SugarMamma’s Fireplay

Will Your Super Last? How to Avoid Running Out of Money in Retirement One of the biggest fears Australians have about retirement isn't building enough super. It's running out of it. In this episode of  Start Here , I answer a thoughtful question from a listener who is about to retire with almost  $800,000 in superannuation  but is worried it may not last. If you've ever wondered: Wi...

Why Money Is The #1 Cause Of Relationship Stress (And How To Fix It) Money touches almost every area of our lives. It affects where we live, how we raise our children, our lifestyle choices, retirement plans, career decisions and even our sense of security. It's therefore no surprise that financial stress is one of the leading causes of relationship conflict, with recent research showing that 71%...

Debt free. Savings in the bank. No financial stress. It sounds like the finish line. But for many people, it’s actually the beginning of a completely new financial chapter. In this episode of Start Here, I answer a listener’s question about what happened after she worked incredibly hard to pay off a significant amount of debt. Instead of feeling excited, she found herself feeling a lit...

5 Changes We're Making After The Federal Budget The recent Federal Budget didn't change our financial goals... but it did change how we're thinking about achieving them. Over the past few months, Tom and I have been reviewing every part of our financial strategy. Not because we're panicking or abandoning our long-term investing philosophy, but because when tax laws and legislation change, it's wor...

Some people describe it as one of the most powerful wealth-building strategies available. Others say if you're investing in ETFs while still paying off your home loan without debt recycling, you're "leaving money on the table." But is that really true? In this Start Here episode, I answer a listener's excellent question about whether debt recycling is essential for building long-term wealth, or wh...

We often assume that financial confidence comes from having more money. A bigger salary. A bigger investment portfolio. A bigger net worth. But what if financial confidence has very little to do with how much money you have and far more to do with how much control you feel you have over your finances? Inspired by the latest ING Sense of Us Report, this episode explores how Australians are adapting...

Many Australians eventually reach the same crossroads in their wealth-building journey: Should I invest more money into superannuation? Or should I build wealth outside of super? In this week's Start Here episode, inspired by a listener question, we're unpacking one of the most important investing decisions you'll ever make. Using a real-life example of a 38-year-old investor with $372,000 in supe...

With recent changes to negative gearing for investment properties, many Australians are starting to ask an important question: Can you negatively gear shares instead? The answer is yes — but borrowing to invest in the share market comes with its own risks, responsibilities and opportunities. In this episode of SugarMamma's Fireplay, financial planner Canna Campbell explains how negative gear...

Becoming mortgage free is one of the biggest financial milestones you can achieve — but what happens next? In this episode of Start Here (the mini-series within SugarMamma’s Fireplay ), Canna answers a powerful listener question from Georgie, who is just four repayments away from owning her home outright. After years of discipline, sacrifice, and consistency, Georgie is ready for her n...

Cost-of-living pressures have changed the way Australians shop. According to new research commissioned by Amazon Australia, - who are proud sponsors of today's episode - share that almost 9 in 10 Australians have changed their shopping habits, and four out of five are now deliberately timing purchases around major sales events - with Amazon Prime Day kicking off this week (Tuesday the 7th of July,...

Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we work, learn and manage our money. But should you trust AI to create your financial plan? In this episode of SugarMamma’s Fireplay, I unpack a growing trend I’ve been seeing online: people uploading highly confidential financial documents into AI platforms and relying on the output as their financial strategy. As a Financial Planner with mo...

Right now, many Australian families are doing everything “right” — working hard, budgeting carefully, cutting back — and still feeling like they’re falling behind. In this deeply honest and practical Start Here episode, Canna responds to a message from a listener who feels like they simply can’t keep going under the pressure of rising mortgage repayments and the...

How to Build a Better Share Portfolio (Beyond ETFs & LICs) Many Australians begin their investing journey through ETFs, LICs and superannuation — and rightly so, it is the easiest and fastest way to being your investing journey and start earning passive income via dividends.  But eventually, many investors become curious about taking the next step: How do you actually identify a gre...

Do you feel like you need to have your own finances “perfect” before you start investing for your children? You don’t. In this Start Here episode, Canna breaks down how you can begin building wealth for your kids — even if you’re still learning, growing and figuring things out yourself. Because waiting for the “perfect time” often means missing the most po...

So many Australians feel financially exhausted right now.  If you need help reviewing your mortgage, understanding your options or improving your cashflow structure, Adam can be contacted here: Adam.mccabe@bluelantern.com.au or 0423 685 133 Please know that I do not receive any benefit both upfront and ongoing if you work with Adam. I am grateful for his time and the value that he gives us an...

Debt Recycling, CGT Changes & a Baby on the Way: Should We Change Our Wealth Plan? In this Start Here episode, Canna answers a thoughtful question from a listener who is debt recycling their mortgage into a share portfolio while preparing to welcome their first child. With ongoing discussion around proposed changes to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Negative Gearing, many investors are understanda...

Have you ever opened your wardrobe and felt like you had nothing to wear… despite owning so much? In this episode of SugarMamma’s Fireplay , I sit down with Carlz J Soderstrom — a lifestyle photographer and visual storyteller whose work explores the deeper cultural shifts behind consumerism, identity and modern fashion. What started as a conversation about Australian fashion qui...

In today’s Start Here episode, we’re answering a very common question: 👉 “Is micro-investing enough… and is something like Raiz a good place to start?” If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to begin investing — or you’ve come across apps like Raiz Invest and wondered if they’re the right path — this episode will give you the clarity you...

Why Hard Work Isn’t Paying Off (And The New Way To Build Wealth) Lately, something has shifted. People are working harder than ever… Doing the “right” things… Trying to save, invest, and get ahead… And yet still feeling like they’re falling behind. In this episode, I unpack the growing sense of financial frustration and what economists are calling the&n...

Insurance inside superannuation is one of the most misunderstood — and often overlooked — parts of your financial plan. In this Start Here episode of SugarMamma’s Fireplay, I answer a powerful listener question from Cat, who is facing a 35% increase in her insurance premiums inside her super fund. Feeling overwhelmed, she’s wondering: Should she switch super funds? Should s...

Hello and welcome back to SugarMamma’s Fireplay 🔥 This episode is one that may challenge everything you’ve been taught about money, property, and what it really means to build wealth. Because for many Australians, buying your home is seen as the ultimate financial milestone — a symbol of success, security, and stability. But what if that belief isn’t always the best financ...

With the rising cost of living placing pressure on households, many families are being forced to make incredibly difficult financial decisions. In this episode of Start Here , Canna responds to a listener who is considering selling an inherited investment property to relieve financial stress and stay afloat. This is a complex situation involving cashflow pressure, tax implications, lending structu...

What if one financial decision today could be worth over $1 million in your future? In this episode of SugarMamma’s Fireplay , Canna Campbell breaks down the powerful long-term impact of contributing $10,000 into your superannuation — and more importantly, what happens when you repeat that decision consistently over time. But this isn’t just about having $10,000. This episode is...

How much superannuation do you actually need to retire comfortably? In this Start Here episode, Canna answers a listener question from a 39-year-old who wants to retire at age 60 with an income of $100,000 per year. But here’s the catch… That $100,000 is in today’s dollars — which means in 20+ years, it could require closer to $180,000+ per year due to inflation. This epis...

The Shift That Changed How I Build Wealth (And Why I’m Choosing Quiet Wealth For a long time, I felt like something was missing from the way we talk about money. Not the strategies. Not the numbers. But the feeling. In this episode, I’m sharing a more personal reflection on what I’ve come to understand about wealth — beyond what it looks like on the outside. I talk about: w...