Wealth creation strategies, topics and specialties

Big Tip: Every financial planner, adviser and other expert tells you to diversify. Here’s why,

MoneySmart (ASIC) Diversification. Spread your investments and lower your risk

10 top investments for young Australians in 2021, Rate City

7 Top Investments for Young Australians in 2021, Canstar They say: “Start sooner rather than later
We’ve all seen the Compare the pair ads where Alice and Bob both make the same salary but Alice’s super provider has a better return, and by the time they retire she has thousands more in her account than Bob. Compound interest is a strange and powerful force and over time can make a huge difference to your investment. If you were to start saving while you’re young, even if it’s only a small amount, you’d have time on your side to grow your money. A little now can add up to a lot later, especially with the help of compound interest. You can start investing with as little as $500 in an exchange-traded fund or $1000 for a managed fund.”

Investing $5,000 when you don’t want to keep it in the bank, ABC Everyday, Patrick Wright

• Indexes
  Understanding the All Ordinaries shares index gives an investment edge by Anthony Keane Daily Telegraph
• Fundamental and Technical analysis
  Introduction To Fundamental Analysis Investopedia
• Company analysis
  Four classic mistakes in company analysis by Michael Kemp
  Online stockbroking scams by MoneySmart (ASIC)
  How to find good growth stocks – Elite Wealth
  How many stocks should you hold? Dale Gilham
• Managed Funds (not listed on ASX) – retail, wholesale, superannuation
  Managed Funds and ETFs and Choosing a managed fund by MoneySmart (ASIC) WHY EVERYONE SAYS ‘BUY ETFS’, Broke Girl Wealth
  Passive vs active: How millennials are investing their money, Kate Cowling, Money Magazine (Aus
• Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
  Your step-by-step guide to investing in ETFs for the first time – Money
  ASX: “A Listed Investment Company (LIC) is similar to a Managed Fund. The main difference is that investors can buy and sell shares in a LIC on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) just like ordinary shares. Unlike ETFs that track a benchmark, LIC managers are responsible for setting the funds objectives and selecting the investments. Often managers will set investment guidelines (i.e. only invest in companies in the S&P/ASX 200) and will aim to outperform the index by using active investment strategies. LICs are “closed” investments, so unlike managed funds they don’t issue or cancel new shares as investors come and go. There’s a set number of securities issued and ASX investors transact LIC shares through their stockbroker just like ordinary shares. Fees are varied but usually higher than ETFs (~1.0% -1.5% of net assets) and it’s common to have a performance fee (~20% of any returns above the specified benchmark).”Which ETFs Have the Highest Returns? Canstar
• Index Funds Could Index Funds Be Worse Than Marxism? Economists and policy makers are worried that the Vanguard model of passive investment is hurting markets. Annie Lowery, The Atlantic How to invest in Index Funds in Australia – Finder
  Why is Warren Buffett making the argument for Passive Investing? Silverlight Asset Management (USA)
  4 Investing Lessons to learn from Warren Buffet – The Motley Fool
• Listed Investment Companies (LICs)
  MoneySmart (ASIC) Listed Investment Companies “Decide whether a listed investment company or trust is right for you”
  ASX LICs
• Property Trusts – Listed (REITs)
  MoneySmart (ASIC) REITs
  Australian REITs ASX A-REITs
• CFDs MoneySmart (ASIC)
• Futures and Options MoneySmart (ASIC)

Why invest in shares – some ‘pros’:

• liquidity
• low entry and exit costs
• little active management
• enter the property market through vehicles such as real estate investment trusts (REITs/(Australian) AREITs) and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

Why not to invest in shares – some ‘cons’:

• volatility/risk
• lack of personal control and ability to add value
• too much or too little knowledge and understanding about the company, its business, its board and management

You might invest in shares because you’re not comfortable investing in property because of:

• pressures on borrowing, affordability and capital growth – in current financial times (see Michael McNamara below)
• property bubbles (see Michael McNamara below)
• the need for active management
• vacancy and tenancy risks

Commentary and resources:

• How a 30-something couple got rich and retired by not joining home ownership ‘cult’ watch Ditch the Home Ownership Dream You Tube
• Dale Gillham: Three golden rules to share market success
• James Leitz: The Stock Market vs Real Estate Investing
• Nigel Ward (InvestEd): Property vs shares the real story
• Caroline Munro: Listed versus unlisted property
• Chris Vedelago: Osama Bin Laden and 1001 other property excuses
• Australian Property Investor (API): Investing in property or shares
• Property Man: Why property investment is better than shares
• Christopher Joye: Damned Lies and Statistics

13 investing and risk terms you need to understand – Julia Newbould, Money Magazine

Free risk profile test: Bruce Brammall – Risk profile for dmw.com.au

• What is Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) Criteria Definition, Investopedia
  
  
• Ethical Investing 101, Free Course – RASK  (Australia)

• Want to grow your money responsibly? Responsible Investing Association of Australia (RIAA),
  ‘they say’ their Responsible Returns certification process “helps you find, compare and choose responsible and ethical superannuation, banking and investment products that best match your interests. Whether you want your money to support healthcare and education, or rather, avoid your money being invested in fossil fuels or animal testing, Responsible Returns filters products based on your areas of interest and location. All of the products and funds that feature on the Responsible Returns have been certified in accordance with RIAA’s Responsible Investment Certification Program which tests whether a product or fund’s investment intentions and processes are consistent with its responsible investment claims. While organisations and individuals pay RIAA a fee to apply for certification, RIAA receives no commission for the promotion of products and funds that have been certified.
  Responsible Returns works best for those wanting products in Australia and New Zealand, but we do also have a number of certified investment products that have a global reach.”
• What are some ESG funds? such as Australian Ethical Superannuation
• What is ‘greenwashing’ in finance and how can you spot it? – Canstar
  Climate change:
  An Australian man successfully sued his super fund over climate risk. Here’s what that means for your nest egg Anita Foerster, The Conversation

BiG Tip
There’s a worldwide movement  of younger people seeking independence and more financial control are blogging, vlogging, and using various social media platforms such as Instagram to connect with like minded people. Often wanting to avoid the mistakes of parents or peers, to tread their own path and lead a more adventurous lifestyle.
Whether they’re local, from the UK, USA, Canada or elsewhere, check out their experience, genuine following and commercial ties they might have before you decide whether they’re worth your time and money following.

