WHEN it comes to real estate, focus on what you can control: your savings, and when you buy. Common sense would tell you we’re due for a shake-out but property is a long-term (10-year-plus) investment. Buy accordingly, writes the Barefoot Investor.
TURNS out there’s a one-in-three chance you could be owed thousands of dollars in missing super, and all you need to do is join a class action to get it back. But the lesson here is don’t rely on regulators, your super fund, or lawyers to look out for you. Keep your hands on your own wheel, writes the Barefoot Investor.
DON’T accuse me of political bias. Readers of my column know I give the Coalition just as much stick as I give Labor, writes Barefoot Investor.
EVERY dollar you pay off your mortgage should be seen as another step towards freedom. So don’t be swayed by bank talk of “flexibility”, writes Barefoot Investor.
MONEY behaviours begin at home so to protect your child’s future you should teach them about finance and not leave it to school, writes Barefoot Investor.
NOT happy with the state of your superannuation? Barefoot Investor has advice on how to get you and your finances looking a lot better.
BARBIE may be cool again because she can chat but we need to protect our vulnerable children from a conglomerate openly spying on them, writes Barefoot Investor.
A SINGLE mum confused by a $20 monthly charge on her super wouldn’t take ‘go away’ for an answer. Her persistence saw MLC repay members $67 million. Here’s how she did it and why questioning your bills pays off.
IN Australia, about 35 per cent of kids go to a private school, which is one of the highest percentages in the world. Aussie parents spend, on average, $50,000 on their kids’ education, and many can’t afford it. So is it a good investment, asks the Barefoot Investor.
THE National Debt Helpline is getting so many calls they’re at breaking point but community-based financial counsellors are in short supply. It’s time for the Social Services Minister to save these unsung heroes, writes the Barefoot Investor.
IT’S only a matter of time before interest rates rise, and with predictions saying this would cause mortgage stress to a million households, it’s clear that Aussies are borrowing too much, writes the Barefoot Investor.
SCOTT Pape is arguably Australia’s most influential finance expert. He grew up as a typical Aussie battler. This is how he became a money guru.
THE Barefoot Investor said it’s time for parents to turn off their TVs and start an important conversation with their kids that could change their lives forever.
THE Commonwealth Bank has the youth of Australia in its sights, with its latest advertising campaign targeting young people to sign up for a “low-interest” Essentials credit card. This is how the game begins, so parents and teachers beware, writes the Barefoot Investor.
FUDGING your tax return is a bit like lying to your mother, writes the Barefoot Investor. But there are three rules you can follow to make sure you don’t get caught out.
KIDS need a strong financial education — but can you aim too high? Barefoot Investor Scott Pape tackles how young people can, and should, invest their cash.
ONCE upon a time nasty missives came in the mail and now they are on social media. Barefoot Investor talks about his own fierce critics and how he handles them.
ARE you being ripped off by your employer, without even knowing it? Your pay slip is about as genuine as the pre-printed message in a Hallmark sympathy card, writes the Barefoot Investor, so instead, trust your super statement.
BITCOIN may soon have another big rival as social media giant Facebook is said to be looking at launching its own cryptocurrency, but could a social media platform really transform how we pay for things, asks Barefoot Investor.
THE Royal Commission into Financial Services has proven there are deep-seated problems in the finance industry and we should question the incentives of the people managing our money — and that includes our super funds, writes the Barefoot Investor.
COMMBANK chief Matt Comyn may be sorry, but as parents, it’s high time for us to tell the bank to keep their fraud out of our children’s lives, writes Scott Pape.
WHILE the Treasurer was getting mass coverage for his tax cuts, the real story of this Budget was overlooked. Here’s what the Barefoot Investor says you need to know.
THE odds of winning Powerball are 76,676,600 to one. Today we’re going to meet that one. A married couple hit the jackpot, collected $3 million tax-free, but I decided to be a total wet blanket and told them they’d likely be less happy in three years’ time than they are right now. Blink. Blink. How could that be?
SCOTT Pape tackles the issue of whether to go for a managed fund or a low-fee indexed fund, and why you should let your kids watch you make smart money decisions, like cutting up credit cards, saving money, and opening zero-fee bank accounts.
NOT all financial planners are created equal, despite what the royal commission findings show, so shop around and try before you buy, writes Scott Pape.
MARRYING into a family deep in debt is not a good idea. Here is how to tackle the problem, writes Barefoot Investor.
AFL players have just scored a hefty pay rise. Barefoot Investor talks to Kangaroos coach Brad Scott about how many end up kicking their finances out of bounds on the full.
A PREGNANT woman left by her husband needs to take urgent action to get funds for herself and her children, writes Barefoot Investor.
THINK a fancy resume, stellar interviewing skills or relevant qualifications will land you a job? Think again. Barefoot Investor explains how to be irresistible to any employer.
THERE is one thing all couples should do if they want to have a happy life together, writes the Barefoot Investor.
THIS is the story of three people who found themselves in deep trouble but took control of their situation and changed it. Barefoot Investor reveals three uplifting tales for our troubled times.
THERE’S no point thinking about getting into the housing market if you are saddled with debt. Fix that first and build your savings, writes Barefoot Investor.
WHEN a saver ponders a serious relationship with a spender, she needs to set some ground rules about him getting debt free for starters, writes Barefoot Investor.
A BELOW-average grade in money management colours your entire life so start testing your teenagers now, writes Barefoot Investor.
JUST because love is all around you, don’t jump into joint finances too quickly. Take your time to see how the partnership develops, writes Barefoot Investor.
THERE are 15,000 new Melbourne apartments due to settle before June 30. Many won’t. Tick. Tick. Tick. That’s the sound of the inner-city apartment market, writes Barefoot Investor.
A WIFE’S insolvency issue has stalled an expansion loan for a business but she should dial down the drama as it can be sorted, writes Barefoot Investor.
FIRST home buyers will soon be able to divert extra money into their super and then draw it out to buy a house. Is this a good thing? Barefoot Investor investigates.
IF you have a HECS debt don’t rush to pay it off. It’s the cheapest loan you’ll ever get and it’ll come out of your salary, writes Barefoot Investor.
A CHAT with garden guru Peter Cundall was one of the most thought-provoking of Barefoot Investor’s life. What can an old gardener teach about achieving real wealth? Read on.
COMING into large amounts of money brings the challenge of protecting that wealth and finding further meaning in your life, writes Barefoot Investor.
AMAZON’S impending arrival, if the US is any guide, will please shoppers who need something delivered quickly. But the outlook for retail workers isn’t so rosy, writes Barefoot Investor.
BAREFOOT Investor Scott Pape often tells people up to their armpits in debt to sell their cars, investment properties and jetskis — but rarely the family home. Here’s why.
DON’T waste time on resentment if you find yourself in a financial hole. Just dig yourself out, writes Scott Pape.
DEEP down, Treasurer Scott Morrison knows he can’t really fix anything, especially the housing market, writes Scott Pape.
HAVING an emergency fund and knowing your entitlements will go a long way towards helping you out of a crisis, writes Barefoot Investor.
WHEN you think ‘age-friendly’ employers, Apple isn’t the first company you would have guessed. But the tech giant has cracked the code and it makes complete sense, writes Barefoot Investor.
FIND out all you can about your partner’s finances before you embark on a life together, writes Barefoot Investor.
SMALL business owners are a different breed: they work their guts out — risking it all — even though the odds of success are stacked against them, writes Barefoot Investor.
PUTTING a payout into a term deposit and then taking time to decide what to do with it is the way to go, writes Barefoot Investor.
Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/business/barefoot-investor/page/6