Money with Alpha: Recent Episodes
Alpha Schulte
Welcome to Money with Alpha, where I share simple tips for how to make, save and invest money, while also connecting your values with your lifestyle, so you can achieve the life you really want. You will also hear interviews from real people as they share the ups and downs of their money journey. After all, we are all on a journey and what better way to learn about money, then to hear what hasn’t and has worked!
What do you like to do for fun?
If this isn't a question you've asked yourself for a while, then you're OVERDUE to schedule in some fun.
If your fun requires funds (money), then make sure your cashflow/budget has money being put aside for you to enjoy your fun without financial regret.
It's vital to enjoy fun - it's prioritising you (and let's face it, you're probably holding the world/family around you together), our mental health, physical health and emotional health needs it!
This episode is about reminding you of the importance of fun, and how to make sure your finances support it too!
In this episode I talk about that (distant, or not so distant) goal of... retirement!
When lifes slows down and we can finally relax and enjoy life... Well, that's so long as there is enough money to support the lifestyle you want.
A few questions and concerns that I hear a lot are:
- How much do I need to retire?
- How much will I need to live on in retirement?
- What can I do now to help me get to where I want to go?
I touch on each of these.
A rough calculation for your Retirement Number to give you an idea of the number you need when you retire (assuming you won't be working anymore at all, and you have paid off all the debt you have by the time you retire, and you want to live a modest retirement) is - 25 (years) x $50,000 (if you're single), or $75,000 (if you're a couple). These amounts - $1,250,000 if you're single, or $1,875,000 if you're a couple are based on suggested annual incomes.
You may need more than this in retirement each year, and if so, up that annual number.
Next, calculate what you have now in terms of your Current Net Worth (what you own minus what you owe).
Then, calculate what you are likely to have over time in terms of savings growth, investment growth and retirement savings (i.e. superannuation) growth. Here are some calculators to help you:
- Compound interest calculator - Moneysmart.gov.au
- Superannuation calculator - Moneysmart.gov.au
Using these calculators, calculate what you could have in 5, 10 15, or more years' time, to see what you're Projected Net Worth is.
Take your Retirement Number and minus your Projected Net Worth at the time you want to retire, to see what your gap is.
To help you see how to pay your home loan off faster, here is a helpful calculator - Mortgage Extra Repayment Calculator | Canstar
Beliefs are powerful and have the ability to either derail us or empower us. This week's topic was triggered by a realisation that I client of mine had about her beliefs around money. It was both emotional, heartbreaking and empowering to see her remember what caused one of her core beliefs around money.
I wanted to share some of the work I do around money beliefs, so in this episode I go through:
- What are Beliefs?
- Why are Beliefs important?
- What are your Beliefs around money?
- Where did your Beliefs come from?
- Test to see if your results match your Beliefs
- If they do or don't, what you can do about it.
It's important to become consciously aware of your Beliefs, so you can start to rewire them!
Micro-investing should form part of everyone's investing strategy, I believe. It's also a great way to get started on your investing journey, and it's a great way to get kids started too!
Here are the areas I cover in this episode:
- Why do you want to invest?
- What is your timeframe for investing?
- What is the difference between passive and active investing
- What is Asset Allocation and why is it important
- What is Micro-investing
- What are some providers out there who offer micro-investing
- How to get kids involved in micro-investing.
If you would like a guide that covers most of this, here is a link to a free guide I've put together.
Enjoy!
When it comes to investing, many women feel hesitant, unsure, or even fearful—and that’s completely understandable. We’ve worked hard for our money and naturally want to protect it. But what if the key to investing confidently isn’t about doing more, but rather doing what aligns with who you are?
In this episode I go through some areas to help you understand this better, including:
- Start simple - wisdom from Warren Buffet
- Know your risk appetite (for debt and investing)
- Trading v investing - understand the difference
- Trust yourself.
Investing is not about being fearless. It’s about being informed and aligned. Take the time to understand your personality, trust your instincts, and choose the path that supports the future you want to build.
If you're experiencing indecision and a lack of confidence managing money and growing wealth, this episode can help you understand why and move past it. Here are the 5 elements I go through:
- Vision and Values - be clear on what lifestyle you want and why
- Learn - where you have knowledge gaps, find books and potentially courses to help you find out more
- Listen - to people who have done what you want to do and listen to how they got where they are. Then, very importantly, listen to your own intuition in terms of what is right for you!
- Take Action - linking back to the last 3 elements, write down what your goals are and the action steps you want to take. Keep this list and look over it at the end of a year, so you can see how far you've come
- Test and Measure - not everything you do will be a financial success. See "failures" as a lesson, rather than something that defines your sense of identity.
Enjoy!
Uncertainty is part of life. The dial on this is pretty high at the moment though - structures are being challenged around the world, and money market charts are looking like a rollercoaster.
How does that impact how you think about money, and also how you manage your money?
That's what I cover in this week's episode - there are 3 elements that I take you through.
It is simple, but not always easy.
Living day to day it can seem difficult to break out of this and make changes. Habits can feel difficult to break.
So, what are 3 simple ways to get some momentum when it comes to your money? Have a listen to this episode to find out!
In summary, I go through:
- Invest regularly (and how)
- Develop a savings habit (and how)
- Review your insurances (you can find hundreds of dollars!)
As women striving for financial empowerment, we often think we can manage everything ourselves—or that one advisor will do the trick. But true financial clarity and confidence come from building a team of professionals who each bring a unique skill set to the table.
In this episode, I'm joined by Nicola, a passionate tax accountant, and Cassie, a finance broker with a knack for helping clients turn dreams into doable financial goals.
The conversation revealed a powerful truth: your business and personal finances are deeply connected, and navigating them with confidence requires strategic support, not just compliance.
If you want to come along to our in-person workshop on Tuesday 13 May 2025, check out the details here - Practical Money Workshop for Entrepreneurs
Human Design is a great tool for understanding how you operate in multiple areas of your life. It also helps to de-personalise events that happen within a relationship. Plus, it helps you understand your kids and family dynamics to the point where you can either prevent conflict or diffuse it easier when it happens.
From a money perspective, there is a "money line"! We talk about that in this episode, and how it plays out in practice when you do and when you don't have this money line.
If you don't know what your chart is, here is where you can Generate your free Human Design chart!
To find out more about Fiona and what she does, here is where you can find her:
https://www.instagram.com/being.seen.human.design/
https://www.beingseenhumandesign.com/
Do you get caught on the treadmill of "doing", rather than "being"? I often hear the "we are Human Beings, not Human Doings", and while it's catchy phrase, it does right true. Getting caught up in the "doing" is something I'm constantly trying to break free from, and if this is something you can relate to, then this episode can be a reminder to help you.
The 5 elements I go through in this episode are:
- Being present
- Practicing gratitude
- Finding clarity
- Being intentional
- Being purposeful.
It sounds easy, and while it's simple, it's not always easy. This episode takes you through how these link together and build on each other, and how to actually do them.
The workshop I mentioned, if you would like more information, you can find it here - Practical Money Workshop for Entrepreneurs
Financial independence is important. What is it though, and how do you achieve it?
That's what this episode covers! Focusing on:
- Having a bank account in your sole name, that only you can access
- Knowing where your money is going and coming from
- Understanding anything that you are being asked to sign
- Having control of what you spend, without guilt or control.
Here is a link to free masterclasses I've given, including a topic on money mindset - https://www.money-madesimple.com.au/WebinarSeriesReplay
As mentioned, here are the links to my social media accounts, if you want to find out more money tips:
https://www.facebook.com/alpha.schulte
https://www.instagram.com/alphamoneymadesimple/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alphaschulte/
Here are the Wealth Quadrant elements:
- Income minus Expenses
- Assets (what you own) minus Liabilities (what you owe)
With the money that you have left over each month (aka once you deduct your expenses from your income) - hopefully you have money left over (if you don't, then that's a whole different topic!), you invest it in Assets.
These Assets are how you build wealth. Assets are something that you invest in, and the value of your investment will grow over time, and you also preferably receive an income from this asset.
Small business owners often see their business as their asset. However, if it isn't an asset that could run without you, or be sold in the future, it is purely the income-generating vehicle.
Recognizing this is important, as once you do, then you can more clearly start to build wealth!
If you're in Brisbane, here is an in-person workshop you might be interested in. Being held on Tuesday 13 May from 9:30am to 2:00pm in Newstead, "Practical Money Workshop for Entrepreneurs":
https://www.money-madesimple.com.au/practical-money
This week I interview my 80 year old mother and my 9 year old daughter, about money. We are all at different times on our life and money journey, and in this episode that becomes very obvious! My mother's experiences are very different from mine, yet I learned a lot about money from both my parents.
My daughter is also learning about money from me and my husband, and her journey will be different.
Sharing experiences and wisdom is how we learn, so enjoy!
What does the feeling of being in "flow" mean to you?
For me it means ease and calm and when things just work. How does that sound to you?
In this week's episode I talk about how you can achieve that, and what I do to keep in flow and get back into flow (because let's face it, sometimes life throws some curveballs!).
Here are the 5 components:
- Clarity of Vision
- Purposeful Money
- System (for managing your money)
- Automation (to make things simpler)
- Boundaries (to keep your time and energy strong)
Enjoy!
A great conversation about an important money topic that impacts most of us - financing to buy a home, or an investment property, or a business.
Cassie from Grow Well Financial talks about some of the main pain points she sees, and how you can prepare yourself to overcome them.
Lots of great tips and information gems in this conversation.
Here is where you can contact Cassie and find out more about Grow Well Financial:
- hello@growwellfinancial.com
- www.growwrellfinancial.com
- https://www.instagram.com/growwellfinancial/
- https://www.facebook.com/GrowWellFinancial
The masterclass "Money Mindset Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs", which I'm hosting on 12 March, you can find out more about here - https://www.money-madesimple.com.au/masterclass
It's easy to feel overwhelmed about money when there are so many unknowns - how much do you need in retirement? How do you invest? Do you invest while paying off debt? What else should you be doing?
The questions feel like they are endless, and then comes the "how do I set financial goals and then actually achieve them?
This episode is designed to help you answer some of these questions, specifically, how to set financial goals for:
- Paying off debt (be it personal debt or your home loan)
- Funding your lifestyle (what money you need and want to enjoy life)
- Wealth creation (how do you do this, and how much do you need)
- Retirement (how much do you need, and what kind of lifestyle do you want)
- Legacy (do you want to leave anything for children or charity - there is no right or wrong answer).
On 12 March I'm hosting an online Masterclass called "Money Mindset Strategies for Female Entrepreneurs". If you would like to join, click here - MASTERCLASS: Money Mindset for Female Entrepreneurs
What an awesome conversation this week with Michelle Saunderson from Those 2 Sisters! We talked about so many relevant topics, such as overcoming/working on our money stories, building a successful business as an iterative process over time, building trust in a business partnership (even when it's with your sister), the growth and evolution of women as we enter new stages of life (both the joy and the challenges that go with that!), and so much more.
So much wisdom being shared, and Michelle has a great story!
Here are the links to the resources mentioned in the episode:
- The Those 2 Sisters website - https://www.those2sisters.com
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Th0se2sisters/
- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/those2sisters_/
- Retreats - https://www.those2sisters.com/retreats
- Pre-order their new book - https://www.those2sisters.au/alignedwomanswayvol2
- Cacao & Kunyin workshop on 1 March - https://www.those2sisters.com/event-details/cacao-and-kunyin-march
In this episode I take you through the 5 pitfalls I see many people fall into when it comes to money, and they revolve around:
- Acknowledge your progress
- Don't underestimate the power of compounding
- Big actions aren't necessary
- Don't confuse avoidance for a lack of ability
- Stop judging yourself about not taking action sooner.
This is a powerful episode, and hopefully one that helps propel you forwards!
Our capability to manage your money isn't just about knowing what to do, it's also being aware of what is holding you back - this is primarily routed in your Beliefs and Stories/Experiences, mainly from your childhood and formative years.
