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!
Search Articles
What’s a Girl with Bad Credit to Do?
Hi Scott, In my early twenties I had a drug addiction which resulted in me having my car repossessed and taking out huge loans I could never repay. Three years on, I am in a reliable job (earning $55,000 p.
Hi Scott,
In my early twenties I had a drug addiction which resulted in me having my car repossessed and taking out huge loans I could never repay. Three years on, I am in a reliable job (earning $55,000 p.a.) and have paid off all my debts. However, as you can imagine, I have terrible credit. I want a chance at buying a house, but what’s a girl with bad credit to do?Please help!
Tegan
Hi Tegan,
You’ve been able to beat drugs and you’ve been able to repay your debts, so I have no doubt you’ll eventually buy your own home. You’re a fighter!
I’d suggest you grab a copy of your credit report (go to www.checkyourcredit.com.au and following the links to get a free file sent out in the post) and make sure any debt you’ve repaid is marked as ‘settled’. If not, you can ask your creditor to do it for you.
Honestly, though, there’s no way to ‘clean’ your bad credit file, despite what those dodgy ‘credit repair’ companies claim. It’s really a waiting game: overdue accounts and defaults drop off your file after five years, while more serious matters last for seven years.
What’s done is done. Instead, focus on increasing your income and boosting your savings. You’ve got this!
Scott
My Husband Is My Banker
Hi Scott, I am a 31-year-old stay-at-home mum of two kids. My hubby has a new job (paying $130,000 p.
Hi Scott,
I am a 31-year-old stay-at-home mum of two kids. My hubby has a new job (paying $130,000 p.a.) and has arranged for payroll to pay the money into his account each fortnight. Once paid he direct-debits money into my account to pay all bills for the fortnight. He also has a (maxed out) credit card on his online banking which he adds to. He works long hours and deserves some spending money, but I honestly do not know how much he spends each fortnight! Please help me address this issue without ruining us.
Eliza
Hi Eliza,
This is going to sound like a blatant plug (because it is), but the easiest way to address this issue is to get a copy of my book. The book is set around Barefoot Date Nights, where the two of you sort out your finances as a team (with a wine in your hand). The book explains why married couples should share the same account. If he baulks at the idea, well, he has the rest of the dinner to explain why he doesn’t trust you enough to share money with you. Good luck!
Scott
Am I Foolish to Pay off My Home?
I owe about $80,000 on a house worth a bit over $500,000. I am 29, earn $100,000 p.
I owe about $80,000 on a house worth a bit over $500,000. I am 29, earn $100,000 p.a, have a wife and two kids, and no debts other than the house. A person I respect said it is stupid to have equity sitting in a home and even stupider to own a home outright. He has used the equity in his home to buy real estate and make about $600,000 for ‘doing nothing’, as he puts it. He said at my age it is foolish to pay off my home. I must admit I am tempted, but what do you think?
Tom
Hi Tom,
Dude! Well done! You’ve got yourself in a position that most 59-year-olds would like to be in -- at age 29!
(I’m so impressed with you, Tom, I’ve pulled out three exclamation marks! What the hell, let’s make it five!)
Okay, so now let’s deal with your friend.
You need to understand that they’re talking about their own personal experience … yours may be different.
So let me share with you my personal experience.
The day I paid off my home was the proudest (financial) moment of my life.I don’t want to get too Oprah on you, Tom, but it really was a life-changing moment: life became a lot simpler.
See, whether you admit it or not, debt always makes things more complicated, and more stressful.
But once you’ve got the banker off your back, you have the freedom to call the shots. For me that meant being able to ‘invest’ more time into hanging out with my kids, and less time stressing about ‘stuff’.
And being around my family is what makes me truly happy … that’s what makes me feel rich.
My advice?
If you can wipe out your mortgage in the next few years, you’ll then have the ability to redirect your repayments into building up your long-term nest egg, via pre-tax super contributions. It’s simple. It’s tax effective. And if you stick at it over your working life, you’ll end up seriously wealthy.
Scott
Are we heading for a stock market crash?
