Recently, I was talking to a friend of mine who was recounting her contract negotiations with her employer. The setting was a lunch meeting at a restaurant. They chatted all through lunch and only after they had finished their main courses they started discussing her contract. Fortunately, the outcome was favourable for her but despite this she was disturbed by how incompetent she felt in the area of negotiation.  (more…)

FebuSave is the perfect time to make us all more accountable for our money. It’s a great motivator to get your budget for the year in order as well as help determine your financial goals for 2010.  

Personally, my initial goal for Febusave is work out where my money is going, prioritise what I spend and where I can cut back. (more…)

The beginning of the New Year is a great time to reflect on the last one, and 2009 was certainly an interesting year. The huge uncertainty about the global financial crisis (GFC) ensured that conversations about money were taking place. The GFC has dominated headlines and instilled fear and caution in many of us.  Subsequently, our goals have changed from growing wealth to preserving capital. (more…)

Most afternoons I walk up to the local shops to meet my kids at the bus stop. We then stop in at the local café for a coffee and milkshake. Depending on how many children I have in tow the cost can vary but usually it’s around the $10 mark. Often I walk my son to school in the morning as well and I’m inclined to grab a coffee for the walk home. (more…)

Divorce is a difficult time. No matter what the circumstances, coming to terms with the breakdown of a long-standing relationship can be traumatic. For many separating couples, the added pressure of issues like child custody and property settlement can cause an already fragile relationship to shatter. And yet keeping a level head can be critical when you are trying to negotiate a positive financial outcome for yourself. And yet for some reason, women seem to end up worse off after divorce on this score. (more…)

Discovering you are pregnant is one of the most exciting moments in life.  A new baby triggers feelings of elation, excitement and possibly surprise.  But once the emotions settle and reality sets in, there are other more practical issues to consider.  (more…)

I share the most intimate details of my life with my close girlfriends. I’ll talk about my relationships, my children and my work. In deeper moments, I’ll share my hopes and dreams, my insecurities and sadness. And of course I love to chat about the fluffy stuff like clothes, celebrities and gossip! But money has never been high on our list of conversation topics. (more…)

My knowledge of investing is limited. I’ll admit that until recently, it’s not really been an area I’ve been too interested in. Investing and planning for the future seemed only for those who either had significant means or a high tolerance for risk-taking. (more…)

Welcome to my new blog, through which I want to share my journey to becoming ‘money confident’. For many years I’ve written about the issues and concerns of Australian women - particularly those raising a family - but never solely around the topic of money, and I’m looking forward to sharing my perspective, and also hearing yours. (more…)