexpensive way to reach your customers but it is also a big responsibility. Your customers don’t want their inbox bombarded with irrelevant and annoying mail. Understanding not only the do’s but also the don’ts of email marketing…
Feel like there is never enough time in the day? That you can never get everything done? Don’t despair – when time is at the optimum the key to success is all in how you organise your time…
Warm weather, long lazy days and relaxing with family and friends – summertime at its best! Whether it is a local market a cool festival or an entertaining show…
Having children complicates life in many interesting ways, and estate planning is no exception. Here are a few scenarios you should definitely think about…
Celebrating Christmas in the summer means that we can get away with putting our own distinct “Aussie” twist on traditional Christmas fare…
Does it feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to manage the hundreds of emails you receive daily, and still do your job at the same time? We’ve got just the antidote…
Superannuation issues are some of the most important considerations to keep in mind as the end of the financial year approaches. We want to make sure you have all the facts…
We want you to stay healthy this winter, and a big part of that is eating right. Soup is the comfort food of winter, but sometimes it’s not as healthy as we think it is – made with lots of starchy veggies, cream, and that’s not to mention the half-loaf of bread we dunk into it, it’s easy to overdo our energy intake…
It’s hard to get motivated to exercise in colder months, and often that means we let our fitness regimes go by the wayside, skipping gym time for couch time instead…
For a lot of people, the start of a new year is the chance to start afresh with their finances. It’s an opportunity to better manage their money so that by the time Christmas rolls around again they’ve got their debts under control and more savings in the bank…
It’s time to make mornings your new best friend! Hard as it may be when you’re working all week, utilising the mornings before work can be the key to a happy, successful lifestyle—something we can probably all agree was on our list of resolutions this year…
If life constantly feels like a series of deadlines that you keep missing, it may be that you just need to do bit of re-organisation…
We want 2014 to be the year you succeed in achieving your goals, whether they’re related to your finances, your career or something else entirely—we want you to win!…
They say that more millionaires are made in a downturn than when times are good. But have you ever wondered WHY that is, or more specifically, HOW that is? Well, we’re going to reveal 7 secrets to help you with your investment strategy…
Having a budget for Christmas gifts, a limit for what you can spend on your family and friends, may seem kind of Scrooge-like, but really it just makes good common sense—and it all comes down to having a plan…
The older our kids get, the harder it gets to buy them something they really want for Christmas. But you’re not alone; this time of year, our parents and in-laws are also asking what they can get the kids for Christmas…
We all try to maintain healthy eating habits, but somewhere between hump day and the end of the week, we have the tendency to let some things slip—at snack time, a handful of nuts becomes a handful of gummy bears from the lolly jar;…
Former PM, Paul Keating once said: “When you change the government, you change the country,” and whether or not you believe his sentiments, the election of a Coalition government is showing all the signs of being able to deliver a more stable, business friendly environment…
Like all things, most of what your kids know about money is learned from you, and they learn it from an early age. Things like saving and spending their money wisely: that’s all dependent on how you spend your money…
Keeping your financial records in order is one of the easiest things you can do, and it will go along way to helping you maintain your finances and an ordered life! Try our tips for getting your financial records in order…
Make the most of the spring entertaining season with this twist on an old favourite: Asian short ribs with coconut and lime salad…
