Subscribe to the email list and join other savvy readers to get this first each Monday!
It’s Michelle here from FrugalityandFreedom.com, bringing you the latest #AusFIWeekly. Each edition is a handpicked selection of great financial independence links, news, and events from Australia and beyond.
This week, I’m handing over the reigns to guest curator Mrs Hack at Sustainable Living. Over to you…
Hey there, Mrs Hack here from North East Victoria (yes, that actually is my married name and I’m a school teacher hence the ‘Mrs’). I’m also a blogger on my way to financial independence.
We started this journey concerned about not getting ahead financially and worried about the amount of rubbish our family created. It was then I had an epiphany that mindlessly spending money and environmental destruction were intricately linked together.
There was a direct connection between financial literacy and environmental stewardship – big light bulb moment here!
It was then the Sustainable Living blog was born – the Eco-Friendly and Frugal Path to Financial Independence.
www.sustainable-living.blog | Twitter @mrshack4 | Facebook
Australian Links
Barefoot Budgeting: Understanding the Buckets – Sustainable Living
“The Barefoot Investor: The Only Money Guide You’ll Every Need has been declared Australia’s number one best selling book for 2017. Whilst it may be a surprise that a book about finance has come out on top, it shows that this is a topic that people want to understand better.”
This blog article is the all time favourite from Sustainable Living. Aussies love the Barefoot Investor, however they don’t always understand the strategies. Wearing my school teacher hat, I simplified the information so that an absolute beginner would understand how to get ahead.
Podcast Ep 7: Mrs Firebug – Aussie Firebug
Aussie Firebug: “So when did you first notice I was a bit weird about money. Well, first of all, let’s just say we’ve been together for what, five and a half years now?…”
Mrs Firebug: “Probably on our first date.”
The honesty in this podcast is hilarious! But seriously, I enjoy podcasts that show how couples negotiate finances to work towards and achieve financial independence together. This episode with Mrs Firebug is a great example of this process (plus she’s a school teacher).
Investing and Shares: Peter’s Story! – SugarMamma.TV (YouTube, 8:22)
“Peter has a beautiful story about how he started investing when he was young, the philosophy on how he’s taught his children, and his journey.”
A uniquely Aussie-centric outlook on investing in the share market. This is much-needed advice that is in the minority against the backdrop of American dominance of the personal finance field.
The Barefoot Investor – Christian Hull (YouTube, 3:51)
“I read a chapter on superannuation and next thing I know, I’m researching superannuation funds and I’m loving myself. I’m having the best time…I don’t know what I’ve become. I never thought that as a human being that I would be boring, financially boring.”
A dry and drastically boring Barefoot Investor informative video that is guaranteed to send you to sleep. 😉
Australian Events
Adelaide: FI/RE & Mustachian Meetup – Sat 21 Dec 2pm, CBD
Want to meet Michelle in person? This is where you can do it!
Brisbane: Mustachians Australia – Movie Screening: Playing With FIRE – Fri 22 Nov 6pm, Highgate Hill
Brisbane: Mustachians Australia – South Brisbane MMM 2 Year Anniversary Meetup – Sun 24 Nov 1pm, Holland Park
Brisbane: Mustachians Australia – MMM Brisbane North and South Christmas Picnic – Sun 15 Dec 1pm, New Farm
Melbourne: FI Meetup Melbourne – Monthly Wed Night Meetup, Wed 20 Nov 6pm, CBD
Perth: Choose FI Perth – December Meetup, Sun 8 Dec 11am, Kings Park
Sydney: Mr Money Mustache Sydney Tribe – Christmas Picnic, Sat 7 Dec 12.30pm, Inner West
International Links
Pete aka. Mr Money Mustache: How to be Happy, Rich, and Save the World – World Domination Summit 2016 (Vimeo, 28:01)
“I don’t give that much of a shit about your personal finances. What I care about is how much of a better world we’re all going to get to live in if we all become a bit more rational with our money. Because money really is a powerful thing. It has the power to completely improve the world we live in or it could also trash it overnight depending on the choices we make with our money.”
This is a very informative talk with great visuals to explain what’s wrong with consumerism and how to break free from it.
MILLIONAIRE on a TEACHER’S Salary? with Andrew Hallam – Afford Anything Podcast
“I was working at a bus depot,” says Andrew Hallam, describing the summer that changed his life. “I was 19, and I was saving money for college. It was a night shift, and there was a mechanic there [named Russ]. Everybody said to me – if Russ wants to talk to you about money, make sure you listen to him.” Andrew harboured doubts. “I thought, why would I listen to a mechanic about money?”
Such a captivating real life story. What I love about this podcast is that it shows how an average person, doing a normal job, can become financially independent with the right advice. (If you’re Australian, only about half of this podcast is relevant as the second section has information specific to American policies.)
Thailand FI: Bridging the Gap Between Zero and FIRE – Burrito Bowl Diaries
“May I introduce to you a new concept? Beaches. Sand. Questionable water pressure. Coconuts. Loosely enforced electrical codes. Intrigued? I’m talking, of course, about the very fancy concept of Thailand FI.”
Stick figures and badly hand-drawn graphs make for an entertaining read about how many US dollars are needed to be FI in Thailand (or Egypt, Bali, Vietnam, Spain, Austria or the UAE).
The Position of Fuck You – JL Collins (YouTube, 1:36)
“And now you own a piece of every publicly traded company in America and every fuck’n stiff from the factory floor to the CEO is working to make you richer.”
A tribute to John Goodman’s version in film The Gambler as voiced by the “Godfather of FIRE”, JL Collins – too funny!
Thanks for curating these thoughtful links, Mrs Hack! Check out her own insightful writing at Sustainable-Living.blog.
Do you fancy yourself as a guest curator? Got some other Australian events or favourite blogs to include? Get in touch.
Yours in pursuit of FI,
Michelle @ Frugality and Freedom
PS. Subscribe to get Australian FI Weekly in your inbox each Monday.