Well, less than a year ago, the leader of the free world had this to say about the market: “We are in a big, fat, ugly bubble. And we better be awfully careful.
Well, less than a year ago, the leader of the free world had this to say about the market:
“We are in a big, fat, ugly bubble. And we better be awfully careful.”At the time, the Dow Jones was trading at 18,000 points.
Recently the Dow broke through 22,000, but this time Trump tweeted triumphantly:
“Stock Market at an all-time high. That doesn’t just happen!”
Thought bubble? Well, we all know the Tweeter-in-Chief has four of those before breakfast. (And if you’re trying to make sense of any of this, you haven’t been paying attention.) Whether Donald likes it or not, the share market has a nasty habit of crashing (on average) every 10 years or so:1987 was the Black Monday crash.
1997 was the start of the Asian Financial Crisis.
2007 was the start of the Global Financial Crisis.
2017 is … well, let’s not get carried away, because, just like the Trump presidency, there’s no logic to any of this.
(Case in point: the ‘tech-wreck’ happened around 2000, which didn’t fit the 10-year pattern.)
Again, to be clear, I’m not saying the share market is going to crash this year.
However, I am growing more cautious, and taking my cues from another US billionaire …Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway currently has $100 billion in cash in its war-chest. That’s the most they’ve ever had. As a percentage of Berkshire’s assets, it’s actually more than the prescient pile Buffett went into the GFC with, when he made good on his motto: “Be greedy when other people are fearful.”Tweet! Tweet!
Tread Your Own Path!
How to Save 98% of Your Income
Hi Scott, My mum and I always read your column, and it is one of few times we stop arguing and have great discussions. I am in Year 11 and interested in sports journalism and management.
Hi Scott,
My mum and I always read your column, and it is one of few times we stop arguing and have great discussions. I am in Year 11 and interested in sports journalism and management. I have worked at KFC for 18 months and saved 98% of my pay, just over $3,000. Thinking ahead to next year when I get my licence, I will not be able to buy much of a car so I was hoping to invest some of my savings. Would be grateful for your advice. Oh yes, and I turn 17 soon, so your book would be a wonderful gift, don’t you think!
Mark
Hey Mark,
First of all, congratulations on being a saver; it’s the number one habit of financially successful people.
However, the ‘11 secret herbs and spices’ on how you’re able to save 98% of your pay packet is … it’s your mother who’s picking up the tab. Finger lick’n good!
So what should you do?
First, put $500 into a Mojo account, so you can stand on your own two drumsticks.
Second, if you’re focusing on long-term investing, think superannuation. Just make sure you’re not getting screwed with fees on your super, and think about opting out of the expensive (and automatic) life insurance while you’re young and still living at home.
Third, start researching what wheels you can buy for around $7,000 (like, say, an early noughties Subaru Forester … rugged, urban, yet understated), and then apply your hard work and savings ability until you get it.
Oh, and if you’re saving 98% of your income, buy your own bloody book … better yet, buy one for your lovely mum!
Scott
Should I Dob in My Brother to the Cops?
Dear Scott, For the last year or so, my younger brother has been doing some online share trading. Long story short, he has lost it all -- hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Dear Scott,
For the last year or so, my younger brother has been doing some online share trading. Long story short, he has lost it all -- hundreds of thousands of dollars. In the process he has nicked money from some of my family members, which has wiped out their savings. He even took a loan out in the name of a family member without them knowing! Given he is family, is it better to keep this amongst ourselves or to involve outside parties?
Hamish
Hi Hamish!
‘Nicking money’ is like $20 from your mum’s purse. You’re talking about wiping out their life savings!
That’s not nicking, that’s fraud. And the fact that your mother used to change his nappy doesn’t change the fact that he’s committed a crime.
It sounds like he’s an addicted gambler, yet rather than sitting in front of a pokie screen he sits in front of a trading screen. It’s the same thing (and has basically the same odds).
What would I do if I were in your shoes?
Well, I’d tell your brother that he needs to do three things: first, he needs to get legal advice (and so should your family, even if no charges are ever laid. It will bring home the gravity of what he’s done). Second, he should get professional help for his addiction. Third, when he’s sorted out, he needs to start repaying the family debts by getting a job and earning some real income.
