Jess wants to start investing using ETFs. Small problem - there are hundreds on the Australian market - how is she supposed to choose which to invest in? Not to worry, Shani Jayamanne, ETF expert and Investment Specialist at Morningstar joins Jess to explain in simple terms: What ETFs actually are and how they work. How to choose ETFs (including fees, allocation, holdings- explained). The biggest mistakes beginners make with ETFs and how to avoid them. Plus Jess catches up with a long time liste...
May 11, 2026•24 min•Season 13Ep. 6
Now that Jess has set her financial goals, how should she put her money to work so she can meet them? She knows she wants to invest, should she be saving too? What about superannuation? Financial Adviser, Glen Hare from Fox & Hare is back to help Jess figure out her priorities and allocate accordingly. Chapters: 00:00 What Would You Do With Extra Income 00:43 Setting Goals That Actually Work 03:11 Splitting $3k Wisely 10:26 Investing For Long Term Wealth 13:33 Why Super Is More Powerful Than...
May 04, 2026•30 min•Season 13Ep. 5
Ever wondered what it's like to meet with a financial adviser? Or how they actually help with your finances? Jess had. So in this episode, she has her very first meeting with a financial adviser; Glen Hare from Fox & Hare. We are keeping this series as real as possible - so Jess and Glen's chat is just how a first meeting with an advisor would happen in real life. This recording was the first time the two had met and Glen takes Jess through the same process as any new client. But before she ...
Apr 27, 2026•32 min•Season 13Ep. 4
Before investing a single cent, you need to get your cashflow sorted. So today we step into the practical side of things; budgeting, savings rates, and the systems that make investing possible. To set up a system she will actually stick to, Jess speaks to Glen James- host of the Money Money Money podcast and former financial adviser. Plus Jess receives some much needed encouragement from listener Phoebe, who shares her story that the dreaded admin of setting up your money right, is well worth it...
Apr 20, 2026•27 min•Season 13Ep. 3
Jess wants start investing. She’s tried to start before but every time- she freezes, chickens out, or puts it off entirely. So what’s actually holding her back? Jess sits down with Money Coach Karen Eley to unpack the psychology behind her hesitation. They explore how early money experiences, beliefs, and behaviours can shape the way we think about investing - often without us even realising it. Plus, Jess chats with Equity Mates community member Rebecca, who shares her journey from financial av...
Apr 13, 2026•37 min•Season 13Ep. 2
Our colleague Jess has been keeping a secret. During a 10 year career in the finance industry, she had never told a soul- until now. Jess has never invested. She wanted to start, she knew how to start (even listened to our 12 Steps to Get Started three times.) But she has not started. So why not start now and document the journey? Over the course of the next 12 episodes, Jess will start investing- in real time. Each week, she’ll speak to an expert who will walk her through the steps, answer her ...
Apr 06, 2026•18 min•Season 13Ep. 1
Congratulations, you’ve made it to the final episode of this series! To wrap up this journey, we leave you with the most important lesson yet- how to get out of your own way by automating your investing. Now you’ve heard these 12 Steps- you have all the tools you need to improve your financial future. It’s time to go forth and use them! If you’ve enjoyed / found value in this series, please join us in our mission to make Australia more financially literate and share it with others. In this episo...
Feb 02, 2026•18 min
So far you’ve learnt how to build a portfolio, now we get into the specifics of how to buy shares plus keep it regular and less stressful! You’ll hear our best tips for buying and selling your investments to help stay on track for the long term. In this episode you will learn: • How do I actually buy shares or ETFs? • 3 ways of ordering shares: Market, Limit, Stop • Why we don’t time the market • The power of dollar cost averaging (DCA) • Knowing when to sell Links Mentioned: 📕 Just keep buying...
Feb 02, 2026•21 min
Investing with an expert or ‘active manager,' is not something you need to add to your portfolio. But if you do, you have to know why you’re doing it and choose an expert well. We walk you through our reasons for investing with an expert and the 6 factors we use when looking for one. In this episode you will learn: How you can invest with experts Why the experts don’t always get better returns What to look for when choosing an expert How we include expert investors in our portfolio Links Referen...
Feb 02, 2026•20 min
It's time in this series introduce the world of single stock investing- finding and investing in great companies through the stock market. We’re cranking the investing lessons up a notch and going beyond the basics of ETFs. So how you find a good company to invest in? What do you need to look for? and where? You've probably heard legends of everyday people who invested in the early days of Apple or Microsoft and made millions. It might not always be as flashy as those tales- but investing in com...
