With yet another new year upon us, the holiday period is a great opportunity to recharge, reset and if need be, turn over a new leaf. It is also a popular time for setting some new goals, which, lets face it, we have often long given up on by the time March rolls around. In order to have a greater … Read More
Raising money savvy kids
Have you ever stopped to ponder about where your stories or beliefs about money come from and how they influence your spending habits? Last weekend, I realised that baby Emma (who is now 10 months old, where did the time go!) is in need of a walker. Rather than go to the nearest store, I had a look for a … Read More
It’s tax time! Here are seven things to do before 30 June
The coats are out of storage, it’s getting harder to get out of bed in the morning and the heaters are suddenly being turned up to full blast. It must be winter! And as an accountant, for me that means tax time! So here are seven quick to-do’s that could save you some cash before 30 June. Did you know … Read More
Four musts for any new business owner
If you’re a business owner, I’m sure you’ve already learned that the to-do list never ends! Now, unfortunately I’m going to add a few things to your list, but I promise you’ll thank me later. Here are four things you need to be considering in the early stages of business. There are two types of liability insurance: public liability and … Read More
Four money management tips for brand new business
Not long ago we covered the basics of getting your business idea off the ground. If you’ve managed to get that far with your business, that’s fantastic! As a business owner myself, I’m very aware that cash is king. Without good money management practices in business, you can very quickly send yourself down the drain. So here are four of … Read More
Four to-do’s when starting your own business
So you’re thinking of starting a business? Good for you! Whether your vision is a full-scale bricks and mortar establishment, or a small work-from-home business or side-hustle, there are a few things that you should do right off the bat. Firstly, hit the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) website to register your preferred business name. While you’re there, the … Read More
Think it doesn’t matter when you pay your bills? Think again
No doubt, at some point in your life you would have heard the terms ‘credit score’ or ‘credit report’ – and unfortunately you most often hear about these things at the precise moment you find out your score or report is a “bad” one. Not helpful! Well, here’s a new reason you may hear those terms: the government is mandating … Read More
Emergency savings? Check. Now what?
“Hi Tash, I often hear that I should have an emergency fund which could be three months to a year of my expenses. Does that mean when I have more than this I should be spending, or investing, the money?” Well, most people tend to want to dive in head-first into investing (or spending!) their money, without really having a … Read More
The rules of saving
There are a few questions that I get asked very frequently. How are you? How’s your little boy? What’s the weather like in Canberra? And what percentage of my income should be going into savings? I get it a lot! And I put it down to the endless rules of thumb that are being exchanged at Sunday barbeques around the … Read More
What comes first, the HECS debt or the mortgage?
Hi Tash, I’m wondering what the best thing is to do, prioritise buying a house or pay back my HECS debt first? Is being completely debt free better than having a HECS debt and a mortgage? Or is HECS not something I need to worry about paying back so quickly? Great question! First of all, HECS-HELP is essentially a government … Read More