Financially Independent and Retire Early (FIRE)

• Rask – Check out their  FIRE Mega Course 10-Step Free Financial Independence Ultimate Course and more.
• Aussie Firebug They say “Aussie Firebug is an anonymous blog detailing the journey to financial independence through investing in real estate, low-cost index funds and Super. By investing at a young age and consistently it is possible to reach a point where your investments pay you enough money to live off. Once you get to this point you are financially independent (FI) and can retire early (RE) or do better things without the constraint of your job…[I] am trying to condense the 45 years of reckless spending into 5-10 years of aggressive saving/investing in order to reach the retirement part years ahead of the current trend. I will be blogging about my frugal lifestyle and investing techniques along the way to reaching financial independence. ” and Podcast.
• Aussie HIFIRE They say: “This is a blog about having enough money to have a high income and be financially independent after retiring early, or HIFIRE for short.”
•  Strong Money Australia and their FIRE&Chill Podcast they say: “we break down exactly how to reach Financial Independence and Retire Early in Australia. We cover everything from saving, spending, investments and living a great life.
  Our favourite bits from the show are uploaded regularly to the FIRE & Chill YouTube channel“
• Millennial Revolution (Canada)

How different generations see and treat each other, their money attitudes and finances. Boomers vs Gen X’ers vs Millennials and more – some facts and fiction.

What life and money information interests and impacts on you depends on many things like: your age, life stage, circumstances and the lifestyle you want.
Seeing how other like minded people are living their lives, how they’re managing their money, investing and where they get their information can help you decide for yourself. So too can looking at others, with more knowledge, experience, generations, or people who’ve made mistakes you can learn from.

Throughout BiG we focus on resources and current issues impacting on Millennials. Largely because 25 – 40 yr olds are at a stage where they’re making huge life decisions, changes which can impact enormously on them now and in the future.
They’re a huge and important proportion of the population, increasingly being targeted by the money, finance and lifestyle industries and marketers.
Check out the information below to understand some of the issues, particularly intergenerational.

Millennials according FEE [The Foundation For Economic Education USA] – a lot of articles on Culture, Economics and Education
Try their Quiz: Which Generation’s Money Habits Do You Match?

Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, and Gen A Explained [USA] Kasasa They say:

• Baby Boomers: Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. They’re currently between 57-75 years old (71.6 million in the U.S.)
• Gen X:  was born between 1965 and 1979/80 and is currently between 41-56 years old (65.2 million people in the U.S.
• Gen Y:  or Millennials, were born between 1981 and 1994/6. They are currently between 25 and 40 years old (72.1 million in the U.S.)
  Gen Y.1 = 25-29 years old (around 31 million people in the U.S.)
  Gen Y.2 = 29-39 (around 42 million people in the U.S.)
• Gen Z:  is the newest generation, born between 1997 and 2012. They are currently between 6 and 24 years old (nearly 68 million in the U.S.)
• Gen A: Generation Alpha starts with children born in 2012 and will continue at least through 2025, maybe later (approximately 48 million people in the U.S.)

What separates Generation Y from X? And hey Gen Z and Gen A, welcome to the party! What’s the cutoff? How old is each generation? Are they really that different?…  If you’ve ever felt muddled by this “alphabet soup” of names — you’re not alone. The real frustration hits when you realize that Millennial consumers represent the highest-spending generation in 2020 — with a projected $1.4 trillion tab. And though their current wealth has been dragged down by not one but two “once-in-a-lifetime” economic crises during their most impactful career years,
Millennials stand to inherit over $68 trillion from Baby Boomer and early Gen X parents by the year 2030, setting them up to potentially be the most wealthy generation in U.S. history.
Generation Z isn’t far behind, projected to hit $33 trillion in income by 2030 — that’s more than a quarter of all global income — and pass Millennials in spending power the year after.
And coming up last but not least is Generation Alpha, the name given by social analyst Mark McCrindle to the youngest children on the planet. By the year 2025 there will be nearly 2 billion members of Generation Alpha across the globe.
No matter how you slice the data, the younger generations have never been more critical to your financial institution’s future.
Unless you understand who they are and what they want, you won’t capture a dollar of their money.”

Here’s a fun article 11 Awkward Money Questions Gen Z’ers Had For Millennials (And Their Answers), Buzzfeed, Jasmine Suknanan.

A good read (here’s a YouTube Review)- The Defining Decade, Why Your Twenties Matter and How to Make the Most of Them Now USA Meg Jay (Clinical Psychologist) says “Our ‘thirty is the new 20’ culture tells us the twenty something years don’t matter… Dr. Meg Jay argues that this could not be further from the truth.
In fact, your twenties are the most defining decade of adulthood… the latest science of the twentysomething years with real-life stories to show us how work, relationships, personality, social networks, identity and even the brain can change more during this decade than at any other time in adulthood. Smart, compassionate and constructive, The Defining Decade is a practical guide to making the most of the years we cannot afford to miss.”

