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Budgeting

This Month

People-pleasing can come at a significant financial cost.

People pleasing cost me $32,000. Here are four ways to stop it

Since people pleasing is a personality trait, dialling back your spending requires more than learning the nuts and bolts of money management.

  • Juli Fraga and Connie Chang

So, you want to retire to Tuscany?

The idea of moving to Italy is alluring for retirees – la dolce vita, the food, the wine, the beauty, the prices. Just check these practicalities first.

  • Sian Powell

November

Stephen Pastor is working hard to reframe his attitude to money.

‘I’m worth millions but I still fret about money’

Money mindsets are established early in life and can lead to poor financial decision-making, but there are ways to reframe your approach.

  • Joanna Mather

October

Earning good money but saving nothing? Here’s what to do

No matter how much you earn, good budgeting is the foundation of financial success.

  • Lucy Dean

August

Morningstar offers a net worth spreadsheet, while the government’s Moneysmart service offers a net worth calculator.

How to calculate your net worth (and why you should)

Trying to build wealth without knowing your net wealth is like steering a ship without a compass. You might not get very far, and you could even go backwards.

  • Lucy Dean
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July

To cut the cost of your “wants”, you’ll need to come up with some sacrifices.

How the 50/30/20 budgeting hack can unlock your finances

This straightforward strategy suggests dividing your income into three buckets: needs, wants and financial goals.

  • Holly Thomas

April

For those fortunate enough to have good health and money, semi-retirement is an increasingly popular option.

Why more Australians are choosing semi-retirement

Fusing the parts of work you still enjoy with hobbies, travel and passion projects is the dream for many. Here’s how to make a go of it

  • Michelle Bowes
Clear bad debt, says HLB Mann Judd’s wealth management director Lindzi Caputo.

What to do in your 20s, 30s and 40s to build wealth

Avoid ‘lifestyle creep’, establish good saving habits and pay down debt to get ahead.

  • Lucy Dean

March

Online shopping: ads “follow you” around on the internet.

The seven mind tricks brands use to keep you spending

Brands use sophisticated tactics to encourage you to spend more.

  • Emma Edwards

February

Joy Sparks balances part-time teaching with her art and charity work.

Retirement income products: What are my options?

A new generation of super products is attempting to address retirees’ concerns.

  • Duncan Hughes
Financial advisor Olivia Maragna helps her clients feel confident to spend their retirement savings.

‘Paradigm shift’: How to switch to spending in retirement

After decades spent saving, lean into the fear, plan obsessively and let go of the guilt, experts say.

  • Joanna Mather

Professionals, mortgage-holders the new face of hunger

Successive rate hikes and sharp rent increases have pushed young professionals and mortgage-holders to the edge as charities report record numbers of newcomers.

  • Lucy Dean
Top-end taxpayers will not get much relief from bracket creep.

The $40,000 tax whack coming for high earners

The top 5 per cent of taxpayers will pay nearly 42 per cent of all personal income tax next year, the equivalent of $128 billion.

  • Joanna Mather, Lucy Dean and Duncan Hughes

January

Suzanne Haddan of BFG.

The free budgeting tool financial advisers swear by

Don’t spend more than 1pc of your income without sleeping on it, set realistic goals and be prepared to falter – here’s how to take control of your money.

  • Lucy Dean

November 2023

Too lavish for your own good? Seven steps to beat lifestyle creep

In the weeks following a pay rise, there’s a short (but science-backed) opportunity to really get your finances on track, say the experts.

  • Lucy Dean
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October 2023

Musician Hanna Oblikov has been carpooling to gigs and renting dresses instead of buying them to deal with the rising cost of living.

‘Only buy stuff for our kids’: Families pull back on spending

Petrol prices are just one of the rising costs pushing cellist Hanna Oblikov to cut back on new clothes and eating out – and research shows she’s not alone.

  • Euan Black

April 2023

Michael Mansfield, a little sun-kissed after watching the F1 Grand Prix with sons Max, 14, and Jai, 12, moved into the business world after playing AFL.

The Disneyland trip that guided this AFL player to wealth management

Michael Mansfield has forged a successful career in financial advice after playing in three AFL grand finals for Geelong and surviving two open-heart surgeries.

  • Gus McCubbing

November 2022

Children’s academic performance is at risk as cost of living pressures take toll on family life.

Cost pressures forcing tough decisions on kids’ education: survey

As families struggle to pay rising bills, their children’s education comes under pressure.

  • Julie Hare
Georgie Robertson and her daughter Annabelle

Why Australians are ‘cycling’ their Netflix

The big question for Australia’s overcrowded streaming services is whether viewers will start to cancel subscriptions as cost pressures rise. The surprising answer from five very different households is that price is not the main concern on their minds.

  • Edmund Tadros

September 2022

Financial stress is increasing.

‘It’s no surprise we’re more financially stressed than ever’

As the cost of living soars, workers are becoming more distracted and less productive, and this comes at a hefty price.

  • Lucy Dean

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/budgeting-hvn