How To Money is here to change the way young Australians talk about finance. Financial education is so important to give everyone a great start to life and assist in giving young people the ability to make informed and educated financial decisions. Financial education is for all young Australians, and we shouldn’t be afraid to stick up our hand and ask questions about it.

We want you to know the facts, the stats, and the options. There are so many ways you can use your money, and it’s not our place to give you the specifics, but we can help to make you aware of what’s out there and how to get started. We want to share with you things we’ve tried that have worked, and also the many things that haven’t worked.

Money seems like such a complex issue that many don’t think it should even be discussed in general conversation, but we think it should be. Have a chat with your friends and family and see what they know, maybe even find out if they have any ideas on where you should start. A personal financial education is a lifelong journey, but the earlier you get started, the more you can make informed decisions about your financial future.

Here are some key findings from a recent report undertaken by EY Sweeney on behalf of ASIC, containing the financial attitudes and behaviours of Australians, primarily over the six month period from September 2016 to February 2017. If you’re interested in reading the full report click here.

  • Around six in 10 Australians feel confident about managing their money, but more Australians find managing their money stressful.
  • Around nine in ten Australians are keeping track of their finances in some way and eight in ten had a budget
  • Around one in four Australians had a long-term financial plan, with an increase in SMSF ownership
  • Australians continue to have a low understanding of key investment concepts
  • Fewer Australians, particularly renters, are saving money
  • Personal finances tended to be less openly discussed, with a significantly smaller proportion discussing their household finances with their parents or family, friends or financial professionals.

This report shows that although Australians are interested in their personal finances, the conversation around money needs to become an everyday topic. We look forward to helping you on your financial education journey and hope you join us on the How To Money podcast. We look forward to hearing your questions and helping you find the most relevant information to make informed and educated decisions.

Catch us on Twitter @HowToMoneyAUS, on Medium at How To Money Australia or on our podcast over on iTunes.

Important Information

The information on this blog and website is of a general and educational nature only. It does not take into account your individual financial situation, objectives or needs. You should consider your own financial position and requirements before making a decision. We recommend you consult a licensed financial adviser in order to assist you. The information is based on assumptions or market conditions which can change without notice, and this will impact the accuracy of the information provided. This website and blog occasionally provides links to third party sites, aimed at helping you gather the information required to make an informed decision — we may receive payment for these referrals.