7 Top Investments for Young Australians in 2021, Canstar, Marissa Hayden,
What to do before investing in:

• Shares
• Exchange Traded Funds
• Managed Funds
• Superannuation
• Cryptocurrency
• Term deposits
• Property

10 top investments for young Australians in 2021, Rate City

19 WAYS TO INVEST IN YOURSELF THROUGHOUT YOUR 20’s, The Cusp, Esther Semo

An investment guide for your 30’s, Eureka Report

Why it’s important for millennial investors to define their goals -The Motley Fool, April 2020

Why millennials are turning to super and investment platforms, Cate Cowling, Money Magazine (Aus)

MarketLit Investment Conference [You Tube] This goes for a few hours – grab a coffee, skip through to videos that interest you. Has a lot of great interviews, ideas, tips. They say: “Friday 2 July 2021 – The Capital Network is proud to bring you MarketLit, Australia’s First Financial Influencers, Millennial and Gen Z Investment Conference. MarketLit brings together leading financial influencers, market experts and ASX-listed companies to discuss the key investment themes and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) issues that emerging investors care about. Change is coming and MarketLit is here to show the way forward.
The world is preparing for one of the biggest transfers of wealth in history – from Baby Boomers to Millennials and Gen Z who place significant importance on ESG.
* Almost 45 million US households will transfer a total of US$68.4 trillion in wealth to their heirs and charities over the next 25 years. Millennials stand to be the primary beneficiary of this transfer and it is expected that by 2050, they will replace Baby Boomers as the generation with the greatest wealth. [US research firm Cerulli Associates]* In Australia, millennials will inherit around A$3.5 trillion from Baby Boomers over the next 20 years. [Online share trading platform Nabrade]* 86% of millennials are interested in sustainable investing and millennials are twice as likely as the overall investor population to invest in companies targeting ESG goals [Morgan Stanley]”

Glen James (Aus), Sort Your Money Out; and podcasts My Millennial Money and My Millennial Business
5 ways to have more money| Glen James shares 5 tips to have more cash – Millennial Money or watch on YouTube

Creating an investment plan and Investment Policy Statement (IPS) – Passive Investing Australia

Millennials struggle to invest, but property top priority Ross Fox, FirstLinks Morningstar.
Morningstar’s got lots of great research into areas millennials are interested in investing in, so fund managers can target them!
See THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON INVESTMENT FUNDS an extensive survey of 3,000, 22-34yr olds around the world cited in Morningstar.

How to Buy a Property in the 21st Century, Broke Girl, Instagram

How different generations see and treat each other, their money attitudes and finances. Boomers vs Gen X’ers vs Millennials and more – some facts and fiction.

What life and money information interests and impacts on you depends on many things like: your age, life stage, circumstances and the lifestyle you want.
Seeing how other like minded people are living their lives, how they’re managing their money, investing and where they get their information can help you decide for yourself. So too can looking at others, with more knowledge, experience, generations, or people who’ve made mistakes you can learn from.

Throughout BiG we focus on resources and current issues impacting on Millennials. Largely because 25 – 40 yr olds are at a stage where they’re making huge life decisions, changes which can impact enormously on them now and in the future.
They’re a huge and important proportion of the population, increasingly being targeted by the money, finance and lifestyle industries and marketers.
Check out the information below to understand some of the issues, particularly intergenerational.

Millennials according FEE [The Foundation For Economic Education USA] – a lot of articles on Culture, Economics and Education
Try their Quiz: Which Generation’s Money Habits Do You Match?

Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, and Gen A Explained [USA] Kasasa They say:

• Baby Boomers: Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. They’re currently between 57-75 years old (71.6 million in the U.S.)
• Gen X:  was born between 1965 and 1979/80 and is currently between 41-56 years old (65.2 million people in the U.S.
• Gen Y:  or Millennials, were born between 1981 and 1994/6. They are currently between 25 and 40 years old (72.1 million in the U.S.)
  Gen Y.1 = 25-29 years old (around 31 million people in the U.S.)
  Gen Y.2 = 29-39 (around 42 million people in the U.S.)
• Gen Z:  is the newest generation, born between 1997 and 2012. They are currently between 6 and 24 years old (nearly 68 million in the U.S.)
• Gen A: Generation Alpha starts with children born in 2012 and will continue at least through 2025, maybe later (approximately 48 million people in the U.S.)

What separates Generation Y from X? And hey Gen Z and Gen A, welcome to the party! What’s the cutoff? How old is each generation? Are they really that different?…  If you’ve ever felt muddled by this “alphabet soup” of names — you’re not alone. The real frustration hits when you realize that Millennial consumers represent the highest-spending generation in 2020 — with a projected $1.4 trillion tab. And though their current wealth has been dragged down by not one but two “once-in-a-lifetime” economic crises during their most impactful career years,
Millennials stand to inherit over $68 trillion from Baby Boomer and early Gen X parents by the year 2030, setting them up to potentially be the most wealthy generation in U.S. history.
Generation Z isn’t far behind, projected to hit $33 trillion in income by 2030 — that’s more than a quarter of all global income — and pass Millennials in spending power the year after.
And coming up last but not least is Generation Alpha, the name given by social analyst Mark McCrindle to the youngest children on the planet. By the year 2025 there will be nearly 2 billion members of Generation Alpha across the globe.
No matter how you slice the data, the younger generations have never been more critical to your financial institution’s future.
Unless you understand who they are and what they want, you won’t capture a dollar of their money.”

Here’s a fun article 11 Awkward Money Questions Gen Z’ers Had For Millennials (And Their Answers), Buzzfeed, Jasmine Suknanan.

A good read (here’s a YouTube Review)- The Defining Decade, Why Your Twenties Matter and How to Make the Most of Them Now USA Meg Jay (Clinical Psychologist) says “Our ‘thirty is the new 20’ culture tells us the twenty something years don’t matter… Dr. Meg Jay argues that this could not be further from the truth.
In fact, your twenties are the most defining decade of adulthood… the latest science of the twentysomething years with real-life stories to show us how work, relationships, personality, social networks, identity and even the brain can change more during this decade than at any other time in adulthood. Smart, compassionate and constructive, The Defining Decade is a practical guide to making the most of the years we cannot afford to miss.”

