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#savings #Smart #budget #Finance #SavingTips

Skip One $20 Purchase a Week
Your daily cups of coffee, that after-work happy hour and the magazines and bottled waters you pick up from the newsstand every week can all easily add up to $20 or more—and fast.
You’re spending your money on the “nice to haves,” as opposed to the “must-haves.” Eliminating these types of small expenses probably won’t require a major change to your lifestyle—but that $80 a month you’re putting into your savings account could have a big impact.

Slash a Big Monthly Spending Category by 10%
Ferret out a budget category that you feel could use a trim and try to shave just 10% from it. Maybe that means cutting a few work lunches a month from your food budget, or skipping a few movies to trim your entertainment costs.

Talk to me on 0425 341 086 to discuss a savings plan that suits you. Subscribe to our newsletter at www.financeandmortgage.com.au.

Here is how people are earning from home
work flexibly

With the entrepreneurial spirit taking off over the last few years, more and more people are setting up shop from home. If you’re after the flexibility of a career from home this New Year but don’t know where to start, check out some of the great ideas below. #WorkFromHome #PartTimeJobs #EarnMore#OwnBusiness #NewYear #Entrepreneur

1) Get Writing
Great content is always in high demand, and as content is often not needed 9–5, five days a week, many companies prefer to hire freelancers specifically during their high-demand periods. Look for blogging or freelancer sites to find out what the contract or hourly rates are. Do you love to travel and want to share your knowledge? Start Blogging and earn your next holiday.

2) Marketing
Being a telemarketer or being a part of an MLM, is actually an extremely flexible career option that will allow you to work from virtually anywhere. If you have a pleasant phone manner and are confident in sales and small talk, this could be the ideal career option, as many companies choose to out-source their telemarketing campaigns. Do a basic internet search to compare their hourly rates.

3) Cooking & Baking
Yes, that’s right; you can cater to specific tastes and cuisines. With more and more couples working longer hours, the demand for home cooked food is on the rise. Home cooked food is perceived as a healthier alternative to eating out. You can also try Ironing clothes or clothes alterations.

4) Mystery Shopping

There are plenty of organizations that will pay you for your opinion. Get paid in shopping coupons or have money credited into your account. Get paid for shopping or even eating out! Talk about having a cake and eating it too!

5) Rent a Room

If you have the space, a great way to make money from home is to let it be someone else’s home too—not permanently of course! Airbnb has caused a tourism revolution- with people all over the world opening their homes and spare bedrooms as affordable accommodation. If you’re going to do it though, do it properly. The best way to do this is by achieving glowing references from guests.

Read other ideas on Facebook.

savings

No matter where you are on your financial journey, you should know that it’s possible for anyone to take charge of their financial life . But, as with most things, sometimes that very first step is the hardest part.  #Saving #investments  #motivation  #Quickfix  #SaveMoney

1) Turn off the television:There are a lot of financial benefits to this: less exposure to ads, a lower electric and cable bill and more time to take up a side business or a part time job.

2) Clean out the Closet: Stop buying new clothes and shoes. Organise your closet. Mix and match existing stuff. Sell the rest on Ebay or have a Garage sale.

3) Making a List & Checking it twice: Write down a list before you go shopping and stick to it.

4) Invite friends home: Have a blast at home with themed parties or potlucks and save big money by staying out of restaurants.

5) Repair your clothes: How often do you toss out clothes because of a missing button or a wine stain? Learn easy and quick sewing tricks and save money. Paint over or iron on a patch over small holes or stains to make funky home clothes or gardening clothes.

Remember, a small first step takes you a long way. Talk to Madhu on 0425 341 086 to share your savings tips. Read more tips and ideas on Facebook.