If he doesn’t do these things, I’d consider handing the matter over to the authorities.
Good luck.
Scott
Airbnb Trap
Hi Barefoot, I have had a friend of my brother’s flatting with me for the past seven months, for which I have been charging him $150 a week cash. Now he has moved on, I am thinking of renting out his room on Airbnb.
Hi Barefoot,
I have had a friend of my brother’s flatting with me for the past seven months, for which I have been charging him $150 a week cash. Now he has moved on, I am thinking of renting out his room on Airbnb. Question: would I need to declare that money on my tax return?
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Yes, you would certainly have to declare it.
Unlike with your mate’s brother, who presumably paid you in cash, Airbnb is all electronic payments.
And therefore the ATO will be able to track the income that comes electronically to you from Airbnb, and they’ll send you a ‘please explain’ letter in the mail.
Given the ATO has the computing power to check these things, it’s also a fair bet they have the ability to send you another letter if you sell your home without factoring in any potential capital gains tax (CGT) ramifications. Talk to your accountant.
Scott
What Would ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ Do?
Hi Scott My husband and I (in our late 30s, two kids) both run our own small businesses. We work part time and are not earning steady money, about $60,000 combined per year.
Hi Scott
My husband and I (in our late 30s, two kids) both run our own small businesses. We work part time and are not earning steady money, about $60,000 combined per year. Our incomes never meet our expenses -- NEVER -- and now we have stopped paying our mortgage because we are so tired of ‘the game’, as I call it. My question is this: is it really worth all the effort to own your own home? ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ author Robert Kiyosaki calls a home your biggest liability -- not an asset! Do you agree with him?
Katie
Hi Katie,
Please insert your thumb into your mouth and begin sucking it while I pat your head and gently whisper: “Being a grown-up totally sucks, doesn’t it?”
The ‘game’ you say you’ve opted out of is called ‘being an adult and facing up to your responsibilities’. You made the decision to buy a house and take out the mortgage … so you either sell your home and rent, or you continue honouring your commitment.
It sounds like you’re not earning enough money in either of the business (presumably because you’re both only working part time?). If they aren’t making you enough money, and you see little prospect of improvement, by all means get out of that game. Either way, my advice is simple but brutal: one or both of you need to get a job so you can put food on the table for your kids, and avoid losing your home.
Now to your actual question: Is it really worth all the effort to own your own home?
Well, I agree that maintaining a home is expensive, and at times it can be a huge drain on your cash. But I still think it’s worth it.
Yes, creating your own castle involves sacrifice, hard work and a commitment to providing stability for your family. Yet that’s what being a parent is all about, right?
Finally, what would ‘Rich Dad’ do? I have no idea, though I do know he filed for bankruptcy in 2012.
Scott
How to Make $500 Without Even Trying
Recently my editor emailed me a request: Editor: “Can you give us your top tips for saving on power bills?” Barefoot: “Okay.
Recently my editor emailed me a request:
Editor: “Can you give us your top tips for saving on power bills?”
Barefoot: “Okay. How about ‘turn off your bloody lights!’.”
Editor: “Errr … do you have anything else?”
Barefoot: … (No reply)
Truth is, I don’t do money-saving tips:
“If Jenny uses her Hills Hoist instead of her clothes dryer, she could save $384 a year on her power bill!”
Seriously? Jenny didn’t twig that the giant golden ball in the sky could dry her clothes … for free?
Yet I get it, power prices are insane. This week we learned that Australians are paying the highest power costs in the world … twice as much as the Yanks! (Hang on, aren’t we basically a giant coal pit?)
And a report by the Australian Energy Market Commission found that almost half of households haven’t switched their plan or retailer in the past five years … a ‘lazy tax’ that costs on average an extra $507 a year on power and $285 on gas.
So this week I decided I’d buck the trend.
I typed ‘cheap power’ into Google and started dutifully scrolling through the 136,000,000 results it served up.
The top pages were power comparison sites, and they reminded me of walking through a market in Bali:
“Hey Mister! You want free power?”*
“$2 gas for you!”*
(*Just sign up for a horribly confusing bait-and-switch plan that will see you rolling over and being charged an average $278 more for power the year after your deal expires.)
