My bedtime routine

Each night I tuck the kids into bed and read them a story.
 
Yet lately … I’ve been cheating.
 
When the kids are listening with their eyes closed, I pull out my phone and press ‘play’ on my brand-new audiobook – Barefoot Kids – and then sneak out to spend some quality time with Mrs Barefoot.
 
They don’t know the difference!
 
Well, until they open their eyes, and then come searching for us.  
 
(And the game is really up.)
 
Seriously, though, audio is so hot right now. Yet I was shocked to learn that the fastest-growing segment isn’t podcasts … it’s audiobooks.
 
Yes, the hottest thing in book publishing is … books you don’t read!
 
That explains why streaming behemoth Spotify recently launched its own audiobook service. Founder Daniel Ek has suggested that the market could grow from its current $US10 billion to as much as $US70 billion in a few years’ time.
 
And it also explains why Apple is trying to beat other audiobook publishers to the punch by releasing its own AI audiobook narrator, complete with voice inflection.
 
However, I didn’t go with the robot.
 
I decided to go all in with my audiobook because of the sheer number of people who wrote to me saying their kids couldn’t or wouldn’t read.
 
So I spent hours and hours in the recording studio. I even got some child actors to narrate the kid bits, and hired a voice actor for the dog (which ended up sounding a bit woofy, so we gave it the chop).
 
I’m super proud of the audiobook we’ve created, and I think it’s going to provide some awesome family listening for long car trips. And I think the parents in the front will get as much out of it as the kids in the back. It’s available in Audible today. Happy Easter!
 
Tread Your Own Path!

Making Your Credit Cards Disappear

Hi Scott,
 
In your recent column (“Thanks for NOTHING, Barefoot”), I was, like you, shocked when Lisa blatantly decided to stop paying her credit card debt, which somehow seemed to magically make her debt disappear into the ether. 
 
At the same time, curiosity got the better of me (for the record, I’m debt free thanks to your book). From a quick Google read, it seems possible to essentially make a debt disappear! Apparently there is this thing called a statute-barred debt which (if certain conditions are met) means you can walk away from having to pay old debts. However, I feel I do not fully understand if and when this may apply to someone. Could you please explain it to me in simpler terms so my smooth brain can understand it?
 
Tim
 
Hi Tim,
 
In the olden days, you’d be locked up in debtors’ prison, and only released when you coughed up.
 
Today the law is more civilised: you no longer get put in jail, and there are limits for how long a lender can chase you for the debt.
 
So here’s the spell to get your credit card wiped:
 
Lenders have six years to chase up an unsecured debt like a credit card. If at that time you haven’t made a repayment, or admitted that you owe the money, then it gets classified as statute-barred debt, and you legally no longer have to pay it.
 
Abracadabra!
 
Sounds like magic, right? Just wait out six years and you’re home free!
 
Yeah, nah.
 
In reality, lenders are very aware of the law, which is why they’ll generally take you to court to get a judgment against you, which both ups the ante and extends the period they can chase you for (to 15 years).
 
And if your lender still can’t get you to pay, they can sell your debt off to a debt collector, and then they will hassle your kneecaps off … for years.
 
Thankfully that will never apply to you, Tim.

Scott.

Are We Heading for Another Global Financial Crisis?

Are we heading for another Global Financial Crisis?
 
That’s the number one question I’m getting right now … and it makes perfect sense.
 
After all, banks are going bust around the world, inflation is burning a hole in our wallets, and interest rates are being hiked at the most aggressive rate in years.
 
So, what comes next?
 
Well, the honest answer is … I don’t know.
 
No-one does.
 
However, what I can do for you is to suggest three books that will help prepare you for whatever results from the bursting of the biggest global debt bubble in history.
 
The Great Depression: A Diary, by Benjamin Roth

No, I don’t think we’re heading into a depression.
 
However, this book is the actual diary notes of Benjamin Roth, a small-town lawyer living through a decade of the Great Depression. What makes it a fascinating read is that he’s writing it in real time – he doesn’t know what’s coming next.
 
The key take outs?
 
You probably think of the Depression as bread lines and poverty. However, Roth’s diary notes show that there were plenty of years in which there were huge rallies in the sharemarket, with newspapers chock-full of experts predicting that the worst was over. And then the market would crash again.
 
From the peak, the stock market fell a staggering 89%, and took 25 long years to regain its high. Interestingly, Roth started out thinking that stocks were a scam, and that rent-paying property was a sure bet. However, he came out of the Depression believing the exact opposite.
 
And if that 89% plunge has your head spinning, you really need to read the next book …

The Ulysses Contract: How to Never Worry About the Share Market Again, by Mike Kemp
 
So this book has just been released … and I wrote the foreword. Yet I did it for a very good reason: the author, Mike Kemp, is the man I turn to for investing advice.
 
