April 2021 Financial Checklist

It’s officially April folks! Which means we’re in for an extra busy month. Lucky for you, we’ve put together a checklist of all the things you’ll need to get through April Fool’s Day, Easter, the school holidays and all the other shenanigans that April will bring.

Your April 2021 Financial Checklist awaits ...

1. Quit being a fool with your finances

This time last year most of the world was one month deep into the mandatory COVID-19 lockdown (during which, many people’s only real connection to the outside world being the postman).

Now it might be April Fool’s Day but there ain’t nothing funny about being a fool with your finances. So if you online shopped up a storm in self-isolation - then it’s time to start rethinking your spending habits and look for ways to control your urge to splurge. For example:

eBay reportedly sold a whopping $59 million worth of books in 2020! So before you go and order another book online, why not borrow one from your local library (yes, they still have those). Not only would you save on the cost of the book itself, but you’d be saving on shipping costs too.

2. Do a car insurance check-in before your Easter egg-scape

With a quiet Easter in lockdown last year, we’re expecting to see lots of people hitting the road to go spend the holiday with their families this year.

But before setting off on your egg-citing Easter egg-scape (not even sorry) first make sure you’ve got all the road trip essentials: some good tunes, loads of chocolate and a solid car insurance policy.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so do a quick Easter road trip car insurance check-in before checking your policy is up to scratch with the right cover (including roadside assistance) and all your holiday drivers are listed on your policy.

3. Sort out your Easter Show budget

Speaking of Easter, the beloved Sydney Royal Easter Show is finally back after taking a year off in 2020 due to the pandemic. Now let’s be real, no matter how good your intentions are, most show day budgets fly out the window the moment you enter the showbag pavilion.

Very few can resist the temptation of a Bertie Beetle bag (or five) - so you’re gonna have to up the ante if you want to leave Olympic Park with a few dollars to spare.

Cut down on costs at the show by packing lunch for the fam, or at the very least sticking to the Snack Shack at the GIANTS Stadium for food and drinks under $3 per-serve. And don’t forget about the yummy $2 toasties over at the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome!

4. Learn about ethical banking with The Finance Burrito Podcast

Looking for a way to stay in the loop and expand your horizons within personal finance? Then get on board with The Finance Burrito podcast! Here’s what’s been on the agenda over the past month:

Episode #16: Unwrapped: Ethical Super & Banking options - Fact or fiction?

Episode #16 kicks off a brand new season of the podcast which is all about sustainability, ethics and personal finance (oh my!). First on the menu is ethical super and banking. In this ep, we explore:

• Whether ethical banking and super fund options exist down under (spoiler alert: they do)
• How where we choose to stash our cash can impact the world
• Plus, the DL on which providers are in the ethical good books according to expert sources
• Then, the guys sit down with Adam Verwey co-founder and director of ethical superannuation fund, Future Super to discuss:
  • How Future Super was founded
  • The barriers preventing Aussies from making the switch to an ethical super fund and how these options stack up in terms of profit.

Episode #17: Your Money News: Fab Fridays & a tasty Twitter trade 

In this ep. Liv and Tom unpack the hottest news topics of the week:

• Hear Tom and Liv chat about the latest warnings/predictions from ‘Big Short’ investor, Michael Burry around Bitcoin and other stocks
• The Twitter CEO selling his first tweet (wait 'til you hear the price)
• How and why women are falling behind in the property market
• And the potential launch of ‘Fab Fridays’ in Melbourne.

Episode #18: Unwrapped: The balance between shopping ethically while staying on budget

We all love a sneaky shop, but is it possible to indulge in a bit of retail therapy while staying ethical (and on budget)? Find out in the second ep of our sustainability season where our hosts discuss:

• The damage intensive shopping and consumption is doing to our planet (it’s not good, y’all)
• What it means to shop ethically in 2021
• Tips on how to take small steps towards shopping sustainably without blowing the budget
• Our hosts then sit down with the founder of online business Zero Co Mike Smith:
  • Zero Co aims to provide Aussies with a genuinely sustainable alternative in the cleaning and hygiene space.
  • Hear about why Mike decided to start the company, how it works and how he plans to achieve a 100% sustainable online shopping experience.

Episode #19: Your Money News: Free flights & flood support

Here are some of the news topics that Tom and Liv chat about this week:

• Liv shares the current government and bank support options available to Aussies affected by the NSW floods
• The Commonwealth Bank’s new Buy Now Pay Later product
• The huge number of free flights going on sale at the moment … only, not everyone is on board with the new initiative.

As you can see, there’s lots going on with The Finance Burrito podcast, so go and have a listen! Got some finger-lickin’ finance news? Give us the goods by sliding into our Instagram DM's or hitting us up via The Finance Burrito Facebook page!

5. Schmooze your way through Aries season

It’s time to party Aries babies! And not just because it’s Aries season … It looks like the universe could be sending lots of exciting collaborations and connections your way this year Aries friends. 

This, along with the fact that Pluto goes retrograde in Capricorn this June serve as perfect reminders for our Aries friends to do a little more self-reflecting in 2021. Our mystical Mozo Magic 8-ball also hinted that now could be the time to future-proof your current savings strategies, Aries.

That’s all for now! Have a happy Easter boys and girls! We’ll see you back here next month for your May 2021 Financial Checklist. Until then, go and have a sticky beak over at our life & money hub.