Cards of Courage

Hi Scott,
 
My name is Amira and I’m 10. For Christmas Mum got me Barefoot Kids. Thanks for writing a cool book. Mum and I read it together. We are following your steps and I now have my business, ‘Cards With Care – By Amira’, up and running in Darwin. I pitched my business to a local shop owner, who bought my cards to sell in her shoe shop. People are loving the photos I take for my cards. I have my buckets all set up and have purchased my first ETF with Mum’s help!
  
Love, Amira

Hi Amira,
 
Oh, I love this.
 
Did you know that the average Aussie gets 22 Birthday, Christmas, and ‘Sorry I voted for the Teals’ cards every year? (Ask your parents.)
 
For the rest of us, have a read of Amira’s pitch and tell me that you’d choose a cheesy Hallmark card over something as genuinely awesome as what Amira’s got going on.
 
You Got This!

Is My Money Safe?

Hi Scott,

With another bank failing in the US, it’s starting to feel like 2008/2009 once again. How safe are our banks, and our money in the banks?

Jenny
 
Hi Jenny,
 
Don’t worry, the money in our banks is safe.
 
The government’s Financial Claims Scheme protects depositors up to $250,000 per account holder should your bank, building society or credit union go belly up. (And if you have a joint account, each account holder is entitled to the guarantee.)
 
But it only applies to one account at a particular institution. So, if you’ve got more than $250,000 you should think about spreading it around different institutions, so you’re covered by the scheme.

Scott

Help! My Elderly Dad Is About to Lose His Home!

Hi Scott,
 
Some years ago my dad was approached by my sister and her ex-husband Larry (they were divorced) to go guarantor for a business loan. Larry promised he would repay the loan in three months, and my sister said that if anything happened she’d be there to help.
 
At the time, Larry hired a lawyer to represent my dad and also hired a translator on his behalf. And my dad signed. But (despite the lawyer and translator) I don’t think he understood the full impact of his decision, as there was nothing to his benefit.
 
Fast forward to today and Larry has not been able to repay the loan. Even worse, he has defaulted on the original loan multiple times. Each time, the borrowed amount was increased to cover the principal and interest on the previous loan. Now my dad, who is in his 80s, has received an eviction notice from the Sheriff demanding him to move out by the end of the week.
 
My dad migrated to Australia as a younger man, and he and my mum worked their arses off over many years to pay off their home. My mum postponed her cancer treatment when they bought this house in order to keep working, leading her cancer to advance until it was too late. She passed away more than a decade ago. This house is Dad’s heart and pride, and I can’t bear to see him lose it all.
 
Please, Barefoot, will you save us from this mess?
 
Bill

Bill,
 
This is very, very serious.
 
(And kind of weird, given your dad backed a bloke who’d already divorced his daughter!?).
 
If your father has been given an eviction notice, it’s critical that you deal with this immediately – which is why I called my personal lawyer, Dr Brett Davies, and briefed him on your situation.
 
Brett’s view is that the guarantee your father gave is potentially unenforceable.
 
In other words, if your dad was conned into it by Larry (or the lawyer), then he shouldn’t lose his house.
 
(Someone should lose their home … but it shouldn’t be your dad.)
 
So, ask some hard questions, like:
 
Who was the lawyer Larry arranged, and was he independent?
 
Who paid the lawyer’s bill? (If he was acting for your dad, he is duty-bound to provide a copy of the file. Get that file.)
 
Who was present when the ‘guarantee’ was being explained?
 
Was there pressure put on your dad?
 
Was the guarantee valid? (As you correctly state, your dad got “nothing to his benefit” by signing a guarantee. Usually a bank would also require a sign-off by an accountant or financial planner, as well as a lawyer. Did he get that?)
 
So, tomorrow, call Mortgage Stress Victoria on 1800 572 292 and speak to a lawyer.
 
And never invite Larry over to dinner again.