Knowing about mindset is one thing, knowing how to improve it is another. In this episode, I take you through the process I use and how to help yourself when triggers come and your results stagnate or don't work. It's important to have strategies to push through, so you can achieve the changes and improvements that you want.
For more detail, here is a free video and workbook that goes into more detail - Money Mindset Makeover for Female Entrepreneurs
When we set goals, it's usually to do something or have something more than we have right now. Do you know what you will do when that "something more" happens? If we don't have a plan or purpose for this addition we are working to bring into our reality, it is too easy for this to just slip away because it doesn't have a place in our life.
In this episode I go through some ways to help you make sure this doesn't happen, so when you earn more, your money has somewhere intentional to go.
Here are the steps I take you through:
- Having a purpose for your money
- Conscious spending that is aligned with your purpose
- Invest/Save with a goal in mind for your present and future
- Book in fun
- Celebrate when you achieve your goals.
Planning is one thing. Taking action that will help you achieve what is in your plan is another. Having a strategy to do this is important, as without it, you will bend and sway with things that come along, and get easily distracted (aka Shiny Object Syndrome :-)).
In this episode, I take you through the 5 elements that I have been taught, used and refined over the last few years and they are a gamechanger! Imagine being clear, aligned and productive! There is still the possibility that you will procrastinate, but hey, you're human, and sometimes procrastinating is good - gives you time to ponder and decide if what you are doing is actually the right thing in that moment.
It's also good to allow yourself to be flexible and adaptable - just because you set up your goals and plans, doesn't mean you can't change them. You are in charge of your life and business!
Here are the 5 strategies that will help you do all those things:
- Word of the Year
- Visualization
- Schedule it in (especially white space)
- Prioritize
- Take action (aligned to your goals).
The beginning of the year is a great time to take stock of where you're at, and what you want to achieve. If you did any planning in the lead up to the New Year, then now is the time to clarify the actions you need to take so you can hit your goals.
In this episode, I take you through the process I use:
- Identify or confirm your financial goals (and I'll talk you through how to set financial goals)
- Why categorizing your money is so important and how to do it
- How to budget the easy way.
Please reach out if you have any questions, and let me know if this helped you!
While retirement might still seem a while away, you probably already realize how quickly time flies.
Making sure you are optimizing your cashflow, and putting what you can away for retirement - be it inside a government structure like Superannuation, a 401k, Pension Plans, etc, or separately saving and investing specifically for retirement, is important.
In this episode I break the Superannuation system down, as well as the retirement saving/investing process overall. It can be as simple or as complicated as you choose to make it.
Without clarity of Vision, it's difficult to know where you're headed. It makes goal setting almost impossible, and plans become completely random.
In this episode, I include a webinar replay where I take you through the process I use, and everything falls more easily into place.
There is reflection time is also included, as is money mindset and a habits review. With this, it's more likely that you will stick to the goals and plans you make, as your habits and mindset are supportive!
Christmas can be a time of great joy, but also great stress and overwhelm. It's certainly a time for finding as many ways to reduce the overwhelm as possible.
This episode goes through some of the financial ways to help with this - from the cost of food (especially if you're entertaining), and also alternative present ideas that are based on being thoughtful and supportive, rather than big and shiny.
I hope they provide you with some ideas that you can use. Let me know how you go!
What does it take to become financially organised?
It is a combination of:
- Mindset
- Prioritised Tasks
- Systems and automation
These are the elements I take you through in this episode.
Here is the free Personal Finances Checklist I refer to - https://www.money-madesimple.com.au/checklist
Learn about the 3 components to securing your financial future:
- Time
- Clarity - look to the future to clarify your present
- Action - aligned to your values and lifestyle vision
Here is my special Black Friday offer that shows you how to do this!
Here are some calculators to help you:
- Compound earnings
- Paying off your mortgage
- Retirement balance
In this week's episode we hear from Kylie Hayes about her personal and business journey. At the core of it is following your intuition, speaking up, and having confidence in yourself.
She started out as a mathematician who travelled the world as a management consultant, and then helped her husband build a successful winery brand, by setting up the systems and process, and managing the people side of the business. Now she helps other business owners in this operational space, so they can actually enjoy life and make money!
Here is where you can find Kylie:
www.tastebizsuccess.com
Instagram: @tastebizsuccess
After being asked so many times - "how do I make my chocolate" and all the other things I make, and "how do I fit everything in?", I decided to do an episode showing you how!
In this episode I show you how I make:
- Vegan, refined sugar-free chocolate
- Almond milk
- Moisturising Body scrub
In a previous episode I showed you how I make my own Spelt Sourdough Bread.
Making your own is a great way to:
- know exactly what is in the foods you are eating
- reduce consumption of refined sugars, excess salt and preservatives
- manage the cost of the more expensive foods that just keep going up and up.
For the full recipes, please read my blog here.
Running a business can certainly be challenging, and many business don't survive their first 3 years.
Lana Surnina from On Tap Digital has found a way to make success more of a certainty! In this conversation she talks about her own business journey, and why what she is doing now helps her clients become more profitable.
- How can I make more money?
- How can I keep more of the money I'm making?
- How do I invest?
- What about Self-Managed Super Funds?
- How do I invest for my kids?
- Can I pay my mortgage and invest at the same time?
Do you ask yourself some (or all) of these questions, and more? In this episode I go through some of the mindset behind money, as well as answering some of these fundamental questions.
Lisa Rowland shares how she has found a way to make money on the side, while also saving money on household items and going low tox in the process, with Melaleuca Wellness. She shares her journey and also her passion for what this lifestyle offers!
Money is energy, and energy flows. Wouldn’t it feel nicer to be IN the flow, rather than AGAINST the flow of money? In this week’s episode, I go through how to bring your mindset and systems together, to be IN the flow of financial abundance.
Also, here is the link to a new mini-program I'm running on this called Money Flow (starting 28 October) - www.money-madesimple.com.au/flow
Understanding our Core Values give us the foundation to see where things are and aren’t flowing in our money life (and life in general). Aligning your Values and Money makes life SO much easier and more abundant.
In this episode I talk about:
- What Core Values are and why they are important
- Your Personal Core Values
- Your Business Core Values
- Aligning your Core Values (both personal and business) to how you manage your money and why this will help make money become easier and flow more in your life.
Investing is something that we all need to be doing. Reaching financial independence before we retire, and having a comfortable retirement can only happen when we invest regularly over time.
The thing is, where do we learn how to invest?
There are lots of courses out there, but choosing one can seem overwhelming and potentially expensive.
There are some basics that you need to know, so you can even get to the point of choosing what direction to take.
We underestimate what we already know - picked up over the years from the news, friends, family and just observation. Add this to some fundamental knowledge, and you can get started.
That's what this episode is about - helping you bring all this together, so you can start investing and building wealth for your future and the future of your family.
This was also recorded as a webinar with visuals, so if you would like to watch this, here is the link:
https://www.money-madesimple.com.au/WebinarSeriesReplay
There are SO many apps out there. Not all are helpful, and some cost a lot of money over time.
In this week's episode I take you through the money apps I use and why. Also, I don't pay for any of these. They each offer a service (which I use and pay for that way), and these apps purely help to make life easier.
During the episode I talk about micro-investing, and here is a Free Guide that I have put together which explains what micro-investing is, and goes through the main providers:
https://www.money-madesimple.com.au/micro
Money Systems will help free up your mind and reduce stress and overwhelm about money. Knowing what is going on and where you're money is going makes a huge difference.
In this episode I talk about:
- What a Money System is
- Why you need to understand your business finances and what systems are currently being used, and whether they are useful to you
- How to build personal wealth through a money system to manage your personal finances
- Aligning your money systems to your lifestyle vision - getting clear on where you're headed.
If you would like some help reviewing how you are managing your money, here is the Money Management Assessment that I mention - Money Management Assessment (money-madesimple.com.au)
What does it mean to "future-proof your finances"? It means to look into the future and make decisions in the present to help you achieve the future lifestyle you want.
There are often a few obstacles to this:
1) Knowing what you want; and
2) How to know what to do in the present.
This episode helps you with Number 2 (I have previous episodes where I go through Number 1). Looking at you currently Own (like your house and superannuation) and Owe (like a mortgage and other personal debt), is what I'll take you through. Then, how to plan now for larger expenses in the future, so you can be prepared (including going on holidays, buying a new car, or paying for school fees).
Our present will become the future, so let's start with the future in mind, and work our way back.
Much of Money Mindset work is based around thoughts, affirmations belief systems and habits. It's very much about psychology. In this week's episode, I want to elevate this conversation into the practical - how does our mindset around money impact us in our daily lives?
There are 5 elements that I go through in this episode.
This was recorded as part of my annual webinar series, so if you want to watch the replay and see what I'm talking about, then you can watch in either of these locations:
- Money Made Simple website - you will also find replays for other webinars here that might be of interest to you as well.
- YouTube
Finding purpose in life is something many of us are seeking, and it's a journey. Something I've learned on my journey, is that this also applies to money.
If your money doesn't have some kind of purpose, it too easily disappears, making it more difficult and frustrating to get where you want to go (assuming you know where you're going).
Here are the key elements of giving your money a purpose:
- Be Intentional
- Get clear
- Take focused action
- Be consistent with this action
- Stay disciplined.
Have a listed to some of the hard lessons I've learned along the way and why I feel this is so powerful!
Managing money is not something many of us are explicity taught how to do. We learn by observing what our parents do, what others do, and what society says we "should" do. We might get some direction instruction if we're lucky enough to have parents or people around us who are able to manage money well, and then teach us in a way that we understand.
For me, it was completely random, until I started on my own learning journey.
Following 10+ years of learning and experience, plus working with clients to help them manage their money better, here are what I believe are the 5 basics/fundamentals for money management (in order):
- Desire & Mindset - you need to want to learn how to manage your money better, and then have belief systems to support that (or at least be working on your money stories and beliefs to allow you to do something about your desire);
- Visibility - being able to see your money and know where your accounts are, what is going in and what is going out;
- Divide and Conquer - separately out your bank accounts - business and personal and then sub-accounts under each, to manage where your money needs to go;
- Every "dollar" has a purpose - regardless of what currency you are working with, each "dollar" needs to belong somewhere and have a purpose. If not, money will be spent on things you can't even name;
- Decide, Implement and stay Consistent - all of this is just theory unless you DO something. Take action. Decide what action, take the steps to implement it (i.e. set up your sub-accounts) and then consistently manage your money. Consistency can be your best friend when it comes to money.
Let me know if you have any questions!
As children we learn through stories. Swashbuckling characters, heros, villains, obstacles overcome, and mysteries solved. They are etched in our minds and form the basis of how we learn and how we share what we have learned and how we feel.
For instance, I love puzzles and solving problems. My first "literary love" was Agatha Christie. To this day I still love reading her books and watching the TV and movie adaptations of her work.
I also love Jane Austen and the portrayal of women in those days and how they graciously overcame the societal limitations of their circumstances.
How money forms within our minds works much the same way. We see, hear and experience things that money impacts as we grow and develop, and these leave markers in our mind. Often these markers are holding us back.
Here are just a few of those I go through in this episode:
- Stereotypes (especially gender and culture)
- Imposter syndrome (or feels of inadequacy or unworthiness)
- Conditioning
- Fear
- Negativity Bias.
I also go through ways to combat these and how to rewrite your stories.
What are Money Beliefs? How are they formed? How can they be changed? What impact do they have on your relationship with money and how you then manage money?
This is what I talk about in this episode, which is a recording from a Webinar that I delivered.
Here is a link to the Money Essentials for Business Owners program that I refer to:
Money Essentials for Business Owners - Learn Money Management Live (money-madesimple.com.au)
Nearly everything in our life stems from how we see and process it in our minds. Money especially.
In this episode I delve into 5 mental elements to manifest and experience financial abundance:
- Getting a good night's sleep
- Eating good, nourishing food and drinking enough water
- Awareness (of the patterns in our live and the lives of those closely related to us)
- Meditation and/or mentally quiet time (with literal quiet around you)
- Time discipline to make sure the important things happen.
