Website of the month - www.mrhomebudget.com.au

 

This month we are reviewing the website mrhombudget.com.au

This website has a host of information to help us all manage our money better. There are some terrific videos (for those of us too lazy to read) which are really informative and insightful. The website was set up in 2009 after Adam Goulding (AKA Mr Home Budget) decided to share his experiences on keeping a budget.

 

The website is broken down in various sections covering recipes, budgeting, spreadsheets and calculators and a host of other tips. Be sure to take some time to browse through this website.

 

Monthly book review

 

Save it by Esta Hammond

This book is a great guide for anyone looking to save some money. Whatever your motivation for saving money this is the book for you. It is laid out in really straightforward sections which you can quickly flick to for instant tips.

The tip s in the book are really straightforward and apply to all aspects of life some saving a few cents to saving thousands. Most of the tips are not just the same ideas being regurgitated but there are some really insightful and unique ideas that you may have not thought about previously.

The great thing about most of the tips in this book is that not only are they going to help your wallet but they are good for the environment and your health.

Top 5 Tips on creating a budget

 

Having a budget is something that almost everyone needs, irrespective of your income. The reality of life is that no matter how much money you have almost no-one has an endless pool of money at their disposal. So to ensure that you are not sinking in to debt you need to set a budget. Here are our top 5 tips on setting a budget.

1.    Know how much money you have coming in. Income can come from a variety of sources. These can include wages and bonuses, Centrelink, tax refunds, dividends and interest. Be sure to look through your bank statement for at least a year to see where your money has come from.

Website of the month - www.choice.com.au

 

Website of the month

 

This month we are focusing on getting 2012 off to a great start. We have deliberately chosen articles and books to get you and your family on the right track for 2012. One of the key skills to any financial planning or progress is to understand how you spend your money. This means having a budget. Many people cringe at the thought of keeping a budget. It can seem boring and laborious but knowing how you spend your money is VITAL if you want to get out of debt, start saving or get ahead. As that old saying goes – the truth will set you free!

Book Review: Money Makes the World Go Round by Greg Smith

 

Book Review

Greg Smith – Money Makes the World go Round

 

As parents we have a responsibility to equip our children with a huge variety of skills to help them cope as adults in this big and scary world. It is often a daunting task trying to get children to understand money.

 

These Australian books are a clever blend of fiction and non-fiction. The stories are so engrossing for the child that they are often not aware of the inherent lessons being taught as they go on adventures with some 10 year old children. Some of the powerful money morals that are taught are donating to charities, respect for others and the management of greed)

 

Protecting your home by guest blogger Doug Smith

 

Protecting your home

 

There is little doubt that income protection (IP) insurance is a valuable form of insurance for any working Australian. Most of us recognise the importance of protecting the assets we have accumulated over the years and rightly so, we’ve worked hard to get them. But have you thought about protecting your income? After all, it’s your income that enables you to own a house, maintain a car and go on holidays.

 

Each year approximately 1 million Australians experience serious injuries or illness that either require hospitalisation or prevent them from working.

 

How does Income Protection work?

 

Monthly book review

This month we will review the book by Suze Orman 'The Nine Steps to Financial Freedom'.

Suze Orman got her start on the Oprah show and was the champion for women taking control of their finances. She has written numerous books on the subject of money and finances. All of her books offer some real insights in to understanding your relationship with money. The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom offers some of the most interesting insights as they look at your emotional relationship and history with money and how this affects your financial fitness now.

 

This is definitely worth a read if you want to understand why you do the things you do when it comes to money.

How to enjoy Christmas

 

Modern day living is punctuated by a fast pace that just flows into every aspect of our life, including Christmas Day. Once upon a time Christmas meant opening presents, having a long lunch, an afternoon nap and some family games with a turkey sandwich but now we must dash about visiting relatives, creating impossible menus that become more elaborate and endless ‘activities’ but is this what we really want?

 

Website of the month – www.financialfreedomforgensxandy.com.au

 

The website in focus this month is  www.financialfreedomforgensxandy.com.au.

This website is full of fantastic information for Gen X and Gen Y. The creator of this website Nick Haggarty designed this site with the Gen X and Y group in mind. He writes a blog on this site which is full of useful tips and stories about managing money. He does also offer a financial management course (at a very low cost) that provides useful strategies on how to better manage your money.  It is certainly worth a browse over a cuppa.

Book Review: How to be smart with your money by Duncan Bannatyne

 

How to be smart with your money – Duncan Bannatyne

Duncan Bannatyne was thrust in to the public eye in the hit British tv show – Dragon’s Den. This show encourages people to pitch their own business ideas.

 

Duncan Bannatyne is a self-made man who made his millions through running his own businesses, most notably a chain of health clubs. This book is a really low cost way to access this man’s wealth of information on making money, managing money and how to get ahead. It offers a lot of practical advice no matter what your situation.