Scott

Harry Styles Goes Barefoot

Hi Scott,

Just writing to thank you for your latest book, which I bought for my nine-year-old granddaughter. She has now established her jars for spending, saving and giving. Two weeks ago she and a little friend had a bake sale in Collingwood, where they live. Sales were a little slow until a lady came along and told them Harry Styles was in a cafe down the road. Of course the stall was quickly packed up and off they went with their produce. To their delight, Harry and two friends were sitting outside. The girls approached the group (with Mum not far behind) and offered their biscuits for sale. Lo and behold Harry bought three biscuits and gave them $50! Thank you again – you have inspired my granddaughter to be a young entrepreneur!

Adrienne

Hi Adrienne,

How many girls rock up to Harry Styles and giggle, scream and ask for a selfie? Not your granddaughter – she came to do business! And Harry, what a legend. Though to be fair I think spending a pineapple on three biscuits is a little over the top … even for a rockstar.

Still, he probably had no idea what the strange yellow note was … and why would he even care? Now that’s a story she’ll tell her grandkids.

Scott.

The Wildest Party I’ve Been to in Years …

You can’t take my two-year-old anywhere.
 
However, a few Sundays ago I had no choice but to bring him along to a kids’ birthday party.
 
While I was making small talk with the other parents, he covertly snatched two huge slices of birthday cake and disappeared under the table so he could eat them without being told off.
 
A few minutes later he bolted out from under the table, absolutely pinging off his head on sugar …  and that was when it happened:
 
My phone rang and – out of reflex –  I answered: “Hell-o?”

“Hi Scott, it’s Dom Perrottet speaking.”
 
Silence.
 
“The Premier of New South Wales.”
 
A few things went through my head at that moment.
 
First, how did he get my number?
 
Closely followed by … where the bloody hell has that kid gone?
 
The Premier was already launching into his spiel … while I went on mute and frantically darted around the party looking for my sugared-up son.
 
It turned out the Premier wanted to put a copy of The Barefoot Investor in the baby bundle that new parents in NSW are given. Which was a great idea … and one that I graciously turned down.
 
Why?
 
Because he’s facing a State election and I won’t align myself with any politician or political party.
 
“Gotcha!”

I grabbed my son – who went limp as spaghetti – and strapped him into a playground swing seat.
 
“Premier, while I have you on the line, can I pitch you something really important?”
 
“Okay”, he responded.
 
“Higher, Daddy!”

I then proceeded to explain what I pitch every politician (regardless of affiliation) I speak to:
 
Financial counsellors are the greatest secret in finance. They’ll stand beside you in your darkest hour – and help you get back on your feet. They’re independent. They’re unbiased. And, importantly, their service is FREE. However, due to the cost of living crisis, financial counsellors are currently run off their feet!
 
So, between swings, I asked the Premier to consider doubling the number of financial counsellors in NSW so that struggling families will have the best access to financial counselling in the country.
 
Well, this Thursday the Liberal Government announced the policy. And, in the interests of giving both parties a fair go, the Labor Opposition have said they’ll ‘think’ about it.
 
So in the end we all got a bit of cake!

Tread Your Own Path!

A Thank-You from Kate

Last week’s column on Kate – the young mum who was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer – got one of the biggest responses I’ve ever received. We’ve got an amazing community: Barefooters wrote in offering their homes, the money in their Give jars, and lots of kind messages of support.  
 
So here’s an update from Kate:
 
This week has been a bit foggy as I’ve started chemo, and I’m still recovering from the birth – plus I’m in that newborn bubble! We have been sprinkled with kindness in every direction we turn, and we are eternally grateful. Thank you.
 
P.S. Keep checking those boobs.

*&^%$^* the Labor Government

Hi Scott,

I’m writing on behalf of my mum, who is distressed about the upcoming changes to superannuation. She is a widower who has worked hard all her life, saving like crazy to ensure she had a secure retirement (believing it was her responsibility not to be a burden to society via the pension) and to leave a tidy nest egg for her kids.
 
Mum has been advised by her accountant that she is a smidge over the $3 million cap; once he wraps his head around the changes he will, I’m sure, offer her excellent advice on how to proceed. But here is my question: what the *&^%$^* is the Labor Government thinking about attacking the little nest eggs of ordinary Australians? And what the **&^^% is anyone doing about it? It appears that, despite negative press attention, the changes are going full steam ahead. It’s just not fair! Thanks for listening, Scott, as no-one else seems to be hearing our small voices of protest.
 
