Welcome to The How To Money Podcast!

Remember all that stuff that they didn’t teach you in school? No? Well, How To Money is here to discuss everything from taxes to first jobs, superannuation to credit cards. Join Kate as she takes on the task of demystifying the confusing world of money, and helps kick start your financial education journey.

Spotify-logo
iTunes-logo-1

Show Notes

So you’re just about ready to start investing; you understand diversification, your risk tolerance and have a bit of an idea on how shares and ETFs work, but you’ve just realised that you’re not actually sure how to buy this ETF or share you’re really keen on. Luckily for you, we’ve had a few goes at setting up trading accounts through a handful of different platforms, and have bought and sold many shares and ETFs in Australia. So grab a chair and let us take you through the steps required to buy a share in Australia.

Read our step by step guide to buying shares in Australia here.

Comparison Sites

Have you been following the events of the Banking Royal Commission, and everything that followed? I can’t blame you if not, it’s dragged on for the best part of a year, and although scandalous revelations were made regarding certain companies and practices in the financial services sector, it’s been a highly political extravaganza.

After many months, the final Royal Commission Report has been handed in by Commissioner Hayne. How many of the recommendations that both parties have committed to actually get implemented is yet to be seen, but it’s started a conversation we weren’t really having before.

Read our article on the Banking Royal Commission here.

Rask Media: Your 30-second Guide To The Banking Royal Commission Report

Banking royal commission calls for compensation, crackdowns and an overhaul of financial regulators

Banking Royal Commission: How Did We Get Here?

Risk and investing is a tricky and very personal subject. Ask 10 people on a train their opinion on skydiving and you’ll be sure to get a wide range of viewpoints, and it’s exactly the same when it comes to an individual’s view and tolerance of risk. In this episode, we dive into the different types of risks that might affect an investor and why it’s so important to be aware of the risks involved with an investment product and their personal risk tolerance!

“Far more money has been lost by investors preparing for corrections, or trying to anticipate corrections than has been lost in corrections themselves.” – Peter Lynch

Investopedia: Risk Defined

MoneySmart: Risk & Return

MoneySmart: Managing Investment Risk

HTM: Risk, Return and Diversification

When you enter the world of investing for the very first time, everything looks like a potential opportunity, and everyone online will be telling you something different. Look one direction you’ll see someone promoting CFD trading, another way they’ll be spruiking stocks and turn around to find another IPO for the next big thing! I get it, I really do, everyone’s got something to sell or a point to get across, and maybe it really did work for them, but investing is already confusing enough without all these distractions.
But that’s what they are, distractions, and you don’t want to waste years of opportunity and your hard-earned money chasing the next big thing. Investing can actually be quite simple if you can look past all the distractions and get rich quick schemes. This episode of the How To Money Podcast covers 10 ways to lose money when investing for the first time, and a few things to be mindful of when you are navigating the minefield that is Google.

This episode of the How To Money Podcast covers what the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) actually does, the RBA cash rate, inflation and what the recent reduction in the cash rate means for us.

The Reserve Banks job is to achieve price stability, full employment, and the economic prosperity and welfare of the Australian people. The RBA does this by using an inflation target to help keep inflation between 2–3%, on average, using the cash rate. The Reserve Bank Board meets eleven times a year, on the first Tuesday of the month, to decide what the cash rate should be.

The cash rate has a strong influence over other interest rates, such as lending and deposit rates, and a reduction in the cash rate typically stimulates spending and inflation, while an increase in the cash rate typically dampens spending and inflation.

RBA Education Website

Source: RBA

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, we invited Ashley Debenham from Etax Accountants to cover tax return basics, plus provide you with tips to ensure you get the best possible tax refund. We also discuss some common dedications to keep an eye out for, and why it might be beneficial to source assistance from an accountant when doing your tax return. Please bear in mind the audio is a little more rustic than usual in the episode (as we recorded from different locations)! 

ATO: Lodging Your Tax Return

Etax Accountants: www.etax.com.au

Etax Australian Tax Calculator

Etax: Tax Deduction Basics

ABC: Tax and Charitable Donations

ABC: Should You Get an Accountant to Do Your Tax Return?

We all want to make better financial decisions but we often don’t have the time, don’t know where to start or don’t have the extra money to make these financial decisions. In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, we’ve invited Mark from Hip Money on the show, who has created a free app aimed designed to make paying off your mortgage a more engaging experience, so you can put more money aside and wipe years off your loan. We cover some of the things young Aussies should know prior to taking out a mortgage, how small changes add up and the benefits of automating your finances. 

