What if the amount of money you currently earn, have or manage isn't your limit? What if it's simply your starting point?

Have you ever felt like you've reached a certain financial level and, no matter what you do, you can't seem to move beyond it?

Perhaps it's an income level, a business revenue target, or simply the amount of money you feel comfortable having.

In this episode of Money with Alpha, I'm exploring the idea of our money ceiling, the invisible limits we place on ourselves, often without even realising it.

And more importantly, how we can start turning that ceiling into our new floor.

We'll look at why financial growth isn't always about earning more. Sometimes, it's about creating space for more, getting clear on what we want our money to do for us, and building systems that make managing money simpler.

In this episode, we explore:

• How our beliefs and expectations can create invisible money ceilings.

• Why you might have achieved more financially than you realise.

• Three practical steps to create room for growth: declutter, simplify and organise.

• Why getting clear on what you want money for matters more than chasing an arbitrary number.

• How to involve your family in financial decisions without making everything feel like a sacrifice.

• Why simple systems and money habits help you manage financial growth with more confidence.

I'll also share some examples from my own life, including my financial spring cleaning, how I organise different savings accounts, and why bringing our own food on family outings is about much more than saving money.

A little challenge for this week: Set aside an hour to look at your finances. What can you declutter, simplify or organise to make room for the next stage of your financial life?

Because your current financial position doesn't have to define what's possible next.

Want to talk about your own money situation?

I offer a free, obligation-free Discovery Chat where we can explore where you're at, what you're working towards and what might help you move forward.

The cost of living is rising. Interest rates are up, household bills are increasing, and for many business owners, money simply isn't flowing the way it used to.

But I don't think the answer is to spend your life feeling like you have to cut back.

In this episode of Money with Alpha, I'm sharing some of the everyday things I do to keep our household costs under control, regardless of what is happening in the economy.

Because for me, this isn't really about "saving money".

It's about becoming more intentional and resourceful with the money you already have, and building habits that help make your financial life less vulnerable to what's happening in the outside world.

I talk about some of the practical strategies I use around:

• Groceries and food, including buying in bulk, shopping differently and making more from scratch

• Buying secondhand and why it can actually feel better than buying new

• Reviewing mortgages, debt and finance costs

• Why business owners with ATO debt need a plan rather than avoidance

• Reducing transport and fuel costs without necessarily feeling like you're missing out

• Reviewing insurance and utilities rather than automatically accepting annual increases

• Using AI to help compare bills, shop around and even use up what's already sitting in your pantry

• Knowing when AI is useful and when you really do need a skilled human professional

I also share why I think the mindset behind all of this matters.

There is a very different feeling between:

"I can't afford that."

and

"Is there a better way I could do this?"

One comes from restriction. The other comes from choice.

My aim isn't to create a life where you constantly feel like you're economising. It's to build a way of managing money that simply becomes your normal.

And when those habits are already in place, changes in interest rates, inflation and the economy hopefully have a little less power over your life.

If you'd like some help looking at your own finances and working out where you could make changes, you're welcome to book a free Discovery Chat with me.

Most of us never had anyone sit us down and explain money. We picked it up from watching our parents, making mistakes, and quietly hoping we'd figure it out. So what would change if the first money lesson came at bedtime, in a rhyming picture book about bunnies?

This week I'm joined by Lionel O'Malley, a financial planner who specialises in retirement, and who has co-written a six-book children's series called Bunnies and Monies. We talk about the simple save, spend, share system at the heart of the books, why tapping a card means kids (and adults) lose touch with what money is worth, and why so many retirees end up sitting on money they were too scared to enjoy.

If you've ever thought "I can't teach my kids about money, I haven't even sorted my own," this one's for you. You don't need to be the expert. You need a simple system and a willingness to start the conversation.

About Lionel

Lionel O'Malley grew up in Bourke in central-west New South Wales and played rugby league in the Bulldogs system before a stint concreting convinced him he needed a different long-term plan. He studied financial planning and accounting, has been a financial adviser for 10 years, and started his own practice five years ago. He now works exclusively with pre-retirees and retirees aged 50+, travelling around Australia to meet clients in person. He's a husband and dad of three, and co-author (with fellow planner Victor Idoko) of the Bunnies and Monies book series. He's also co-written The Little Book of Retirement Concepts.

What we cover

• Lionel's path from country NSW and rugby league to financial planning
• Why he and co-author Victor Idoko wrote a kids' money book series
• The save, spend, share system and the three "bunny banks"
• Why cards and phones make it harder for kids to understand value
• The jelly bean lesson: spending on things that disappear vs saving for something that lasts
• Goal jars and why seeing progress keeps you going
• What percentage should go in each jar
• Delayed gratification, grit, and the joy of waiting for something
• Practical tools for kids who are getting too old for jars

Key takeaways

1. You don't need to be a money expert to teach your kids about money. A simple structure like save, spend, share gives you a starting point, wherever you are in your own money life.
2. Tangible money teaches value. When kids hand over a $10 note and it isn't enough, they learn something a tap of a card never shows them.
3. Balance, not all or nothing. Money doesn't have to all be saved, all spent, or all given. The skill is deciding how much goes where.
4. Goals give money a job. If you don't know what you want money for, it tends to disappear. A visible goal changes behaviour.
5. Fear-based saving has a cost too. Plenty of people save their whole lives and then struggle to spend in retirement. A healthy relationship with money includes enjoying it.

Links

• Bunnies and Monies book series: https://www.bunniesmonies.com.au/
• Connect with Lionel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lionelomally/

Disclaimer: This episode contains general information only and does not take into account your personal circumstances. It is not financial advice. Products and apps mentioned in this episode (including kids' banking apps and cards) are mentioned in conversation, not endorsed. Please speak with a licensed financial adviser before making financial decisions.