Thankfully, I came across a government website that makes it really simple:
https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au
It may not be sexy, but with a copy of my last power bill, and a few clicks, I saved $540 a year. (And then I put a note in my calendar to remind myself to go back to the site next year.)
Power to you!
Tread Your Own Path!
I’m a Homeowner!
Hi Scott, I do not have a question for you, I just wanted to say thank you. After three years of planning, last year I told my husband I wanted a divorce.
Hi Scott,
I do not have a question for you, I just wanted to say thank you. After three years of planning, last year I told my husband I wanted a divorce. There was a high level of domestic abuse in the relationship. The past 12 months have taught me who I can and cannot depend on, and you and your fantastic book have supported me through this time. Today I collected the keys to my new property -- I’m a homeowner! I would not have got here without your help.
Thank you xxx
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Well done!
Your question (like the one previous) shows why it’s critical for women to understand, and take control of, their financial situation. I’ve met far too many women who stay in unhealthy relationships because they’re fearful they won’t survive financially on their own. You’ve proven that’s not the case. You’ve got this!
Scott
My Husband Sold My Home From Under Me
Scott, My husband sold our family home without my knowledge ... Yes ...
Scott,
My husband sold our family home without my knowledge ... Yes ... S.O.L.D. I.T! To give you some background, I am 36 years old and work in childcare, earning $45,000 a year. He and I separated some months ago -- it was a slow decline but the time had come. A few weeks ago he asked me if we could reconcile our marriage, and I said I was not sure. He replied with, “Well, I’m done and I have someone coming to buy the house”. He then completed the sale with a 30-day settlement. He is telling me I will get nothing. What can I do?
Rita
Hi Rita,
He’s not taking the separation well, is he?
Understand that he’s not basing his argument on sound legal opinion, but on lashing out irrationally after being rejected.
The first thing you should do is consult a family lawyer -- immediately -- and explain what’s happened. If your property was in joint names, he can’t just sell it from under you!
The second thing you should do is move on. As part of the divorce there will be a division of assets, including proceeds from the sale of the house, and it will also take into account any custody and child support arrangements. Onwards!
Scott
Pay the Tax, Not the Tip
Last week Bill Shorten told us he thinks there are two types of taxpayers: “Those that fly economy, and those that fly first class” (i.e.
Last week Bill Shorten told us he thinks there are two types of taxpayers:
“Those that fly economy, and those that fly first class” (i.e. who can minimise their tax).
(Hats off to the speech writer who came up with this analogy … who doesn’t hate those wankers that fly up the nose of the plane with their reclining beds, and champagne, while the rest of us squeeze in next to a big Tongan bloke and eat warmed-up dogfood with plastic knives and forks.)
So where do you sit on Bill’s, errr, tax jumbo jet?
Well, let’s defer to former flight captain Kerry Packer, who told a parliamentary enquiry in 1991:
“I am not evading tax … of course I’m minimising my tax, and if anybody in this country doesn’t minimise their tax they want their heads read, because as a government I can tell you you’re not spending it that well that we should be donating extra.”
Problem is, since Kerry said that, governments have systematically clamped down on ways to minimise tax:
The Libs stopped kids being used as a tax deduction and put caps on how much you can put in, and have in, super.
And this week Labor announced they’ll crack down on income-splitting via trusts, as well as increasing the top tax rate to 49.5% and hitting negative gearing.
My view?
Both sides are guilty of fingering the economic pie … instead of working out ways to actually grow it.
Seriously, we’ve lived through a once-in-a-lifetime mining boom and all we’ve got to show for it is a tin-can internet plan (NBN) and half a trillion ($500 billion) on the government credit card? And they need more of our money!?
Truth is, even with these proposed changes, you can avoid paying the top rate of tax (see my answer here).
Yet let’s be pragmatic. There’s a price for living in the greatest country on earth. So pay the tax.
Just don’t tip ’em.
Tread Your Own Path!
Are Family Trusts Dead?