Linda
 
Hi Linda
 
I’m sure your mum must feel like she’s being unfairly targeted … and her only ‘crime’ was that she worked hard, saved harder, and made savvy financial decisions! After all, she could have just peed all her money against the wall and retired on the full pension, right?
 
Well, that’s true.
 
Yet what’s also true is that your mother is not “an ordinary Australian” and she does not have a “little nest egg”. She’s got more cheese stuffed in her super than 99.5% of the population!
 
And besides, as you’ve said, she has access to an accountant who will dutifully work out a way to siphon that ‘smidge’ of the tax-affected part of her $3 million balance into another low-tax environment.
 
So she’s going to be absolutely fine.
 
However, what most Australians are really worried about – and what the media have jumped on – is whether this move by the Government is the ‘thin edge of the wedge’.
 
So, is the media right? Is the Government really aiming to come after your super?
 
Bloody oath they are!  
 
Yet that’s hardly breaking news. After all, with each passing year, politicians – on both sides – have made super less attractive. Especially for higher income earners. They’ve deliberately limited the amount you can put in each year and how much you can keep in there, and now they’re upping the taxes.
 
My take?
 
They’ll keep doing it. 
 
Reason being, Australia has a rapidly aging population. Looking after old people is expensive. As are programs like the NDIS. Someone needs to pay for it, and the heavy lifting will come from the wealthiest people in our country. 
 
So to your question: what’s the Labor Government doing attacking the little nest eggs of ordinary Australians? 
 
They’re not.
 
It’s just that the Government isn’t in the business of providing a tax haven for wealthy people.
 
Or helping your mum provide a tax-effective inheritance for you.
 
The Government’s end game is for super to (hopefully one day) take some heat off the age pension.
 
So let’s talk about the “little nest eggs of ordinary Australians”:
 
The median super balance for Aussies aged 60–64 is just $139,056 for women and $180,928 for men … and many of these people will have to use their super to pay off their home loan when they retire!
 
Now that’s tough!

Scott

A Heartfelt Letter to My Wife

Liz was about to start her first day at a new job, and I wanted to write something encouraging to her.
 
So, I fired up ChatGPT – the artificial intelligence app that is so hot right now – and gave it the following instructions:
 
“My wife Liz is re-starting her career after a decade of mumming. Write her a note that’s loving, supportive, and above all warm.”
 
Three seconds later, ChatGPT wrote:
 
Liz,
 
I know it’s been a while since you’ve been working, but I have no doubt that you’re going to smash it.
 
Over the years, I’ve learned that success often comes from embracing change and adapting to new challenges. And that’s exactly what you’re doing today – stepping out of your comfort zone and taking on a new challenge with grace and determination.
 
I’m so proud of you for everything you’ve accomplished so far, and I’m even more excited for all the amazing things you’ll achieve in the future. I believe in you and I know that you’ll make a positive impact in your work and on those around you.
 
Remember, we’re a team and I’m here to support you every step of the way. So, take a deep breath, put your best foot forward, and let’s make today an amazing day.
 
Love, Scott
 
Not bad, eh?
 
So I ‘Ctrl C, Ctrl V’d’ it over to my lovely wife via text.
 
Quick as a flash she replied: “Oh honey! If you hadn’t told me you were playing with that AI thing, I’d probably have teared up thinking you wrote it.”
 
(I know, I know. WHY DID I TELL HER?!)
 
There’s a reason ChatGPT is the hottest thing since Mark Zuckerberg’s fringe: it creates incredibly clear, well-researched writing. Plus you can get your high school English teacher on and demand infinite edits from the bot:
 
“Not so wordy!”
 
“Make it funnier!”
 
“Okay, now turn it into a rap song.”
 
And it dutifully does it all, in seconds.
 
Yet it’s not just writing that this bot excels at. It reportedly aced a high-level MBA at the prestigious Wharton School in the US. Which explains why educators across the world – including public schools in NSW, Tassie and WA – have banned students using it.
 
However, employers certainly won’t be banning this technology – they’ll be embracing it.
 
Years ago robots took over factories … and now ChatGPT has its sights set on the watercooler crowd … including me:
 
In fact, this entire article was written by ChatGPT.
 
