Everything here is stuff I actually use or have read. No affiliate links, no sponsored recommendations — just the things that have been genuinely useful.
Tools#
MoneySmart Compound Interest Calculator — ASIC’s calculator. Boring, reliable, and a great reality check on what consistent investing actually does over time.
MoneySmart Budget Planner — Good starting point if you’ve never tracked spending properly. Forces you to think in annual terms, not just monthly.
Passive Investing Australia ETF Comparison Tool — Excellent resource for comparing Australian ETFs, including MERs, distributions, and tax treatment.
A spreadsheet — Seriously. For net worth tracking, a simple spreadsheet beats any app. Full visibility, no subscription, no lock-in. [I’ll share mine here once it’s cleaned up.]
Books#
The Barefoot Investor — Scott Pape — The Australian personal finance entry point for a reason. Not deeply FI-focused, but the bucket system and debt elimination approach is solid groundwork.
The Psychology of Money — Morgan Housel — Less about tactics, more about how people actually think about and relate to money. One of the most useful books I’ve read on the topic.
Your Money or Your Life — Vicki Robin — The original FI text. A bit dated but the core concept — converting money into life energy — reframes how you think about spending entirely.
Die With Zero — Bill Perkins — A useful counter-argument to extreme frugality. The point isn’t to die rich, it’s to live well. Good balance to the more austere FI philosophy.
Quit Like a Millionaire — Kristy Shen & Bryce Leung — Canadian couple who hit FI in their early 30s. Practical and specific, with good coverage of the maths.
Podcasts#
Aussie Firebug — The Australian FIRE podcast. Interviews with people who’ve done it in an Australian context, which matters — tax, super, and franking credits are different here.
Equity Mates — Broad investing content, good for keeping across what’s happening in Australian markets.
She’s on the Money — Good entry-level personal finance content, particularly strong on budgeting and mindset.
Platforms#
Brokerage — I use [BROKERAGE] for ETF purchases. Low brokerage fees matter more than they seem when you’re investing regularly. Worth comparing SelfWealth, CMC Markets, and Stake.
Super — We’re with [SUPER_FUND]. Key things I looked for: low fees, a high-growth or indexed investment option, and a fund that’s not ripping members off with insurance premiums.
Useful Australian Links#
- ATO — Shares and investments — Capital gains, dividends, and what you actually owe.
- MoneySmart — ASIC’s financial guidance site. Trustworthy, unbiased.
- Passive Investing Australia — The best Australian resource for index investing specifically.
- Bogleheads Wiki — US-focused but the investing philosophy translates. Ignore the tax sections.
Last updated: March 2026