Someone’s on a solid income. Sometimes very solid. Yet they feel like they’re treading water. Payday comes, bills go out, and there’s this quiet anxiety sitting in the background. If that’s you, I want to say this clearly. You’re not bad with money. You’re just playing a game you didn’t design.

There’s a lot of noise around property at the moment. Headlines talking about prices falling. Inflation jumping again. Interest rates likely to rise further. For a lot of people, it creates that familiar feeling:

We all grow up with the belief that if you work hard, earn more then life gets better. And for a while, that’s often true. More money can reduce stress, create options, and make life easier at the edges. But then something strange happens.

When money feels tight for long stretches, it can quietly wear you down. Even small decisions start to feel heavy. You think twice about things you used to do without a second thought. You replay decisions in your head. You worry about the future more than you used to.

I often sit across the table from people who are doing fine financially. They have savings. Super is on track. Bills are paid. There’s no immediate danger. And yet, when money comes up, their body tightens. There’s a nervous laugh. A sense that something could go wrong at any moment. They don’t feel safe. This can be confusing and even embarrassing. The numbers say one thing. Their emotions say another. That disconnect is more common than you think. Your brain is not a spread

Our vision is simple. Money should be a force for good. Not just for you and your family, although that matters. Money can also do something beyond your household. It can support your community. It can protect people who are vulnerable. It can contribute to a healthier planet.

Given the state of the world, the cost of living is likely to rise before it falls. This may lead to higher inflation and of course, higher interest rates. Not fun for most. We are already seeing the flow on effects of the war in Iran at the petrol station with fuel pushing up to and beyond $3 a litre. This will flow through to the supply chain and costs will rise, including food. All of this, is out of our hands, so what can we do? The Australian government is already encour

Global tensions can unsettle markets and investors alike, but history shows that short term volatility is a normal part of investing. In this update, Smart Happy Money explains why staying diversified, disciplined and focused on long term goals remains the most effective strategy during uncertain times.

Around the world we are beginning to see interest rates rise. So far, the RBA has kept our official interest rate here in Australia at...

Pre covid, I loved to travel. In 2020 I had a wonderful trip to Europe planned that got thrown out the window, just like everyone else’s...

Have you ever thought about getting your finances in order, saving and investing but it all seemed so overwhelming that you gave up before you even got started? It’s very common. After living paycheque to paycheque and not worrying too much about where your money has gone, it can be hard to suddenly have these things on your mind. So, I’m going to take you on some baby steps. I’m going to help get you started on what I hope is a successful financial journey. Let’s have a look

So, you’re under forty. Should you be thinking about your superannuation? The answer is yes. Super is important no matter your age. We’re facing a problem, the baby boomers (yes, our parents) have started retiring putting a strain on the age pension. The government has already raised the age at which you can apply for the pension from 65 to 67. I think we need to be prepared for it to go up again. My guess is that it will eventually be 70 years of age. We need to be ready to