Life Admin Life Hacks Life Admin Life Hacks

Discover gift-giving hacks for the festive season to save money, reduce your mental load and and buy group gifts efficiently.

In this episode, we interview Ali Linz, co-founder of Group Together, about the benefits of group gifts, common mistakes when buying gifts, and the benefits of a systematic approach to gift buying.

Resources

* GroupTogether [https://www.grouptogether.com/]
* Get Ready for Christmas Checklist [https://www.lifeadminlifehacks.com/christmas]
* Catherine Hamlin  [https://hamlin.org.au/]
* Fred  Hollows Foundation [https://www.hollows.org/au/home]
* Oxfam Christmas gifts [https://unwrapped.oxfam.org.au/occasion/charity-christmas-gifts]
* Kmart Wishing Tree [http://kmart.com.au/wishingtree]



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Discover smart strategies for a memorable and meaningful holiday season without breaking the bank. 

Mia and Dinah talk about celebrating Christmas given the high cost of living and how people can enjoy a low cost Christmas with some clever hacks. They discuss:

* Setting a Budget
* Cost-Saving Strategies for Buying Gifts
* Budget-Friendly Holiday Meals:
* Travel Hacks for the Holidays:

For the full shownotes, head to Life Admin Life Hacks [https://www.lifeadminlifehacks.com/podcasts/life-admin-life-hacks-podcast/episodes/2148296570] - https://shorturl.at/duyG1

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Mia and Dinah interview advocate, Carol Robertson, and discover how a buyer's advocate can help reduce the mental load of buying property, saving you time and stress.

Carol Robertson is a real estate veteran with more than 20 years of experience in property. She specialises in her clients' homes rather than property investment and provides valuable insights and guidance for her clients to make informed decisions about their next home and selling their current one. She is dedicated to reducing overwhelm for her clients in the real estate industry.

The Impact of the Current Economic Climate

* Market uncertainty affects both buyers and sellers, making it crucial to carefully consider the timing of buying or selling a property.
* Downsizers need to ensure that the sale of their current home will provide enough equity for their future plans.

Essential Steps for Buyers:

* Get your finances in order before starting the search for a property, including obtaining pre-approval from a lender.
* Research the market thoroughly, looking not only at current listings but also at recently sold properties to understand pricing trends.
* Consider your long-term goals and the specific features you want in a property to ensure it meets your needs.

Importance of Building and Pest Inspections

* Depending on the age and condition of the property, it may be necessary to conduct building and pest inspections to identify any major defects or issues.
* These inspections provide valuable information for buyers to make informed decisions and negotiate repairs or adjustments to the purchase price.

Strategies for Buyers in a Competitive Market

* Understand the local market and the tactics used by agents, such as underquoting, to set realistic expectations.
* Be patient and avoid rushing into a purchase, as this can lead to overpaying or making a decision that doesn't align with your long-term goals.
* Consider hiring a buyer's advocate to navigate the process, provide independent advice, and negotiate on your behalf.

The Role of Buyer and Seller Advocates

* Buyer and seller advocates are independent professionals who guide clients through the buying or selling process, providing valuable insights and reducing stress.
* Advocates conduct extensive research, shortlist properties or agents, and ensure that clients are well-informed and prepared.
* Advocates can also assist with coordinating other professionals, such as conveyancers and tradespeople, to streamline the process.

Buying or selling a property can be overwhelming, but with the right preparation, research, and support from buyer and seller advocates, it can be a more efficient and less stressful experience.

RESOURCES

* msproperty.com.au

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In this episode, Mia and Dinah follow Obu's journey from an affluent upbringing to navigating financial constraints, setting the stage for a discussion about helping women take control of their financial wellbeing.

Obu Ramaraj is a money management speaker, author of two books: Smart Women: Smart Home Loans - what your lenders won't tell you and Smart Women Smart Habits - powerful practices to create your ideal financial future. She's the CEO of Smart Money Solutions. Her mission is to help women take control of their financial lives, helping women transform their relationship with money to transform their relationship with life.

The key topics covered include:

What is financial wellness and how to improve financial literacy

* Obu highlights the common mistake of women relying solely on their partners for financial decisions, emphasizing the importance of financial independence and open communication in relationships.
* The absence of financial literacy in traditional education is highlighted, with Obu stressing the importance of understanding where one's money comes from and where it goes.

Uncovering Money Stories, Limiting Beliefs and Emotional Spending

* Recognizing one's money stories and limiting beliefs is paramount for making sound financial decisions. The conversation spotlights the psychological factors influencing financial choices.
* The issue of emotional spending is discussed, with a focus on identifying triggers and developing healthier habits to curb impulsive buying.

Aligning Values with Financial Priorities

* Creating sustainable financial plans involves aligning financial priorities with personal values and desires. Setting specific financial goals is a fundamental aspect of financial planning.

Money management

Obu emphasizes the importance of financial tracking and the availability of apps and tools for tracking spending is discussed, along with the value of using spreadsheets. The conversation encourages individuals to create separate financial buckets for savings, investments, and daily expenses to ensure proper allocation of funds.

Superannuation and Retirement Planning

* The discussion delves into the topic of superannuation, emphasizing the need to understand fund and investment options and the benefits of regular contributions

Insurance and Emergency Funds

* The conversation highlights that insurance isn't solely for major events and recommends having a financial safety net to cover unforeseen expenses.

