Friends With Money

Money Magazine
  • 3.5 (2)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

We all have questions about money; how to earn it, how to spend it, and the best ways to invest so we can watch it grow. The Friends With Money podcast, created by Money Magazine (Australia’s longest-running and most-read personal finance magazine), shares its extensive network of finance experts, in-depth knowledge of markets and timely advice to help you understand the world of money. Hosted by senior writer, Tom Watson, Managing Editor, Vanessa Walker and editor-in-chief, Michelle Baltazar, Friends With Money is a weekly chat with a variety of credentialed guests that you won’t want to miss. Listening and learning will help you on the path to financial freedom.

  1. Love, lies, and money

    1H AGO

    Love, lies, and money

    Romance Scams: ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe on Red Flags, AI Risks & How to Protect Yourself | Friends With Money Romance scams are evolving fast, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission wants Australians to recognise the warning signs earlier. On this week’s Friends With Money podcast, managing editor Vanessa Walker speaks with ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe about the regulator’s romance scam awareness campaign and why these crimes cause serious financial loss and long‑lasting emotional harm. Lowe explains that romance scams involve fake relationships designed to steal money and personal data. They often start on dating apps or social platforms before quickly moving to encrypted messaging services. She outlines two common scam models, fast investment pitches and long‑running “slow burn” requests, and reveals Australians reported more than $28.6 million in losses to Scamwatch through 2025. The episode also explores the ACCC’s taskforce approach, a new online relationship health check tool, the incoming scams prevention framework for banks, telcos and digital platforms, the role of organised crime and trafficking, and how AI could help ddefeat reverse image searches. Links: ACCC Scamwatch 00:30 What are romance scams? 02:42 How big the losses are 04:45 How scams move online 06:18 Industry crackdown tools 07:49 Scams prevention framework 11:13 Who runs these rings 13:47 AI and future scams 16:08 Who Is most at risk 19:02 Warning signs and next steps Podcast Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Money Website YouTube Podcast Playlist Email Us: podcast@moneymag.com.au Get stories like this in our newsletter: bit.ly/3GDirbR

    23 min
  2. Fuel crisis: Is it time to buy an EV?

    APR 28

    Fuel crisis: Is it time to buy an EV?

    Should You Switch to an EV? Fuel shortages, charging costs & best electric cars in Australia The war in Iran and resulting oil shortages are driving petrol and diesel supply anxiety in Australia, while more EVs from Asia, better home charging options, and typical fuel savings of $1200–$2000 per year are boosting interest in electric vehicle sales. This week on the Friends With Money podcast, Money's managing editor, Vanessa Walker, is joined by motoring contributor Matt Campbell to discuss the pros and cons of buying an EV. Campbell explains the main barriers that held Australians back — price, range anxiety, resale and battery concerns, fit-for-purpose models, and charging infrastructure — then outlines what has changed, including emissions rules, improved plug-in hybrid and EV ranges, and growing price parity. They cover economical charging (EV plans, solar and home batteries), insurance and resale considerations, suggested EV models across sizes, and why faster charging speeds are the next major battleground. 01:38 Why Aussies hesitated 03:14 Policy shifts and better range 05:23 Charging network bottlenecks 08:04 Cheapest ways to charge 09:19 Affordable EV price points 12:07 Must-have features vs gimmicks 13:46 Hidden costs insurance and resale 16:01 Top picks small to large 18:27 Future faster charging tech Links: Matt's Youtube channel Podcast Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Money Website YouTube Podcast Playlist Email Us: podcast@moneymag.com.au Get stories like this in our newsletter: bit.ly/3GDirbR