Hip Money Website

Hip Money CEO Mark Zmarzly

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

We want to see ourselves as competent human beings, and often have a blind spot towards our own biases. We usually don’t discover our own biases until we make a mistake or have someone point them out, so it’s really important that we remain humble so we can acknowledge our own behavioural biases when they are pointed out. 

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast Kate spoke to Dr Daniel Crosby, who is a psychologist and behavioural finance expert from the States. Kate and Daniel chat about the emotions impacting our financial decisions, mitigating the behavioral biases in our investing journeys and automating your finances. Side note – Kate has discovered post-recording that our Australian Superannuation assets totaled $2.8 trillion at the end of the March 2019 (as reported by the ASFA)!

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

Dr Daniel Crosby Twitter: @danielcrosby

The Behavioral Investor on Amazon

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast Kate spoke to Ele from BetaShares, one of Australia’s leading ETF providers. Kate and Ele discuss common myths about Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), including the major misconception that they’re just a passing phase (they’re not)! For background on ETFs check out our first episode with BetaShares in Season 1.

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate and Susan dive into the rise of neobanks and digital financial products in Australia. They discuss what neobanks are up to, how they differ from traditional institutions, regulation in Australia and why having more competition is good for you (the consumer).

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Nathan from Wildcard, an app that gives you a portion of your pay every day, so you’ve always got money to spend. Kate and Nathan discuss saving and budgeting tips for young Aussies, the reverse budget (Wildcard method) and building good financial habits.

Wildcard: www.wildcard.money

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Ben from Gecko, an online platform where you can rent out items around your home that you’re not using for some extra cash. Kate and Ben discuss how Gecko works, opportunities in the sharing economy for extra cash, starting a company at university and some of the challenges young entrepreneurs can face.

Gecko: web.geckoonline.com.au

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Jodie Hampshire, the Managing Director of Russell Investments Australia, one of the world’s leading asset managers. Kate and Jodie discuss the value of financial advice for young Australian’s and the role financial advisors can play in your life.

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

65% of Australians don’t know what their credit score is, do you?

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to David from Credit Simple, a company that provides Australians with a free tool to check and monitor their credit score. Kate and Daniel discuss what credit scores are, how they’re calculated, and how to check and improve your credit score.

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Tom from Goodments, a company helping to create a more sustainable future by making it easy to invest in good businesses. Goodments match you to over 2000 international shares and diversified ETFs that best fit your values. Kate and Tom discuss micro-investing, how to get started buying shares and filtering companies based on your values.

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Balaji Gopal, the Head of Product Strategy at Vanguard Australia, one of Australia’s leading ETF providers. Kate and Balaji discuss what is investing, working out your investment goals, different investment products and the basic building blocks of a diversified portfolio.

This episode was kindly supported by Etax Accountants, Australia’s number one online tax agent. Head to www.etax.com.au today to finish your tax return online in minutes.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Rebecca from Proforce, a new financial coaching company for young Australians. Kate and Rebecca discuss the role of financial coaches and advisers, some of the basics you should know about how they operate and finding the right service and person for you.

Financial Coaching vs Financial Advice

Proforce Wealth: https://proforcewealth.com.au

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Fred from Finder, one of Australia’s largest consumer comparison sites. Kate and Fred discuss the details of open banking in Australia, how consumers will be able to use their data and whether any of this actually leads to better outcomes for the consumer.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Paul Benson, a fellow podcaster who runs the Financial Autonomy Podcast. Kate and Paul discuss How the Australian sharemarket works, why some people choose to invest directly in shares over other products like ETFs, some key terminology and what to stay clear of as a beginner.

Financial Autonomy Podcast

MoneySmart Shares

A Step by Step Guide to Buying Shares in Australia

10 Ways to Lose Money When Investing

The Role Risk Plays in Investing

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Paridhi from SkilledSmart, an Australian company that runs courses on money, wealth & personal finance for adults. Kate and Paridhi discuss the #1K30DAYS challenge, setting yourself small financial goals and interesting ways to make more money outside your day job.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to David from Credit Simple, about the dangers of deadweight flatmates. Kate and David discuss the risks of having all the bills in your name when sharing with flatmates, the impact this can have on your credit score and ways to protect yourself financially in a sharehouse.