Money Mindset is something that I cover in my program "Money Essentials for Business Owners", which as of today (15 July), is open for enrolments - Money Essentials for Business Owners - Learn Money Management Live (money-madesimple.com.au)
Money is a topic that is always on everyone's minds, and particularly these days. So much is written in the media about the economic situation, and we see it daily in all our bills.
To help with this, I have turned what I do one-on-one with clients into a live group online program called "Money Essentials for Business Owners".
The program is officially launching on Monday 15 July, and I'm very excited about it.
I really think this will help business owners with their Money Mindset and setting up Money Systems to manage their money in a way that you can feel more calm and less stressed and overwhelmed about money, so you can ENJOY life!
In this episode I talk about what the program is, why I created and how it works, AND what it will give you.
Find out more here - Money Essentials for Business Owners
Health is the most important thing in your life. Without health, everything else becomes harder and we can't enjoy life. Having money gives us greater choices when it comes to how we live and manage our health, so these two topics really go hand in hand.
Which is why this episode is so good. Filipa Bellete from Chris and Filly Functional Medicine, and I speak about their approach to health and how they help people to improve their physical and mental health. They have freebies on their website, as well as a book too, which goes through their process.
Here is where you can find out more:
Website
Buy the Book
What does wealth mean for you? Understanding what it is, and gaining clarity on what you want (and why and when) is an important first step.
Then, it's about doing things in parallel, finally. In this episode I go through what that is, and how you can do it!
Here are links to the services I mention:
- Money Essentials for Business Owners - Learn Money Management Live (money-madesimple.com.au)
- Money Management Assessment (money-madesimple.com.au)
As women enter our 40s, something changes. We start to want to know who we really are, and how we got to where we did. Plus, what do we really want in life?
Frances Scadden's journey has lead her to help other women in their 40s, 50s and beyond with this question. To help the feel empowered and confident in their life and what they think they are capable of doing.
A great conversation!
Here is where you can find out more about Frances and what she does:
- Website
- Confidence Circle
Why is it that we avoid things (like looking at our finances)? Our brains are a complex "computer", and understanding how they work makes it easier to program them in a way that actually works FOR us, rather than against us.
In this episode I talk about 3 key concepts to understand our brains, specific to money:
- Survival - our brains are wired to make sure we survive (it isn't interested in thriving), and this is done through making sure we remain with what is familiar to our brain;
- Change - this is seen as a threat to our survival, as the change may hurt or kill us. So, we need to make any kind of change, incrementally;
- Habits - to reduce the mental load and energy exertion that goes with change, we need to embed as much as we can into a habit, which requires consistency.
Here is the link to the FREE Financial Health Self-Assessment quiz that I mention at the beginning of this episode - FREE Financial Health Self-Assessment (money-madesimple.com.au)
Parenting (like money) is not something we are taught, yet we have to navigate somehow. Where you are also parenting a child who is neurodiverse, there is potentially more complexity.
Leanne Tran is a psychology who specialises in helping parents understand their neurodiverse child, and how to help the children understand themselves better.
A fascinating conversation, with lots of great information.
Here are Leanne's links, so you can find out more:
- Leanne's Website
- Leanne's Instagram
- For Psychologists
Lately I've been drawn to books and podcasts that talk about how we are not here in this life to gather "stuff". We are here to connect, grow, evolve, share, help, and even make an impact (on whatever scale).
This has resonated with me quite a lot, so wanted to share this with you as well.
I started gradually decluttering "stuff" out of my home, and letting go of things I wouldn't use or wear anymore. It feels so good to be "lighter".
In this episode I also give you ideas for how you can find more simplicity and enjoy life without spending more, or any, money.
Maree Kirkpatrick is passionate about helping business owners learn how to sell without it feeling uncomfortable and something to actively avoid. Her approach is simple, straight forward, and very human-centric. In this conversation we delve into money, selling, business and psychology.
As a successful business owner and mum, she is also well aware of the juggle that is life. She has a wealth of knowledge and she openly shares SO much in this conversation.
To find out more about Maree:
- https://www.mareekirkpatrick.com/
- https://www.mareekirkpatrick.com/club
- https://www.instagram.com/mareekirkpatrick/
- https://www.facebook.com/mareekirkpatrickconsulting
Mother's Day is a good opportunity to be reminded to take a pause and appreciate life, inspite of all its challenges.
Here are 3 areas I focus on in this episode:
- Gratitude - being consciously grateful for what we have in our life. Even where there are challenges, look for the things that you appreciate within everything else.
- Giving - this isn't just about giving money, it's about caring for others and giving time and attention to the things that matter most to you.
- Receiving - to complete the energetic loop, it's important to be able to receive as well. If you only give, it's likely you will burn out. Being open to receiving also allows others who care for you to give.
Ultimately, it's a timely reminder to be kind to yourself (and others), and come from a place of love.
In the intro I mention a workshop I'm running in Brisbane on 21 May. Here are the details - Budgeting Essentials for Small Business (money-madesimple.com.au)
There is nothing that beats the smell and taste of bread fresh out of the oven. When I was a kid my mum had a breadmaker and we used it pretty regularly.
Nowadays, with sourdough being a bit kinder on some tummies (including mine), I prefer this, as well as using spelt flour.
Sourdough can be a little difficult to work with though, and I've found that with spelt flour there are added complexities. So, after almost a year of trying different things, I've found a recipe and process that works consistently!
And, because I get asked how I make my bread pretty regularly, I'm recording it so it can be shared! Plus, the cost of each loaf is around $7, which is also a bonus.
- If you would like the video version of this, please check out my YouTube video - https://youtu.be/haXGm788jHA
- There is also a written blog article as well - https://www.money-madesimple.com.au/blog/spelt-sourdough-bread-recipe
To find out more about the in-person workshop I mention at the beginning, please go here - Budgeting Essentials for Small Business (money-madesimple.com.au)
Are you experiencing the problem where you are making money, but your bank account doesn't reflect this? Worse still, your tax return says your business is turning a profit (which you're paying tax on), and you aren't seeing this the cash you have?
This episode will help you to understand these issues, which plague many small business owners.
How much of our lives are we living truly based on our own design (and not someone else's, or society's)?
Our lives are influenced by our Beliefs, Stories and Behaviours, around money, and other areas. Being inspired by others is one thing. Comparing ourselves to them is a recipe for depression and anxiety.
In the episode I talk about some strategies I use on myself and my clients to help manage situations when I'm not feeling that my life is really heading where I want it to go.
Procrastination and avoidance is something we do when we don't like it. Money tends to be one of those somethings. And it doesn't need to be like that. Especially as money is extremely important.
In this episode I take you through 3 steps to help you find more fun in sorting out your finances.
Travel is something I've loved since I was a very little girl. When I started working at the age of 14, my primary goal was to save up to travel. Apart from a few years when my daughter was first born, I've gone away somewhere every year. I even worked at an airline for a few years, and did a lot of travelling in that time - taking advantage of the standby deals!
So, I've cultivated my travel budgeting too over the years. However, this last trip I just took with my mum and daughter didn't go quite to plan. Have a listen to find out why, and what I did.
Budgeting is something that many of us avoid, but know we really should do. It's a bit like exercise, only exercising you can make somewhat fun (think Zumba!)...
Being aware of what is coming in and what is going out each month is part of it. Forecasting is important also. Many accounting systems will try and help you with this, however, the budgeting side doesn't connect in with your personal budget.
This episode takes you through the principles behind how I do this.
To watch this episode on YouTube: Click here.
Money is something we are not taught about - neither personal finances nor business finances. And yet, we feel so much shame and guilt around our ability to manage money.
This episode is me delving into the "why" of this, and also to give you some strategies to help yourself move beyond it and head towards confidence and financial empowerment.
Manifestation and Money Strategy might seem like a odd combination, but in order to make anything real (which is what manifestation essentially is), you first need to be super clear.
Strategy gives you direction and is a way to condense your "wish list" into a structure that you can make plans and then tasks lists on.
Alignment between your strategy, plans and tasks are important. Think about making a meal, or organising and holiday, or renovating a house. Without first knowing what you want to do (or where you want to go, or what you want to eat), it makes everything else completely random and even more difficult.
Here are the 5 elements I go through in this episode:
- What do you want?
- Why do you want it?
- How will you do it? (what action step(s) will create movement towares what you want)
- Money audit (knowing where your money is coming and going)
- Visualisation.
Now is the time to get clear and be strategic about your money and finances!
If you want some help with this, here is what I mention in the episode - Money Makeover (money-madesimple.com.au)
What better way to reach retirement faster than to pay off your debts and invest more!
Debt is not a fun topic, so the best thing to do is talk about how to get rid of it as quickly as possible! Especially debt that has a high interest rate.
In this episode I go through how to pay down debt faster, including your mortgage, and why it's important to invest while you're doing this.
Also important to consider is how much you need in retirement, so you can make decisions about how to get there faster.
Here are some resources mentioned in the episode:
- If you want to watch this on Youtube (where I also have some visuals) - https://youtu.be/UM0xr1qHdL4
- a good calculator to help you figure out how much you need for the retirement lifestyle you want - https://www.australianretirementtrust.com.au/learn/tools/retirement-calculator#/personal-details/about-you
Habits have the power to help us and hold us back. Are you happy with your money habits and how they are influencing your finances?
These habits apply to both your business finances and your personal finances.
Here are the 5 Money Habits I go through in this episode:
- Get Clear on Your Vision/Purpose
- Watch your Money Monthly
- Streamline Your Spending
- Use Savings Instead of Credit
- Invest on a Monthly or Quarterly Basis
Here are some resources that I mention during the episode as well:
- Money & Lifestyle Vision - guide and meditation
- Money Habits Reset - mini-program waitlist
Think of the different areas of your life, and what happens if you don't pay them enough attention:
- Relationship with your partner - this doesn't get better with less communication (especially if you avoid talking about money)
- Relationship with your kids - they want to be seen and heard, and that means paying them focused attention
- Your garden - it won't be beautiful or healthy if you complete ignore it!
- Your relationship with money - it will deteriorate the more you ignore it, and the issues that are there now will just get bigger.
I could go on, but I think you get my point.
I could go on, but I think you get my point. The more attention you pay something, the healthier it becomes.
This was inspired by my recent gardening endeavours and how much better my vege patch is after paying it some decent attention!
Money brings up all sorts of emotions in us - overwhelm, fear, shame, guilt, anger, confusion.
Wouldn't it be great if instead of these emotions, it make us feel - joy, excitement, determined, clear, confident.
How then, do you shift from one end of the scale to the other?
In this episode I go through:
- Challenging Your Beliefs around Money
- Get Clear on What You Want Money For
- Look at or Prepare a Workable Budget
- See Where You Can Make Better Decisions
- Take Action
This week, Emma Gilmour from Hope Rising talks about her experiences with alcohol and how quitting back in 2020 has changed her life for the better. She now works with other women to help them develop a better sense of self, without alcohol.
Here are the FREE Awareness Worksheets mentioned - Preparing for a break from booze or just wanting to get intentional with your drinking https://www.hoperisingcoaching.com/awareness-worksheets-opt-in
Her 5 day virtual retreat is starting on 19 Feb. To find out more - https://www.hoperisingcoaching.com/5dayvrfeb2024
To connect with Emma:
- Midlife AF Podcast: https://www.hoperisingcoaching.com/podcast
- Website: www.hoperisingcoaching.com
- Social handles: @hoperisingcoaching
In this week's podcast episode I go through the 5 financial game changers that have influenced where I am today. It's been a 10 year long journey, so hopefully some of this might help you shorten your journey!
You can now also watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/cbwlCbVaDN4
It's a New Year - yay! So much excitement goes into thinking about and planning for another year. What happens if something happens and this all falls flat?
That's what happened to me, and I go through my experience and what I'm learning from it (it's still an active process). Some of this may help you too.
As we approach the end of the year, here are some ideas for you to ponder over as you wind down.
Take some time for yourself over the next few weeks. Do some planning, and map out what you want the coming year to bring.
