Winter is coming<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s the motto of House Stark and the message is pretty clear: With winter comes the creepy-as White Walkers and their army of the living dead. To survive, preparation is key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/strawman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/GOT2-1024x639.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhen it comes to finance, there\u2019s a few ways to get organised. The first is by having an emergency fund. Any amount<\/strong> is a good start but there\u2019s a general consensus that your emergency fund should be the value of three months\u2019 worth of expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAn emergency fund can help you out when unforeseen things happen like you lose your job, you get sick or the White Walkers attack Castle Black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One way to prepare for possible sickness or disability is to get insurance. You can get income protection and total and permanent disability insurance through your super<\/a>. It\u2019s cheaper to get insurance this way as super funds purchase policies in bulk. Plus, the fees are automatically deducted from your super account.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThen there\u2019s the winter of retirement<\/a>. That\u2019s always coming. To prepare, make sure your employer is paying the mandated 9.5 percent of your salary into your super fund, combine your super accounts<\/a> into one to keep fees low and take an interest in what your money is invested in. If you\u2019re young it might be worth going for a higher growth option in shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/strawman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Cersei.gif\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nCersei Lannister was really onto something about the stock market when she uttered these formidable words. I think what she was really saying is that before you invest, make sure you know how much risk you can tolerate<\/a>, and understand how these risks can affect your gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAll investments involve some degree of risk. In the stock market, the risk is much higher than putting your money into a bank account or keeping it in a jar. So, by taking the risk you should expect some kind of compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you play the stock market, you can win big, but you can also lose big.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Changing allegiances can pay off<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nMaster strategist and keen wine drinker Tyrion Lannister switches sides after topping his father Tywin with a crossbow. He allies with Daenerys, the Mother of Dragons who wants to take back the Iron Throne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s the financial lesson here? Just because you\u2019ve always done things a certain way doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s the best way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/strawman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/GOT3.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to stick with the Iron Bank. Use a comparison site<\/a> to check your savings account and if you have one, your credit card, and see whether you might get a better interest rate somewhere else. Yeah, it\u2019s a pain to switch banks or get a new credit card, but it could be worth some serious dragon coin in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe same goes for your mortgage, if you\u2019re seeing better rates advertised than you\u2019re getting, give your bank a call and ask for a discount. It\u2019s much easier for a bank to keep an existing customer than it is for them to get a new one, so it\u2019s worth your bank\u2019s while to be accommodating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Lannister always pays his debts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe Lannisters have taught us to pay our debts<\/a> promptly and in full, and also to make sure we never incur debts we can\u2019t repay.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhile some borrowing may be considered \u2018good debt\u2019, like a mortgage, bad debt, like the interest you rack up on a credit card, can put you on a slippery slope to financial ruin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A history of debt can also have financial repercussions down the line when it comes to getting a mortgage, especially given that Australian banks have gotten pretty picky with how much and to whom they lend their gold dragons to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Invest with your head, not your heart<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nEverything in Game of Thrones is driven by a desire for power or revenge. Robb Stark was going pretty well in his war against the Lannisters during his tenure as King in the North.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But\u2026 he followed his heart by marrying Talisa Maegyr rather than sticking to his deal with Walder Frey. It all ended with the Red Wedding, one of the most brutal scenes in Thrones history, and Robb quite literally lost his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Investor behaviour is one of the greatest factors in determining returns. If you freak out and react by selling your shares when they fall in price, you will lose money. If you understand the ups and downs of the market, still have faith in the fundamentals of the company, then holding onto them \u2013 as scary as the ride may be \u2013 may pay off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, if you\u2019ve really got your head in the game, when stock prices fall, you buy more. In the words of the Maester of the finance world, Warren Buffett, \u201cBe fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nBronwyn (aka Miss Money Box) as a financial education blogger dedicated to helping Australian women expand their general knowledge around personal finance. Please visit <\/em>www.missmoneybox.com.au<\/em><\/a> for loads of great content, and be sure to <\/em>sign-up<\/em><\/a> to be notified of new content.