Wealth

How to Reduce Financial Stress

By January 6, 2020 No Comments

Source: Australian Unity

Financial stress. We all face varying degrees at some point in our lives. Whether we like it or not, a lot of our life goals revolve around our ability to manage our finances effectively.

With 59% of Australians admitting their current financial situation causes them angst*, dealing with financial stress is as important as looking after your physical and mental health.

So what can you do to prevent financial stress in your own life?

Budget 
It may seem obvious, but just under half (49%) of us have less than $10,000 in cash savings, including about a quarter of Australians with less than $1,000^. Given 15% of Australia’s homelessness is derived from financial difficulties, it is a real, and quite scary, issue.

However, there are many helpful tools out there to help you manage your day-to-day spending habits and overall budget management – and you don’t even have to open an Excel spreadsheet.

These tools include: Pocketbook, MoneyBrilliant, Spendee and Moneytree. All are available on the App Store and Google Play.

Tracking what you spend
A staggering 86% of the Australian population doesn’t know how much money they are spending each month*. By tracking where you spend your money, you can clearly see where you are spending on unnecessary items. Some helpful apps you can use include: Your own financial institutions app, trackmyspend and Free2Spend.

Easy tips to save money
We all know the usual tips and tricks – bring lunch and don’t buy; walk if you can instead of taking public transport ­ – but it’s also worth taking things a step further:

You will be surprised how much you can save by swapping your favourite brands for lower-cost providers.

Avoid the ‘set and forget’ trap and set a time each year to review your bills (phone, internet, gas/electricity/insurance). You can save more than you think just by putting time aside to compare your options. Plus, there are always discounts and offers you can take advantage of.

Speak to your financial adviser
There’s never been a better time to ensure you are on the right path towards financial wellbeing. Don’t forget to ask about your holistic plans, i.e. insurances (business, income, risk), tax maximisation strategies, and long and short-term investment strategies. Your adviser is your partner to help you prepare for key milestone events such as maternity leave, part-time employment, job loss, transitioning to retirement, full retirement, estate planning, and more.


https://www.moneymag.com.au/86-australians-dont-know-expenses ^ https://www.canstar.com.au/savings-accounts/average-australian-savings/ ~Source: AIHW Specialist Homelessness, Services data collection (2011–12)

HTA Wealth

HTA Wealth

HTA Wealth Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Akambo Pty Ltd t/a Akambo Private Wealth ABN 16 123 078 900 AFSL 322056. Principal address: Level 14, 379 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000. Akambo Pty Ltd t/a Akambo Private Wealth AFSL 322056 General Advice Warning: This advice may not be suitable to you because it contains general advice that has not been tailored to your personal circumstances. Please seek personal financial advice prior to acting on this information. Investment Performance: Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns as future returns may differ from and be more or less volatile than past returns.

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