    21 min
  3. Family trusts

    APR 21

    Family trusts

    Family Trusts Explained (Australia): Tax Flexibility, Asset Protection & Who They’re For | Friends With Money This week on The Friends With Money podcast, Money Magazine’s Ryan Johnson speaks with licensed Australian financial adviser and author Helen Baker to explain family trusts in plain english and challenge the idea they’re only for the ultra-wealthy. They break down how a family trust is its own entity, the roles of beneficiaries, trustees and the appointor (who holds ultimate power), and why separation of control matters for potential asset protection. Helen clarifies that the trust owns the assets and beneficiaries generally have rights to income or capital distributions, not ownership, and discusses when a trust may be worth considering (often with significant funds, varying household incomes, or positive income/capital), how tax flexibility works via distributing income across beneficiaries, the need to distribute to avoid the trust being taxed at the top rate, costs to set up and run, risks of poor management, and why investment suitability and liquidity matter. 00:00 Family trusts explained 02:03 Trust roles breakdown 05:12 Who owns what 06:13 When trusts make sense 08:23 Tax flexibility in action 10:25 Your advisory team 11:57 Risks and penalties 12:56 Costs to run and unwind 14:55 Choosing investments 16:49 Who trusts are for Podcast Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Money Website YouTube Podcast Playlist Email Us: podcast@moneymag.com.au Get stories like this in our newsletter: bit.ly/3GDirbR

    19 min
  4. One year out from retirement

    APR 14

    One year out from retirement

    Retirement Planning in Australia: What to Do 5 Years Out, 1 Year Out & On Retirement Day This week on Friends With Money, Money Magazine host Ryan Johnson speaks with financial adviser Nick Bruining (Netplan) about preparing for retirement from five years out through to “R-day.” They cover assessing family arrangements, assets and cash flow, likely lifestyle spending, and creating a wishlist while prioritising paying off non-deductible debt. Nick explains why life insurance often becomes less necessary as assets grow, and how to reduce investment risk in super as retirement nears while still keeping some growth for a 20–30 year retirement. They discuss boosting super via salary sacrifice, personal deductible contributions, carry-forward concessional rules for balances under $500,000, and debunk the “million-dollar myth,” noting Centrelink can meaningfully top up income. The episode also covers downsizer contributions, part pension rules while working, concession cards, and applying via myGov within 13 weeks. 00:57 Five years out checklist 03:25 Rethinking life insurance 05:24 Super strategy and risk 08:54 One year out planning 11:28 Boosting super smartly 14:35 Downsizing and centrelink 17:10 Purpose and part pension 21:10 Applying for pension cards 23:55 Retirement day logistics Podcast Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Money Website YouTube Podcast Playlist Email Us: podcast@moneymag.com.au Get stories like this in our newsletter: bit.ly/3GDirbR

    27 min
  5. Gold fever

    APR 7

    Gold fever

    The story of gold: Why it’s valuable, how it shaped Australia, and how to invest today This week on the Friends With Money podcast, Money Magazine managing editor Vanessa Walker speaks with journalist Ryan Johnson about his April feature “The Story of Gold,” exploring why gold—an outer-space metal delivered by meteorites—became a durable, portable, and a widely accepted form of money. They discuss gold’s key advantages over other elements, how much exists (about 219,000 tonnes ever mined), and its role in Australia’s history from the 1851 gold rush through to the establishment of the Sydney and Perth mints and the Eureka Stockade. They explore how currencies were once pegged to gold, why the link ended during the depression and why central banks still buy gold, including the RBA’s 80 tonnes largely stored in London. 01:19 Why gold works 02:57 How much gold exists 03:35 Australia gold rush 05:01 Gold standard ends 06:21 Central Bank gold 07:53 Gold price outlook 09:00 Selling physical gold 10:41 Investing with ETFs Podcast Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Money Website YouTube Podcast Playlist Email Us: podcast@moneymag.com.au Get stories like this in our newsletter: bit.ly/3GDirbR

    12 min
  6. Defence shares rally

    MAR 31

    Defence shares rally

    Defence stocks explained: ETFs, cyclical risks, and ethical investing | Friends With Money In this week's Friends With Money, editor-in-chief Michelle Baltazar speaks with Alex Jamieson of Jamieson Private Wealth about why defence shares have rallied amid widening Middle East conflict, disrupted shipping lanes, and higher oil prices. Jamieson explains how “defence” now spans drones, robotics, AI, cybersecurity, and software, and argues rising geopolitical risk and NATO catch-up spending make it a longer-term structural theme, though stocks can be cyclical and require active rebalancing and profit-taking. 01:30 What counts as defence stocks 02:22 Why defence stocks are rallying 04:02 Do you already have exposure 05:46 Cyclical stocks and profit-taking 07:49 Fear trade or structural trend? 09:58 Defence ETFs to consider 11:53 Stock spotlight: DroneShield 13:21 Ethics of defence investing Podcast Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Money Website YouTube Podcast Playlist Email Us: podcast@moneymag.com.au Get stories like this in our newsletter: bit.ly/3GDirbR