7 Top Investments for Young Australians in 2021, Canstar, Marissa Hayden,
What to do before investing in:

• Shares
• Exchange Traded Funds
• Managed Funds
• Superannuation
• Cryptocurrency
• Term deposits
• Property

10 top investments for young Australians in 2021, Rate City

19 WAYS TO INVEST IN YOURSELF THROUGHOUT YOUR 20’s, The Cusp, Esther Semo

An investment guide for your 30’s, Eureka Report

Financially Independent and Retire Early (FIRE)

• Rask – Check out their  FIRE Mega Course 10-Step Free Financial Independence Ultimate Course and more.
• Aussie Firebug They say “Aussie Firebug is an anonymous blog detailing the journey to financial independence through investing in real estate, low-cost index funds and Super. By investing at a young age and consistently it is possible to reach a point where your investments pay you enough money to live off. Once you get to this point you are financially independent (FI) and can retire early (RE) or do better things without the constraint of your job…[I] am trying to condense the 45 years of reckless spending into 5-10 years of aggressive saving/investing in order to reach the retirement part years ahead of the current trend. I will be blogging about my frugal lifestyle and investing techniques along the way to reaching financial independence. ” and Podcast.
• Aussie HIFIRE They say: “This is a blog about having enough money to have a high income and be financially independent after retiring early, or HIFIRE for short.”
•  Strong Money Australia and their FIRE&Chill Podcast they say: “we break down exactly how to reach Financial Independence and Retire Early in Australia. We cover everything from saving, spending, investments and living a great life.
  Our favourite bits from the show are uploaded regularly to the FIRE & Chill YouTube channel“
• Millennial Revolution (Canada)

Millennials and Money, Goals, Property, Superannuation, Investing, Technology and more…

Why millennials are turning to super and investment platforms, Cate Cowling, Money Magazine (Aus)

MarketLit Investment Conference [You Tube] This goes for a few hours – grab a coffee, skip through to videos that interest you. Has a lot of great interviews, ideas, tips. They say: “Friday 2 July 2021 – The Capital Network is proud to bring you MarketLit, Australia’s First Financial Influencers, Millennial and Gen Z Investment Conference. MarketLit brings together leading financial influencers, market experts and ASX-listed companies to discuss the key investment themes and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) issues that emerging investors care about. Change is coming and MarketLit is here to show the way forward.
The world is preparing for one of the biggest transfers of wealth in history – from Baby Boomers to Millennials and Gen Z who place significant importance on ESG.
* Almost 45 million US households will transfer a total of US$68.4 trillion in wealth to their heirs and charities over the next 25 years. Millennials stand to be the primary beneficiary of this transfer and it is expected that by 2050, they will replace Baby Boomers as the generation with the greatest wealth. [US research firm Cerulli Associates]* In Australia, millennials will inherit around A$3.5 trillion from Baby Boomers over the next 20 years. [Online share trading platform Nabrade]* 86% of millennials are interested in sustainable investing and millennials are twice as likely as the overall investor population to invest in companies targeting ESG goals [Morgan Stanley]”

Glen James (Aus), Sort Your Money Out; and podcasts My Millennial Money and My Millennial Business
5 ways to have more money| Glen James shares 5 tips to have more cash – Millennial Money or watch on YouTube

Why it’s important for millennial investors to define their goals -The Motley Fool, April 2020

Creating an investment plan and Investment Policy Statement (IPS) – Passive Investing Australia

Millennials struggle to invest, but property top priority Ross Fox, FirstLinks Morningstar.
Morningstar’s got lots of great research into areas millennials are interested in investing in, so fund managers can target them!
See THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON INVESTMENT FUNDS an extensive survey of 3,000, 22-34yr olds around the world cited in Morningstar.

How to Buy a Property in the 21st Century, Broke Girl, Instagram

For superannuation for younger peeps check out too BiG’s accordion above: Millenials (25-35yr olds)| “FIRE’ Financially Independent Retire early| Setting goals| Investing guides

• Superannuation generally
  How to Read Your Super Statement, Money
  SuperGuide “is Australia’s only INDEPENDENT website for consumers on superannuation. SuperGuide was founded by Trish Power, author of Superannuation for Dummies, DIY Super for Dummies, Super Freedom, and many other books on super and investing, and Robert Barnes.”Super Guru They say: “is an ASFA website that provides Australians with independent information and tools to help them understand and make the most of their superannuation. Our website isn’t selling any product or service and doesn’t accept any advertising so we remain unbiased.Information on Super Guru is put together by ASFA’s writers and industry-leading policy and research teams, who have decades of experience in super, investing, tax and government policy. Whether you’re young or old, studying, working, single or a family, preparing for retirement or already retired, Super Guru can help you sort your super.”* Investment Bonds, Scott Pape says [are]: “an alternative/addition to superannuation that financial planners won’t recommend! 10yr set and forget investment … Pros – more flexible and doesn’t lock up your $ (like super), great tax advantages for high income earners, great for 20-30yr olds”As a rule, BiG doesn’t recommend superannuation fund services and managers. But because brightday is an off shoot of the highly credible Eureka Report, Alan Kohler and team – we will! Their wealth of useful resources and no doubt (although we haven’t used them to manage our shares or SMSF) expertise will be a great advantage for investors (basic and advanced). Here’s how: brightday (How they work) provide different levels of investor control and education. Tailored to whether you’re a beginner, experienced, or advanced. They have fabulous free resources such as:
  Fees v. Performance after fee performance is the main issue – not just the % fee
  Start managing your super
• How much do you need to retire?
  Why you’ll probably be poor in retirement, Ben Nash Your Money & Your Life
  