Just joking!
 
(Though I did ask it to “Write a 500-word article on interest rates in the style of the Barefoot Investor” … and it did, in a  jingo-y, humorous, but commonsense way … OH MY GOD!)
 
So maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. After all, no-one could answer money questions like these … right?
 
Well, one study found that ChatGPT could answer financial questions with a high level of accuracy, “creating required content in 3.88 seconds”.
 
Okay, let’s not get too R2-D2 here. I don’t believe ChatGPT is going to take your job anytime soon.

After all, AI bots are still in their infancy. However, it’s also true that they’re kind of like The Terminator – they keep learning around the clock, getting better and better.
 
So it’s not perfect (yet). But then again, as my wife will tell you, neither am I!
 
Tread Your Own Path!

Small House, No Worries

Hi Scott,
 
Coming on the back of the abusive emails you’ve been copping lately, I just wanted to say thanks! Following your advice led us to save for over 10 years for a deposit to purchase our modest two-bedroom house, in which our family of four lives, sleeps, studies and works. Since purchasing it five years ago we have been paying it off at a rate of 8% regardless of interest rates (currently the majority of our loan is locked in at 1.99%). This has set us up to either pay it off early or have a nice buffer in times of uncertainty, like now.
 
One day we dream of putting in a new kitchen to replace the $100 Gumtree kitchen we installed ourselves. However, what our daughters need more than extra space is certainty, security and chilled parents who don’t have to pay off a massive mortgage. So for now we are happy to wait and make do while we enjoy our children and our little home. Thank you!
 
Sarah

Hi Sarah
 
Amen to that, Sarah.
 
And let me confess: you guys are smarter than me.  
 
When we rebuilt our home after the fires, we built it too big.
 
If I had my time over, I’d have preferred to build a smaller home. And not just because it would have been cheaper to build. A smaller house requires less stuff to fill it, and saves time, money and stress in terms of cleaning, maintenance, heating and cooling. And, importantly, there are fewer rooms for our kids to hide away from us in!
 
Television shows like The Block (and all the home builder ads that run through it) have convinced us that even first homes need a media room, an alfresco dining area and a butler’s pantry.
 
That stuff doesn’t make you happy.  
 
However, that being said, when your daughters get to ‘slamming door’ age, they’ll probably want their own space, so a renovation will be needed. Yet something tells me you’ll do it with cash, and a lot less stress than they do on The Block.
 
You Got This!

Scott.

How to Get a 30-Year Home Loan Fixed at 2%

Hi Scott,
 
I’m an Australian expat living in the United States. In the US the vast majority of people have either 15-year or 30-year fixed-interest-rate mortgages, with most of these loans having very few restrictions or prepayment penalties. Prior to the recent Federal Reserve interest rate rises, you could lock in a mortgage for 2% to 3% per annum for the entire loan term (and if rates dropped, you could also refinance and get a lower rate!). It isn’t clear to me why the Australian banks can’t offer these products. Maybe all this is not the fault of the RBA (they’re just trying to do their job of managing inflation) but of the Australian banks!
 
Matt
 
Hi Matt

Yes, our banks could offer 30-year fixed-rate home loans if they really wanted to … just like I could choose to mow my paddocks with a Victa push mower if I really wanted to.
 
In reality, what works for the banks is selling simple variable rates that track the RBA cash rate. And that explains why the majority of borrowers choose a variable rate: it’s generally the cheapest deal on offer.
 
Conversely, the banks make the act of fixing your rate much more complicated and expensive. In most cases, the longer you fix your rate for, the higher the rate you pay. And you can only fix for a relatively short time (less than five years), and then you’re dumped back onto a variable rate.
 
Now the reason the Yanks can offer 30-year fixed rates, with no penalties, is that the US Government basically set it up that way by guaranteeing the loans, which the Australian Government hasn’t done.
 
Having our Government create something similar would lessen the impact of these bulldozer rate rises from the RBA and give borrowers more flexibility and security. However, it would be a huge undertaking. 
 
So the real question is whether any of our politicians could be bothered bending over, cranking the Victa, and pushing things forward.

Scott.