Jan 26, 2026•20 min
What is a portfolio? And how do you create one? Essentially it’s a collection of investments. The financial products you invest in, make up your portfolio. Importantly, it shouldn’t be random- there are simple principles guide building a portfolio. All to make sure it actually works for you and your goals. In this episode you will learn: · What is a portfolio? · What to think about: goal, time horizon, risk tolerance · The importance of diversification · How we approach our portfolios: Core &...
Jan 26, 2026•20 min
Introducing the simple investor’s best friend… the index ETF. You don’t have to be an expert on financial markets to be an investor. In fact, it’s arguably easier today than it’s ever been to invest and most of that is thanks to our friend; index ETFs. In this episode you will learn: What we would buy if we were starting again today What is an index Different indexes around the world How you can buy an index: ETFs Why an index is all you need Chapters: This is Part 7 of our 12 step series sharin...
Jan 26, 2026•16 min
Once you’ve decided what to invest in, how do you actually make an investment? If you're investing outside of superannuation, you’ll need to use a broker. But which broker should you use? It’s one of the most frequent questions we get from people starting their investing journey. There are so many of them available, it can be hard to know where to start. But no need to stress, that’s why we’re here and making this series! In this episode you’ll learn: · The two ways every person can invest · Wha...
Jan 19, 2026•20 min
You can invest in all kinds of things through the stock market. You might have heard a few of them thrown around like; Stocks, Bonds or Property. They’re called different Assets or Asset Classes. So how choose which is right for you and how do these assets make you money? That’s what we’ll cover in part 5 of our 12 step series sharing everything we’ve learned about investing to help you get started, or to remind you of why it’s so important. You will learn: · What is an investable asset? · The m...
Jan 19, 2026•17 min
How do you actually invest? Well there's no one “right” way to do it; there are different styles which suit different goals and appetites for risk. The first three episodes of this series covered the foundations you need to get sorted before you can start investing. Now, it’s time to tackle how to make an investment. In this episode we cover what’s actually happening when you invest in the share market and how to know which investing style is right for you. You will learn: · What is the share ma...
Jan 19, 2026•21 min
The single most influential factor in growing your long-term wealth, is the amount you’re able to save. Maximise your ‘savings rate’, then put that money to work by investing it and your future self will thank you. So, how do you do that? In this episode you will learn: How much money you need to start investing Why the most powerful factor is your savings rate Bryce’s approach: Rule of 3’s Ren’s approach: Pay yourself first This is Part 3 of our 12 step series sharing everything we’ve learned a...
Jan 12, 2026•17 min
When is the “right” time to start investing? How do you know if you're ready? We’ve heard plenty of reasons why people put it off. Not enough money, it feels too risky and more! We are here to tell you: now is the time. You have everything you need. In this episode you will learn: Why now is the time to start investing What you need to get started investing How to clear your high-interest debt About other debt: Mortgage, HECs etc. Building your emergency fund This is part 2 in our 12 step series...
Jan 12, 2026•18 min
Investing. It can feel daunting, confusing or just too hard. The great news is that getting started is not as difficult as you might think. The stock market is a powerful wealth-creating machine, yet so many people miss out on utilising it. That’s why back in 2019, we created this series to break down the barriers and explain how to start investing. 7 years on, we're doing it again! An updated (even simpler to follow) 12 part series, sharing everything we’ve learned about investing to help you g...
Jan 12, 2026•22 min
Still haven't started investing because you're not sure what to actually buy? We're solving that today. In this episode, Ren and Simon each reveal exactly what they'd invest in with $5,000. Real holdings, real strategy, but fake dollars. These two portfolios are concrete examples to show you how simple getting started can be. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Why Starting Feels So Hard 00:02:05 – The Logic Behind Core and Satellite 00:06:39 – How Simon Builds a $5K Portfolio 00:09:54 – What Other Investors...
Dec 01, 2025•21 min
Hilda knows with the amount she’s earning- she should be saving more. But money is something she hates dealing with. Normally, she lacks the motivation to do anything about it. But with a recent pay cut, it’s clear things need to change. So- she joins us on our series; Boost my Budget to get help building a low touch budget that will have her spending less, saving more and even- starting to invest. Your saving rate has the biggest impact on building your wealth. If you’re someone who’s been bury...
