If you’re a shift worker then you would know that shift work and stress certainly goes hand in hand with one another. Just getting up at 3am to go into work is stressful enough! So as a fellow shift worker and having just returned from a financial education conference in Sydney recently, I heard one of the guest speakers announce something that absolutely shocked me to the core. And that was that Australia now has the highest household debt to disposable income ratio in the world.
Now I don’t know what it’s like in your part of the world but this is frightening – truly frightening. To think that our debt levels are even higher than those living in the USA or UK absolutely floored me.
For every $100 we earn – we now spend $130. Now you don’t have to be Albert Einstein to realise that this is certainly not a good thing!
Considering that for many decades, Australia was regarded as ‘The Lucky Country’ – the land of opportunity where you could really live the good life. So where did we go so terribly wrong?
Well according to some of the most gifted financial experts in the world – it’s quite simple. It all comes down to a lack of financial education.
You see I don’t know about you but I never received any financial education or advice when I was back at school. Even basic things like how to save, invest and make your money work harder for you never rated a mention in the school curriculum.
For most people when they break away from the chains and shackles of school life, they set out on a journey to find a job, take a year or two off to travel the world, or lock themselves into years of further study at University.
And when they eventually do find their ideal job, they live pay cheque to pay cheque – never really finding a way to get ahead financially.
So is any of this ringing true for you?
Because in order for you to get ahead financially you have to first sit down and really understand where you’re at financially. What are your expenses and how does that compare to your income? For so many people today – they are spending well above what they are earning.
Now as a shift worker you no doubt work extremely hard each week to earn that pay cheque and certainly put up with working erratic hours in the process. So if I was to ask you if you had a good understanding of your finances – honestly – would you be able to say ‘yes’?
You see for most people the answer is ‘no’. Either because they have given this responsibility to their financial advisor, or they legitimately have absolutely no idea. They have taken no real interest in it or they just think that everything’s fine when really it isn’t.
So my little tip for you today is “fire your financial advisor” – sit down and really start to educate yourself on where your money is right now, and what it’s doing for you.
No offence to all of the financial advisors and stock brokers out there but realistically nobody really cares more about your money than the person that’s earning it – and that of course is you! $$
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