    17 min
  7. Kmart chaos: The rise of third-party sellers

    MAR 24

    Kmart chaos: The rise of third-party sellers

    Third-Party Marketplaces on Woolworths, Big W, Kmart & Bunnings: What Australian Shoppers Need to Know In this Friends With Money Podcast episode, Money Magazine managing editor Vanessa Walker speaks with journalist Ryan Johnson about the rise of third-party marketplaces and why Australians are often confused when trusted retailers like Woolworths, BigW, Bunnings, Kmart and others sell items supplied by third-party sellers. They discuss how widespread online shopping is in Australia, how marketplaces benefit retailers through rapid range expansion without holding inventory, and what consumers gain—and risk—through wider product choice. Ryan shares an example of a BigW marketplace return dispute and outlines common issues such as inconsistent delivery, extra fees, and return complications, plus concerns about lower-quality or unsafe products. They also explain that Australian Consumer Law guarantees still apply, but shoppers should check who the seller is and escalate unresolved disputes to fair trading agencies or the ACCC. 01:20 How many Australians shop online 02:01 Why shoppers get confused 04:34 Why retailers love it 05:31 Consumer upsides and tradeoffs 06:17 Hidden traps and returns 08:01 Safety and trust risks 09:00 Your rights under ACL 10:04 How to protect yourself Podcast Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Money Website YouTube Podcast Playlist Email Us: podcast@moneymag.com.au Get stories like this in our newsletter: bit.ly/3GDirbR

    12 min
  8. How debt recycling can make you money

    MAR 17

    How debt recycling can make you money

    Debt recycling explained: how Australians turn home equity into investments In this Friends With Money episode from Money magazine, host Ryan Johnson chats with mortgage broker Joseph Daoud (It’s Simple Finance) to unpack debt recycling in plain English. They explain how splitting your home loan or using a line of credit lets you access equity to invest in property, shares or a business, with potential tax benefits from deductible interest and investment expenses. They work through a $1 million home example, outline who this suits (often higher-income earners and many self-employed borrowers), and step through setup essentials: pick the right lender and structure (often interest-only), team up with a good broker and accountant, and keep the investment purpose clear. They also flag the big risks—bad advice, risky assets, rising rates, thin buffers—and why retirees or lower-income earners can be overexposed without a solid exit plan. Timestamps 00:00 What debt recycling is 01:09 How the structure works 02:38 Who it suits 04:33 Goals and tax benefits 05:35 A real case study 08:02 Setting up the loan split 11:23 Choosing investments 12:13 Risks and rate rises 16:38 Which pros to call 17:34 Who should avoid it 20:43 Three rules and wrap Podcast Links: Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Money Website YouTube Podcast Playlist Email Us: podcast@moneymag.com.au Get stories like this in our newsletter: bit.ly/3GDirbR

    23 min
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Ratings & Reviews

3.5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

We all have questions about money; how to earn it, how to spend it, and the best ways to invest so we can watch it grow. The Friends With Money podcast, created by Money Magazine (Australia’s longest-running and most-read personal finance magazine), shares its extensive network of finance experts, in-depth knowledge of markets and timely advice to help you understand the world of money. Hosted by senior writer, Tom Watson, Managing Editor, Vanessa Walker and editor-in-chief, Michelle Baltazar, Friends With Money is a weekly chat with a variety of credentialed guests that you won’t want to miss. Listening and learning will help you on the path to financial freedom.

Information

  • Creator
    Money Magazine
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    279
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Money Magazine
  • Show Website
    Friends With Money

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