There’s an email that’s just come in … you need to read it.

“There’s an email that’s just come in … you need to read it”, said Wally, my long-suffering editor.

Wally has been working with me for nearly 20 years, so I knew it was important … and possibly grim.

The subject line was: “Terrified.”

It was written by Kate, a 31-year-old mum of two kids (4, 2), with another on the way.

She’s a teacher, her husband is a chippy, and they work remotely in Western Australia with BHP. Because there are no birthing facilities in their mining town, they’d travelled 1,400km to have their bub in Bunbury.

However, while she was being admitted, the doctors noticed a lump on her breast. After the tests came back, the doctors delivered Kate the heartbreaking news: she had a very aggressive form of breast cancer … which would be very difficult to treat.

And, while she was processing this, she was told she had to have the baby the very next day so she could begin treatment immediately.

Kate’s head was spinning. Her husband, the main breadwinner, would soon have two toddlers to look after, plus a newborn, plus a wife with cancer!

So, from her hospital bed late that night she emailed me.

After reading her email, I did what anyone would do: I picked up the phone and called her.

She burst into tears.

Kate told me that she didn’t have her wider family around her, and that she was totally overwhelmed at what lay ahead of her.

What could I possibly say?

Well, I’ve helped a lot of people in these situations, and the one thing I’ve learned is this: when you’re going through a tough time and you think you’re all alone – you’re not. The world is full of kind and generous people. And so I told Kate I’d spend the next few days connecting her with them.

My first call was to the global head of media at BHP, and I explained to her what was going on.

What could BHP do?

A lot, it turns out.

The benefit of being with a huge company is that it’s well resourced to help, in the form of counselling, carer’s leave, and flexible work arrangements.

Next up, I spoke to her private health fund. I asked them to give Kate and her husband a forecast of her out-of-pocket expenses for the next 12 months, so they could manage their outgoings.

Finally, I called a number of lawyers (who owed me favours) and asked them to help Kate look into any total and permanent disability (TPD) payment she may be able to claim via her superannuation.

It was a busy and emotionally draining day – but the best was yet to come. At dinner time on the farm, we all share our ‘high, low, and Buffalo’ of the day. I said my ‘low’ was learning about Kate’s situation. The kids listened, got out their Give jars, and collectively donated $12.80 to their GoFundMe page.

Every bit of kindness helps.

Tread Your Own Path!

P.S. A message from Kate:

“I’m a fit 31-year-old mum of three beautiful children. There is no history of breast cancer in my family. I didn’t expect this to happen to me, and I don’t want it to happen to you. So, please, check your boobs.”

The Financial Dominatrix

Dear Scott,

Your column gave me an idea for a novel! Do you remember the question you answered yonks ago from the lady who said: “I’m a financial dominatrix. Do I have to pay tax?” I just had to find out what a financial dominatrix was! I found it so fascinating (a fetish where someone wants to be cursed and dominated financially), I just had to write a novel about it. My novel is called My Human ATM and it can be found on Amazon. It’s about Liza, who goes from financial doom to financial dominatrix. So thank you for the inspiration! Your column helps and enlightens in so many ways.
 
Rowena
 
Hi Rowena
 
Well, that was unexpected.
 
So this morning I downloaded your book and gave it a read. It’s like fifty shades of finance!
 
As a middle-aged house-husband, the closest I come to romance these days is looking longingly at the nuts on my trees. Your book was the spiciest stuff I’d read in … well, ever.  
 
It didn’t exactly poke my goat, but then again I don’t think I’m the target market!

Scott

*&*# you, Barefoot!

So … it seems that many readers are worried about the state of my mental health.
 
Like Raffy, who wrote:
 
“Last week’s column on interest rate hikes was a bit more adversarial than normal. Given you’re out helping the community, I just wanted to ask how YOU’RE doing?”
 
Thank you, Raffy – I’m doing okay, though I certainly copped it in the inbox this week.
 