Here are some resources to help you:
- Free download of a simple 3 page annual plan - Annual Plan Template FREE Download (money-madesimple.com.au)
- Mini program to get your energy and mind on track - Elevate Your Money Vibration: 30 Daily Practices (money-madesimple.com.au)
Emma Lovell leads a life that many of us would love - combining her passion for travel with her business. She recently came back from a retreat she held in India and her approach is to help clients achieve more prosperity and results with greater ease and taking time to rest. This is something Emma has learned the hard way and she now builds rest and ease into her business and helps others to do the same.
In this episode we talk about money, building wealth, mindset, challenging the status quo - it's full of inspiration and great ideas that you too can implement.
To find out more about Emma:
- Hot off the press - her next retreat is just being announced. These sell out, so get in quickly - https://www.emmalovell.au/srilankaretreat
- Emma “Lovelly” Lovell (@emmalovell.au) • Instagram photos and videos
- Emma Lovell - Live a life you LOVE!
- The EMMA LOVELL Show on Apple Podcasts
There are 5 main components that contribute to a mind that is fueled up with the right elements to help you experience more joy and ease when it comes to money:
- Language
- Assumptions
- Sleep
- Nutrition
- Support.
Money is energy. The energy we give to our thoughts and behaviours around money has an impact to the way money shows up in our life.
In this episode I delve more into this and how you can raise your energetic vibration around money and create the abundance you want.
Here is the link to the program I mention in the episode, which is starting on 2 January:
Elevate Your Money Vibration: 30 Daily Practices (money-madesimple.com.au)
As we start to wind down for the end of this Calendar Year, there are some great books that you can curl up with and enjoy some much needed "me time".
I really tried to get this list down to 3, but I ended up with 7. Here they are in no particular order:
- "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz
- "The Gap and the Gain" by Dan Sullivan and Dr Benjamin Hardy
- "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" by Mark Manson
- "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill
- "Be Seen" by Jen Gottlieb
- "Atomic Habits" by James Clear
- "Life Admin Hacks" by Mia Northrop and Dinah Rowe-Roberts.
Christmas is coming!
The best way to keep the cost and effort as low as possible over Christmas is to start planning - preferrably now.
In this episode I give you some ideas and also let you in on what I do to keep Christmas manageable - both financially and mentally. Every year I host a large Christmas Eve dinner, and I've worked out how to make it fun and as fuss free as possible.
Enjoy!
Being an adult can often feel just plain hard - especially as a woman, a mum and a business owner. There is SO much to do. Life Admin is also something we don't really acknowledge to the fullest extent of its impact.
We realise there is housework, taking care of the kids, taking care of parents, taking care of the household in general. Life Admin forms a HUGE part of this.
Over a glass of wine, Mia Northrop and her good friend Dinah Rowe Roberts were lamenting all the "stuff" that just needs to get done, and they decided to do a lot of work and research to put together the amazingly helpful book, "Life Admin Hacks".
In this episode Mia takes us through lots of great tips to make your life easier to "adult" (I love how language develops, and that this can be used as a verb!).
- Get the Book!
- Follow on Instagram
- Follow on Facebook
Feeling overwhelmed in the present day is completely understandable. There are SO many facets to our lives that have multiple layers. Anytime anything changes, this adds to the mental load.
There is an Inner Layer that goes with this:
- Your Beliefs
- The Thoughts you think, based on those Beliefs
- Emotions you feel as a result of your Thoughts
- Actions that you do or don't take as a result of your Thoughts.
HOW do you work on the Inner Layer in your Outer World, so you can take the right action and feel less overwhelmed, or at least manage everything better?
Here is a process for that:
- Reflect on what you have done and achieved so far in your life and whether you want to keep going how you are going now.
- Take the Time to both reflect and just "be". Sit with your Thoughts, and think back to how these relate to the Beliefs you have. Write down the Beliefs that come to you (good and not so good). Reflect on the Thoughts you have. Feel where in your body you are feeling the Emotions that are coming to you.
- Gain Clarity from these reflections, and write down what comes to you. It's important to get this out of your head. Ask yourself questions about what you want, why you want it, and how you want your life and business to be.
- Make a Plan of at least 1 to 3 Action steps, and then DO the things you have on your plan!
Here is the free download I mentioned, about helping you to document and shift your Limiting Beliefs - Kick Your Limiting Beliefs Out of Your Life! (money-madesimple.com.au).
What is the Enriched Life Club, you might be asking?
It's the ONE PLACE for Women Business Owners who want to generate enough money to support the lifestyle they want now and in retirement, with the confidence to know they won't run out of money!
PLUS, Mindset Tools and Strategies to support you actually achieving your goals!
It is a live, online group that will help you gain:
- Greater confidence in your decision making when it comes to money
- Peace of mind to know you can pay your bills
- Comfort to know you will have enough money in retirement
- Happiness when you see your savings and investments grow
- Excitement when you realise your business can now scale and make more money!
- More time to enjoy life as the systems you have set up hum along.
Find out more here - www.EnrichedLifeClub.com
If you would like to book in for a complimentary Clarity Chat to see if this program is right for you, click here.
Can you be both spiritual and a successful business woman? ABSOLUTELY!
How you practice spirituality is part of your journey and we all evolve in this space. It goes beyond personal development, and into the realm of "being" and "receiving".
There is a peace and calm that goes with bringing spirituality into business, which is not always easy.
Part of this blending of the spiritual and business impacts how we make decisions in our business - who we work with, what we offer, how we offer it. And our decision making style grows and evolves with us as we pursue the journey of enlightenment.
Recognising that it is a part of who you are is important, and then you can also recognise that in order to amplify your impact and make decisions that will support your growth, you need to be aware of your numbers. The financial side becomes important as a tool for growth.
There is then energy that is injected in how you see money and how it shows up for you in your business. This blends the spiritual and business beautifully.
If you find yourself in a situation, whether it be in your personal life or business, that you don't completely like, the only way to make a change is to first become aware of the issue or problem.
Awareness is THE first step in any journey. Without it, you don't actually go anywhere, do anything or change anything.
When it comes to money, this is essential. Until you become aware of needing to understand your finances more and know how your money mindset is impacting you, then you won't do anything about improving either your finances or your mindset.
Once you have the awareness, next comes Curiosity. Questioning why you are in the situation you're in, why you believe the money stories that you do, etc. This helps you to figure out what you need to change, which is where Clarity comes in.
Clarity makes everything SO much easier. We often launch off into problem solving mode, before we are even aware of what problem we are trying to solve. Heading off without this means you haven't started with awareness first, and then comes frustration, procrastination, and more "fun" things.
Cashflow is something that is the lifeline for small businesses. Having started out as a corporate tax accountant, I was always trained to focus on the Profit and Loss (or Cash Statement) and the Balance Sheet.
However, cash really is the health check of any business. Your accounts can look very healthy. However, if you don't have cash available to pay for things, then that becomes a big problem.
Because many of us have never been taught how to manage money, it often means that managing money within your business can be equally, if not more, challenging.
There are a number of ways to both track and improve your cashflow. Here are 5 ways that you can do straight away:
- Review your business plan and the goals you have set for yourself this year. Are you on track? If not, what is the cause and how can you get on track?
- Streamline systems you use - review what you use against what you're paying for
- Look at your monthly cashflow - your profit over the prior 6 months and next 6 months to see when you are most profitable and why. Trends can help you to make better decisions about what product or service to focus on promoting. This is like a budget and cashflow statement in one, where you document what you plan to earn and spend, then go back and record what actually came in and went out.
- Make sure you put month aside for tax (GST, company tax, and any other taxes you may be liable for), and super. This also includes any withholding tax and superannuation that you need to pay for your staff.
- Put money aside each month to cover months where expenses are higher, so you don't dig into either profits or an overdraft.
Mindset is something that impacts every aspect of our lives, particularly money. What is it though and how is it formed?
There are 4 aspects that I believe are how our mindset is formed:
- Identity or Sense of Self
- Beliefs (about you we are based on our identity)
- Behaviours (that reinforce who we believe we are)
- Habits (repeated behaviours that embed our beliefs and reinforce our sense of identity).
In this episode I go through the foundations of mindset.
Here is a link to my new FREE Guide, which I mention in this episode:
Money Mindset Makeover for Female Entrepreneurs
In this episode Rudi opens up about an incredible journey and how navigating stereotypes and biases has been part of a life altering transition. We cover off many topics here from following your innate curiosity about life to experimenting and using your Values as a compass to help you gain clarity.
Rudi works with women to help them reveal their authentic best current self. To find out more about Rudi, here is where you can go:
- Website
Life is about polarity - things come easily to us or are difficult to, problems are big or small, people are challenging or easy, life flows or feels stuck. I could go on, but I'm sure you see what I'm getting at.
Prosperity is a goal that many of us aspire to achieve in our lives, both personally and in business. It's about more than just accumulating wealth; it encompasses a sense of well-being, fulfillment, and the ability to make a positive impact. One powerful way to pave the road to prosperity is by harnessing your strengths.
We are often taught to focus on working on our challenges, because our strengths are something that come easily to us. There is certainly merit in this approach, however, it assumes that we know what our strengths actually are. And then, even if we do know, how we can translate them into something that improves our lives and the lives of others?
As with all things relating to improving our lives, it starts with awareness. Have a listen to find out the other elements of this.
While money itself is something we exchange for something we want or need, there is so much emotion attached to it.
We are taught from a young age to believe that money is the thing that we all need in order to live a happy life. And, while money does enable a more comfortable life, we aren't actually taught about it, and the messages we are fed are often very gender biased.
Men are told to invest, take on risk, grow wealth. Women are more likely to be told to save money, budget, don't take risks. The end result becomes very different for men and women, plus women take time out of the workforce to raise children, so they are even further behind financially.
In this episode I talk about ways we need to start changing this.
Stories are powerful. We learn through stories, and we tell ourselves stories all the time. When it comes to money, we need to make sure these stories aren't holding us back.
When it comes to relationships this is amplified, as there are now at least two potentially conflicting stories being told!
Here are 4 strategies to help manage destructive money stories in relationships that are covered in this episode:
- Awareness
- Language & Communication
- Kindness
- Habits.
Time is one of those limited resources that we all want more of. Having enough time to do “everything” drives many of us to follow new fads and hacks.
The thing is, we can have all the time we need, if we have clarity on what we want and we support ourselves with the right habits.
Sounds super easy right? Well, yes and no. Yes, because if we had clarity and habits to support the available time we have, everything would flow smoothly. No, because this looks different for everyone, and life has a way of getting IN the way. As soon as one “block” of time tumbles, the rest come falling down, and it feels difficult to get everything built back up again.
So, what is the solution? Here is a 5 step process to help you figure out and map out how to manage your time, and then make sure you have habits in place to support what you want to achieve within the time you have available:
- Clarity
- Prioritise
- Your relationship with time
- Review your habits
- Align your habits and time.
Managing your money as it comes in and goes out can be challenging at the best of times. It's even more challenging when your income fluctuates and some of your expenses do also (when they are linked to your income). This is particularly the case if you are employed casually, are self-employed or run a business.
Using a cashflow management method for both Personal and Business Finances becomes even more important when your income is variable.
There is the "bucket" method, which is essentially using different bank accounts to manage different areas of your personal and business life.
This episode goes through a way you can do this that is simple and effective.
What comes to your mind when you think of being "financially free"?
It's a term that gets used, but it's unlikely that we really understand. I know I had no idea until not that long ago!
Freedom is one of those words that is often interpreted differently.
There is perspective and mindset that goes with this, and when it comes to money it also is different for different people.
The important thing is to have thought about it and be conscious of what financial freedom is for you, so you can better plan for it, and then celebrate it once you have achieved it!
In this episode I go through some ways to help you identify what financial freedom is for you, and how to calculate a number to help you figure out when you get there!
Frustration is something we all feel at some point in our lives. The question is, WHY are we feeling frustrated? What is the problem that's causing this feeling?
Before even answer this, get EXCITED about the fact that you're frustrated. Why? Because it means you have energy and you care enough about your life to feel like there should be changes made.
