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Learn about shares by playing the ASX game Paul's response to Tamara about her teenagers’ interest in shares (Ask Paul, February) is insightful. Might I add that an excellent way for teenagers (or anyone, for that matter!) to learn about shares is the biannual ASX Sharemarket Game. Her children could participate independently or ask a teacher to enrol them in the School Sharemarket Game, where whole groups/classes can compete for a grand prize. I'm a secondary teacher myself and registered my Year 10 students for this last year. It was fun to see them compete against each other and learn about such an important life skill in the process. Kimberley Mission accomplished in building wealth As an ex-army veteran, I enjoy a mission. My monthly mission with Money magazine is…

HANNAH TATTERSALL Contributing writer It annoys me when retail stores have a sign saying something like: ‘Transactions less than $10 will incur a credit card fee’. As someone who pays for almost everything using my phone or smartwatch, it's annoying to be penalised for not having cash. We were all forced to use cards during the pandemic and many of us have kept up the habit. I feel it is unfair to be charged an extra 10c or 50c for buying something small. Retailers should factor this amount into the cost of their products rather than charging extra at the counter. See Hannah's feature about the benefits of debt recycling on page 72. PAUL CLITHEROE Columnist I hate being overcharged, but getting underpaid is even worse. I always recommend that…

ALEX DUNNIN OUTLOOK A ustralia's largest super fund, AustralianSuper, sent shockwaves through the nation's company boards last year when it led the resistance that thwarted the buyout of Origin Energy by the consortium led by the Canadian private equity group Brookfield. As dramatic as AustralianSuper's actions were, too many people have learned the wrong lessons from it. It's not that our super funds have become too powerful and need their wings clipped; the problem is with the ASX itself. It's too small, not diversified enough and has too few large investible, quality companies capable of satisfying Australia's cashed-up, biggest investors. It means that policy proposals to require super funds that get involved with a takeover deal to seek permission, or impose on them some bizarre duty of care to other…

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Friday, April 5 Balance of trade Tuesday, April 9 Westpac consumer confidence Thursday, April 11 NAB business confidence Thursday, April 18 Unemployment rate Wednesday, April 24 Inflation rate THE BUZZ Home internet has come a long way in three decades. Gone are the days of having to disconnect to make a phone call and enduring the piercing sound of a dial-up tone and painful load times. Well, that last point might not be totally true. While loading a website no longer requires the patience of a saint, laggy connections and buffering videos remain the bane of modern-day browsers. But a new plan put forward by NBN Co might go some way to remedying these annoyances and meeting our appetite for speed and stability. Under the proposal, more…

Learning about money is a lifelong journey. Parents and teachers consistently tell us they wish they had learnt more about personal finance at school when they hear about the Talk Money program run by Ecstra, an independent charitable foundation committed to building financial wellbeing. Concerningly, financial literacy has declined, with the largest drop among 15- to 24-year-olds, according to the 2022 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. Providing financial education at school is a vital first step. Ecstra helps educators by providing classroom resources on budgeting, spending, needs versus wants plus the newer concepts of crypto, buy now, pay later and a nearly cashless economy. Talk Money – the largest face-to-face national financial education program offered free to all schools – helps students of all ages to…

If there's one thing you commit to memory this year, make it this list of four common scamming tricks. 1. Pretending to be from an authority, scammers rely on most of us being lawabiding citizens. So, they commonly pretend to be from large, familiar agencies, such as the tax office, a bank and utility companies. 2. They often couple this with a sense of urgency: they most definitely do not want you to have time to think clearly. Scammers often give you a limited time, perhaps threatening a fine or a late payment fee. 3. Then they engage your emotions. Once they have a dialogue with you, scammers will often use emotive language. Remember that no legitimate organisation ever does this. 4. They will promise something that's too good to…

MARK CHAPMAN TAX TIP As we approach the end of the financial year, thoughts may be turning to preparing your tax return. You must be able to substantiate your deduction claims, which for many taxpayers can mean a mad scramble to find invoices/receipts. So now is a good time to start getting the paperwork together. You must have written evidence to prove your claims if your total deductions exceed $300. The records you keep must prove the total amount, not just the amount over $300. The $300 limit does not apply to claims for a car, meal allowance, award transport payments allowance and travel allowance expenses. There are special written evidence rules for these claims (such as the logbook for car allowances and the substantiation exemption for travel expenses less…

BOOK OF THE MONTH This practical guide offers realistic advice on how readers can improve their spending habits and take control of their financial wellbeing. With humour and relatable anecdotes, Emma Edwards unpacks how to disconnect from the noise of consumerism, what can lie behind emotional spending and how budgeting and cashflow management can improve not just people's money habits, but how ‘good with money’ they feel they are. In writing the book, the founder of The Broke Generation, which provides financial advice for ‘hot mess’ Millennials, aims to eliminate the feeling of shame surrounding debt and overspending. To win one of five copies In 25 words or less, share a moneysaving tip that reduces your household expenses. Enter online at moneymag.com.au/win or send entries to Money, Level 7, 55…

FRIENDS WITH MONEY #139: TOP PERFORMING ETFS OF 2023 Guest: Cameron Gleeson Hosted by: Tom Watson Investors poured billions of dollars into exchange traded funds in 2023. In this podcast, Cameron Gleeson, senior investment strategist at Betashares, discusses ETF performance in 2023 and the trends emerging this year. The number of investors using ETFs in Australia has risen from 15% to 20% over the past three years. New investors, in particular, find them appealing because they provide diversification and allow access to asset classes that are difficult to access directly. They were the first investment for 14% of first-timers in the past two years, according to the ASX. SCAN THIS CODE TO ACCESS ALL OUR FRIENDS WITH MONEY PODCASTS…