Here’s a cracker from Linda:
 
*&*# YOU Barefoot
 
Dear Scott,

As you enjoy your perch high up without mortgage stress, you won’t join in our ‘pity party’. Yet my heart breaks telling my kids they can no longer do swimming lessons, no longer go to birthday parties, and no longer afford new shoes (cue the Supa Glue advert), among countless other sacrifices. Meanwhile my husband and I have added second jobs in our evenings and weekends to deal with the devastation caused by the rate rises and cost of living. For the first time in my life, I’ve started lining up at food banks each Tuesday so our children can have fruit and bread.
 
We can no longer do the Buckets. Our Fire Extinguisher account is extinguished. Our Mojo has no mojo. And so, despite our best efforts, here we are. *&*# you.

Linda
 
Hi Linda,
 
I understand where you’re at right now … and just how stressful, and scary it is ….
 
… though it’s not that stressful or scary for your bank.
 
They would have modelled the scenario we find ourselves in – where 800,000 borrowers will see their home loan rate go from 2% to 6% – but they decided to err on the side of their … bonuses.
 
Let me explain:
 
At the height of the pandemic the RBA flooded the banks with billions of dollars at the super-low rate of 0.1% to support the economy.
 
The banks shovelled out this money as quickly as they could … and for that round of limbo lending they made it super simple for borrowers to shimmy across the line: they assessed them on the rosy scenario that rates wouldn’t go higher than 3%.
 
Wrong!
 
So are the banks fretting about their stuff-up?
 
Nah.
 
Do you know the old saying, “The bank wouldn’t lend me money if they didn’t think I could pay it back”?
 
Well, it’s true.
 
The banks know that the vast majority of their customers are like you, Linda – they will sell off their kidneys to keep their house.
 
Yet it gets worse.
 
If you recently borrowed more than 80% of the value of your home – which I have always advised against! – you’ll find that you are effectively trapped. And your bank knows it.
 
Why?
 
Because the bank made you buy a very expensive insurance policy in case you defaulted – called Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) – which can cost (you) upwards of $15,000 and is not refundable if you move to another lender.  
 
Realistically, if you don’t own at least 20% of your home, you’re about as popular as Malcolm Turnbull at a Liberal Party fundraiser: it’s highly unlikely another bank will offer you a better rate than your current bank. And that means once your fixed term ends they don’t have to do you any favours. After all, where else can you go?
 
Nice, eh?
 
Linda, I’ve spent years in the financial trenches with people who have their backs to the wall.
 
And I can tell that you’re going to make it.
 
Reason being, you’re doing whatever it takes to keep food on the table and a roof over your head. And it takes a lot of stress, and shame, and sacrifice, and bloody hard work to get that banker off your back.
 
So you’re right, I don’t pity you. I admire you and the grit you’re showing.
 
You got this.
 
Tread Your Own Path!

A Question For Missus Barefoot

Hi Scott (and Liz),
 
Since 2017, I’ve followed Barefoot to a ‘T’ and managed to purchase a home at the ripe old age of 25. And then in walked the man of my dreams and – BOOM! – love struck! So should I sell my house, or should we borrow on the equity to make our family home dreams come true? I’d do anything for him but I have this little Barefoot voice in the back of my head: safety, safety, safety! Everyone I speak to says, “Never sell”, or “It’s our biggest regret!” I know Liz sold her home to buy the family farm, but does she regret it?

Tina

Hi Tina,
 
First a disclaimer: my wife is a television producer, not a financial adviser (and, even though she’s married to the Barefoot Investor, she cares as much about money as I do about reality television).
 
Still, I dutifully asked her whether she regretted selling her (tiny) studio apartment.
 
Her response: “No, not really.”
 
I’ve often thought it would be nice to still own that tiny little dogbox (with an oven her brother found on the side of the road). Not because it was a good investment, but because it was such a huge achievement … and a great lesson for our kids, especially our daughter.
 
Yet, at the time, we couldn’t comfortably afford to keep both. We were starting a family, and the wisest financial decision was not to take on additional debt and financial stress.
 
We sat down on a Barefoot Date Night, ran the sums, and made an emotional but sensible decision together. That’s the story we’ll tell our kids when they’re older.
 
So that’s the first thing to discuss after you order wine at your next Date Night!

Scott

You Have Been Warned

Hi Scott,
 
Over the last few months, in the face of rising interest rates and inflation, I've noticed a pretty significant increase in anger from your readers. So my question to you is, why do you think so many Australians have put themselves in these difficult financial situations thinking that the good times would never end? After all, you've been telling the Australian public this for years!
 