So much change in our lives is borne out of frustration. The key is to make it measured and intentional change that is aligned with where you want to go.
In this episode I take you through the framework that I use on myself and with clients, for harnessing frustration for good:
- Talk about it. Share your frustrations with people you trust and can help you at least make sense of it or support you;
- Be aware of and harness the energy, rather than turning everything in your life as a trigger for frustration. Be conscious and find the source of the problem;
- Get clear. Clarity is the best way to help you move forward and use this energy for good (instead of it turning into anger);
- Take focussed action. Once you are clear on what the problem is, develop action steps to help you move passed the frustration and into focussed action.
Investing is something we often put off because we have to get all our other "ducks in a row" - save for a house, buy a car, pay off personal loans, go on a holiday... There are any number of reasons.
Mostly, there is avoidance behind this because we are taught that investing is complex and risky.
While there is risk involved (like most things in life), it doesn't have to be risky. Nor does investing need to be complex.
In today's world, there are SO many ways you can get into investing, and it doesn't require a lot of money or complexity. What it does need though is a fundamental knowledge of investing, which I go through in this episode.
Why is investing so important? It's the ONLY way to build wealth. If you want to be financially independent, comfortable, or whatever your motivation, investing is something you need to do.
Can I invest while paying off my mortgage? Absolutely! Investing works best when you have more time, and by the time you pay off your mortgage, you will have missed out on decades of good investing years.
The time is now!
Have you ever sat back and wondered where time has gone? It seems to fly, especially after kids, and as I approach my mid-40s, it feels like the last 2 decades have just slipped by.
It makes you think about where you're headed and what it is that you want to still do. At least, I have been thinking about this lately! Many things I have done, but there are things I still want to do and I need time for them.
What this also does is it means we can get stuck in a rut of doing what we have always done, financially. This may be a good thing, but it also may not be. It's always good to have a look at your finances and check that everything is working for you, so you're headed in the direction you actually want to go.
In this episode I go through ways to get out of a financial rut, and how to challenge your current thinking in terms of how you see money and the ways in which it plays out in your life.
Travelling is meant to be fun. It is also expensive and there are lots of things that can go wrong, where the costs go up a lot more than you expect. I have been travelling my whole life. My first overseas trip was with my parents when I was 4 years old. As a grown up, I have gone overseas at least every second year, and sometimes multiple times in a year. Then, the borders closed and we couldn't go anywhere.
This year travelling overseas was back, and then came planning and the costs in a post-pandemic world. I hadn't been over to Europe in 5 years, and I really noticed how much more expensive everything was. Food, petrol, even the flights over, transport. Literally everything.
Travelling as a family also means that you need to consider how you travel, especially with a young child. So, in this episode I take you through how I tried to keep costs down, without spoiling the fun. Some of it is being patient and researching. Some of it is looking at things with a different lens and, dare I say it, mindset.
Hopefully this episode will inspire you with ideas for not only how to travel on a budget, but also to start saving and planning for a holiday - they really are necessary!
I get a bit passionate in this episode! Understanding what lifestyle YOU want and WHY is very important.
Without this clarity, it makes getting where you want to go very difficult, and take longer.
In this episode I go through what you can do to gain this clarity, and the 7 things you need to do to then achieve this lifestyle:
- Calculate how much money do you need to make this lifestyle a reality
- Rewire your Beliefs around money to match the person you need to be in order to have this lifestyle
- Make changes to your money habits, so they will help you achieve the lifestyle you want
- Understand your current Net Worth
- Set up your Money Pie
- Automate your Money Pie as much as you can
- Check in regularly to track the progress you are making, and tweak where necessary.
While you probably didn't go into business to be a finance expert, there are some key numbers you need to know to help your business grow.
Numbers tell you about how your business is performing, and what levels of debt you’re carrying, or how much cash you actually have. This helps you to make better decisions about how to grow or scale your business and do it in the areas that your customers and clients actually respond the most to.
Here are the top 7 most important numbers you need to know:
-
Your income goals – this will impact the products and services that you offer, the pricing of each, and how much of each that you need to sell. Once you know this, you can better plan how to run your business and the areas to focus on;
-
Profit and Loss – this will depend a bit on the accounting treatment, but basically it’s – the income you make, minus all your expenses. If the number is positive, you are in Profit. If the number is negative, you are in Loss;
-
Expenses – knowing where your money is going and what you’re spending it on is very important, especially for small businesses.
-
Accounts Receivable – depending on how your business is set up, this is money you are owed from clients or customers, i.e. unpaid invoices. It will impact your cashflow;
-
Profit by client – this will help you to know which client relationships to nurture better. You can also look at ways to increase the repeat business from other clients as well;
-
Cashflow – this is how much actual cash is coming in, and what expenses you are paying out;
-
Sales per product or service - knowing what your most profitable products or services are will help you to focus on promoting these more than those that don't make as much.
Failure, as unpleasant as it is, is an important, necessary part of life. Life is about polarity – the only reason we even know what happiness is, is because we have experienced sadness and failure.
We can’t always know the outcome of something before we do it, so there is always a chance of failure. That doesn’t stop us giving it a go.
Just think of all the things you can do now. At some point you couldn’t do them. It’s highly unlikely that you did them the first time you tried them either. Even things like learning to walk, riding a bike, driving a car, writing a winning sales letter, getting a job.
What we learn from failure:
- Experience
- Knowledge
- Resilience
- Growth
Ways you can manage failure:
- Clarity of vision/purpose
- Language and the people you surround yourself with
- Accept failure as necessary, and stop trying to avoid it
- Write an action plan to keep you focused on moving towards your vision.
Remember, this failure could be one step away from success and happiness. Get clear on what will make you happy, so you can recognise it once you are there, and then celebrate!
Willpower is one of those words that most of us scringe at the thought of, but somehow think we need more of.
What is willpower? Psychologists define it as the ability to delay gratification, resisting short-term temptations in order to meet long-term goals The capacity to override an unwanted thought, feeling, or impulse The ability to employ a “cool” cognitive system of behavior rather than a “hot” emotional system.
There is evidence that while willpower is a finite resource (which means that we don't have it available to us 100% of the time), it is like a muscle that can be trained and built upon.
Here are 5 ways to build your willpower:
- Understand yourself - what triggers you, what you want in life and why. What time of day do you have the most willpower, etc.
- Have a goal - if you are going to forgo something in the short-term in lieu of something in the future, then it needs to be for a good reason! Otherwise it will be too easy to fall "off the wagon".
- Remove temptation - unsubscribe from emails that tempt you to buy things. Set up your savings and investing on auto-pilot. Buy groceries online, so you minimise the “add-on” purchase temptation. Do the things you need willpower for earlier in the day, when you’re more refreshed.
- Exercise your willpower - make a commitment to yourself and then go one step further. Get used to going that extra step, and you will flex your willpower muscles. Save 11% instead of 10%, for example.
- Plan for fun - schedule and budget fun in! Attach it to an achievement, so you are rewarding yourself for seeing through a commitment or achieving a goal you set yourself.
Sometimes we just need to do the things that we don't think we WANT or NEED to do. This is where willpower can help you to get it done!
When we are children we love to dream. Dreaming of games, far away places, new worlds, you name it. There are no boundaries to imagination when you're a child and haven't heard "you can't do that" enough times.
My daughter has some pretty big dreams, and it has made me realise that I have put some of mine on a shelf in the back of my mind, and they have gathered a lot of "dust".
Many I have actually done, but the bigger ones are either a work in progres, or I haven't even tried.
The prospect of failing at our dreams, holds us back, and then we listen to the naysayers too much, who generally talk us out of even pursuing the dream before we even start! There's no way to achieve your dream then!
In this episode I suggest some ways to reignite that "dream fire" inside you.
Do you feel like an imposter sometimes? In business and in life?
Feeling this way often shows up as fear, guilt, anxiety and confusion. Why do we experience these feelings? In a word, Conditioning.
Often things that happened in our childhood, the innate Negativity Bias that we have as humans (which is linked to our survival instinct), and then societal stereotypes impact why we experience Imposter Syndrome.
There are many ways to combat this. Here are 5 ways to get you started:
- People - surround yourself with the right people (friends, colleagues, other business owners, clients, etc.) who will understand what you're going through. They will also cheer you on, give you honest feedback and be there to support you when you need it;
- Purpose - remember WHY you started your business and who you want to serve. This will help motivate you when you question your bality or generally challenges arise (which they inevitably will);
- Gratitude - Write down 3 things you are grateful for in your business and life. Keep emails and notes that clients have sent you saying thank you , and look back on these to remind yourself how wonderful you are and how you are truly helping others.;
- Systems - Using systems and processes help your business run smoothly, so you have the headspace, time and energy to devote to what will make your business money - you! This will make you appear more professional and then also allow you to scale easier and faster;
- Failure - What a great teacher failure is! It provides you with a wealth of information and experience, which you can use in your business. It's also the fastest way to learn - fail fast, as the saying goes.
Here is a great quote by Oprah Winfrey: "Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe".
There's not much else to say :-)
Support is something that we all need. Having the right people around us to give constructive feedback, inspire, bounce ideas, be honest (in a loving way), and help to keep us accountable is so incredibly valuable and important.
When it comes to money and business, it's VERY important to make sure you understand enough so your business can have the impact on your life and the lives of the people you serve. This, coupled with the mindset that you need in order to level up and scale is also extremely important.
Both of these things are covered in the Enriched Life Club, which launches on 22 May. Have a listen to find out more about why I created this membership, what's included and the special introductory price!
If you have caught the travel bug, like I have, then you will love that the borders are open again, and we can explore the world once more. While travelling has never been overly cheap, the costs have gone up quite a bit since the events of the last few years.
So, it's even more important to be as budget conscious as you can be, without spoiling the fun!
Here are some ideas I go through in this episode:
- Save into a "Fun Fund". If you don't already, put a percentage of your monthly income aside for fun. For me, this is mainly travel. You don't want to be putting your trip on a credit card and then getting a nasty bill once you are back. This includes spending money - save for that too. Don't just put everything on your credit card;
- Prepare for "Picnics". By this I mean, visit a local supermarket when you arrive at your destination, and pick up some food that you can make for your lunches, maybe breakfasts (if they aren't included with your accommodation) and possibly some dinners. This not only saves money, but is sometimes a welcome break from eating out and fast food - depending on where you are. I also like sampling local food from supermarkets, it's part of the cultural experience.
- Pack for anything. By this I mean taking things like medicines and all the things that you really need. That way you won't forget something and have to go and buy it. Save your money for more interesting outlays, like souvenirs, entries into places, and going out.
- Book accommodation ahead. Or, at least be prepared for the time of year and what else might be on. If you're going in a busy season, it's best to book ahead, otherwise you will be at the mercy of whatever you can find - expensive or horrible.
- Look at hotel alternatives. Things like AirBnb are good if travelling as a family - it's cheaper than multiple hotel rooms, or squeezing into a "quad room" (which is often just a regular sized room with 2 queen beds).
- Pack smartly. Don't pay for excess baggage. It's expensive and easily avoided. Use a medium sized suitcase for longer trips, so you aren't tempted to fill a large suitcase!
- Book last minute shows. While accommodation is good to book in advance, the opposite is often true for shows or the theatre. Unless it's a particular show that you really want to make sure you see, you can often find last minute tickets at a box office that are cheaper.
These are just a few ideas to help with the financial side of travel, so you can enjoy the trip and do some splurging (within your budget).
Being wise with money is what many of us aspire to. What does it mean though?
Wisdom (by definition) is the result of:
- Knowledge;
- Good judgment (which means making considered decisions); and
- Experience.
It looks so easy, doesn't it? If I want to become better with money, I just need to learn about it and there we are!
The reality is not that easy. Why is that? Our minds get in the way and throw up all sorts of obstables as to why we aren't good with money, or why we have so many other things to do rather than get good at understanding our relationship with money.
This is mostly referred to as "money mindset", which is a term being bandied around a lot.
At the heart of the obstable is a lack of self-worth, and a lack of confidence and belief in ourselves that we have the capability to learn about money and then also to successfully manage it.