  MoneySmart Retirement Planner and How to Use the MoneySmart Retirement Planner, SuperGuideASFA Retirement Standard benchmarks the annual budget needed by Australians to fund either a comfortable or modest standard of living in the post-work years. It is updated quarterly to reflect inflation, and provides detailed budgets of what singles and couples would need to spend to support their chosen lifestyle.Super Reality Check Busting the $1 million retirement myth August 2015 AIST (Aus. Institute of Superannuation Trustees) and VPR have considered the value of superannuation to members facing retirement with relatively low balances. We aim to debunk the myth that $1 million is necessary for a dignified retirement and provide much-needed clarity about how even small amounts of super can make a big difference in retirement.”Transition to Retirement:
  Transition to Retirement Pensions (TRIPS) SuperGuide
  My Retirement Paycheck [USA]

Buying property in superannuation

SMSF property spruikers competing with charity muggers on Melbourne street corners Larry Schlesinger, Property Observer

ASIC investigates four Melbourne SMSF property spruikers over alleged misleading ads Smart Company

Women and Superannuation
Friends With Money #12: Women and super Money Podcast,

Women are retiring with 47% less super than men, so this episode of the Friends With Money podcast is focused on finding out what’s going on and how we can fix it.”

Women and superannuation Inequality and disadvantage in retirement IndustrySuper.com

The ‘Herstory’ of superannuation: Uncovering the discriminatory traps that disadvantage women: at The Power to Persuade, they say is “a platform for discussion about social policy in Australia in a global context.”

I am largely concerned that we are pushing women away from super, especially if the current system is forcing them to turn away, or turn off completely.”  Mark Bouris

Mark Bouris:

• • Give Women the chance to Retire Right
  • 7 Ways to improve Women’s Superannuation

Mark Bouris podcast– love it! He says: “F#* goals and goal setting – ‘lofty ideals are better!”

Dr Stephanie A. Burns: Some interesting ideas about goal achievement  and Life exerts itself  – just in case you meet obstacles in achieving your goals.

Neuroplasticity and brain training:

Podcasts you will love: Music for your ears and food for your brain Erica Davis, Women’s Agenda

Todd Sampson – can modern science turn your brain into a super brain? TV series Redesign My Brain

Qi. – No such thing as a Fish (podcasts)

Critical Thinking | Information and the Internet:

The Internet Makes Us Stupid and Here’s Why by Kabir Sehgal-  Fortune

How to teach students to think critically

Dreams and passions:

Dr Seuss Oh, the Places You’ll Go at Burning Man!

Alan Watts: What if money didn’t matter

Dr George Blair-West “Did he live with passion?” “The Greeks, when someone died, asked one question: Did he live with passion? … I attended the funeral of a close friend of more than 30 years who suicided … under the influence of the most severe, treatment-resistant depression I have ever come across…. part of a larger, complicated condition of Bipolar Disorder…”

Life, TPD, Trauma, Income Protection

4 key questions to get your insurance right by Christine St Anne Switzer Daily

Teaching Kids about Money ASIC MoneySmart and some AMAZING Teaching Resources – all FREE

Nicole’s Smart Money Start [SMS] for high school students, Nicole Pederson-McKinnon, she says “[SMS] educates and enthuses high school students about the make-or-break topic of money. The multi-media financial literacy presentation dovetails with content in the curriculum. Nicole has worked closely with Paul Clitheroe, Financial Literacy Australia and ASIC, and is an official presenter on the government’s financial literacy website MoneySmart. Smart Money Smart features television segments, apps, social media and unique online-forecasting tools that show students exactly what they could achieve and when. Nicole also shares stories and shows clips of her work with Rove, Kochie, Tracey Grimshaw, Larry Emdur and 7News.It is suitable for cohorts from Year 9 to Year 12 and runs the length of one lesson or longer. A presentation specifically tailored for female students, dealing with their particular financial challenges, is also available.”

Watch Nicole: Why I’m passionate about getting Aussies MoneySmart
What to teach our daughters about money, SMH, Nicole Pedersen-Mc Kinnon

Journey Skills Leading Young People With Additional Needs Toward Greater Independence, Debra and Graham Caldow

Khan Academy You Tube [USA] and Website

One of many™ Website, Blog, Podcast.  They claim [to be] “women leading the change they want to see in the world”. Some of their stuff:
How Does Money Stop You Making a Difference? (Podcast) Joanna Martin and Ann Wilson

Ellevest (USA) They say: “A new way to money Invest, bank, and do more for your career. Ellevest was built by women, for women. The financial industry wasn’t.. Ellevest is a financial company on a mission to get more money in the hands of women… Founded in 2014, Ellevest is led by CEO and Wall Street veteran Sallie Krawcheck, who realized that financial products weren’t serving women. Ellevest’s monthly membership provides access to personalized investing tools, banking services, coaching expertise, and learning resources. Ellevest also offers Private Wealth Management for those looking to invest [US] $1M or more. The company is made up of a diverse team from product, engineering, design, and finance backgrounds. In 2018 and 2019, Ellevest was named to LinkedIn’s list of top start-ups and CNBC’s Disruptor 50 list..”