Hi Scott, I own a small business (cleaning), and for the first time in years I have the mortgage paid off and a bit to invest. Last week my accountant had me set up a family trust, costing me just over $2,000.
Hi Scott,
I own a small business (cleaning), and for the first time in years I have the mortgage paid off and a bit to invest. Last week my accountant had me set up a family trust, costing me just over $2,000. So you can imagine how shocked I was this week when I heard Bill Shorten talking about killing trusts! Should I take my money out again, or leave it in, or what?
Craig
Hi Craig,
You’re a bit early aren’t you, cobber?
I mean (Tony Abbott) hasn’t even called the next election and you’re acting like it’s a done deal!
Now, Bill Shorten’s argument is that it’s unfair that people who use trusts can split their income to lower their tax, whereas everyday workers can’t.
Fair enough. It’s actually pretty hard to argue with that.
Yet the ability to split the trust income with unemployed members of your (adult) family is really only a small side benefit to having a trust. (How many of these family members do you have?!)
The main reason you would have a trust is to protect your assets. The second is to avoid getting whacked with the top marginal tax rate. See, even with these proposed changes you still have the ability to cap your tax rate below 30% (versus the top marginal tax rate of 47%) by distributing income from the trust to what’s known as a ‘bucket company’ and then using the franking credits to eventually lower your income.
Anyway, back to your question. The bottom line is, trusts have been around since King Henry VIII … they’re not going anywhere!
Scott
My Niece is Winning!
Scott, I bought a copy of your book for my niece, who has told me it is the best birthday present she ever had. She has thrown away her credit card and is talking to me about banks and super, and she is excited!
Scott,
I bought a copy of your book for my niece, who has told me it is the best birthday present she ever had. She has thrown away her credit card and is talking to me about banks and super, and she is excited! A remarkable financial turnaround for a beautiful young woman who has had a difficult path through life, through circumstances outside her control. I love this girl so much and now I can see a more positive future for her. Thank you.
Karen
Hi Karen,
I’m sending your email straight to my grandmother in Ouyen (okay, I’ll print it out and post it ... she doesn’t have email). Thank you so much for helping me spread my message, and pass on my congratulations to your niece. She’s got this!
Scott
The Day I Got Pregnant ...
Hi Scott, My partner and I married in April 2016. A month later it came out that he had massive debts from online spending.
Hi Scott,
My partner and I married in April 2016. A month later it came out that he had massive debts from online spending. He had lied to me for the last 10 years. We had counselling, and he proceeded to pay off everything except a BIG debt of $40,000 (he runs his own business and earns $150,000 a year). Money is still a major issue, though he says paying off the debt is priority number one. Now, unexpectedly, I am pregnant, with around $10,000 in savings. Yet the day I confirmed my pregnancy with the GP, he bought an $800 briefcase. I am terrified -- what can I do?
Vickie
Hi Vickie,
If he’s earning $150k in his own business, he’s obviously no dill -- he’s just depressed. His spending is a symptom of that depression. However, by deciding to have a family with him, his out-of-control spending is now your problem too.
So if I were in your situation, I’d sit down and call him out on his bulldust: he’s got a problem, and he needs to deal with it:
First, by getting help from a professional (call Beyond Blue).
Second, by working with you. From now on you share the one joint bank account, you have an equal vote on where the family money goes, and you have a regular monthly Barefoot Date Night where you plot and plan and scheme about all the things you’re going to do to secure your family’s future.
Let him know you believe that he has it in him. Then hold him to it.
Scott
Heartbreak Motel
Dear Scott, My husband and I are in our thirties, have two kids, have a $70,000-a-year household income, and owe $190,000 on our home ($240,000 value, we live in Tassie!), with $80,000 in an offset account.
Dear Scott,
My husband and I are in our thirties, have two kids, have a $70,000-a-year household income, and owe $190,000 on our home ($240,000 value, we live in Tassie!), with $80,000 in an offset account. We now have an opportunity to invest in a business as 25 per cent owners in an accommodation/wedding venue. The asking price is $1.5 million-plus, with four partners putting in 25 per cent ($500,000 each) and an additional $500,000 for improvements. The profit from previous years is around $200,000 per annum, with future bookings into 2019. We are unsure if we should take this opportunity (as silent partners) or just continue to pay off our mortgage. Please help.