The thing is, without learning first (as in, gaining "knowledge"), we can't effectively take action (i.e. making "considered decisions"), which will then give us valuable experience (which is the third part of being wise!).
The lack of self-worth shows up primarily as procrastination, and that is very common when it comes to anything we don't know, whether it's money or gardening or learning to cook, etc.
Why am I telling you all this? To let you know that you aren't alone, and that learning about money and finances is not something we are taught in school, so the only way you will learn about money is either through trial and error, or actively learning through books, courses and coaches.
Time is something we all want more of. More often than money being a limiting factor in decision making, it's time that becomes the constraint.
In business you can buy your time back through outsourcing, but there are other ways to become more effective with your time.
Here are the 7 ways to experience more hours in your day, that I go through in this episode:
- Create a plan for an area of your life that you want to improve, so you can focus on that
- Write a list of tasks you need and want to do, and prioritise them
- Batch your tasks by grouping similar tasks together (like cooking or preparing social media posts)
- Ask for help from your partner or kids. Look at carpooling for school drop off or pick up
- Schedule in whitespace in your calendar. Feeling refreshed, energised and having time for inspiration and thinking is imperative to becoming more productive with your time!
- Delegate or outsource where you can. This depends on the amount of money you have and the time of life that you're in. Some things you can't do this for, but write out the things that you really don't like doing, and see if you can outsource them (or delegate them to your partner or kids!)
- Get enough sleep. Whatever amount you need to get in order to function at your best, aim for that. The average is 8 hours per night, so if you're not sure, start there. Just think about how much calmer you are and how much more patience and creativity you have after a good night's sleep. You will find yourself much more productive as well!
There are other ways to manage time, and there are apps and books to help with it too. I like to keep things simple, and an old fashioned pen and paper work well for writing a task list and then ticking it off :-)
Success in life and business is not something that happens without focus and effort. There are also potentially many years where there is no perceived process. The concept of success is also something that changes as you learn and grow on your journey.
In this episode I go through 3 key concepts to help you focus on the things that will help you achieve success:
- Incremental Steps - reocognise that it's a combination of hundreds if not thousands of little things that will lead to the biggest impact. Just because something worked, doesn't mean everything else was a waste of time. You wouldn't have arrived at that "thing" without all the previous "failures".
- Consistency - showing up consistently and making sure that you are clear on the things that you need to do on a regular basis is important. Being smart about it as well - using content in multiple ways and places, for example.
- Removing Distractions - a big one for this day and age! Understanding what you need to prioritise and focussing on doing that before anything else. Making sure your habits are supporting you, not hindering you. Scheduling and planning well, in terms of how you use your time is also important.
Change is something that happens to all of us, whether we choose it or not. Here is the 7 Step Formula that I use to manage and initiate change in my life and finances. I use this with clients as well, and it's a powerful process:
- Understanding yourself
- Knowledge
- Plan
- Action
- Experience
- Review
- Rinse and repeat.
Using these steps is what I go through in this episode, with examples and analogies to help you. Enjoy!
Janeen Vosper is an Author, Conference Speaker, Personal Branding Authority Coach, Sales, and Professional Speaker Trainer with over 30 years’ experience providing business leaders with the know-how to get noticed as an industry expert.
So much value in this episode. We talk about how learning to tell a story is essential to successful marketing. We also discuss AI and how you can best use it in your business. Plus, how to become a better speaker.
Here is where you can apply for one of the last 2 spaces for the 3 day retreat in Airlie Beach that we talk about: Personal Branding & Style Retreat in Whitsundays 25-28 May 2023 (personalbrandingstudio.com.au)
Here is the link to register for the webinar Janeen is hosting on making more sales: Discover the Top 5 Techniques to MAKE MORE SALES Without Selling Anything, Hosted online, Tue 3rd Aug 2021, 7:00 pm - Thu 31st Aug 2023, 8:30 pm AEST | Humanitix
Fear can be debilitating. When it comes to money it can cause huge headaches, which are often bigger because we ignore looking into our finances.
This is the irony - the more you ignore it, the bigger it gets, and the more likely it will become something that is genuine of the fear that you're feeling.
In this episode I talk about why we feel fear about money and the 5 step approach to overcoming it:
- Face it
- Break it down
- Prioritise
- Take action
- Recognise.
This is an approach you can use for anything in life, not just money.
It's time to take control back of your finances and tell that fear to get back into it's box!
Property Management is often considered the poor cousin of real estate. There is so much focus on, and money in, selling property. Managing property is often lower revenue for real estate agents, so it doesn't get much attention or customer service.
I have been a tenant and experienced both good and not so good property management, and there is a notable difference!
Nelson Gomez Castro and his wife founded House 11 Residential (Real Estate Agent Aspley | House 11 Residential) to bring a better customer focus and consideration of both the landlord and the tenant into property management.
The current market can be challenging for renters, and Nelson talks us through what he is seeing, and how to approach applying for a rental property, and what to look for in a tenant.
Considering talking about money is often not something most of us like to do, or is considered appropriate to do, you may have been avoiding talking with your kids about money.
The thing is, even if you aren't talking about it, no doubt your kids are thinking about money, and have either overheard you talk about it (and perhaps not in a happy way), hear the words you use about money (we can't afford that), and they will be watching how you spend your money.
It's likely they have questions about money, and considering it isn't taught in most schools, their knowledge will be gathered through observation. This knowledge will be filled with assumptions and gaps that they can't fill with their limited life experience so far.
So, it is VERY important to talk with your kids about money - they want to know and they also want to be included and involved.
Here are the 3 fundamentals to consider when approaching these conversations:
- Clarify what is a NEED versus a WANT - kids will always want things that they think they need;
- Shift your language from LACK (e.g. we can't afford it), to CHOICE (I'm choosing to spend money on x rather than y because...) - move toward what you want, rather than away from what you don't want. This difference is powerful;
- Encourage them to become financially independent - as a goal for them to aspire to.
It's also important to recognise that you are likely on your own learning journey when it comes to money. You don't need to have all the answers in order to teach and guide you children about money. You can also be honest with them and say that you are also learning, and they can go on the journey with you.
Money can have a huge impact on a relationship, particularly where there are differing expectations between you and your partner. Being open and honest, and having regular discussions to make sure you're on the same page, is very important.
The 7 areas that I go through in this episode are:
- Values & Lifestyle
- Beliefs & Habits
- Timing (when you want something)
- Spending / Budgeting
- Saving
- Investing
- Retirement.
It's important for you to be clear on each of these areas, and then to discuss these with your partner, in a non-confrontational or judgmental way. You are both on a journey together, where you chose one another. Remember that, and come from a place of love.
Budgeting is something that not many of us like the thought of, let alone actually doing it.
Budgets also are difficult to stick to, especially when you don't know:
- What lifestyle you're budgeting for
- Why you want the things you want
- What kind of a spender you are
- How you like to manage your spending - what level of detail you want to go to.
How you want to manage your spending (or budgeting) is as individual as you are. So, understanding this will help you stick with what you will end up doing.
In this episode I go through these apps and how they could help you:
- Frollo
- Raiz
- WeMoney
- GoodBudget
The day to day of life can become mundane, repetitive and downright boring. As a mum, we are often prioritising everyone else's needs and wants, above our own.
Money is a tool to support the lifestyle we want. Figuring out what that lifestyle is goes a long way to understanding how fun and joy show up in our life.
This episode is a reminder to tap into your inner child and rekindle (or rediscover) what brings you joy and lights you up. Then to actually DO those things. Schedule them in if you need to. Whatever you need to do to make them happen.
This is one of the reasons I encourage everyone to have a "Fun Fund".
So, go out and have some fun!
Time is something we all wish we had more of!
As a parent, your time is often not really your own - there are so many interruptions and changes of plan and things that don't go to plan... There are 3 fundamental ways that I look at time and how I manage it:
- Plan
- Prioritise
- Combine.
They are simple and basic, but then, we don't need to overcomplicate this. Life is complex enough!
Here is the download link for my new FREE Video Guide, which I mention:
FREE GUIDE: 5 Ways YOU Can Improve Your Finances (money-madesimple.com.au)
There is a lot in the news at the moment about inflation and rising interest rates.
Something that I do on an annual basis, regardless of what is happening in the ecomomy, is an Expenses Diet :-)
In this episode I give you a taste of what I do, and 8 Ways you can cut your own expenses.
Here are the 8 areas I focus on in this episode:
- Interest rates
- Insurances
- Groceries
- Phone and Internet
- Selling stuff (this is an outlier, as it's about making money)
- Buy secondhand
- Family cooking nights, with lunch leftovers
- Picnics to eat out
It feels good to trim the financial fat, and it's something that you can do every year. It's amazing how spend creep happens.
An important part of this is also looking for the benefits in what this gives you (beyond just the financial benefit) - it could be spending more quality time with family, supporting local businesses, etc. The energy and mindset around this will also feel better, where you are helping both yourself and others.
In this episode, I interview Kirsty Foster - founder of Social Mums Club, which is a Brisbane Bayside and Redlands group created to help mums feel more connected and supported.
Kirsty tells us the story of her journey and how doing something she loved (connecting mums) turned into a business that is thriving and that she loves.
We also talk about money mindset and stories that we tell ourselves, and things that could potentially hold us back. They exist in all of us, and having support and encouragement from the right network is vital to getting through these limiting beliefs, so we can do what we love.
Here are ways to connect with Kirsty and the Social Mums Club:
- Home | Social Mums Club
- (1) Social Mums Club - Queensland | Facebook
- Podcast - Car Chats for Busy Mums (available wherever you listen to podcasts).
When you want to make changes to your money and finances, where do you start?
In this episode I take you through some of my story and the money journey I've been on. Including what I actually focused on first.
Here is an overview:
- Salary sacrificed into Super
- Started micro-investing (which I still do to this day)
- Sorted out my Estate Plan
- Set up my Money Pie (aka buckets)
- Paid off my credit card debt.
Here is a link to the FREE guide I put together, to show you what micro-investing is, and what I do - https://www.money-madesimple.com.au/investwith$1
Enjoy!
Looking at your finances can feel overwhelming, and questions like "where do I start?", "what do I do first?", and/or "but, how?" are extremely common (even for me!).
In this episode I break down the Top 5 things I believe are the most important money things to do, in order of priority.
Here is a summary:
- Set up your Emergency Fund, with 6 to 12 months of living expenses in there
- Pay off debt with the highest interest rate first, and then move down until what's left is your mortgage
- Increase your superannuation contributions (preferrably through salary sacrifice)
- Get into the habit of saving (automate it!)
- Sort out your Estate Plan (Will, Enduring Power of Attorney, etc.).
More detail in the episode to help you with the how.
When it comes to money, it's important to understand WHY you want money. To do this, you also need to understand yourSELF. This sense of self becomes extremely important when it comes to figuring out what lifestyle you want (and why), and then setting goals to help you get to that lifestyle - step by step.
This episode looks at why the concept of SELF is shunned and how as a society we dissuade people from figuring out who they are, for fear of not fitting in, or being seen as selfish.
The best way to get ahead and to help others, is to focus first on yourself!
Join me for an interesting conversation.
Happy New Year!! It's incredible to realise that one year is over and another is starting. It didn't feel that long ago that 2022 began. 2022 was a year of the opening and life somewhat returning more to a state of "normal" after a tumultuous few years.
There was still quite a bit of uncertainty, and then before you knew it, half the year was gone.
So, rather than that happening again, this episode is to help you be intentional and more focused in 2023 - my word for this year is "Courageous", and I want to make a bigger impact with the work that I do. It's a big thing to write and say this, as I used to keep things very close to my chest and not reveal things about myself. Personal growth is a great (and sometimes scary) thing!
The 5 areas this episode will cover in terms of wealth building are:
- YOU - what are your Core Values? What does money means to you? Why do you want money? What is the lifestyle you want money to help you achieve? Clarity in this area is the basis for the remaining areas.
- MIND - how your Beliefs and Stories are either supporting your journey or holding you back. We are often prisoners of our past, and it's time to break loose of those shackles!