Thanks to you, I have a nice little nest egg, I'm comfortable with my mortgage payments if rates continue to rise, and I’ll be sure that, no matter what, I keep treading my own path. I’m sure I speak for many when I say you’ve helped prepare us financially for the good times and for the bad times that inevitably follow. I owe you a beer.
 
Dan
 
Hi Dan,
 
The truth is it’s been hard to cut through.
 
Most people’s lived experience is interest rates going down and house prices going up.
 
Remember, less than a year ago our government was campaigning to ‘help’ low-income single parents buy a home with just a 2% deposit!

Good on you for battening down the hatches. I hope you enjoy a few frothies on me from your Splurge account!

Scott

Barefoot the Beetroot

Hi Scott,
 
I’m the librarian at Mornington Primary School. A Grade 5 student named Liam nominated Barefoot Kids for our book of the week. His reason was “because this book changed my life and made me want to start a business”. Now I imagine you get lots of mail from our younger generation, but Liam is a very quiet, shy student. I know it’s a big ask, but even a reply from yourself that I could show him would be such a confidence-booster.

Anna
 
Hi Anna,
 
Thank you for getting in touch. I’ll address this one straight to Liam.
 
Liam, thank you so much for getting my book into your school!
 
And because you’ve read the book, you’ll know about the secret I never told anyone before:
 
I’m actually pretty shy myself.
 
When I was your age and had to talk to anyone, I’d stare nervously down at my feet, my mind would go blank, and my face would turn as red as a beetroot with embarrassment.
 
And that’s why I came up with a little saying to help me when I got nervous. It’s called S.E.A. (Smile, make Eye contact, and Ask questions like “How’s your day going?”).
 
It really works!

Even better, the more you practise it, the easier talking to people gets.
 
Now I don’t know what your Barefoot business is, Liam, but I’m hoping it gives you the chance to spend a lot of time swimming in the S.E.A. Doing that will really change your life! 

Scott.

A Super-Simple Way to Stop Rate Rises

Hi Scott,
 
If inflation is a society-wide problem, why is our only reaction to take money from a specific group (mortgage-holders) and give it to a specific industry (banking)? I read an ABC article that suggested it would be fairer and more effective to let people stash that money in something like super (which reduces people’s spending) so it still belongs to them and can flow back into the economy through spending once the crisis has passed. What are your thoughts?
 
Doug
 
Hi Doug,
 
I think it’s a deliciously simple solution …   and it will absolutely not work.
 
Mainly, and most boringly, because the level of our interest rates – relative to other countries – determines the value of our dollar. If we keep our rates low, our dollar will likely be hit, which will make everything we import more expensive.
 
My view is that the real problem we’re grappling with is that money should never have been priced at zero. That decision – which was driven by central bankers around the world, not just the RBA – was pure madness. It fuelled a mania in housing and the sharemarket (and, in the late stages, even in rubbish like Dogecoin). The net result? The rich got richer, the poor got screwed, and an entire generation has been priced out of the property market.
 
And now you want low income earners to bail you out?
 
Because that’s effectively what would happen. Those people at the bottom of the income ladder, who are struggling with the cost of soaring grocery prices and rent, would be forced to take home even less in their weekly pay packet (because they would be forced to put more into super), so they can save homeowners’ (and their landlord’s!) backsides.
 
Good luck with that!

Scott.

You’re a Total Jerk

Scott,
 
Your answer to last week’s question from the 90-year-old man, wanting to see whether he should implement your financial plan (‘Old Dog, New Tricks’) would have to be the most insensitive, egotistical slap-back I have ever read in your column. The man is asking a question about finance, not asking for family therapy. He genuinely wants to get a sense of purpose, build his nest egg, and still feel there’s a reason to go on. Telling him to focus on his family and friends not only doesn’t answer the question ... it implies: “What’s the point of looking forward? You’re nearly dead anyway.”
 
Angie 
 
Hi Angie
 
My answer to the old fella’s question was the most insensitive and egotistical thing you’ve read in my column?
 