Tash and Simon
Hi guys,
This sounds like a real stinker of an idea.
In fact, let me count the whiffs:
Whiff one, you can’t afford it. You’re simply not earning enough to take on more debt. (Though that’s my opinion ... not the opinion of a bank that wants to flog you more debt.)
Whiff two, you’re getting into bed with not one, not two, but three partners!? You may start out wanting to be a silent partner, but trust me you’ll eventually have to raise your voice.
Whiff three, if the business has a downturn you may have to put your hand in your pockets, or reduce your dividends. And this is at a time when you’re still repaying your debt. And you can’t afford it in the first place.
Look guys, this venture smells worse than my son’s teething nappy (and the end result will be just as messy).
Life is difficult when you’re raising young kids, and living off one income. To quote Jon Bon Jovi, “You’ve got to hold on to what you’ve got”. Keep your life simple. Pay off your mortgage. Take time to smell the roses.
Scott
Money Ménage à Trois
Hi Barefoot, Last year I bought a 50 per cent share in a rural property with a married couple (who I was in a polyamorous relationship with). We then embarked on a 12-month-long complete home renovation.
Hi Barefoot,
Last year I bought a 50 per cent share in a rural property with a married couple (who I was in a polyamorous relationship with). We then embarked on a 12-month-long complete home renovation. Sharing finances with them was very hard to get used to. Now we have split up I do not know whether I should stay invested in this property or push for them (or another party) to buy me out. Please help!
Brendan
Hey Brendan,
When I was at uni, I once shared a house with a couple. But there was no poly-anything going on. (Actually, who I am my kidding … my university days were Han Solo.) Whenever they were fighting they’d both bitch to me about each other. And then when they made up, they’d gang up on me. It was terrible … but hey, I was only renting. You are joint owners in a property, tenants-in-common … and if the relationship is over, so is the house. Either have them buy you out (after getting two written valuations), or sell the house and go your separate ways.
Scott
What’s Wrong with Ethical Investing, Barefoot?
Hi Scott, I am currently reading your book. It interests me to read how lovingly you speak about your family, yet I have not come across any mention in the book of investing ethically, socially or environmentally.
Hi Scott,
I am currently reading your book. It interests me to read how lovingly you speak about your family, yet I have not come across any mention in the book of investing ethically, socially or environmentally. You suggest readers should switch to indexed super and stock funds, but do these align with your values? Having said that, I am currently getting ripped by high fees on a well-known ethical super fund. So what is the best and cheapest way to invest ethically?
Helen
Hi Helen,
Your ethical fund is ripping you with fees? That doesn’t sound too … ethical.Still, as an investment option within superannuation, socially responsible investing (SRI) is so freaking hot right now. It’s the financial equivalent of a paleo-approved, gluten-free, organic kale and almond milk combo shake (and you get charged through the nose-ring for both!).
My view? I think you need to be careful about outsourcing your ethics to a bunch of … finance guys. That being said, I strongly believe in ethical investing, so much so that I have an ethical fund: it’s called the Pape family portfolio, where we make our own investment decisions, based on our own convictions.
Scott
Why are people stealing my book?
Every father wants to be a hero to his son. So, a few weeks back, I took my four-year-old to a bookstore to show him my bestseller.
Every father wants to be a hero to his son.
So, a few weeks back, I took my four-year-old to a bookstore to show him my bestseller.
Only problem? I couldn’t find a single copy anywhere (not even in the bargain bin).
“Your book. It isn’t here, is it Daddy?” he said, consolingly.
This wasn’t going well.
Thankfully a shop assistant recognised me and said “follow me”.
She took us out to the storeroom and showed us a sign pinned to the staff noticeboard (see pic).
“Barefoot Investor … Because of theft, NO copies will be kept on the floor.”
True story.
I didn’t know how to handle this one with the boy: “Daddy’s book is popular … with thieves.”
Yet I’m taking it as a win — even with the pilfered copies, the book has still sold over 300,000 copies!