Make one change at a time

Money piggy

#savings #Investment #Inspiration #Motivation #Planning
Maybe you don’t want “regular commitment.” Plan a weekly outing to look forward to. Visit a museum or a shop you have passed but have never gone into. Get your nails done. Do this with friends or go solo. Plan one outing and resist others, thus saving money.
Possibly you are at a stage in life where none of these work well for you. Perhaps you have children at home or an elderly parent who needs you most In this case, Get a little creative. Try genealogy or blogging. Set some personal goals. Resolve to read a certain number of books each month, for instance. If you like to cook, try a new recipe every week.
Most of all, be kind and gentle with yourself as you decide how you want to make changes. No need to rush. Making the decision to make a change is in itself a big step. Once you know you want something fresh in your life, you may be surprised at how many opportunities seem to come your way. Keep an open mind and enjoy the exploration as you re-energize your life!
For advice on how to save and for goals to better financial health, call Madhu 0425341086 or email at loans@financeandmortgage.com.au.

shane-oliver-market-update-12016 got off to a rocky start with investors worrying about global growth and deflation but global growthwas modest despite political events, rising bond yields and disappointing Australian growth.

The Brexit vote caused hiccups, US shares outperformed in developed markets, the US earnings recession ended and investors anticipated stimulus under a Trump presidency; resources shares outperforming as commodity prices rebounded helping the Australian share market to perform relatively well; and emerging markets doing well led by Brazil.

* Real estate investment trusts surged in the first half of the year, but fell as bond yields rose.
* Unlisted commercial property and infrastructure continued to benefit as investors sought decent income yields.
* Australian residential property returns were solid but slowed and remained concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne.
* Cash rates and bank term deposit returns were poor reflecting record low RBA interest rates.

Watch the video by AMP Capital’s Head of Investment Strategy and Chief Economist, Shane Oliver discussing the 2016 highlight at http://www.ampcapital.com.au/smsf-suite/articles/2016/december/2016-year-in-review?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ampc&utm_campaign=smsf-news&utm_content=article1-headline.

Stay tuned for 2017 updates! Tell us what you think at loans@financeandmortgage.com.au today.

Rethinking the 4 Percent Rule

A happy senior couple sitting on the front of a sail boat on a calm blue sea

A happy senior couple enjoying their retirement

The biggest fear for people facing retirement, is the possibility of outliving their savings and having to depend on their children.

According to the  “4 percent rule” a person must withdraw no more than 4 percent from their retirement savings each year, and they’ll have enough money to last the rest of your life. This idea was calculated back in the 1990s and was based on a model portfolio that contained a certain mix of stocks and bonds—60 percent large-cap stocks and 40 percent intermediate-term government bonds.

But times have changed. With historically low bond yields and a volatile stock market, the “4 percent rule” may no longer be as safe.

To make sure retirees don’t outlive their savings get a handle on their cash flow managing income and expenses in retirement is more important than relying on any rule. The bottom line—knowing what you’ll be spending is the best way to determine what you’ll be able to withdraw.

Considering inflation and taxes, an investor who wants to be able to draw 4 percent has to be able to make at least a 7 percent return on average to be able to get that 4 percent in their pocket. That can be challenging at times.

The most important factor in being able to follow the “4 percent rule”—and not outlive your nest egg—is to try to save more. Increasing your retirement contributions to reach the maximum annual limit for Super Contribution but that may still not be enough, but there is no limit on investments, you may have to add more money to taxable accounts earmarked for retirement as well.

In the end, how much money you put in will ultimately determine how much you can take out. The soon you start saving the more time it has to grow. So, save more and save early. Make sure you add a buffer for a vacation, a wedding or a medical emergency.

Call Madhu on +61425341086 to talk about where you are and how to get where you want to be.

You don’t need millions to achieve financial freedom.