MoneySmart (ASIC):
Women and Money Infographic
Women’s money toolkit
Women with Cents
The secret to Warren Buffett’s success? He invests like a woman
8 TED Talks women need to watch

Some great articles: (Any you want to share? I’ll add more as I find them)
50 Motivational Quotes From Disruptive, Trailblazing, Inspiring Women Leaders

Five must-read books on the banking royal commission Susan Healy, Moneymag She says: If you have a bank account, insurance policy, and financial planner or belong to a superannuation fund, you want to avoid the wrong ones. One way is to understand the DNA of the companies behind these financial services. But up until last year, journalists had limited evidence of bad practices, extortionate fees and detrimental, inflexible terms.Enter the royal commission into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services, along with commissioner Kenneth Hayne and his legal team. They uncovered so much corruption, self-interest and excess that an estimated $10 billion compensation will be paid to back to customers.
Banking Bad, Adele Ferguson
A Wunch of Bankers: A Year In The Hayne Royal Commission, Daniel Ziffer
Money Spinners, Annelise Nielsen
It’s Your Money, Alan Kohler
The People Versus The Banks, Michael Roddan

Financial and other impacts of Covid-19 and other disasters

• Covid-19 and Credit Equifax
• As the COVID-19 crisis deepens, few Australians have much cash in the bank Grattan Institute
• Supporting people making financial decisions during COVID-19 (FC)Financial Capability (ASIC)
• COVID-19 making financial decisions Steps to look after yourself and your money MoneySmart (ASIC)
• ‘Money’ coronavirus news
• 18 tips for buying and selling shares during a pandemic Marcus Padley, Moneymag

Help with financial decisions after bushfires

Managing your money after a bushfire (YouTube) MoneySmart (ASIC) and Scott Pape (plus others in the 6 video series )

BiG Tips:

How do you like to learn and do your money and finance research? Feel free to explore the BiG to find money and finance information to read, listen to or watch.
A lot of the Analysts and Commentators, Guru Cops and Wealth, Business, Property, Shares, and You Gurus in BiG, and many financial advisers, have their own websites, podcasts, videos, webinars and more –  usually FREE.
Here are just some of them:

Apps:

• The 6 Best Investment Apps Australia, Canstar
  Raiz (previously Acorn)
  InvestSMART
  SelfWealth
  Stocklight – ASX Stock News
  Sharesight Reader
  Simply Wall Street
• What is Micro-Investing and is it Worth Exploring?
  What is Microinvesting? Turn your spare change into big bucks with these 4 micro-investment apps. Finder.com (it’s got a good comparison)
  They say: “Not every micro-investment platform works the same way. Some apps let you invest smaller amounts than is normally allowed into the stock market, also called fractional investing. Others, like Raiz – Acorns in the US – work by investing your spare change from everyday purchases when you link your bank account.”
  Raiz Invest
  CommSec Pocket
  Spaceship Voyager
  Stake [let’s you invest in USA]

• RateCity
  Various money managing and saving apps (not reviewed):
  Finder App (includes free Credit Score) they say “Give your savings the boost they need. The Finder app tracks your spending, hunts down savings and sends you alerts – automatically, 24/7.”
  PocketBook they say “By connecting to your banks, we give you a real-time health-check of your personal finances – any time and at your fingertips.”
  TrackMySPEND they say “Track your personal expenses on the go with this free easy-to-use app.”

Blogs/Websites

• Canstar Investor Hub (Free updates ‘Investor News’)
• John Cachia
• Passive Investing Australia great resource, but I’ve got no idea who created and runs it! It covers:
  BUILDING A PASSIVE PORTFOLIO
  1. Inflation and why you can’t just put everything in term deposits
  2. Fear of investing
  3. The risk reward spectrum
  4. Asset allocation and your risk tolerance
  5. Index funds
  6. Mitigating risks
  7. Bond funds
  8. Equity funds
  9. Franking credits – how much more are you really getting
  10. Currency risk – personalising your AUD to non-AUD allocation
  11. Portfolio maintenance – Rebalancing
  12. VDHG or roll your own
  13. Does the 10% bonds in VDHG make it a no-go?
  14. Summary & further reading
• Money mini blog (USA) Kalen (founder) says “[it] shows you how to control your finances, create positive habits and get the life you want.”
  Check out their Blog Roll of other money and finance blogs and their own blog and extensive free resources and guides on:
  • investing
  • controlling your money
  • pay off debt
  • using credit cards
  • being more productive
  • creating good habits
• The Simple Dollar (USA) Blog – They say: “Investing your money takes attention to detail as well as some educated risks. Here, we’ll help unpack some best practices so that you can make well-informed and strategic investment decisions.”

Podcasts/Videos, You Tube…

• Eureka Report, Alan Kohler and others
• BEST BEGINNER INVESTING PODCASTS, BrokeGirlWealth
• Aussie FireBug
• Glen James (Aus), Sort Your Money Out; and podcasts My Millennial Money and My Millennial Business
  5 ways to have more money| Glen James shares 5 tips to have more cash -YouTube
  My Millennial Money
• John Cachia

Social Media – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter…

• Instagram
  JohnCachia
  Victoria Devine, She’s on the Money
  Aleks Nikolic Broke Girl Wealth (and TikTok)
  Vanessa Stoykov
  Effie Zahos
• Twitter
  MoneySmart
  25 Aussie Finance Experts You Should Be Following On Twitter Canstar:
  Their link’s broken, but here are their lists of Personal Finance, General Finance and Wealth and Investment experts:
  
  “Personal finance experts:
  Effie Zahos – @effiezahos
  Ross Greenwood – @Ross_Greenwood
  Sophie Elsworth – @sophieelsworth
  Noel Whittaker – @NoelWhittaker
  Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon  –@NicolePedMcK
  Karen Collier – @KarenCollierHS
  Clancy Yeates – @clancyyeates
  John Collett – @jcollett_money
  Stoykov – @ceovanessa
  Katherine Temple – @Katherine_M_T
  Bianca Hartge-Hazelman (Financy) – @LiveFinancyGeneral finance experts:
  David Scutt – @Scutty
  Alan Kohler – @AlanKohler
  Mark Bouris – @markbouris
  Ross Gittins – @1RossGittins
  Jessica Irvine – @Jess_Irvine
  Shane Oliver – @ShaneOliverAMP
  Stephen Koukoulas – @TheKouk
  Jane Slack-Smith – @Renoqueen (and podcast)
  Michael Pascoe – @MichaelPascoe01
  Michael Janda – @mikejanda
  Simon Pressley – @SimonPressleyWealth & investment gurus:
  Josh Callaghan – @CallaghanJosh (Canstar Investor Hub)
  Assad Tannous – @AsennaWealth
  Greg McKenna – @gregorymckenna”