And its success has meant that I’ve received thousands of follow-up questions on the book, far too many for me to answer individually (though I try!). With that in mind, here are the top questions people ask me.
“Is this really how you manage your money?”
Yes it is.
I’ve lived the nine Barefoot Steps
Liz and I have set up our buckets. We have a shared bank account. We do our Barefoot Date Nights.
And that’s why I believe the book has resonated so strongly with people — I know it works.
The steps won’t make you rich overnight, but they will give you a clear path that will keep you and your family safe.
“You need more than $250,000 to retire on!”
Well, having more money is certainly better
In case you haven’t read my book, my chapter on nailing your retirement sets out my ‘Donald Bradman Strategy’, which says that to enjoy a comfortable retirement you don’t need $1 million … or $2 million.
As a minimum, I argue you need three things to have a comfortable retirement where the money doesn’t run out:
A paid-off home, around $250,000 in super combined (or $170,000 if you’re single), and the ability to continue working a few days a month (which you should do, no matter how much dough you’ve got, to keep the grey matter ticking over and to get you out of the house).
Some people got all ‘Tony Abbott’ about the fact that I advised people to rely on getting the age pension.
Let me defend myself:
First, the average Aussie approaching retirement has around $200,000 in super, so my strategy is giving them something realistic to aim at … rather than simply just throwing up their hands in the air.
Second, let me be very clear: I do not encourage planning to rely on a government handout. In fact, I wrote the rest of the book so you can set yourself up to not need the Donald Bradman Strategy!
“Can’t I just use my offset account for my Mojo account?”
Sure you can.
(I have received literally hundreds of emails from people who tell me they could be $48.50 a year better off by using their offset account for their ‘Mojo’ — my word for savings.)
It’s just not how I do it … but the most important thing is that you have Mojo!
Again, the power of this book is that it’s what I’ve actually done in my life.
And, personally, one of the things that really helped me was giving each of my accounts a name.
There’s power in being intentional about things, and you tend not to dip into an account that has a name on it (the more emotional the better).
When my house burned down, I went to my Mojo account and drained it.
“Should I keep my credit card … just in case?”
You could do that … but it’s like a drunk keeping a beer in the fridge just in case a ‘mate’ comes around.
The truth is that credit card ‘rewards’ for all but the highest spenders are a gimmick … and their value gets eroded with every passing year (some points are worth as little as half a cent each).
Yet showing your kids that Mum and Dad can get through life without relying on someone else’s money?
In the words of the MasterCard ad … priceless
“How do I get my partner on board?”
Right now people all over the country are going out for their Barefoot Date Nights.
If you can’t rope your partner in with the promise of booze and good food, what else can I do?!
“Will you be updating the book?”
Yes. I’ll be updating it every year. In fact I’ve just finished the 2017/18 update, which will be released for Father’s Day.
There’s also an audio book version that I’ve laid down.
And finally …
“What happened to your alpacas?”
I’m pleased to announce that Pedro and Alberto, my two highly protective alpacas, are still very much alive and spitting!
Tread Your Own Path!
The Day Our Lives Turned Around
Hi Scott, In December last year -- after struggling with personal debt of over $55,000, no job, and rent that had zapped my entire savings -- I took a train into the city with my wife (who had been holding the fort for us both on her $80,000-a-year job). We walked around for the whole day and decided something had to change -- WE had to change.
Hi Scott,
In December last year -- after struggling with personal debt of over $55,000, no job, and rent that had zapped my entire savings -- I took a train into the city with my wife (who had been holding the fort for us both on her $80,000-a-year job). We walked around for the whole day and decided something had to change -- WE had to change. So we bought your book. Seven months on and, for the first time ever, we are in control of our lives. We now spend a lot less, I am in a great job, and we have already killed $14,000 of the debt. Thanks, mate!
Lucas
Hey Lucas,
What an epic story. It’s simple to buy a book, it’s easy to read it, but it’s a lot harder to actually act on it. And that’s what you’ve done and that’s why you deserve all the credit.
Enjoy the date nights mate!You got this!
Scott