David’s top five tips for protecting yourself from deadweight flatmates are:

  1. Check employment – make sure they have a secure source of income to cover bills.
  2. Get references – ask around your friends who may have lived with the same person in the past to check whether they’re responsible and reliable.
  3. All names on the lease – a check by the real estate agent is a good safety net before you move in. If the agent doesn’t think they’re trustworthy after compulsory checks, they’re probably not.
  4. Share the risk – put the bills in different names. Don’t be lumped with all the responsibility of various utility bills.
  5. Have a house kitty – by agreeing to put a set amount into a kitty each week you can keep on top of bills from utilities to groceries.

NB – This episode was recorded on 10/03. Given the changing nature of the current climate, some things have changed since the date of the recording. 

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Laura from NGS Super, an industry superannuation fund for those in non-government education and community organisations. Kate and Laura discuss some of the basics of super and getting involved with your financial future.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Effie Zahos from Canstar, one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites. Kate and Effie discuss how our childhood affects our money mindset as adults, how we can reflect on our financial story and helping young children in our lives develop strong financial skills.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Sally McMullen from Finder, one of Australia’s leading comparison sites. Sally is Finders millennial money expert and co-host of the Pocket Money podcast. Kate and Sally discuss how young Australians are managing their money during COVID-19, how to make your money go further and creative side hustle ideas.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Danielle Ecuyer, an experienced investor and the author of Shareplicity. Shareplicity is a new book that takes the complexity out of share investing, explains concepts simply and in plain English, and provides go-to steps to get started. Kate and Dani discuss skills new share investors should build, macroeconomic trends, red flags to avoid and how to identify quality companies.

Get 20% off your copy of Shareplicity at Major St Publishing using code HOWTOMONEY at the checkout.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Paul Benson. Paul is a qualified financial advisor at Guidance Financial Services, host of the Financial Autonomy Podcast and newly published author of Financial Autonomy. Kate and Paul discuss finding your own path to financial success, why starting a business is worth considering, speculate on the future of work and talk about how to turn your ideas into reality.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Stuart Wemyss from ProSolution, an independent financial advice and mortgage broking firm. Kate and Stuart discuss ways young people can build wealth over the long-term, the role of luck in investing, learning the rules of the game and understanding your own tolerance to risk and volatility.

The average Australian has between six to eight bills to pay every month from utilities to mortgage/rent, water consumption, internet, mobile phone/landline, insurance, car payments and subscription services such as the gym or streaming services. In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Joel Gibson, money-saving expert and author of personal finance book KILL BILLS! Kate and Joel discuss tips and tricks on how everyday Aussies can reduce their bills with a little research and a few switches, and the best places to hunt for great deals.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Vinita Godinho, the Managing Director and CEO of Financial Resilience Australia. Kate and Vinita discuss the idea of financial resilience in Australia, how to improve our own financial wellbeing and strategies to equip our broader community with a strong financial framework.

***This episode was recorded remotely, we apologise for the lower audio quality.***

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Skye King from NGS Super, an industry superfund for those in non-government education and community organisations. Kate and Skye discuss how ethical investing works, getting involved with your superfund and how young Aussie can invest in-line with their values.

***Ethical Investing & Your Super (Auto-Transcript)***

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Chris Brycki from Stockspot, an online investment advice (robo-advice) service in Australia. Kate and Chris discuss what robo-investing is and how it differs from other investment options, how the industry is regulated in Australia, diversification with ETFs and how investors should think about rebalancing their investment portfolio.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Amy Lunardi, a qualified buyer’s agent and host of the The Buyers Bible podcast. Kate and Amy discuss where first home buyers should start, what to consider when saving for your home deposit, when to get the experts involved and developing your property strategy.

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Veronica Morgan from Good Deeds Property Buyers, and is one of Australia’s leading buyer’s agents with over 20 years of industry experience. Kate and Veronica discuss common mistakes first home buyers make, basic principles of auctions in Australia and some key strategies and techniques to keep in mind at auctions.

Grab your copy of Veronica’s new book Auction Ready and use the code HOWTOMONEY for 30% off and free postage!

Are your habits holding you back from achieving your financial goals?

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate chatted to Dr Gina Cleo, who has a PhD from Bond University in habit change. Kate and Gina discuss what habits are, strategies for creating good habits and breaking bad ones and some of the ways we can change our habits to improve our financial wellbeing. 