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nReturn to the Strawman Platform here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nStrawman is Australia’s premier online investment club. Join for free to access independent & actionable recommendations from proven private investors.<\/em>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhen it comes to finance, there\u2019s a few ways to get organised. The first is by having an emergency fund. Any amount<\/strong> is a good start but there\u2019s a general consensus that your emergency fund should be the value of three months\u2019 worth of expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An emergency fund can help you out when unforeseen things happen like you lose your job, you get sick or the White Walkers attack Castle Black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One way to prepare for possible sickness or disability is to get insurance. You can get income protection and total and permanent disability insurance through your super<\/a>. It\u2019s cheaper to get insurance this way as super funds purchase policies in bulk. Plus, the fees are automatically deducted from your super account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then there\u2019s the winter of retirement<\/a>. That\u2019s always coming. To prepare, make sure your employer is paying the mandated 9.5 percent of your salary into your super fund, combine your super accounts<\/a> into one to keep fees low and take an interest in what your money is invested in. If you\u2019re young it might be worth going for a higher growth option in shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cersei Lannister was really onto something about the stock market when she uttered these formidable words. I think what she was really saying is that before you invest, make sure you know how much risk you can tolerate<\/a>, and understand how these risks can affect your gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All investments involve some degree of risk. In the stock market, the risk is much higher than putting your money into a bank account or keeping it in a jar. So, by taking the risk you should expect some kind of compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you play the stock market, you can win big, but you can also lose big.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Master strategist and keen wine drinker Tyrion Lannister switches sides after topping his father Tywin with a crossbow. He allies with Daenerys, the Mother of Dragons who wants to take back the Iron Throne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s the financial lesson here? Just because you\u2019ve always done things a certain way doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s the best way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t have to stick with the Iron Bank. Use a comparison site<\/a> to check your savings account and if you have one, your credit card, and see whether you might get a better interest rate somewhere else. Yeah, it\u2019s a pain to switch banks or get a new credit card, but it could be worth some serious dragon coin in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same goes for your mortgage, if you\u2019re seeing better rates advertised than you\u2019re getting, give your bank a call and ask for a discount. It\u2019s much easier for a bank to keep an existing customer than it is for them to get a new one, so it\u2019s worth your bank\u2019s while to be accommodating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lannisters have taught us to pay our debts<\/a> promptly and in full, and also to make sure we never incur debts we can\u2019t repay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While some borrowing may be considered \u2018good debt\u2019, like a mortgage, bad debt, like the interest you rack up on a credit card, can put you on a slippery slope to financial ruin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A history of debt can also have financial repercussions down the line when it comes to getting a mortgage, especially given that Australian banks have gotten pretty picky with how much and to whom they lend their gold dragons to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everything in Game of Thrones is driven by a desire for power or revenge. Robb Stark was going pretty well in his war against the Lannisters during his tenure as King in the North.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But\u2026 he followed his heart by marrying Talisa Maegyr rather than sticking to his deal with Walder Frey. It all ended with the Red Wedding, one of the most brutal scenes in Thrones history, and Robb quite literally lost his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Investor behaviour is one of the greatest factors in determining returns. If you freak out and react by selling your shares when they fall in price, you will lose money. If you understand the ups and downs of the market, still have faith in the fundamentals of the company, then holding onto them \u2013 as scary as the ride may be \u2013 may pay off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, if you\u2019ve really got your head in the game, when stock prices fall, you buy more. In the words of the Maester of the finance world, Warren Buffett, \u201cBe fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bronwyn (aka Miss Money Box) as a financial education blogger dedicated to helping Australian women expand their general knowledge around personal finance. Please visit <\/em>www.missmoneybox.com.au<\/em><\/a> for loads of great content, and be sure to <\/em>sign-up<\/em><\/a> to be notified of new content.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Return to the Strawman Platform here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Strawman is Australia’s premier online investment club. Join for free to access independent & actionable recommendations from proven private investors.<\/em>When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nChanging allegiances can pay off<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nA Lannister always pays his debts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Invest with your head, not your heart<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n