Matt Hern
A mag about living the life you love
Whilst I write about money my deep belief is that it is all actually about living the life you’d love. That’s why I love this new magazine published by my mate Bruce Sullivan through his business 1 Life Do It Now. There are three big things I really like about the 1 Life Do It [...]
On Track: Your new year review
The start of a new year is a fantastic time when we often look ahead to exciting possibilities. That’s what makes the start of a new year the ideal time for a quick, high level review of your financial plan to ensure you are still on track.
A happy place for your superseded gadgets
Got a new gadget or two for Christmas? Maybe a new phone, tablet or digital camera? If the old, superseded gadget is still working it seems a waste to just throw it in the bin. Give it a second life by recycling it and get some money into your pocket. Another idea could be to [...]
Should you prepay private health insurance?
Is your income above $84,000 as a single, or combined income above $168,000 as a couple? Do you also have private health insurance? Then you should consider this opportunity before 30th June. Effective 1st July this year (2012) the Federal Government is reducing the private health insurance rebate for singles earning above $84,000 and for [...]
Freedom to be by their side with Children’s Trauma Insurance
Parents – please resist the natural urge to avoid this article because you don’t want to think about the topic. The tool I share below could save you considerable stress if misfortune strikes your family. What would you do if your child suddenly and unexpectedly became seriously ill? If something happened to Sophie or Isaac [...]
How to make money online
It’s very alluring – the opportunity to make loads of passive income, working from home running an online business that works for you 24 x 7. Internationally respected business thought leader and entrepreneur, Seth Godin just published an excellent list of 21 points about How to make money online. It is an essential read for anyone caught [...]
Are credit card surcharges worth the points?
When a retailer charges a surcharge for paying with your credit card do you pause and instead pay using EFTPOS (from your savings account)? Or do you say “that’s ok” and perhaps think “I want the points”? In this month’s Mens Health magazine (May issue) I’m quoted in an article on how to make good [...]
Matt’s Money Song (for a bit of fun)
In March 2008 I presented my “Cents, Dollars and Rock ‘n’ roll” presentation at the NSAA Conference in Melbourne. I closed the presentation with my adaption of a well known, ageless song. For a bit of fun, I’ve decided to share it with a wider audience – you. I hope you enjoy it.
Hidden message in the aged care overhaul
The major changes to aged care announced last week by the Government reinforce one thing – if you want choice over where and how you live then be self-funded. If the Government continues to fund around 85% of the care costs then expect them to dictate the terms. And expect those terms to be strict [...]
Cost of a self managed superannuation fund
Wanting to get more control of your superannuation and wondering what its costs to have your own self managed superannuation fund (SMSF)? There are several components to the cost of running an SMSF, including: Investment management fee Accounting fee Audit fee ATO supervision levy Professional fees for advice, administration and anything else you choose to outsource The [...]
Message to parents of 20-somethings
Do you plan on being the regular, permanent (even full-time) day-time carer of your grandchildren for the first 6 years of their life? Then don’t stand by while your children hock themselves to the eyeballs for a house and thereby guarantee their need to have two incomes for the next 20 years. And whatever you [...]
Teaching Kids About Money
My daughter Sophie, who is in year one, has been learning about money at school. They’ve made money boxes that sit on their desks and they appear to be earning (plastic) money. I’ve heard talk that this money will be used for a princess ball – but I’m not sure what the class princes and [...]
Three keys to Financial Well-being
No amount of money tips will boost some people’s financial well-being. For them the underlying cause has to be treated. Over the years I have observed there seems to be three major contributors to great financial well-being. Underlying many money problems is a gap in one or more of the three.
Sell your old mobile phone and gadgets
Make money when you upgrade your mobile phone and gadgets. In this article I reveal how I just made some money from a 5 year old phone and how you can too.
Cash in your frequent flyer award points
In September 2001 I lost over 100,000 frequent flyer points when Ansett Australia collapsed. I had been accumulating reward points with the intent of funding an overseas flight. To that end I’d even paid for a domestic flight rather than use some of my points. What a waste! Back then it was a common complaint [...]
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