Mike was on the floor of the Stock Exchange the day of the 1987 crash, and over four decades of investing he’s not only become a very wealthy man, he’s done it while totally ignoring day-to-day share market fluctuations.
 
Key take outs?
 
The main aim of this book is to show you how to never worry about the share market again. Really. He does that by doing a deep dive into economic history, backing it up with sound logic, and then, for the crescendo, encouraging the reader to enter into a weirdly effective Ulysses contract.  

Purchase your copy here while they last (it’s a limited first print run).
 
The Barefoot Investor, by Scott Pape
 
Okay, so this is totally shameless … however, I really believe it. My book is written for times like this. When you think you’re lost – and you’re not sure which way to go – follow the Barefoot Steps to safety.
 
Key take outs?
 
You can’t control what RBA boss Phil (high) Lowe does, or what the economy does, or what your boss does. However, the fact is, you have more control than you think.
 
So, instead of fretting, focus on the things that you can control. There are things you can do right now – tonight – that will put money in your pocket, boost your confidence and set you off on a totally different path. All you need is a bottle of wine and your phone … and a few good books.
 
Tread Your Own Path!

The Seven Stages of Grief

Hi Scott,

My fiancé and I purchased our house in December 2021 and had a fixed rate for two years at 2.59%.

With the constant increase in rates, he says our repayments will revert to around $5,000 a month come December, and I am freaking out! He earns $115,000 a year (pre-tax, less his child support!). I earn zero. What do we do? Should we sell our house and hold on to our money until rates come back down and try again? This is so overwhelming and confusing.
 
Natalie
 
Hi Natalie,
 
My calculator just broke: you’ll be paying 70 PER CENT of your take-home on your home loan?!
 
Cracker Jack!
 
So it sounds like you’re in a state of shock …    
 
Excellent!
 
That’s the first step. Now we need you to move through the other stages of grief, and pronto.
 
The next step is denial.
 
Here’s you: “Maybe everything will sort out … and rates will come down … and we’ll be okay?”
 
Here’s me: “No you won’t. Even if rates come down slightly, you’ll be shooting in a paper bag with only 30% of your take-home left over.”
 
Let’s move on to anger.
 
Here’s you: “It’s the bloody bank’s fault for lending us so much!”
 
Here’s me: “That’s it, let it all out! Do you feel better? Good. Still, it won’t change your situation one iota.”
 
Next, let’s move on to regret.
 
Here’s you: “Why did I borrow so much money?”
 
Here’s me: “Woulda, coulda, shoulda … but you did … and here we are.”
 
And now, to depression:
 
Here’s you: “It’s hopeless … there’s no way out.”
 
Here’s me: “This is where most people who are in severe debt end up: feeling defeated and depressed. That causes them to stop talking to their lender, and the situation gets worse.”
 
Natalie, I know it’s hard but you need to break through to the final stage of grief – acceptance and hope:
 
You may need to accept the harsh truth that you can’t afford your home based on your current income. So, unless the two of you can bring in substantially more, it’s likely you’re going to have to sell your home.
 
And what about the hope?
 
Well, the hope is that you take control of your situation early, rather than letting things happen to you.
 
So please call 1800 007 007 and team up with a financial counsellor, and take control today.
 
Scott.

Revenge of the Bong-Smoking Boyfriend

Hi Barefoot,
 
Before I read your book I made the mistake of getting a Latitude credit card for a TV. Now I’m a smidge away from paying it off, thanks to you! But I just received an email letting me know that Latitude has been hacked! I have followed all of your suggestions up until now, such as locking my credit file through Credit Savvy. I have spent a long time getting my credit score to a respectable place from 273 to now where it is well over 800. I’m concerned this hack could affect or undo all of my hard work! Is there anything else I can do to protect myself?
 
Linda

Hi Linda,
 
Oh, no!
 
Latitude is the financial equivalent of that dirtbag boyfriend you’re planning on breaking up with because he spends too much time sitting on the sofa getting stoned and playing Xbox. And now you find out he’s been cheating on you as well!
 
Latitude’s consumer debt products suck almost as much as their cybersecurity … which the Director of the Australian Computer Society (ACS), Mr Louay Ghashash, described as “dismal … they have failed on all fronts”.
 
Now to your actual question:
 
The truth is that if you’ve shut down your credit file then you’ve done all you can. And I’d give even less latitude to credit scores – to me they’re the financial equivalent of a horoscope.
 
However, if you’re one of the 330,000 customers of Latitude reading this and you haven’t locked down your file, do it now. And from now on choose your financial boyfriends wisely!

Scott.

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