Making Money Easy

Mortgage holders have been hit with a 0.5% rate hike for the second month in a row and the RBA has suggested there are more to come. The official cash rate is sitting at 1.35% in July and those with home loans are asking - how high will it go?! Our two economists - NAB's Phin Ziebell and ANZ's Catherine Birch - have analysed every word the Reserve Bank has said about this latest decision ...and Gi...

Want to know what it's like to be the boss of the Commonwealth Bank? This episode, Gillian drills down into the issues coming across CEO Matt Comyn's desk, how he stays in touch with customers, pending rate rises, inflation, climate change, gender equality and everything in between. Plus - his path to CEO after starting at the bank in his early 20s, mentors, what makes him tick and how it's import...

The end of the financial year is upon us ...so we've got the Australian Tax Office and a whizz accountant on the show to let Gillian pick their brains - they even quiz each other! The result? A really informative, but entertaining chat about tax time. We dive into what the ATO is focusing on this year, how to present your receipts/documents if you're using an accountant and the do's and don'ts of...

Petrol, electricity, gas ...now FOOD. There's certainly a lot of pressure on household budgets at the moment. This episode dives into WHY food in Australia ..and globally ...is so pricey, how LONG it'll last and what the future holds - particularly when it comes to fossil fuels. It's a complex 'perfect storm' and includes several factors many people aren't thinking about when they get to the check...

Whoa that was a shock! An RBA rate hike of 0.5% in June. Even the economists are shocked! This episode looks at the Reserve Bank's game plan - to fight inflation because it doesn't want it to get out of control. But there's a fall out - we dive into what that looks like. And we've got the latest forecasts on what the RBA will do next. Plus - how many of us are actually in mortgage stress and is a...

Worried about your electricity and gas bills? Keen to understand what's ACTUALLY driving the price rises and what can be done? THIS is the episode for you. My economists break down what's going on and bust MYTHS along the way (including from politicians and the role of renewables). We also dive into what the new Albanese ministry means for the government's priorities and read the tea leaves from t...

Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party have won government meaning a whole bunch of new policies and priorities are coming your way. This episode dives into what households, businesses, workers, the nation ..can expect over the short to medium term. And our experts have a personal insight into what transition to government looks like - it's NOT to be missed. Plus why what you throw on the BBQ could...

The latest round of data impacting the Reserve Bank Board's next rate rise decision is out. This episode helps you understand how it's all connected and explains why it will contribute to the RBA lifting the official cash rate again in June. Plus my economists think your wage situation is BETTER than the official figure - find out why. And what is needed to help the Federal Budget get back into sh...

We've talked about ETFs a lot throughout this podcast series that we thought it was time to dedicate a WHOLE episode to understanding exchange-traded funds and how they work. And with more and more Australians getting involved - particularly during the pandemic - we wanted to know what all the fuss is about. Anything we talk about in this episode is GENERAL and not about your individual circumstan...

Australia no longer has a record low cash rate - 0.1% is no more. The Reserve Bank has lifted interest rates for the first time since November 2010 and this is JUST the beginning. BUT DON'T PANIC. We pick apart the RBA's Governor explanation for rising in May when it wasn't so long ago he was suggesting a cash rate hike wouldn't come until 2024. We also look at what's ahead, the impact on your mor...

Cost of living is expensive right now, particularly the essentials - the latest CPI data was a bit of a shock. We take a look at what's rising the most, what's driving it and what is about to be done to help. If the idea of an RBA interest rate rise and it helping with rising inflation is hurting your brain - this is the episode for you. Plus there are some positives from a cash rate hike. Peter M...

Climate Change - it can feel overwhelming. What does Net Zero by 2050 mean for Australia, our economy, the businesses that operate here and the people who live here? Who is taking action? How can individuals get involved? How much time do we have - this episode's experts have a confronting message on that. We're also in the middle of an election campaign - so what role is politics playing. There's...

WARNING: This episode deals with domestic abuse and family violence. Have you heard of financial abuse? Do you know what it is? Have you experienced it? Could you recognise it and then know how to intervene? It's a problem in Australia and there's a lot of work being done to help. There's now research revealing the enormous impact of financial abuse in this country. In 2020, more than 623,100 wome...