- HABITS - what repetitive behaviours (i.e. Habits) do you need to support the lifestyle you want? Part of habits is being disciplined and consistent. Not sexy, but they'll get you where you want to go (which is why you have to figure that part our beforehand - even if it changes along the way)!
- MONEY - now this is where the money side kicks in. This looks at Income, Expenses, Debt (so basically, Budgeting), and Investing.
- REVIEW & either REPEAT or ADJUST - because life is cyclical and things change around you, it's important to look back to make sure what you are doing (for the most part) are aligned with your Values and Vision. If there is misalignment you may need to make some adjustments at the areas above. Or, you just keep doing more of what you are doing.
Enjoy and have a wonderfully wealthy 2023!
This year is almost at an end, and before 2023 starts, it's a great time to go through a quick planning exercise. In this episode I share the process that I use every year and how I use it. There are 5 steps:
- Categorise your Life Areas (I have either - Family, Friends, Physical Health, Mental Health, Spirituality, Fun/Hobbies, Finances, Business/Work)
- Retrospectively look at the Top 3 things that were great about 2022
- Prioritise the 3 key Life Areas you want to work on in 2023
- Set 3 goals per Life Area (that's 24 goals in total) - they don't have to be big, and some can be linked
- List out the Daily, Weekly and Monthly behaviours that you need to do in order to support achieving your goals.
There is more information in the following:
- Blog Post
- FREE 2023 Plan Download
- Money & Lifestyle Vision mini-course
This process can take between 30 minutes to over an hour, depending on whether you've done anything like this before, and how new it is to you.
It's well worth the effort, and you can then build on it every year!
A slightly different episode where I look at the concepts of live and how we have ended up the way we are. When did we stop being children and turn into the adults we are today?
Are we happy? Do we react rather than respond to life? Are we present and enjoy the moment?
I provide some tools and strategies to help reconnect with the person you want to be, so you can experience the life and happiness that you want.
I hope you find this useful and helpful!
It's that time of year - December means Christmas. Mind you, the Christmas decorations came out before Halloween this year!
It's the time of year the money really becomes an amplified issue - lots of buying. Presents (for family, friends, kids, teachers, colleagues, clients, etc.) and food (for Christmas Day, Boxing Day - if you're in Australia, for holidays and camping trips, and day trips).
There's just SO much!
The last thing you want is to make your New Year's resolutions and then to be hit with a large credit card bill in January...
This episode has some pragmatic ideas about how to minimise the financial burden over presents and food this year.
Enjoy!
One way to spend less than you earn is to earn more! One way to earn more money is to start a side hustle, which as become more easier in recent years.
There is still work and planning involved, and this episode takes you through:
- How to figure out what to do for a side hustle (with a few ideas to help inspire you), and
- What to do once you figure out what side hustle you're going to do.
Chock full of useful ideas and steps to do, hopefully this episode will inspire you and help you!
You may have heard me talk about how to have a good relationship with money. There are very similar principles to how to have a good relationship with food. It comes down to what we believe and the habits we have.
In this interview, Susan Williams (a qualified and highly experienced Dietitian and Nutritionist) talks about how nutrition impacts our mental and physical lives. She likes to breaks through stereotypes and myths.
Oh, and it's OK to have some sugar and a glass of wine :-)
Here are the links to find out more about Susan and what she is doing:
- Meg & Susan (megandsusan.co)
- Meg McClintock & Susan Williams (@megandsusan) • Instagram photos and videos
Helen Baker, founder of On Your Own Two Feet, is an experienced Financial Adviser of over 15 years, Speaker and Author who firmly believes in the benefits of having a strong team of professionals to underpin your financial foundations.
This support enables you to build for the future and be the best you can be. Whether you are in a relationship, divorced, widowed, or are single and just want to take control financially and get going for the future, this is for you.
Helen appears regularly in the media and shares her practical financial advice in her two books - links are below.
All profits of the sale of these books goes to empower disadvantaged women and girls. Some of the projects we’re currently working on with the proceeds are educating 3 young women in Medan, Indonesia with their High School and University studies. We are also supporting a volunteer pilot working in East Timor to provide emergency services to remote communities, and in particular women in childbirth.
In this episode, Helen and I discuss what some of the key problems that women face when it comes to financial literacy and accessing good financial planning services. Helen also covers some key areas to improve your financial life - so much valuable information!
Where you can find Helen's book, and also book in for a financial planning session:
- Financial Planning Advice Brisbane for Women by Women (onyourowntwofeet.com.au)
Another place you can buy Helen's book:
- On Your Own Two Feet, The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women by Helen Baker | 9781920727789 | Booktopia
To find out more and follow Helen:
In this episode I go through 5 of the most common money mistakes I see women make. The 5 I go through are:
- Money stuff is too time consuming - I'll do it later. The problem is, later never comes!
- I don't understand investing. How can you understand something you've never been taught? Time to be curious and learn! Here is my free guide "How to Invest with $1"
- I don't have enough income to do anything. Seek out ways to increase your income and/or to reduce your spending. Luckily I cover off both of these in my program Financial Fulfillment in 7 Simple Steps :-)
- It's all too hard and confusing. This is a Limiting Belief that is holding you back. Find out what the next step is for you, then focus on one step at a time while keeping your lifestyle vision in your mind for the future. One step!
- What if I get it wrong? Well, there is always that possibility, and in life we all get things wrong. Being well informed and having guidance is the best way to minimise the risk of getting things wrong.
The important thing is to get started and don't let time just pass.
Check out my new program "Financial Fulfillment in 7 Simple Steps": www.FinancialFulfillmentprogram.com - Available for a LIMITED TIME ONLY!
Being in a relationship requires a connection of some sort. Now, whether we like it or not, we are all connected to money in some way. The health and quality of that connection is actually within our power to influence and change! There is often a "that's just the way it is" mentality when it comes to things we think or believe we can't change.
Which brings me to the concept of Limiting Beliefs! Beliefs themselves can work for or against you. You can believe something to be true and you essentially believe it into reality or existence!
Then come the habitual behaviours we we do as a result of those Limiting Beliefs, and before you know it, the relationship you have with money is formed.
Recognising that YOU have the power to control your reality (your beliefs and behaviours) is powerful. It means that you don't have to believe the things that are holding you back. YOU write that script and YOU live by it.
The important thing is to be clear on the direction you want to go, DO something, and use the momentum to make changes and move with the flow of life. Without movement it's impossible to get anything done. And without getting things done you won't know what works and what doesn't.
Giving yourself a greated chance of doing the things that work is by aligning to your Core Values.
SO, in this episode we sew together - Your Core Values with the Beliefs that you hold, and the Habits that you have, which impacts the Actions that you take to achieve the Lifestyle you want.
All this impacts the relationship you have with money. Enjoy!
Kerry's story is a beautiful example of how life flows more calmly and easily when you connect with your Why, and align your life with this.
Having started her working life as a school teacher, Kerry travelling and taught and when she returned to Australia went to see a kinesiologist who helped her permanently shift energy that had been sending her into on and off depression.
Realising the power of this incredibly modality, Kerry studied kinesiology and then started helping others to experience transformations themselves.
Kerry's business took off very quickly and she attributes this to being in alignment with her strong WHY, and now teaches and coaches other to do the same.
Here is the link to the webinar on Your Why that Kerry mentions in this interview -
Find out more about Kerry:
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/kerryrowett
- Website: http://alignandattract.com
- Remember Your Why workshop recording: http://alignandattract.com/why
- Align + Attract podcast: http://alignandattract.buzzsprout.com
A relationship break down is one of the most difficult things to experience in life. Unfortunately, the statistics for divorce aren't great - in 2022 between 44% and 50% of marriages are expected to end in divorce.
There is a huge wave of emotions and experiences that go with this. Becca Maxwell has been helping women navigate this awful time, to make sure they keep their sanity, integrity and intention for what they want as a life after the divorce.
It's too easy to be dragged down into a spiral of negativity. Becca also works with her clients on connecting with their values and maintaining this as part of their intention throughout.
Becca's new online program is opening soon, so if you're listening to this between 18 October and 23 October 2022, you can gain access!
Here is the link to check it out:
https://www.dodivorceright.com/
In this episode, Julie Crockett talks about her journey from school teacher to successful property investor and becoming a Buyer's Agent.
So much valuable information, including the types of properties she looks for and where. What kinds of properties you can still make money on, and better still, achieve postitive cashflow with! Julie also talks through the costs of owning an investment property and how to make sure you hire a great property manager!
And of course, the all important mindset challenges to overcome in taking the leap into property investing, and how to become informed and do it in a way that makes you money.
To find out more about Julie:
- https://apisolutions.com.au/
- The short course she talks about - https://courses.apisolutions.com.au/the-property-investors-strategy-course
- Follow Julie on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/juliecrockett3/
- Her informative podcast is called "Her Investment Property Podcast" https://juliecrockett.com.au/podcasts/
This is a beautifully serene and informative episode with the lovely Angela from Bloom Within, where we get into the concept of self-love and how Angela's personal journey drove her to build Bloom Within.
From the depths of her own experiences, Angela now works with parents, girl teens and girl tweens (ages 8 to 12) with her Empower Me Within coaching program. Every young girl should experience this kind of messaging and this kind of support!
A beautiful conversation that's not to be missed.
Here are the links mentioned in the episode:
- https://www.bloomwithin.com.au/
- Empower Me Within - join the waitlist
- https://www.instagram.com/bloom.within/
What an episode! Chloe has done so many things, and this interview spans working in agriculture, studying and working in horticulture, starting a business as a freelancer and all the financial learnings that go with that. Plus, we talk about gardening (including some great tips), Chloe's Sprout School for home gardeners and her own money journey.
Fascinating!
Here are the links we spoke about in the episode, so you can find out more about Chloe and what she does:
- www.beantheredugthat.com
- @beantheredugthat
Identifying and understanding your Core Values is so powerful. The clarity and insight that you get from this knowledge will help you to stay focused, give you the discipline that you need when times are tough, plus allow you to be more decisive and confident in your financial decisions.
This episode covers:
-
Why you need to know what your Values are
-
What Values even are
-
How you can use the knowledge of what your values are to help you make better financial (and life) decisions
-
When to use your Values
-
Who can benefit from knowing their Values (everyone!).
Because I'm so passionate about making sure all women know their values, I offer a FREE Values Discovery Session. It's a 60 minute one-on-one session with me, either in person or over Zoom, where I take you through the process (it's a fun journey really) of identifying and understanding your Values, and how you can use them in your life. There are no sales pitches - this session is about YOU and Your Values.
If you would like to book in for a Free Values Discovery Session, click on this link - www.ValuesWithAlpha.com
Financial Literacy has never been so important as now! There is so much uncertainty in the world, and so many things out of our control. The only thing in our control is how we respond to our financial situation. It is very difficult to do that however, without knowledge.
Knowledge is power, as the saying goes, and financial knowledge gives women the power to make better financial decisions, be financially confident and independent. SO many things flow from this.
There is some alarming data that was recently released by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), which is what triggered my slight rant in this episode. In addition to the rant, I also go through ways that you can make changes to your financial situation.
Here is a link I mention about my free micro-investing guide:https://www.money-madesimple.com.au/investwith$1
Fi Qian is an inspiration. She was made redundant from her nursing job just before the pandemic in 2020, and being passionate about fitness and active wear, decided to start her own line of active wear called Sunfox Active.
Since then she has worked hard to build her brand and source beautiful fabrics (the look and feel), and designs that are comfortable and trendy. Plus, they are affordable!
In this episode Fi talks about what she did and what her plans are. How important the mindset side is, and how taking action rather than over thinking is how she has got herself to where she is. Especially being a single mum with 3 young kids to be a role model for!
To check out Sunfox Active:
-
Online store at https://sunfoxactive.com.au/
-
On Facebook
-
On Instagram.
Enjoy!
What an incredible discussion with Dr Laura Williams from Know Your Own Psychology. As a Clinical Psychologist who specialised in trauma, and then experienced her own horribly traumatic experience, she has a wealth of personal and professional knowledge to share.
