When I was single I was proud to say I had an absolute handle on my finances. I paid my bills, I budgeted for things I wanted and I even got a mortgage on my own. Somehow along the way from me changing my title from Miss to Mrs….I have completely lost a handle on the family finances.
And it’s not for Mr trying to get me involved in getting my head around the family finances, it’s just that there were other more pressing things to do. I.E Kids! I guess I have become lazy on the finance front and with a history of never liking numbers in any capacity (maths was a chore at high school), I always seem to put this task on the back burner.
I remember seeing a morning TV segment a while back where David and Libby Koch were talking about how they both sit down to manage the family finances…and yet here I am passing the finance baton to my husband and not knowing what our current financial position is.
If you are in the same boat and are consistently making up an excuse not to sit down as a couple to get a handle on your financial position or even if you are a single mum on your own and forever avoid looking too deeply at bills and bank accounts, Effie Zahos has taken the time to spell it all out in her new book ‘A Real Girl’s Guide to Money’.
A Real Girl’s Guide to Money: From Converse to Louboutins is the money book for every woman who constantly questions How can she afford that?, Where the hell is my money going? and Will I ever be able to afford a home?
Financial commentator and Money editor Effie Zahos answers these questions and more in this step-by-step guide to money, sharing practical tips along with her own personal experiences with everything from overspending to surprise pregnancy.
And it couldn’t come at a better time.
“One in three Aussie women retire with no superannuation, leaving them facing poverty,” Zahos says. “As the mother of a teenage daughter, I want to equip women to take control of their finances.”
“In the book I tackle each stage in life, from getting your first job and falling in (and out) of love and starting a family to planning for those golden years.”
The book is broken down into individual chapters that are customised to the audience depending on your stage off life you are in from ‘I’ll Never Own a Home’ to ‘I Want to Leave Him But I Can’t Afford To’. There is something for every woman young or old who is interested in money and how to manage it.
A REAL GIRL’S GUIDE TO MONEY INCLUDES:
- Your three-bucket approach to successful budgeting
- Five spending triggers and fixes
- Mix-and-match strategies to get that home deposit
- Your guide to shares, ETFs, funds, property and fixed interest
- 10 ways to boost your super without putting in an extra cent
- Parenting: from prams to P-plates and everything in between
- Five fiscal date nights you must go on
- How to deal with divorce with a clear head, not a broken heart
- 1+2+3 = your retirement plan
At the end Effie has included a 26 week money makeover with weekly challenges to kickstart your finances. The book is so easy to read and well laid out for any finance amateur like myself wanting to keep abreast of the current financial landscape.
A Real Girl’s Guide to Money is available from the 1st March and is priced at RRP $24.99
With thanks to Effie Zahos, we are giving three Mum Time readers the chance to win themselves a copy of this book launched today. To be in the running simply comment below what area of your finances you need help with most and why?
Terms and Conditions
Entrant must reside in Australia
Entrant must be 18 years or older
Entrant can only enter once
Winner will be notified by email and has 24 hours to respond
Competition closes the 7th March at 5pm
11 comments
Everything! I have never budgeted successfully! I’m not getting any younger – I’d be keen to learn about super and retirement plans. I would love to read Effie’s book and will encourage my two girls (15 &17) to read it so they start out with the best and most practical advice possible!!
I’ve always been concerned about my modest super (a result of working part-time post kids) but have no idea how to get it working for me. Ultimately I’d like to feel in control of my money, instead of at the mercy of it.
Household budget
I would love help with my super and how to grow that and also budgeting which is the Bain of my life.
I need help with savings… we tend to spend all week but have credit cards that need attention!
Setting the time aside to do a proper budget – with EVERYTHING on it!
Fun money for sure! I always sent a ‘spend’ limit for the month but then always manage to find more money for ‘spending’ – money that could/should be paying down a credit card!!
Superannuation! it’s a mess. Such a boring topic but so important to get it right as early as possible. Love the sound of Effie’s book – especially if has tips for how to have money to spend and save at the same time.
Budgeting for family and boosting superannuation!! I’ll have to retire at 75 and die by 80 with my current super balance after years of travelling and maternity leave!
Trying to budget on a fortnightly wage, so that at the end of the fortnight I have some savings. After bills, children’s sports and food there is not much left to spend on me, let alone savings for a holiday. Help !
Managing what is an acceptable level to splurge. I’m either feast or famine but the famine never lasts long…