MoneySmart (ASIC) Here’s their About video  (where you can subscribe to their YouTube Channel and access some helpful videos) where they say “As a key initiative under the National Financial Capability Strategy, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s [ASIC] Moneysmart program helps you take control of your financial life. The Moneysmart website provides free calculators, tips and guidance for all Australians so you can make informed decisions, manage your money day to day and plan for the future. Moneysmart also supports teachers across the country to teach students about money to prepare them for the real world. And ASIC works closely with Indigenous communities to tackle some of the most pressing financial issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’. Moneysmart is for all Australians, whatever your situation, wherever you find yourself in life. Because when it comes to managing your money we all need a place to start.”

Here’s the MoneySmart Playlist if you want to check out some investing basics, tips and tools: (I’ve added some links – you’re welcome!)

• MoneySmartRookie They say “Are you going through some first-time experiences like buying your first car, moving out of home, first job or getting your first big bill? Everyone’s a rookie first time around and it’s easy to make mistakes – mistakes that could cost you a lot. Be a MoneySmart Rookie and make smart decisions about your money.” see Kate gets scammed (YouTube) overseas online subscription scam http vs https and many more.
• Finance 101 videos
  • What is super?
  • The difference between a financial adviser and a financial counsellor
  • How to spot a scam
  • Quick ways to start a budget
  • Pay off your mortgage faster
  • Using a buy now pay later service
  • What are shares?
  • What are Exchange Traded Funds [ETFs]?
  • Smart ways to invest $10,000
  • Helping your kids buy a property
  • Increase yor super balance
  • Super investment options explained
  • What are term deposits?
  • Hidden costs of buying a car
  • Pay off your credit card faster
  • Choosing a Home Loan
  • How to check your bank statement
  • What is diversification?
  • How do you buy shares?
• Student life and money such as:
  • Superannuation – what are you owed?
  • Consolidate your super – it’s easy!
  • Do you need to pay for insurance in super?
• Financial literacy education
• Indigeneous Videos
• Women talk money

Big Tips: MoneySmart’s (ASIC) handy Glossary – helps you understand some tricky money and investing concepts. BiG often links to the fab (your tax payer funded!) MoneySmart topics and resources. Their material is well worth checking out as it’s mammoth, and developed after extensive research and consultation with numerous experts and bodies, both private and government.

They say “We’re committed to helping Australians of all ages, backgrounds and incomes to increase their financial wellbeing and build a better life.

Through the Moneysmart website we:

• encourage saving
• provide simple steps for the 1 in 3 people who feel stressed and overwhelmed by money
• encourage informed use of financial products and services
• increase retirement preparedness
• provide specialist support for priority audiences”

Some of their extensive, topics, useful resources, spreadsheets, tools and calculators include:

BANKING and BUDGETING

Banking

• Savings accounts
• Joint accounts
• Direct debits
• Unauthorised and mistaken transactions
• Banking and credit scams
• Identity theft

Budgeting

• How to do a budget
• Track your spending
• Managing on a low income
• Tool Budget planner
• Tool Compound interest calculator
• Tool Simple money manager

Saving

• Start a savings habit
• Tool Savings goals calculator
• Save for an emergency fund ‘Be prepared for life’s surprises’
• Compound interest
• Simple ways to save money
• Term deposits
• Save for a house deposit

Income Tax

• Tool – GST calculator
• Tool – Income tax calculator
• Salary packaging
• Lodging a tax return

LOANS, CREDIT and DEBT

Loans

• Investor toolkit
• Going guarantor on a loan
• Loan rejection
• Payday loans
• No interest loans
• Tool-Personal loans
• Tool-Payday loan calculator
• Tool-APP Moneysmart cars app

Credit Cards

• Choosing a credit card
• T-Financial advisers register
• Pay off your credit card
• T-Credit card calculator
• Credit card balance transfers
• Cancel a credit card

Home Loans

• Choosing a home loan
• Switching home loans
• Tool-Mortgage switching calculator
• Using a mortgage broker
• Tool-Home Loan Calculator
• Pay off your mortgage faster ‘6 ways to pay your mortgage faster’
• Problems paying your mortgage
• Tool-Interest-only home loans Mortgage Calculator
• Keeping your mortgage on track

Managing Debt

• Get debt under control
• Repossessed car or goods
• Bankruptcy and debt agreements
• Free legal advice
• Tool-Net worth calculator
• Urgent help with money
• Financial counselling
• Financial hardship
• Problems paying your bills and fines
• Credit scores and credit reports
• Credit repair
• Debt consolidation and refinancing
• Dealing with debt collectors

INVESTING and PLANNING

How to invest:

• How to plan, choose and track your investments
• Golden rules of investing
• Investor toolkit (Love it!)
• Develop an investing plan
• Six steps to get ready to invest
• Choose your investments
• Diversification
• Investing and tax
• Borrowing to invest
• Keep track of your investments

Financial advice

• Financial advisers register
• Choosing a financial adviser
• Working with a financial adviser
• Financial advice costs
• Problems with a financial adviser

Shares

• Choosing shares to buy
• How to buy and sell shares
• Keeping track of your shares
• Employee share schemes

Managed funds and ETFs

• Managed funds fee calculator
• Choosing a managed fund
• Exchange traded funds (ETFs)
• Hedge funds
• Listed investment companies (LICs)
• Peer to peer lending