The link between money and trauma (which isn't always what you think it is) is strong, and Dr Laura talks about how that plays out in the world of a woman.
Here are the links we spoke about in the episode:
https://www.knowyourownpsychology.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DrLAWill
https://www.instagram.com/drlawilliams
Having the ability to choose how you live your life is powerful. Feeling empowered allows you to be hopeful, make plans, make changes, take charge. It also means you aren't reliant on anyone for your money, and that really impacts your self-worth.
Financial literacy and confidence is important, and especially for women who have taken a break to look after children or family members.
This episode goes through ways to become more confident and powerful when it comes to money, so you can make choices.
The lifestyle visioning mini-course I mentioned can be found here - www.moneylifestylevision.com
Enjoy!
Having your photo taken is often something people avoid. Mind you, in the times we live in now, where we carry photos and mini-computers in our pockets, having your photo taken is something that happens a lot. That doesn't mean you like what you see. If anything it probably adds to the cringe factor you feel when you see the photo.
Fiona Lindberg has been photographing people for over 20 years and she is VERY good at it. The reason she is good at it is her unique ability to see beyond the image, and through to the person themselves. I have personally experienced a Personal Branding photoshoot with Fiona, and she has a remarkable way of making you feel relaxed, seen and beautiful.
Our conversation also goes into the stories we tell ourselves, how we hold ourselves back, and how as a collective of women we can see one another's "weirdness" and play it back as part of the "superhero" qualities that we probably don't even recognise in ourselves.
Fiona focuses on women over 40, and has an "Every/Body Campaign" that shows the beautiful of the human form, illuminating the inner beauty that is in each of us.
Check out Fiona's amazing images and you too can have your inner beauty captured - https://www.beautifulimagesphotography.com.au
Being able to multi-task is something often associated with women. It's usually what we do out of necessity - trying to fit so many things into a single day! However, it is not optimal for our brain functioning, nor for how well we actually perform at each individual task. Not to mention it's exhausting to multi-task!
However, when it comes to money, multi-tasking is completely OK. In fact it's an important way to make sure you get to the goal lifestyle that you want (hopefully you know where you're headed in the first place).
What I mean by money multi-tasking is that you can save, pay off debt AND invest, all at the same time. There is a hierarchy of priority though, which I go through in this episode. This is something that while not new or particularly innovative, it is a financial gamechanger!
Here are the links I mention in the episode:
- Money & Lifestyle Vision Mini-Course
- How to Invest with Only $1 Free Guide
What you believe to be true isn't necessarily the actual truth, nor is it something that will help you get to where you want to go.
In this episode, Alpha takes you through what a limiting belief is, and how it can impact both your money and your life. AND, why it is very important to be aware of these beliefs, as we turn them into stories that become part of who we think we are.
You can replace these limiting beliefs with beliefs and stories that help you achieve the lifestyle you want!
Feeling a bit flat and wanting to regain a sense of passion for life is something that often comes after years of taking care of others - be they children, parents, or other people.
Identifying and understanding your Core Values, developing your Lifestyle Vision, and then setting up your Money to match is a way to get things back on track.
This episode talks about these important areas, as well as the mindset needed to help you get there. This is part information, part pep talk.
A great episode for those who are either wanting to get back into the workforce, change careers or are dissatisfied with the job they are in.
Helen Thomas is a Career Design Coach and helps you by using the same practical strategies Helen has used to help herself and many other mid-career professionals. Helen will help you to think differently about what’s possible and get clear about what you want, so you can make your next career move with confidence.
To find out more about Helen, head to her website, click here -> helenthomas.com.au.
While not the nicest money topic to think about, planning for your future so your loved ones are taken care of in the way you want, is important.
Thankfully, it's not something that you need to do on a regular basis. For the most part, you go through this all once and after that you only need to make changes when it's necessary.
This podcast takes you through what you need to do, why you need to do it, and when you need to make sure it's taken care of, for:
-
Personal Insurances (either inside or outside of Superannuation)
-
Estate Planning (Will, Enduring Power of Attorney and more)
-
Giving Back (the happier side of leaving a legacy!)
Making more money is something we all want, and Donna Hann helps women do just that - by either helping them during the start up phase, or to grow an existing business. Donna is a Coach, Business Strategist, online course creator (her "Ready to Rise" program), and Mum. She has grown and sold 3 successful business (the last being an award winning dance studio).
As a business coach, Donna helps ambitious entrepreneurial Mum’s transform from feelin goverwhelmed, exhausted and frustrated into savvy, fulfilled and energised women; ready to rise to the next level in business.
In this episode, Alpha speaks with Donna about what it takes to build a profitable business. The best way to fast track this is to work with someone who has done this before and can help with your strategy, plan, systems and processes. And then there's the mindset and values! This discussion with Donna is full of great, useful information. Here are the links that are mentioned during this episode: * Free Self Care Plan - https://www.donnahann.com/selfcare
* Free Planner - https://www.donnahann.com/freeplanner
* Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/donna_hann_sib/
In this episode, Alpha speaks with Annette Dickson, founder of Cashflow Mastery about money, investing, mindset and life.
Annette is an experienced property investor, and she helps others get started with clarity and a strategy behind them. It's important to know what you're doing when it comes to property investing - there is a lot of money involved!
Annette also talks about mindset and how important it is to acknowledge the stories and limiting beliefs we tell ourselves - either picked up in childhood, or things we tell oursleves now. Some hold us back.
Lots of pearls of wisdom in this episode - enjoy!
In today's episode, Alpha speaks with Sharon from Sharon Joy Coaching about Money, Business and Life.
Sharon shares her Money Journey and how it has influenced the decisions she has made. There was also a personal sadness that triggered her and her husband to make some fundamental changes in their life, which has lead them to where they are today - entrepreneurs, and part owners in a brewery!
Sharon shares some great insights into running an impactful business (while also make sure that the numbers are part of the equation). Her Clarity Challenge begins this week, so here is the link to join in! https://www.sharonjoycoaching.com/challenge
The free Start Up guide that Sharon mentions you can get access to here - https://www.sharonjoycoaching.com/startup
For more information on Sharon and what she does - https://www.instagram.com/sharonjoycoaching/
Children are so honest. My 6 year old daughter is no exception. She hears and sees a lot of talk about money in our household, and I was curious to see what her take on money would be. This is a candid look at how a 6 year old sees what money is and why it's useful!
Increasing interest rates is not something we have been used to over the last decade or so. There has been a certain amount of fear surrounding interest rates going up. The bigger concern though is inflation in general.
In this episode I go through what the impacts are of interest rates and inflation, and some things you can do to combat this and be prepared for more financial change.
With life comes a LOT of experience. So, who better to interview than someone who has lived a varied and full life - my mother! I ask my mother questions about what it was like starting life at the end of World War 2 in Austria, and how her early childhood experiences and journey to Australia shaped her view of money.
Lots of ups and downs and some confronting insights are shared.
There are things you can do to make things like tax returns and organising your money and finances at the end of the Financial Year much easier. Tips for organising and saving money!
I go through things I do, and also some tips that you might not know in relation to your superannuation.
Note: as mentioned in this episode, here is a link to the ATO form - click here
In this episode I speak with Em Gee, a Business & Mindset Coach from Be Think Do Coaching.
In less than five years as a solo-preneur Em Gee has become a best selling author and international business and mindset coach to women all over the world. Her unwavering belief in all women to shine as leaders in their own fields, has led her to teach 'unstoppability' as a quality already there to be unleashed from within every single business owner she works with.
As a mum of two young girls, Em Gee prides herself on being transparent, authentic and true to her values, all while scaling her business in ways not everyone expects. Thinking out of the box is her style, paving the way for others to do the same and get equally unstoppable results.
Listen to Em Gee's journey and take on money!
What does comfortable mean, and why is it so disastrous when it comes to needing or wanting to make financial changes in your life? After all, it's "fine" OK?
Unless something dramatic happens in life, we tend to cruise along and time passes. When it comes to money, time = compounding, so you can't afford to waste a moment!
Figure out how to break out of feeling comfortable and make the changes you need to make now, rather than feeling comfortable for too long and missing out on building wealth.
There needs to be a balance between your mental, physical and financial selves. Neglecting one for too long can cause you to feel unbalanced and stressed. Doing ONE SMALL THING can help. Listen in to find out how.
There are so many things that underpin our relationship with money. The way to move from money overwhelm to peace of mind is to act with deliberate intention, rather than random decisions that may or may not benefit you. Knowing your Core Values is a fundamental way to make this transformation happen.
Are you part of the Sandwich Generation? For those who haven’t heard of this, it is people who are taking care of ageing parents (and possibly even grandparents) as well as their own young children. In Australia, the typical demographic for this are women in their mid to late 40s who are also employed.
Nearly 50% of adults in this generation will find themselves caring for ageing parents and their children while balancing work and social lives.
Can you relate to this? I know I certainly can. In this episode I go through my own experiences, and things that I've done to help with the extra workload!
Buy Now Pay Later has been around for hundreds of years. Not in it's current form, but the concept of personal debt is nothing new. The key is to spend less than you earn. That said, we have all been overwhelmed by debt at some point in our lives. This podcast goes through a step by step strategy for what to do to get out of this kind of debt.
This episode might have an attention seeking title, but there are no “secrets” or “magic pills” when it comes to being a “success” with money. What does being a success even mean?
The most important thing that you can do is to TAKE ACTION! And, to take that action consistently and regularly.
Alpha helps you to push through the inertia to get your money sorted, one step at a time.
Reading is a great way to chill out and also to learn new things, or to have things you have read or experienced before reinforced.
There are some really good money books out there, and in this podcast I go through my favourites. I also go through my non-money book favourites too (fancy some Agatha Christie, or Ken Follett, or Simon Sinek???).
Sharing what we read is a great human experience.
Ah retirement. It's that thing we know will eventually come, but planning for it seems either too hard or just too far in the future.
This podcast takes you through 5 things you can do to boost your retirement savings. These are things you can either put on autopilot, or you only have to do once and then it's done!
1. Contribute Extra Each Time You’re Paid
2. Review Your Insurances Inside Super
3. Review Administration & Investment Fees
4. Compare Investment Performance of other funds
5. Consider Your Investment Risk Profile
Money can be a complex topic, but in reality money itself is simple. We make it complex with 7 Common Money Fears:
-
Money is complicated
-
What if I make a mistake and the market crashes?
-
What if I lose my job and can’t recover financially?
-
What if I’m always living paycheck to paycheck?
-
I’m never going to get out of debt
-
I’m never going to have enough money
-
What will friends and family think of me?
Alpha will take you through each of these and provide examples and ideas on what to do to combat these fears.
It's time to take back your power over money, and start to live the life YOU want!
Money is often associated with investing, even though it encompasses so much more! This episode looks at investing from the perspective that anyone can do it, with as little as $1.
Micro-investing is growing in popularity and opens the doors for everyone to be able to invest - no matter how much or little money you have.
Listen as Alpha recounts her own personal experience with micro-investing, and how you can also get started.
Following on from the Lifestyle Visioning exercise, this is the next step to help you achieve your desired lifestyle - understanding your WHY, which will lead you to the HOW.
The Toddler Approach to questioning exercise is something I take you through!
Does thinking about money overwhelm you? There is SO much to know, and where do you start? Well, this episode takes you back to basics and simplifies the process because it doesn't need to be complicated.
Alpha takes you through a practical exercise that will help you feel less overwhelmed. When something feels overwhelming, the best thing to do is to chunk it down and take one step at a time. Start those simple steps today!
Many mums and dads want to put some money away for their kids, for all sorts of reasons - maybe there will be braces needed at some point, or private school fees, or extra tutoring, or university, or.... There could be a long list. Where do you start?! It can feel like a minefield, and it's too easy to put off taking action because it seems so difficult. It's actually easier and simpler than you think! This episode of Money with Alpha takes you through the options, and goes through what Alpha does in a simple, easy to follow way. Join Alpha for this informative episode of Money with Alpha!