Get ready for a lot of campaigning about the economy as both sides of politics claim to be the best economic manager. But what makes a good economic manager? And where do our politicians stand on some of the other major issues - cost of living and housing supply. Plus - there's been a very interesting Reserve Bank Board meeting about interest rates. Find out why the RBA has lost its patience. Pete...

Want to know what's in the Federal budget for you? Is the proposed economic plan a good one? What about the impact of the pending election and whether any of the Cost of Living measures will make it into your hip pocket. The Opposition has unveiled part of its plan - how does that fit in? Cherelle Murphy - Chief Economist at EY, and Matthew Bunny - Economist at the Westpac Group join Gillian to br...

Do you know what the money in your bank account or super is being used for? Any idea what it's invested in? Fossil fuel or tobacco industries? Is it in-line with your ethics? Um ethics - what are your ethics?! Author and Journalist Nicole Haddow joins Gillian to talk about her latest book - The Ethical Investor . She wanted to put her money where her ethics were but had no idea where to start. Thi...

Unemployment in Australia is the best it's been in years but consumers are still feeling glum. This episode we look at what the latest jobs numbers mean, why wages growth hasn't caught up yet and PLENTY of ideas for government on how to ease the rising cost of living. Plus - did you know women over 55 are the fastest growing cohort of homeless Australians? Find out why and what can be done to help...

In the spirit of International Women's Day, Gillian talks to two experts helping women get 'money savvy'*. From simple money saving ideas, and financial goals, to handling debt and learning to invest - this episode has a taste of everything. There's even a whole group dedicated to this sort of stuff - Ladies Finance Club! Molly Benjamin and Lexi Smith join Gillian for this important but FUN episod...

There's a LOT going on right now. Fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops in Ukraine, two Australian states are in the grips of a weather emergency, we're bracing for rising interest rates and WA has finally rejoined the rest of the country. So what's the impact on the economy, and your hip pocket. And are there any solutions to rising prices? Plus, a glimmer of hope on house prices. CBA Chi...

It's YOUR money - that's the theme of this episode. Do you know what unclaimed money is, if you're entitled to any or HOW to get it back? What about a refund for junk insurance or pointless fees? And are you paying for so many subscriptions you can no longer keep up - losing your credit card certainly puts a spotlight on that! Joel Gibson from One Big Switch and John Rolfe - former Cost of Living...

There's a rental squeeze - good for some, but HARD for others. We brainstorm solutions. And what role will a housing shortfall play in attracting overseas workers - we need them! Plus - how the economy handled 450,000 workers spending the week at home because of Omicron. Phil Zinbell - Associate Director, Economics at NAB and Belinda Allen - Senior Economist at the Commonwealth Bank join Gillian t...

There are two sides to managing your money - just like there are two sides to a $100 note - a practical and EMOTIONAL side. That's the message from my experts this week. And to understand the emotional - you need to understand the foundations of your relationship with money. Now that sounds BRAIN EXPANDING. It is! We dive into when your 'money story' is created, how it impacts your money decisions...

More than 1.1 million Australian households have never experienced a cash rate hike - wow! But after more than 11 years of the Reserve Bank cutting rates, rises are finally coming. How do we know? It's all in what the RBA is now saying and it's sure been doing a lot of talking. ANZ Senior Economist Adelaide Timbrell and St. George Bank Economist Matthew Bunny join Gillian to look at how it'll impa...

The economists are back! Interest rates are top of the agenda - and why your goods and services getting more expensive will see them rise. Plus ...why rising, rather than falling, interest rates 'is a good news story'. Huh?! EY Chief Economist Jo Masters and Market Economics Managing Director Stephen Koukoulas join Gillian, to break it all down. Gillian on Instagram Gillian on LinkedIn Gillian on...

Have you thought much about what happens when you die? Are you prepared financially? Do you have a will ...and what happens when you don't? And if you THINK you're prepared ...when was the last time you checked if your plan for when you die still works (i.e. is your EX still getting all your stuff?!) This episode is a taste of what's involved in planning for your death - morbid but inevitable. The...