Nov 27, 2025•24 min
Black Friday and end of year sales are here and you have the opportunity to use it to your advantage. In this episode we present our 3-step guide to tackling this high spend season with a financially literate, investing savvy mindset. Every dollar you don’t spend, is a dollar you can invest- so here’s how to make your money work harder for you. We cover: - The doggy sales tactics to watch for and how to avoid them. - How to get the best deals and stop impulse buying or overspending. - Our 3-step...
Nov 24, 2025•17 min
If you’re stuck deciding which ETF to invest in, use our 5 steps to compare any ETF. In 10 mins you’ll have all the information you need to make the best choice for you. ETFs have made investing super accessible. So accessible in fact, that there are now so many to choose from that it can be overwhelming. If decision paralysis is getting in your way, these steps will help you focus on what really matters and get invested. Links Referenced: 📈 ETFs mentioned: VHY , VAS 🎧 Listen to: We hate fees!...
Nov 17, 2025•18 min
Feeling nervous about investing right now? That’s perfectly normal. All time highs have been reached in many places as of late- It’s got some people talking about a Bubble, or impending crash. But what does that mean? Should you be worried? And how should you invest in response? In this episode we: - Explain the theory behind stock market bubbles - The impact on your investing - How we personally are investing in the current market - Five steps to take if you’re worried about investing right now...
Nov 10, 2025•22 min
Investing isn’t just a financial game, it’s a mental one. In fact, mindset is so pivotal to good investing, that if you’re yet to start (investing consistently, or at all), the chances are it’s your mindset- not your finances, holding you back. We’re here to help you break out of the biases keeping you from a better financial future. In this episode we explain 4 common cognitive biases that prevent you from investing and detail how to combat each of them, so you can invest to your full potential...
Nov 03, 2025•17 min
Should you invest in the stock market or buy property? It’s debate we’re here to settle. In this episode we explain the role both property and stocks can play in a portfolio. It’s not about either/or, its about your goals and the timing. We cover: · Why the Property vs Stocks debate is a false choice. · How and when you investing in stocks. · Knowing if or when you should buy property. · The role each asset plays in a portfolio. Links Referenced: 🎧 Listen to this GSI ep: how to invest in proper...
Oct 27, 2025•18 min
Fees are the silent killer of investing returns. Luckily, they’ve never been easier to avoid. Even a tiny fee difference can cost you thousands over time. In this episode, we break down the lowest-fee ETFs in Australia and show how to make every dollar work harder for you. We Explain: - How ETF management fees work - A worked example of the impact a tiny % difference in fees can have on your wealth over 30 years - The 3 lowest-fee Australian Index ETFs, S&P 500 ETFs and Global ETFs on the AS...
Oct 20, 2025•19 min
When’s the last time you checked your savings rate? Some popular accounts have recently made changes, so it’s time to check that you’re still getting the best bang for those bucks. We were surprised just how much this list had changed in only 3 months, since we last made this episode. In this edition we share the top savings accounts as of October 2025: Top 5 accounts with conditions Top 5 accounts with no hurdles or conditions. Explain the recent changes to popular savings accounts in Australia...
Oct 13, 2025•17 min
Knowing what to invest in and how to invest in it, can get confusing. Not only are there now more options than ever, the terms used to describe them are full of acronyms and jargon. But don’t be disheartened. These terms are simpler than you might think. In this episode we explain 4 common terms you’ll hear beyond single stock investing; ETFs, Indexes, Mutual Funds and LICs. By the end of this episode, you’ll know what each of these terms mean and the key differences between them. Links Referenc...
Oct 06, 2025•15 min
If there’s one thing to get right in your financial life, it’s superannuation. It’s the biggest free kick you’ll ever get and worth bothering about. To wrap up Super September , we’ve built the Ultimate Super Checklist : 9 complete steps that'll make your super work harder today to set you up for success tomorrow. Listen to this episode, download the free checklist, and start ticking them off. x Links Referenced: 📝 Download the Utlimate Super Checklist. 🎧 Listen to: Super September on Equity M...
Sep 29, 2025•17 min
How you structure your cashflow is the key to achieving your savings goals, no matter your income. Becca dreams of sipping cocktails in Fiji, but her budget feels messy. With a small mortgage, investment properties, and even some shares- she’s built a strong base. But a recent drop in income has made it hard to balance today’s spending with tomorrow’s goals. In this episode, financial adviser Alex Luck joins Bryce to help Becca clean up her cashflow and prove that even on a low income, goals are...
Sep 25, 2025•27 min