Hold my beer.
 
So you think the reason for him to go on is to … make more money?
 
He already told me he was financially secure. His problem – which he admitted to – is that he’s nearly dead.
 
That’s life. He’s probably not buying long-dated milk these days!
 
Yet what you got right is that he wants a sense of purpose. And that’s why my financial advice was – where it is prudent – for him to give away some of the excess money he was planning to leave in his will to his loved ones while he’s still alive. That way he gets to watch the joy and hear about the experiences his gifts bring.
 
After all, Angie, we all want a sense of purpose. Some people get it by giving away money to their loved ones in the golden years of their lives. Others get it from writing angry emails to strangers on the internet.

Scott

Launching a Class Action Against the RBA

My inbox is still melting from last week’s column on interest rates!
 
It seems that right now everyone wants to stomp on RBA Governor Philip Lowe’s spectacles.
 
One of my readers was so ‘alpaca angry’ that he’s actually talking to his lawyer about launching a class action against Phil and his funky bunch of bureaucrats.
 
Here’s what he said…
 
Launching a Class Action Against the RBA
 
Hi Scott,
 
Why is there no class action being taken out against Philip Lowe and the RBA? How can the head of the RBA make unequivocal statements (not predictions) that interest rates will not rise until 2024 and then wash his hands and take no responsibility for the trauma (financial and mentally) his words have caused? Thousands of people, myself included, proceeded to purchase property based on these statements and are now in serious financial stress. To my mind, Philip Lowe’s statements were grossly negligent and have caused serious financial stress to thousands of hardworking Australians.

I have contacted my lawyer to investigate what options are available, but I am surprised that I have not heard of any legal action. I will willingly join in any class action that might be looming. What are your thoughts?

Ben
 
So I have a couple of thoughts.
 
First, Philip Lowe deserves to be benched.
 
He is, after all, one of our most powerful and highest-paid officials, and he stuffed up right royally.
 
(And, in doing so, ‘the Guv’ actually proved something I’ve said for years in this column: no one can predict where interest rates are going … even the bloke who sets them!)

Yet what he doesn’t deserve is the ugly media pile-on that’s happening right now. Apparently, there are paparazzi camping out at his home. What juicy pic are they thinking they’ll get? A snap of Old Filthy doing his morning sudoku over a cuppa on his porch?
 
However I agree with you: as taxpayers we should hold our highly paid (unelected!) officials accountable.
 
But while we’re talking about accountability, Ben … where is yours?
 
Did you really base a significant long-term financial decision on a relatively short-term prediction from the Reserve Bank?
 
And did you even read the published RBA statements before you went in paws and all?
 
If you had, you’d have realised there was incredible uncertainty around Covid, and that the global economy was in a state of flux (which is why Phil should have known to put his crystal ball away).
 
Instead, what most people did was listen to the pundits in the media who took Phil’s soundbite and shouted it from the rooftops. The same people who are now calling for his head. It’s not financial advice, it’s financial porn, plain and simple.
 
Look, no one put a gun to your head and told you to borrow too much money when interest rates were at their lowest levels in recorded history. I’ve written about this every week for the last decade, mate! So sorry, Ben, but I won’t be joining your pity party.
 
 Tread Your Own Path!

Who You Gonna Call?

Hi Scott,
 
My partner and I are looking at combining our insurance now we are moving in together. He has always used an insurance broker, I never have. He says it gives him peace of mind in case something happens, but I don’t know if I can justify paying an extra $250 a year. Are brokers worth it?

Gabe
 
Hi Gabe,
 
So this is controversial. However, like your partner, I get almost all my insurance through a single insurance broker, who charges me a commission.
 
Yes, I pay a bit more than I would going direct. Yet, as someone who’s lost a home, crashed multiple cars, had flood damage and more (you name it, I’ve claimed it), I’ve found that insurance is all about claims management.
 
And when something goes wrong my broker really earns his money. I just pick up the phone, call him, and let him sort everything out. Reading policies, understanding what I’m covered for, talking to insurance companies, sorting replacements, handling claims ‒ he does it all for me.
 
However, only you can decide whether you’re willing to pay the extra ‘insurance’ for claims management.
 
Scott