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Will from Blue Tree Money, who helps parents to teach their kids how to form life changing money habits. Kate and Will discuss why it’s so important for parents to talk to their kids about money, teaching them the difference between being rich and wealthy and some great resources to use.

What do you stand for and how do you communicate this to the world?

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate spoke to Bec Brown from The Comms Department, a PR, corporate communications and crisis management agency. Kate and Bec discuss the myth of following your passion, essential career skills for young Aussies heading into 2021, maintaining work-life balance and building your personal brand.

In this episode I had the pleasure of bringing Danielle Ecuyer back onto the show. Dani is an experienced investor and the author of Shareplicity 1 (and 2). Dani believes that everyone should have exposure to US companies, and in this episode she breaks down exactly why.

Dani and I discuss some of the key differences between Australian and US companies, trends she’s seeing at the moment, the new generation of investors, red flags to look out for and why every investor should keep an open mind when exploring new companies.

Today on the How To Money Podcast, Kate Campbell brings Belinda Hogan (CFO of 86 400) onto the show to talk banking & budgeting.

Belinda gives us an overview of 86 400 (an Aussie Neobank recently acquired by NAB) and her career path into finance, alongside highlighting common money myths holding you back from reaching your goals, making sure your money is aligned with your goals and tips on refreshing your budget.

Investing in individual companies allows you to put your money where your values are.

In this week’s episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate Campbell chats to Jason Sedawie, a Portfolio Manager at Spaceship. Spaceship is an Australian micro-investing app, that allows you to get started without any barriers.

Kate and Jason discuss how he got interested in investing, the biggest trends he’s seeing at the moment, the Spaceship Where The World is Going (WWG) investment philosophy, a recent investment he made and his tips for new investors.

A will is an essential part of your financial plan!

In this week’s episode of the How To Money Podcast, Kate Campbell chats to David Andrew, who is a qualified lawyer and has been a Senior Advisor at State Trustees for over ten years.

Kate and David dive into all those fun topics like what happens if I die without a will, do I really need one when I don’t have any assets, can’t I just write it on a napkin, should I store it in my bottom draw, who should be my executor and of course we can’t forget about what happens to our Super!

Learn more about State Trustees here.

On this episode of the How To Money podcast, Kate Campbell sat down (well virtually that is) with Liz Mclardy, to chat about financial wellbeing and our relationships (with our partners, parents, siblings…you name it)! Liz is a university lecturer, finance writer and financial well-being coach.

Liz shares strategies for improving your relationship around money, questions to kickstart healthy conversations in your relationships, the damaging nature of holding onto financial secrets and shame and reflecting on our childhood upbringing and how that influences our current approach to money.

Learn more about Liz Mclardy here

On this episode of the How To Money podcast, Kate Campbell interviews Vicki Doyle, the CEO of Rest Super, a large Australian industry super fund. Vicki shares her thoughts on the importance of super for young Australians, how to reframe our views on putting money away for our retirement, the importance of understanding our super funds fees and the approach Rest Super takes to ethical investing for members.

This is a really important topic for 20 and 30 years olds to think about!

On this episode of the How To Money podcast, Kate Campbell interviews Anna Hacker, who heads up Australian Unity Trustees Legal Services, and also hosts a great podcast, What Happens When I Die?

Anna shares some of the most important reasons to have open conversations about your wishes while you’re alive, why it’s critical to get your superannuation binding death nomination sorted, what happens to all our stuff and who can we leave it to, our digital footprint and talking about our funeral plans.

Listen to the What Happens When I Die? Podcast

Australian Unity Website

Learn more about Dying to Know Day, by visiting The GroundSwell Project

Super Binding Death Nominations (ATO)

Do you want to use your money and time to challenge the status quo?

In this episode, Kate Campbell chats to the wonderful Tanja Hester from the US, who is an influential figure in the financial independence and work optional movement. She’s the author of Work Optional, and her latest book Wallet Activism is being released in late 2021.

Money doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and in today’s episode Tanja talks about ways we can be more intentional with our money. This includes some new ideas from her upcoming book, Wallet Activism, whether the individual financial choices we make actually have an impact, and practical solutions on how we can use every dollar we spend, earn and save as a force for change.

Throw out your stereotypes of the finance industry, as Camilla Love (CEO of eInvest), gives you a fresh take on the myriad of opportunities available in the industry. Whether you’re a numbers person or want to design the next big thing, there’s a pathway for you in finance.