Investment and Overcoming Risk Aversion

* The conversation addresses the common tendency of women to be risk-averse when it comes to investing. It encourages women to overcome this fear and explore long-term investment options.

LIFE ADMIN RESOURCES

* Obu Ramaraj's website [https://oburamaraj.com/]
* Obu's Savvy Finance Tracker [https://oburamaraj.com/budget/]
* Episode 70 - Your Money Mindset  [https://www.lifeadminlifehacks.com/podcasts/life-admin-life-hacks-podcast/episodes/2148205324]
* Episode 68 - Managing investments [https://www.lifeadminlifehacks.com/podcasts/life-admin-life-hacks-podcast/episodes/2148205326] 
* Episode 30 - Sorting out life insurance  [https://www.lifeadminlifehacks.com/podcasts/life-admin-life-hacks-podcast/episodes/2148205363]

In this episode, Mia and Dinah interview Casper ter Kuile, author of The Power of Ritual and co-founder of The Nearness, about infusing meaning and ritual into daily routines to transform how we approach life admin tasks.

The inspiration for his book, The Power of Ritual, came from his secular upbringing and his curiosity about intentional living.

* Casper highlights the need for intentional community-building in a world with fewer traditional religious structures.
* The conversation delves into the scarcity of meaningful rituals in modern life, with weddings becoming one of the few grand moments.
* Casper shares an example of his personal ritual, the "State of the Heart Order of the House" meeting, as a way to bring intentionality into daily life.
* Rituals are defined as habits with added layers of meaning, serving to remind us of what's important and fostering gratitude.
* Casper suggests reframing daily habits, like brushing teeth, with intentional practices to turn them into rituals.
* He suggests starting with habits that already have some joy or meaning.
* The three key steps to create meaningful rituals are: intention, attention, and repetition.
* Intention: Begin by understanding why you perform a certain task. What is the deeper purpose or meaning behind it?
* Attention: Pay close attention to the task at hand. Engage your senses, and be fully present during the ritual.
* Repetition: Establish a consistent rhythm for your ritual. It doesn't have to be daily; it can be weekly or as suits your lifestyle.
* Casper shares personal examples, like using a moisturizer application as a daily ritual for reflection.
* He highlights the importance of creating a communal aspect to rituals, where people can share their experiences and challenges.
* Find ways to make tasks less lonely by involving others, such as co-working sessions for administrative tasks.
* Rituals connect us and make us feel part of something bigger, even in a virtual setting.
* Consider how rituals can bring people together, foster support, and add meaning to routine tasks.
* How a tech sabbath embraces traditional sabbath ideas in a modern way
* How to go 'ritual spotting'
* Connecting with nature and moments of transcendence to bring more spirituality into our lives during daily activities  LIFE ADMIN 

RESOURCES

* Casper ter Kuile's website  [https://www.caspertk.com/]
* The Power of Ritual  [https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-power-of-ritual-casper-ter-kuile?variant=32894732140578]
* The Nearness [https://www.thenearness.coop/] 



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Much loved the world over, Swedish-born Kristina Karlsson is the Founder of kikki.K,  Founder & Creative Director of Dream Life,  author of bestseller  Your Dream Life Starts Here and host of the Your Dream Life podcast. which has over 2.5 million downloads in more than 160 countries. 

In the episode, Kristina:

* discusses how her journey began when she moved from Sweden to Australia, searching for her life's purpose. Her partner's suggestion to write down her dreams led her to create her own business, Kikki.K, which offered beautifully designed stationery products.
* emphasizes the importance of setting clear goals and dreams. She advises people to start with a dreaming exercise to determine what they would do if they couldn't fail, if they had all the resources, and if their health and energy were at their peak. From there, she encourages breaking down those dreams into actionable steps.
* suggests creating an ideal week or time-blocking your schedule to allocate time for various activities, whether personal growth, work, or family. She also emphasizes starting small, dedicating just a bit of time each day or week to work on goals.
* advocates for having a dedicated home for everything. She believes that this simple practice can save a lot of time that might otherwise be wasted searching for items.
* discusses how she combines both paper and technology in her organizational approach. The key is to find a system that works for you/
* talks about the power of rituals to create a productive and fulfilling life. She suggests incorporating morning rituals, like spending even just 10 minutes on personal growth activities, to set a positive tone for the day. She also recommends having dedicated time slots during the week for working on dreams and goals.
* regularly reviewing and adjusting your routines and systems is essential to staying on track and improving productivity.
* her perspective on achieving work-life balance, emphasizing the importance of avoiding burnout and focusing on self-care.
* that daily self-care practices, such as meditation, writing morning pages, and going for walks, play a crucial role in maintaining balance. Kristina's morning routine involves meditation, writing, and taking a walk, which helps her find clarity and inspiration.
* that she doesn't view work-life balance as a strict separation but rather focuses on integrating her passions into her daily life.
* her interest in health and longevity, mentioning that she's studying to become a health coach and is passionate about inspiring others to pursue their dreams and live healthy lives.
* the significance of creating space for oneself, mentioning that she dedicates Sundays to unplanned activities and relaxation, which allows her to recharge and cope with life's challenges more effectively.

RESOURCES

The Dream Life Store [http://www.thedreamlifestore.com/]

Follow Kristina on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kristinadreamlife/]

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