Guides
Find information on saving, super and investing.
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25 guides
Diversification, explained simply
Why spreading exposure across holdings, sectors and regions can reduce some risks, but never all of them.
How to make your first ETF research plan
A practical checklist before opening a broker account or placing a trade.
An example of where a fortnightly pay could go
A simple A$2,000 pay example with money set aside for bills, savings and spending.
Assets, liabilities and what happens to your money
What you own, what you owe, and why a good asset can still cost you money each month.
There’s more than one way to build wealth
Property, bonds, savings, businesses and side jobs: what they actually involve and where they can go wrong.
How to decide what to do with spare money
A simple order of questions, from bills and savings to shares, super, property or a side business.
Index investing: what you’re actually buying
Understand indices, passive funds, tracking differences and why “follows the market” needs a little unpacking.
How small investment fees can add up
Why the difference between two annual fee rates is worth understanding over a long time horizon.
What happens when markets fall?
How to think about falling prices, market headlines and the difference between a plan and a prediction.
How to read an ETF fact sheet
The labels and numbers to understand when exploring a fund’s official documents.
How to compare savings accounts
The advertised rate is only half the story. Here is what to check.
Comparing Australian investing brokers
Learn the questions to ask about CMC and other trading platforms.
Dividends vs growth: what really counts?
Income and price changes are two parts of investment returns.
Bonds and government bonds, explained
What happens when you lend money to a government or company.
Super or ETFs outside super?
Understand access, tax settings and why you might consider both.
What is your super actually invested in?
The default option is a starting point, not the only thing worth checking.
ETFs and managed funds: what is different?
The trading method is one difference; the investments inside matter more.
Australian versus global shares: understanding exposure
An educational look at home-market concentration, currency movements and what a fund actually owns.
One ETF or a DIY mix?
What changes when one fund does the mixing for you.
Is investing only in the US enough?
US shares can be a big part of a portfolio without being the whole world.
Currency hedging for Australians
Why an overseas fund can rise or fall differently in Aussie dollars.
Factor investing without the maths
A plain-English look at value, company size and profitability.
Geared ETFs: bigger swings, bigger risks
Borrowing inside a fund can increase both gains and losses.
Emerging-market ETFs: what to know
A different part of the global market, with different risks.
Why a trendy ETF can disappoint
An exciting industry is not automatically a good investment.