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Welcome to another edition of #AusFIWeekly. It’s Michelle here from FrugalityandFreedom.com, bringing you this regular selection of great financial independence links, news, and events from Australia and beyond.
This week, I was due to start another six months of budget travel around USA and Canada… *sad face*. With travel plans postponed, I’m chasing joy by dabbling in some online courses, tinkering with new projects, and escaping into a TV series or three (recommendations welcome!)
I’ve been bingeing audiobooks too, with soothing narrators accompanying me on socially-distanced walks around my neighbourhood. My favourite free audiobook sources are Scribd (60 day trial), plus public library membership services: Libby, Hoopla and BorrowBox. Check them out!
Recently at FrugalityandFreedom.com…
- NEW POST: Work from Home Jobs for Australians – With options I’ve used myself, such as Appen for online tasks at US$18/hr.
- RECENT POST: Diary of a SelFIsolator – Reflections on 14 days in bedroom-confined self-isolation… with room service by Mum.
- PODCAST: The Personal Finance Show – Covid-19 Weekly Update 3 – I shared my story on this Canadian podcast with host Beau Humphreys.
Australian Links
Reframing the Current Crisis – Strong Money Australia
“Things are pretty crappy for lots of Aussies right now. But there’s also reasons to be grateful and to see the positives around us. We can take this as an opportunity to enjoy a slower-paced, more meaningful way of life. Once we get used to these changes, we may even realise we can live a perfectly happy life with less spending and busyness than many assume.”
14. Rachel Smith, author of Underspent, shares why working from home can be a gift – The Joyful Frugalista podcast
“Rachel Smith chats with Serina about how working from home can boost productivity and be a gift to time-poor people. We also explore whether the current economic situation will lead to long term changes in how we view communities and consumption.”
Magic Money Printing and the Reality of Inflation – Firstlinks
“The central bank appears to offer the government a virtual ‘magic money tree’. On the face of it, abracadabra has become the key formula of contemporary economic statecraft, so that – miraculously – the coronavirus epidemic has no adverse financial implications for the government and citizens. Unfortunately, there is a problem here… If national output drops by 10-15%, people have 10-15% less of everything to consume or invest. That constraint must apply, regardless of the gimmickry of legal tender and the printing press.” (See also related post: How $200 billion is magically created.)
Late Starter to FI series #9: Recovering Women Wealth – Latestarterfire
“The first thing that changed in me when I was paying off my debt was that I didn’t need to spend money to feel joy. I really thought about what I valued and for me, that answer was relationships. There are plenty of ways to foster relationships without spending a lot of money. For example, taking a walk, working out, playing board games, hosting friends over for dinner and the list goes on and on. I think #SurvivingCOVID19 has also taught us about the simple pleasures in life.”
International Links
Adopting a Slow FI Mindset Can Help Us Thrive in a Crisis – The Fioneers (USA)
“Two things right now are helping me feel financially secure and mentally strong during this time: The financial stability that pursuing financial independence has provided + The mindset where I’m focusing on building a life that I love now, that Slow FI has provided.”
Save Money and Resources by Staggering Your Purchases – Ecofrugals (USA)
“The first and most important lesson for me was how fickle my joy from a new thing was… There would be a burst when I found it, but once I actually had it in my home that burst would fade away into nothing pretty quickly. So instead, if I feel like I really want something in the moment, I write it down on a list… then I wait.”
Five Ways to Apply LEAN to your Personal Life – Career Lions (Netherlands)
“LEAN methods are based around simplicity and not overdoing anything, not wasting any efforts. More importantly, it revolves around continuous (self) improvement. Applying this to your personal life could save you time and effort, but still keep your personal projects effective and fun.”
10 Smart Money Moves You Can Make Right Now – Handful of Thoughts (Canada)
“It is in tough times like this that I am often reminded to go back to the basics… Take the extra time you may have now and be mindful, don’t panic, and review your finances. Implementing even just a few of these smart money moves can go a long way to decreasing stress and improving your financial situation.”
Missed an edition? Read all #AusFIWeekly and other blog posts at the archives.
Yours in pursuit of FI,
Michelle @ Frugality and Freedom
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2 comments
Wow what a great list, honoured to be included. Although things at times feel all doom and gloom there are always ways to find a silver lining.
You’re welcome! I liked your link, reminding everyone about basics and being able to use this opportunity to reset. It’s rare that we have these great opportunities to simplify and reprioritise, so this is a silver lining indeed in the otherwise sh*tty time of pandemic.