In this episode, Camilla shares more about her company eInvest and how active ETFs work, the many awesome opportunities available in the financial services industry, some of the best educational courses for those interested in finance, how females can get their start in investment roles and great suggestions for building meaningful relationships within the industry.

Are you thinking about buying a property in 2022? Then this episode is for you!

Real Estate Agent Todd Sloan joins Kate Campbell on. the How To Money Podcast, to discuss everything first home buyers need to know heading into 2022.

Todd shares his advice on knowing whether you’re ready to buy a property, how to assemble your expert team, the difference between buying a primary residence and investment property, what not to say to a real estate agent, and the importance of asking questions and doing your research.

On this episode of the How To Money podcast, Nicole Haddow shares some of her biggest lessons from the first home buying process and purchasing a home in regional Victoria during COVID-19.

Nicole also shares her journey into ethical investing over the past few years, what she’s learned so far, and her lessons for others just getting started in this space (along with a teaser for her upcoming book, The Ethical Investor).

On this episode of the How To Money podcast, Liz Mclardy shares her thoughts on teaching your children (and the other young people in your lives) healthy money habits.

We touch on how to start the conversation about money and making sure it’s not a taboo topic, the pocket money dilemma, tips on encouraging a healthy balance between saving, spending and giving to others and encouraging kids to take healthy risks with jobs, money and businesses.

Giving now vs giving later?

On this episode of the How To Money podcast, Kate Campbell chats to Luke Freeman who is the Head of Giving What We Can at The Centre for Effective Altruism.

Luke introduces us to the ideas behind giving effectively, how much it actually costs to save a life, some critical problems we are facing and the organisations working towards solving them, and how to give more in line with your values.

Are you interested in the idea of financial independence?

In this episode of the How To Money Podcast, Lacey Filipich gives us a crash course on achieving financial independence in Australia.

Lacey covers her motivations towards investing from an early age, making choices along your journey, the concept of taking mini-retirements, plus some great resources to help you get started!

The point of money is that it buys you time, and you get to decide how you spend that time, because it ain’t coming back – so make the most of it.

In this episode of the How To Money podcast, Kate Campbell chats to Larisha Jerome, Community Development & Project Officer at First Nations Foundation.

Larisha shares some of the background behind the First Nations economic system, challenges young Indigenous Australians face when it comes to their money, overcoming money shame and self-limiting beliefs, and some of the resources available to young Indigenous Australians who want to improve their finances.

In this episode of the How To Money podcast, Kate Campbell chats to Andy Darroch, an Australian financial adviser, about superannuation and making sure we’re doing the most for our retirement.
Andy and Kate have a wide ranging discussion on super, including:
👉 Asset allocation
👉 Fees & performance
👉 Does size matter?
👉 Active vs passive management
👉 No one size fits all
👉 Plus, some other important factors when choosing a super fund
In this episode of the How To Money podcast, Kate Campbell chats to Sharon Crombie from MicroChilli, a remote bookkeeping and advisory service for small businesses. Sharon shares some great ideas for listeners who may be interested in starting their own side hustle or small business, including pricing your products and services, cost effective marketing, hiring and training employees, and dealing with founder burnout.

In this episode of the How To Money podcast, Kate Campbell chats to Chris Brycki from Stockspot, a diversified Australian robo-adviser.

Chris chats about the building blocks of a diversified investment portfolio, why is diversification important and how should we be thinking about it when investing and how risk plays into the way we allocate our investment portfolio.

Buy the damn latte! In this episode of the How To Money podcast, Kate Campbell has a wide-ranging chat with Vince Scully, financial adviser at Life Sherpa, money expert and author of Live the Life You Want With the Money You Have.
Vince reminds us to work on getting the big money decisions right (like where you live and what you drive), rather than focusing too much on the small things like whether to buy coffee today. Plus, he chats about his spending framework, the search for enough and some of his thoughts on life & money at the moment.

On this episode of The How To Money Podcast, Kate Campbell chats to Michelle Bowes about having conversations about money with the young people in your life.

Many of us wish we learnt about money in school, so in this episode we come up with some helpful ways to change this for the next generation of young Australians. We chat about learning about money alongside the young people in your lives, what 15 year old Kate should know when starting her first part time job and figuring out the balance between saving, spending and giving.

How To Money™ - 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, as we are not an advisory service. 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 provide 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.

Please read our Website Terms of Use before using this website.