Every trade seems to develop an eye for certain things. Is there anything you spot almost immediately that makes you think, Someone's been cutting corners here?
Not talking about getting lucky with shares or property. I'm thinking things like building an emergency fund, salary sacrificing into super, automating savings or paying off debt. Those decisions never feel exciting, but they often end up making the biggest difference.
A few years ago I'd head to Melbourne most weekends. Now I find myself staying local because there's enough good food, markets and places to walk without dealing with the drive home. Anyone else had that change?
I imagine there are certain descriptions where you already have a pretty good idea before you even arrive.
Without giving away trade secrets, are there any common ones?
I've been reading through the scheme and, on paper, it seems like a great way to get into the market sooner. The only thing I'm still unsure about is the government owning a share of the property. For anyone who's looked into it seriously, what helped you make your decision?
Not talking about being wealthy.
Just that moment where the car needed repairs or the fridge died and your first thought wasn't, How am I going to pay for this?
Was it having a certain emergency fund, paying off debt, increasing your income, or something else?
Fitzroy, Collingwood, St Kilda, Richmond, they all get mentioned constantly. But there are suburbs that barely register in these conversations that are actually great to live in or visit. What would you put forward and what makes it worth knowing about?
Every city has that one place you confidently recommend because you know it's consistently good. Not necessarily the fanciest or newest, just somewhere you'd happily take friends or family without worrying.
I can smash out a couple of hours of work during study periods, but the second I get home my brain just decides today's finished. It's like walking through my front door switches me into holiday mode. Anyone else like this, or have you figured out how to get around it?
I never thought I'd be the person comparing unit prices, checking half a dozen supermarkets online or waiting for something to go on special. Now I somehow know exactly when my regular groceries are actually a good deal. Anyone else picked up strange skills thanks to the cost of living?
I started looking at cars around the $45k mark. After seeing repayments as a payroll deduction, I somehow found myself browsing cars that were closer to $60k and telling myself the difference wasn't that much per fortnight. It made me wonder how many people end up stretching their budget because the repayments feel smaller. Did that happen to anyone else?
When I was younger, I'd spend ages walking around EB Games looking at game cases, reading the backs and convincing myself I was just browsing. Half the time I knew I wasn't buying anything, but I'd still spend 30 minutes in there.