Articles & Questions
Every week I publish a fun new article on a money topic I think you’ll find interesting. I also answer a handful of reader questions. Subscribers to my newsletter get to see everything first — but you can browse some of my past articles & questions on this page.
My Best Articles
Not sure where to start? Below I’ve handpicked a few of my favourites. And if you like what you see, don’t forget to subscribe to my free newsletter to get new issues before anyone else!
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Scamming my mother
I took a deep breath and dialled my mother.
"Mum, it's me. I need … your credit card details," I said.
I was standing in a crowded Apple Store, where I'd been for the past three hours.
Tomorrow was my son's 13th birthday, and I'd decided to get him an Apple Watch. Well, truthfully, I'd decided to buy myself a new Apple Watch, and he was getting my old hand-me-down. I was wearing his present.
The other side of the scam
We were in the mountains of Laos.
I was at a cockfighting joint playing pétanque with our tour guide, Minh.
Think lawn bowls, except the floor is dirt, the air is full of smoke, and everyone is drinking cheap whisky from recycled bottles. K-pop blares on a distorting Temu speaker.
The best question this year
How cool is this?
On Tuesday an eight-year-old named Molly filled out the “Ask Barefoot” form on my website:
“My parents won’t allow me to buy shares, and it makes me feel so sad. Please help me! Molly”
Why I invested in Elon Musk's SpaceX
I just invested in the most overvalued piece of junk going around:
Elon’s latest trillion-dollar trouser-tickler, SpaceX.
I didn’t have a choice. My index fund bought it for me. Automatically.
Kohler Ad is a Scam (and so are you)
Hi Scott,
My wife and I have followed the Barefoot Investor program for years. It got us out of a pit of debt and we've been debt-free ever since.
Barefoot Finally Gets into Crypto
Hi Scott,
Brynvest is an automated trading platform that uses price arbitrage between Bitcoin platforms to make investors thousands of dollars a month with as little as $350.
New Mum is Ghosted and Gutted
Hi Scott,
I’ve been trying to sell an investment property since early 2024. A buyer came through, signed everything, and I was told the contract was unconditional.
I’ve Been Bawling My Eyes Out
Hi Scott,
I’m in the middle of this cyclone in Queensland. I have just found out I’ve been scammed after reading your ‘scam the scammer article’. I’ve been bawling my eyes out and I’m writing this with blurred vision.
I finally got into crypto
My bank manager, Colin, was stressed.
I know this because I could see beads of sweat collecting on his bald head.
We were standing in the middle of the branch while customers and other bank staff tried really hard to act like they were not listening in on our conversation.
A Knife to the Throat
My dad, who’s 60 and nearing retirement, got a call from an Aussie company pitching an SMSF to trade daily using AI (red flag – he didn’t contact them first). They claim to use only 2% of your super per day to avoid “losing everything”. He’s already invested $500 and says he’s made $25 but is being hounded by daily calls.
Your Password is a Problem
I found out about this through my work last week and I wish someone had told me sooner. It’s a government website that shows you how long it would take a hacker to crack your passwords.
Artificial Intelligence Stole $300,000 From Me
I have just read your response to Craig regarding Robert Irwin and Trade 6000 Alrex.
We’ve Made $11,400 Profit in Four Months
My husband and I recently started trading CFDs (Contracts for Difference) online. We started with $500 thinking that “if it’s a scam, we’ll only lose $500”.
My Mother has a Lover
My mother has been sending large amounts of money to a holiday fling for the last 14 years. She has almost lost her home, she’s drawn on her super, and I fear she will be in dire straits soon if this continues. It happened like this: in 2010 she met a young Casanova in Egypt, and a holiday fling quickly became a business partnership.
This is the hardest thing I've ever written
What you’re about to read is very uncomfortable.
It’s possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever written, but it needs to be said, and you need to read it.
Wayne is a 50-something Barefoot Dad. His son Mackenzie (Mac) is 16 years old, and obsessed with footy, cricket and getting his L-plates. The trouble began when Mac befriended a girl on Snapchat who was friends with some of his friends.
The Betrayal
We have – well had – a much-loved receptionist. She was like a second mum to our child, even taking paid time off to go to the grandparent/important person day at her school. She was paid above award wages and has been looked after with bonuses and gifts for the last 17 years.
Lovestruck
Last year I got caught in a romance scam and lost $240k. I was just so stupid to send money to the stranger, but I thought there were lots of signs to believe him. I haven’t told any of my family about this.
You Have 60 Seconds to Do This NOW
My good friend wants to invest $100,000 into a crypto-style investment strategy called GsPro. They say in 18 months you will 10 x your investment. What advice do you have for her as she feels she needs to take a risk to make some money.