My grandfather was an accomplished builder. So the day he handed me a brick and a trowel and asked me if I would like to build something with him, I was excited. As an 11-year-old boy, I thought the pattern of bricks in a nearby wall looked simple enough – surely, therefore, there couldn’t be that much to it. How wrong I was! Managing your Money Fast forward to the present, and I find that people (mostly men, if I am honest) have much the same view of what I now build […]
Apply one of these money-saving lessons today to save more!
The idea of saving money can be daunting, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Let’s look at a few of the best money lessons that you can start implementing right away to make a big difference to your finances. Saving in the Kitchen Shopping smart in the supermarket is an easy way to quickly end up with more money in your pocket at the end of each week. Step one, make a list and stick to it! You’ll end up with a lot less waste. We all know the dangers of hungry shopping! Another good supermarket money […]
5 expenditures you should be reviewing to save money this financial year
As with the start of any new year, the start of a new financial year is a great time to save money by getting into new habits. Spending patterns naturally change as we move through different phases of our lives. It is important, though, to “clean out” our finances every so often, so that we are not accumulating financial clutter. If you don’t review your spending, you’ll be amazed at how many payments ‘fly below the radar’, outstay their welcome and become a drag on your financial progress. Insurance So, let’s start with insurance. Are you getting your money’s worth, […]
Teaching children good financial habits
The best way that parents can pass on good financial habits to their children is to be in good financial habits themselves. Children pick things up from their parents by osmosis. If a child grows up in a family where finances are a drama because money keeps running out, the chances are that they will continue that financial roller coaster ride into adulthood. If they experience a childhood in which energy does not get wasted on day-to-day financial transactions because everything just flows, this ease and flow is likely to be reflected in their own finances later on. It’s a […]
Five quick tips to save on your weekly shop | Family Budgeting
PLAN YOUR MEALS (OBVIOUSLY!) It’s the most obvious tip around. But planning your meals is imperative when you’re wanting to stick to a budget. Don’t be wasteful, elements of certain meals can be transferred to others. If you’ve planned a meal that only uses half a tub of cream, make another meal with similar ingredients in the days after, so there’s no waste. GET CHOPPING! As soon as you get back from your regular shop, wash, chop & store your fresh fruit and vegetables! Instead of buying pre-cut (and wasting your money!) chop and divide your fresh fruits and vegetables into […]
End of an Era
Today, thousands of families around Australia are receiving their very last instalment of the Schoolkids’ Bonus. These twice-yearly payments of $215 for each child in primary school and $428 for each child in secondary school are being phased out as a result of a pre-election decision by both sides of politics. It can be hard for families to adjust when payments cease. As when fortnightly Parenting Payments come to an end with the youngest child in the family turning six. Or when a child becomes too old for you to receive Family Tax Benefit. It’s easy to become so dependent […]