Australian Finance Podcast

In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell break down what rising interest rates actually mean for your money — and how you can benefit if you’ve got cash sitting in the bank. They cover:

– Why rate hikes aren’t all bad news

– Who wins and loses when interest rates rise

– How savings accounts really work (and where banks get you)

– Why chasing the highest rate isn’t always worth it

– Simple, practical tips to make your cash work harder

If you like this Australian Finance Podcast episode on interest rates and saving, you'll love our series. Don't forget to subscribe for weekly shows on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for more investing insights.

Topics Covered

– Why everyone hates rate hikes… unless you’ve got cash

– What’s happening with interest rates right now

– Why banks don’t always pass on rate rises immediately

– Who loses: mortgage holders and borrowers

– Who wins: savers, first home buyers, retirees

– How savings accounts actually work

– The fine print: bonus rates, conditions and traps

– Common bank tricks (and how to avoid them)

– Why chasing the “best” rate can backfire

– Example: is a higher rate really worth switching?

– How to avoid analysis paralysis

– Simple systems to maximise your interest

– Final tips: automation, reminders, and staying consistent

Resources for this episode

- Spreadhseet
- Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”
- Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

💰 Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit

📊 Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith

📈 View Betashares full range of funds

Rask resources

🔗 Explore all Rask services

📋 Learn about Rask Financial Planning

📈 Start investing with Rask

📜 Access Show Notes

❓ Ask a question - just select the Finance Podcast

📲 Follow us on social media

Instagram: @rask.invest

TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs before acting on it.

If you’re unsure, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell dive into a listener Q&A covering real-life money challenges and wins. They cover:

– Celebrating a listener hitting $5k in savings early in the year

– Whether to focus on mortgage repayments or start investing

– How to begin investing with just $2–5k

– Financial Infidelity and coming back from gambling debt

– How to structure assets for retirement income

– What you need to know about changes to credit card surcharges

– The government announcement to cut fuel excise for three months and what it means for your budget

If you like this Australian Finance Podcast episode, you'll love our series. Don't forget to subscribe for weekly shows on⁠⁠ Apple⁠⁠,⁠⁠ Spotify⁠⁠,⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow us on⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠ for more investing insights.

Topics Covered

– Listener win: saving $5k through expenses & income growth

– Cutting costs: insurance, utilities & selling unused items

– Mortgage vs investing: how to think about the trade-off

– Balancing debt reduction and long-term investing

– When financial advice is worth paying for

– Managing money when one partner isn’t engaged

– Starting to invest with $2k–$5k

– ETFs vs savings: where to begin

– Building habits before scaling investments

– Retirement planning basics: what does “work optional” mean?

– Using assets in retirement: property, shares, super & cash

– The order of drawdown in retirement

Resources for this episode

Free Rask Retirement course

Finders Keepers challenge tracker and workbook

Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit

Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith

View Betashares range of funds

Rask resources

All services

Financial Planning

Invest with us

Access Show Notes

Ask a question

We love feedback!

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @rask.invest

TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mitchel Sneddon sits down with Hayden Smith, co-founder of Pearler, to unpack whether FIRE is still achievable and what actually drives financial independence today. The conversation moves beyond theory into the real levers — spending, income, behaviour and simple ETF investing — and reframes investing as a tool, not the solution.

Together they discuss:

– FIRE remains achievable, but outcomes are driven by income, spending and family choices, not markets alone

– Cutting spending is still the fastest and most controllable lever

– A simple rule of thumb that anyone can start with

– Many investors stall due to analysis paralysis on ETFs, when early decisions have minimal long-term impact

– Starting small builds engagement and accelerates understanding

– Growth vs income portfolios are shaped by tax position and psychology, not just returns or theory

– Investing is not the solution — earning more or spending less drives wealth, with investing acting as a catalyst

Resources for this episode

Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit

Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith

View Betashares range of funds

Rask resources

All services

Financial Planning

Invest with us

Access Show Notes

Ask a question

We love feedback!

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @rask.invest

TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask is joined by Senior financial adviser at Rask Advice, Chamil Peiris to answer listener questions on estate planning, superannuation and SMSFs.

They cover:

– What to do with leftover funeral insurance money

– Whether you need a will in your 20s

– How super beneficiaries actually work

– The difference between SMSFs and industry funds for estate planning

If you like this Australian Finance Podcast episode, you'll love our series. Don't forget to subscribe for weekly shows on⁠ Apple⁠,⁠ Spotify⁠,⁠ YouTube⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow us on⁠ Instagram⁠ and⁠ TikTok⁠ for more investing insights.

Topics Covered

– What to Do With Funeral Insurance Leftovers

– Tax Considerations on Insurance Payouts

– Emergency Funds vs Investing Lump Sums

– Do You Need a Will in Your 20s?

– What Happens If You Die Without a Will (Intestacy Rules)

– Who Gets Your Assets Automatically?

– Superannuation Death Benefits Explained

– Binding vs Non-Binding Nominations

– What Happens If You Don’t Nominate a Beneficiary

– SMSFs vs Industry Funds for Estate Planning

– Control, Flexibility & Risks of SMSFs

– When an SMSF Might (and Might Not) Make Sense

Financial planning

Retirement Academy

Free Super course

Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask is joined by Rask Advice Associate Milli Russell to unpack Milli’s journey into financial advice, alongside answering your biggest money questions. They cover:

– Milli’s pathway from school to financial planning
– What it actually takes to become a financial adviser
– How the industry is changing post-Royal Commission
– Real-world answers to listener questions on mortgages, ETFs, and investing

Topics Covered

– Why Milli chose a career in finance
– The snow trip story: Advanced Sport → Accounting
– Discovering a passion for accounting and business in school
– Pivoting from accounting to financial planning
– The real financial adviser career pathway
– Study requirements & professional year (PY)
– Being young and female in finance
– The impact of the Royal Commission on the industry
– Why financial advice is rewarding
– Working with pre-retirees & retirees
– Listener Question: Fixing vs variable mortgage decisions
– Listener Question: SpaceX IPO & ETF impacts
– Listener Question: Shares vs property vs cash for young investors
– Spending vs investing vs enjoying life

Resources for this episode

📄 Learn more about topics discussed in this episode:

What is an IPO (Initial Public Offering)?
How ETFs work (S&P 500, Nasdaq exposure)
Understanding fixed vs variable interest rates
What is a financial adviser & how to become one
Superannuation basics for retirement planning

~~ Show partner resources ~~
💰 Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit- https://bit.ly/Pearler
📊 Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith - https://bit.ly/R-PocketSmith
📈 View Betashares full range of funds - https://bit.ly/beta-25

~~ Rask resources ~~
🔗 Explore all Rask services - https://bit.ly/R-services
📋 Learn about Rask Financial Planning - https://bit.ly/R-plan
📈 Start investing with Rask- https://bit.ly/R-invest
📜 Access Show Notes - https://bit.ly/R-notes
❓ Ask a question - just select the Finance Podcast - https://bit.ly/R-quest

📲 Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @rask.invest - https://www.instagram.com/rask.invest/
TikTok: @rask.invest- https://www.tiktok.com/@rask.invest

DISCLAIMER

This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs before acting on it.

If you’re unsure, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG) - https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices