Money Magazine May 2022

I have to respectfully disagree with Phil Slade’s article, “Why nice people often finish last” (March 2022). Phil needs to check his male privilege when highlighting his own experiences with negotiating. Research consistently demonstrates that women are penalised for initiating negotiations, as women are more likely to be deemed competent based on their likeability more so than their work output or skills. Implicit gender bias more likely helped Phil’s negotiations rather than any actual skills in that area. The more accurate title would have been “Women always finish last”. Pretty disappointing to see this rhetoric in The Women’s Issue”.…

One of the most intense times in a game of tennis is the match point. This is when a player only needs one more point to win the match. Conversely, it is also the time when one false move can be costly. In applying for a home loan, that “match point moment” is when the lender looks at your credit score. You can have a huge cash deposit in your bank account and a well-paid job, but a patchy payment history can come back to bite you. In our cover story this month (page 32), we show you how to make sure your credit score is in top shape. Meanwhile, we understand that with the cost of living going up, any tips on how to increase your income or reduce your expenses…

Survival technique I was horrified to read in your women’s issue Phil Slade’s “inconvenient”-to-suggest observation (March 2022) that agreeableness is a biological personality trait found more in women than men and therefore women are less likely to negotiate on salary. Perhaps, Phil, agreeableness is more of a survival technique. Margaret Atwood observes: “Men are afraid women will reject them. Women are afraid men will kill them.” When we weigh up the cost of asking for a higher salary, it’s not just money on the line for us. There is the potential to lose our job, having our careers and reputations ruined, enduring bosses that consider us “abrasive” where male counterparts are “confident” (Snyder, 2014). Not to mention the ever-present possibility of sexual and physical violence in a society dominated by entitled white…

Contact us To send a letter to the editor, write to: Money, Level 7, 55 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW 2000 or email money@moneymag.com.au For all inquiries and letters, please include name, address and phone details. Letters may be edited for clarity or space. Because of the high number of letters received, no personal replies are possible. How to get Money Subscribe to the print or digital edition, as well as our free weekly email newsletter via the Money website or: Online: magshop.com.au/ money-magazine Call: 136 116…

OLIVIA GEE Senior journalist “Journalism requires constant human interaction, so I’d want a side gig outside that interpersonal maelstrom. And after two years of intermittent lockdowns, I’d like to be outdoors. Dog-walking is a natural fit. It can be done during lunch or after hours, and your clients will only demand pats and the occasional treat. Groups like Mad Paws and Pawshake can match you with local canines and their humans for regular paid strolls.” TOM WATSON Senior journalist “My first ever job as a teenager was refereeing football matches on weekends. Now while the prospect of dealing with the occasional passionate sideline commentator (think vocal parent) doesn’t thrill me, I’ve always loved the idea of dusting off my whistle and getting paid to run around outside again. After all, it’s basically a…

I distinctly remember the first issue of Money magazine hitting the newsstands back in 1999. At the time I was almost done with my four years of study to become a certified financial planner and was working for a large bank. That same year, my husband and I bought our first home and it looked like we were on a path to wealth creation. Career path in a growth industry … tick. Double income, no kids … tick. Lives full of possibility … tick. Fast-forward 22 years and I am still an avid Money reader. Looking back on all the experiences I’ve had in personal finance and investing, here are my five lessons. 1. Wealth is more than the money we possess This year marks my 23rd year as a planner supporting…