Property investment

• Property schemes
• Timeshares
• SMSFs and property

Investments paying interest

• Bonds
• Debentures, secured and unsecured notes

Hybrid securities and notes

Investment warnings

• Investment scams
• Cryptocurrencies and ICOs
• Investment seminars
• Binary options
• Land banking
• Ponzi schemes
• Company director fraud
• Forex tradingSuper and retirement
• How super works
• Choosing a super fund
• Types of super funds
• Self-managed super funds (SMSF)
• Getting your super
• Find lost super
• Consolidating super funds
• Tax and super
• Superannuation scams
• Superannuation calculator
• MySuper funds listGrow your super
• Employer contributions calculator
• How much super you need
• Super contributions
• Super for self-employed people
• Super investment options
• Super contributions optimiserRetirement income
• Age Pension and government benefits
• Super and pension age calculator
• Transition to retirement
• Retirement planner
• Account-based pensions
• Account-based pension calculator
• Annuities
• Super lump sum
• Retirement income and tax
• Downsizing in retirement
• Reverse mortgage and home equity release
• Reverse mortgage calculatorInsurance
• How life insurance works
• Life insurance calculator
• Income protection insurance
• Life cover
• Total and permanent disability (TPD) insurance
• Insurance through super
• Life insurance claims comparison tool
• Trauma insurance
• Making a life insurance claim
• Car insurance
• Choosing car insurance
• Claiming on your car insurance
• No claim bonus on car insurance
• Add-on insurance
• Home insurance
• Choosing home insurance
• Contents insurance
• Storm, flood and fire insurance
• Health insurance
• Funeral insurance
• Pet insurance
• Mobile phone, tablet and laptop insurance
• Travel insurance
• Consumer credit insuranceMoneysmart for teachers
• About Moneysmart for teachers
• Teaching resources
• Professional development for teachers
• Moneysmart in schools

See BiG’s list of Analysts and Commentators

• Allan Kohler: Eureka Report (now combined with InvestSmart). They say “provides astute investors with strategies and advice to grow their wealth.” 

In 2015 the Eureka team set up brightday Superannuation and Superannuation Advice online (rated in our Guru section) which has fabulous tools for beginner and advanced investors and has an affiliation with OneVue ” an independent investment and superannuation platform business…” see Investing with brightday 4 Steps

• Scott Pape (Scott’s changed paths, now focusing on financial counselling, financial education in schools and not advice.)
  He explains often complex financial and investing information clearly and simply, making it sound fun and achievable.

He used to have a membership site barefootblueprint, PODCAST and the Barefoot Investor Facebook Group – no longer.
He’s got a Free Weekly Wealth Letter, and links to previous podcasts, books and articles at  Scott Pape, the Barefoot Investor
Check out:

• His book The Barefoot Investor – Five Steps to Financial Freedom
• His ‘serviette investing strategy’ Serviette Strategy – Bonus Report – v1.3 (1) has helped many people take hold of their finances and start investing successfully. He suggests boosting your income (e.g. promotion, extra business) and breaking down your income into 3 money buckets:
  • ‘blow’ – house, car, spending (use cash)
  • ‘mojo’ – online saver, property trust (aim 6 mths)
  • ‘grow’ – superannuation, shares, property investment (compound 7-10 yrs)

The Australian Investors Association (AIA) is a fantastic resource/community. They say “is a not for profit organisation dedicated to providing independent quality investment information helping Australians to decide their financial future. First formed in 1991, we act with integrity and are not aligned to any institution which allows us to filter and hand select the best possible information for our members.

We do not offer advice and believe investing is founded on sound long term decision making. We are investors, not speculators and focus on quality not quick and easy stock tips. Many of our members run their own self managed super funds and enjoy the independent and clean information we provide. Our events are well known and are highly regarded for the calibre of presentations and the opportunity to network. We are also agnostic and provide a range of opinions to allow our members to consider the merit and alignment for their own circumstances.

The AIA is a trusted gateway to investing and the investment industry
We are utterly committed to helping our diverse range of members in many ways. Our members vary from beginners to highly sophisticated investors and traders in all markets. For instance, we can help you with:

• meeting other investors
• understanding your share investing and risk management process
• keeping abreast of local and global news and developments which can impact your investing activities
• establishing and managing a SMSF
• investing in managed funds or other instruments, such as ETFs
• building portfolios and strategies across asset classes, including fixed interest and property
• making you aware of what you don’t know”

It has a lot of FREE STUFF in its Education Section including:
Investment basics – be clear on the basic principles of investing, improve your investing skills over time and avoid the costly pitfalls
Fixed income – consider fixed income alternatives that may best suit your investing needs
Shares – learn how to invest in shares and the different ways ways you can approach share investing
Property – learn about the various type of property investments including residential and commercial property
Other investments – understand the range of investment options and make informed investment choices
Portfolio management – learn about investment strategies, administering your portfolio and the pros and cons of the DIY option
Superannuation – learn about superannuation to help you make the the most appropriate decisions on how to save your money, particularly for your retirement
Estate planning – learn about wills, powers of attorney, testamentary trusts and other important estate planning issues

The lists of finance, success and motivational books, CDs etc are endless. You’ll find them at Amazon, Penguin Random House and many other sites.

Some popular and often quoted books and authors are:

James Allen – As a Man Thinketh

Dale Carnegie – How to Win Friends and Influence People

Dr. Robert Cialdini – Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

George S. Classon – The richest man in Babylon

Stephen R. Covey – 7 Habits of highly effective people

Wayne Dyer – Your erroneous zones

Napoleon Hill – Think and grow rich and W. Clement Stone Success through positive mental attitude.  78 years ago, a journalist studied 500 rich men and boiled down their success into 13 steps Kathleen Elkins, Business Insider

Dr Spencer Johnson – Who moved my cheese?

Og Mandino – The greatest miracle in the world

Tony Robbins – Awaken the giant within and MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom

Bodo Schafer – The Road to Financial Freedom

David J Schwartz – The Magic of Thinking Big

Brian Tracy – Personal Success Made Simple