This week’s episode is a special one, I am so excited that this is episode 50! How the has flown, especially when I think back to my first recording in June last year and how far the podcast has come since then.

In our conversation for this episode, we focus on the cost of living pressure many households are feeling from multiple angles. Fuel prices have surged, with petrol sitting around $2.50 - $3.50 per litre and pushing even higher in some areas, driven by global supply disruptions and rising oil prices. At the same time, interest rates have continued to rise, with the Reserve Bank of Australia lifting the cash rate multiple times in recent months and the possibility of further increases still on the table.

For homeowners, this is having a very real impact. Higher borrowing costs, rising everyday expenses, and tighter cashflow are becoming part of the day to day reality for many Australians.

In this episode, I sit down with Sharon Bae, Founder of Artemis Finance, to unpack what is happening in the lending market right now: and more importantly, the five key reasons you may want to consider refinancing your mortgage.

• What is driving interest rates and cost of living pressures right now
• How lenders price loans and why loyalty doesn’t always pay
• What happens when fixed rates expire and repayments jump
• How increased equity can unlock better loan options
• When your current loan no longer suits your life
• Using refinancing to simplify and reduce high interest debt

When costs are rising around you, it is easy to absorb it and move on. But your mortgage is one area where a small change can make a meaningful difference. Take the time to review it, ask questions, and explore your options — because the impact can be far bigger than you think.

If this conversation has led you to consider whether refinancing could work in your situation, you can reach out to Sharon Bae via email at Artemis Finance: sharon@artemisfinance.com.au, or via the website: https://artemisfinance.com.au/

Your 60s are a decade where everything starts to shift where for many women we are considering the next phase of life - whatever that looks like - where you potentially have the financial freedom to choose whether or not you continue to work. There are some women who can't wait to retire and head off into the retirement sunset, and others who could think of nothing worse than stopping what they love doing and want to work until they are no longer able.

So in this episode, Naomi and Helene walk through the five things every woman needs to understand about money in her 60s: from accessing your super, to making decisions about work, housing, family, and getting your affairs properly in order.

• Turning 65 and what it unlocks: specifically relating to superannuation. We talk about accessing your super, drawing lump sums, and creating new planning opportunities
• The big question: can you afford to stop working, and do you actually want to, including how much is “enough”
• How income is built in retirement and the different options available to generate income, combining super, Centrelink, employment income, and other assets to create sustainable cashflow
• Housing decisions in your 60s - this is about downsizing, retirement living, or modifying your home, and the financial and lifestyle implications of each
• The realities of ageing parents and inheritances and understanding aged care costs, timing, and the options available for your inheritance
• Getting your “life admin” sorted, including your wills, super nominations, powers of attorney, and making sure your affairs are in order

This stage of life is about making clear, informed decisions that support how you want to live, for this decade as well as the years ahead.

There is a bunch of information in this episode to help you navigate the move from working to either reducing your working hours or retiring completely, so pick one area that is the most relevant to you and focus on that. The future is yours!

• Why it’s not too late and how your 50s still offer a powerful window to strengthen your financial position
• The importance of building your asset base and understanding what you actually have working for you
• Why this is the decade to get serious about reducing debt and improving your financial flexibility
• What “things can get messy” really looks like, including things like menopause, illness, redundancy, divorce, and loss of a partner
• The financial and emotional reality of being part of the sandwich generation