achieve-financial-freedom-340
I have met people claiming to be millionaires, who in reality are up to their eyeballs in debt with their property portfolios not protected. They could be asset rich, but cash flow poor. Whereas other people I have met who earn $50,000 a year, are without debt and have a decent amount of assets and are financially free.
The way to achieve financial freedom is about your relationship to money and the level of personal responsibility and fiscal discipline you’re prepared to exercise throughout life.
Here is the path to financial freedom:
1. Spend less than you earn and invest the rest
Follow this one golden rule- If you seek to invest at least 10 percent of your earnings, the rest will take care if itself.
2. Your opportunities won’t last forever so use them wisely
Do your research, analyse an opportunity and make a decision. Do not over think or wait for someone else's opinion.
3. Start saving and investing early in life
A good example is to start early. I know a young couple who were determined to purchase their first property by the age of 21 and were working three jobs to save the deposit. Nine years and five properties they are way ahead of the game.
4. Sometimes opportunities come when you are not ready but you need to grab them as they help create openings to shape your future.
Make hay while the sun shines. Even if you have to forgo a coffee or a pair of stilettos having a home is worth it. Just remember to save today and enjoy tomorrow.
Contact us to begin your journey towards financial freedom.

Be your own Buffett!

buffettt

Known as the "Oracle of Omaha," Warren Edward Buffett is the investment guru and one of the richest and most respected businessmen in the world. He has spearheaded a conglomerate with holdings in the media, insurance, energy and food and beverage industries and is a noted philanthropist.

Here are a few tips to follow in his footsteps:

Buffett has noted continually, it’s terribly dangerous to attempt to time the market:

“With a wonderful business, you can figure out what will happen; you can’t figure out when it will happen. You don’t want to focus on when, you want to focus on what. If you’re right about what, you don’t have to worry about when.”

Forget about when to buy shares, focus on what shares to buy. And when you find the right company, buy it immediately. The right time to buy a great company is always today.

Investing is not like placing a bet on number 32 on the roulette wheel. Instead it’s buying a tangible piece of a business.

It is absolutely important to understand the relative price you are paying for that business, but what isn’t important is attempting to understand whether you’re buying in at the “right time,” as that is so often just an arbitrary imagination.

In Buffett’s own words, “if you’re right about the business, you’ll make a lot of money,” so don’t bother about attempting to buy stocks based on how their stock charts have looked over the past 200 days. Instead always remember that “it’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price.”

These are just a few tips, you can tell us your ideas and also read more at http://www.financeandmortgage.com.au/blogs/

How to invest when on extended leave or while working part-time?

(iStockphoto) FABpentPic-040116-iStock Business woman is going up. Drawn skyscrapers on black chalk board as a growing bar chart and rocketing red arrow.

I want to share my Super Strategy which has definitely worked better than investing in Super from an early age. Young women taking time off work to raise a family should be particularly cautious about over-investing in their superannuation.

"Since every superannuation dollar taxed at 15 percent, from a tax point of view you’re better off investing any spare money in your own name rather than in super. You can earn up to $20,000 in investment income and not pay any tax."

For most women taking extended leave from the workforce or working part-time, this approach can be particularly beneficial. 

That invested money is obviously then accessible if they need to dip into their own savings when they have reduced work income, and might be raising children.

"Generally, their income is at such a low level [at this life stage] there’s no real benefit from putting money into superannuation in any case."

Rather, female clients looking to invest and get ahead they should look no further than their own backyard – particularly in this low-interest rate environment.

"Don’t even bother about any other strategy if your mortgage is above 50 percent of the home value – just concentrate on getting the mortgage down. To read more such insights follow us and read our blogs at http://www.financeandmortgage.com.au/

What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast

coffee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anybody who knows me and has had interactions with me, will tell you that I am a

morning person, Yes a 4 am morning person. What started as a pure scramble to get life

under control with kids to get ready to take them to school by 7.30am, has now

become one of the best things that I look forward to.

The best morning rituals are activities that don’t have to happen and certainly don’t

have to happen at a specific hour. These are activities that require internal

motivation. The payoff isn’t as immediate as the easy pleasure of watching television

or answering an email that doesn’t require an immediate response, but there are still

payoffs. The best morning rituals are activities that, when practiced regularly, result

in long-term benefits. The most successful people use their mornings for these

things:

1. Nurturing their careers—strategizing and focused work

2. Nurturing their relationships—giving their families and friends their best

3. Nurturing themselves—exercise and spiritual and creative practices

 

Of Course, a balanced Power Breakfast after all this planning doesn't hurt either...

Call Madhu on 0425 431 086 or contact us via the contact form.

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