Reading Time: 2 Minutes What’s up guys! So yesterday, MrsFrugalSamurai and I went out to celebrate a birthday lunch with some old friends. It was great to get outdoors, and see their everyone’s faces again – albeit with the smoke haze from the bushfires still lingering. A short aside – but for our international friends who are unaware, Sydney has been shrouded in smog for the last few weeks as our brave firefighters battle the raging fires… spare a thought for those who are in the thick of it. Anyhow, smoke or no smoke, life still goes on. So it came that we found ourselves sitting in a venue which…
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Home Prices to Hit $7 million by 2030 in Some Sydney Regions? Fact or Fiction?
Reading Time: 4 Minutes What’s up guys! Now look, normally here at The Frugal Samurai, I try and sit on the fence as much as I can when it comes to opinions. I mean, who doesn’t love a good fence sit? The fine poise, the delicacy, the balance – a skill I tells ya. But when yours truly read the following article, I really felt I had to say something, ANYTHING. Because I felt it was misleading at best and downright dangerous at worst. What article? The one here: https://www.realestate.com.au/news/average-home-prices-will-hit-7-million-by-2030-in-some-sydney-regions-if-growth-trends-continue/ What’s it about? In essence: “Economic modelling has revealed home buyers could be paying prices of up to $7.5 million, on…
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The Game Changers
Reading Time: 2 Minutes Hey guys! Ya know, after what was the third or fourth mention of the new Netflix documentary “The Game Changers” this week – I decided my curiosity was sufficiently piqued to give it a watch. For those of us who are not aware of what it’s about, in short it is on… … plant-based diets. And what an eye-opener it was. At face value, the evidence of the vegan diet is very compelling, both from a health and an environmental standpoint. This is backed up by professional athletes at the top of their fields – a sprinter, olympic weightlifter, strongman, NFL linebacker among others – who…
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How Much Super Do I Need To Retire?
Reading Time: 3 Minutes What is going ON people! Apologies for being slightly AWOL as I was pre-bloody-occupied. With what? Being busy, busy, BUSY OK??!! Ahem. Sorry, sorry. Calm TheFrugalSamurai, calm. “Takes deep breath”. So guys, today I wanted to discuss that pivotal question on every man, woman and child’s mind… How much do I need to retire? The answer is… it depends on the type of tyre, its current wear and tear and whether it can be rety… ohhhhh. Wait. How much? This much. “Spreads arms wide open”. No really, it’s this much: I got this from The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (link here). ASFA as they…
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Exchange Traded Funds
Reading Time: 3 Minutes Howdy all! There is one area of personal finance which yours truly hasn’t really touched on, but has a disproportionate representation in many a FIRE portfolio. I’m talking of course, about ETF’s or Exchange Traded Funds. What is it? An ETF is a type of investment fund which can be bought and sold on an exchange, similar to stocks. They are split between “active”, which is managed by a fund manager looking to outperform the underlying index or market, and “passive” which track the underlying index or market i.e. achieve market returns. They were made famous by Mr Buffet who, in 2007 bet $1m that an…
