October 2018 Financial Checklist

Anyone else find it strange that October isn’t the eight month of the year? I mean, an octagon has eight sides, an octopus has eight tentacles, but yet October is the tenth month. Weird. Nonetheless, October is set to be a big month because it’s time to start it's time to get summer ready, start preparing for Christmas and confront your financial fears come Halloween. So grab your pen and pad because we’ve six things to add to your checklist.

Give your furry friend a financial boost

As Aussies across the country get excited to start their month with a day off, others will be spending it pampering their pooch. If you didn’t know, October 1 marks the start of ‘Dogtober’ - a month all about celebrating our four legged friends. And for many of us, our dogs are like family, so why not open up a savings account just for them! Then get yourself started by making regular depawsits (get it?) of around $10 or $20.

While we know they won’t be dipping into it anytime soon, you’ll have peace of mind knowing they’d be looked after in a hairy situation and you won’t have to rack up a huge credit card bill if you have to take an unexpected trip to the vet.

Get your home holiday ready

With Christmas less than 3 months away, many Aussies may have already started thinking about their wish list, what’s on the menu for Christmas lunch...and the number of people who’ll be running up and down that creaky staircase.  

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so this month review your home and contents insurance policy to make sure you’ve still receive adequate cover in case you ever need to make a claim. And if you find that it is time to switch policies, you’re in luck, as we’ve just announced the winners of our Mozo Experts Choice Home Insurance awards!

Brace yourself for the heat

Summer is officially on its way and if you’re like me, you’ve already started shopping for swimwear. But it’s also a good idea to get ahead now by giving your home a seasonal makeover, keeping your space cool and your energy bill low. Depending on your household, this could mean buying fans or installing shades to block out the heat. But if you really want to make a positive impact on your summer bill, switching energy plans to a cheaper deal might just be the ticket.  

Take a financial breather

It’s not uncommon for the average person to experience some financial stress every now and again. But according to ME’s recent Financial Comfort Report, 43% of Aussies revealed that they weren’t able to make the minimum repayment on their credit card, thanks to a heap of debt. And since Christmas is right around the corner, now might be a good time to finally blast that lingering debt with a balance transfer card! These types of cards allow you to move all your debt onto one card with 0% interest for up to 24 months, so you can focus on getting debt free without having to pay any interest.

Pick up a side hustle to help pay for Christmas

So you’ve got your home insurance down and a way take care of past debt, the only thing missing is a plan to help pay for a long Christmas wish list. And these days, we’re all pretty strapped for time so it can be tough to come up with a way to make some extra cash.

That’s where the beauty of a side hustle comes in, because they’re by definition something you can do on the side, in your spare time. And from easy jobs on Airtasker to pet sitting or car rental, there are heaps of side hustles to choose from! Oh and if you don’t think it’ll make that much of a difference to your bank account, if you make as little as an extra $50 a week, 11 weeks from now you’d have an additional $550 to put towards your Christmas shopping!

Take on the financial boogeyman

You didn’t think we’d wrap up our list without tipping our hats to one of the best days in October, did you? Well, this is a Halloween tip for all the ladies out there. We get that talking about managing your finances can be nerve wracking, but by facing your fears now, you’ll be taking big steps towards financial independence. Things like your credit score, super and financial product knowledge are all important to get on top of so we’ve broken it down into five, easy to understand steps.

So whether you’re ready to take care of debt before Christmas or just get a little more savvy with you cash, our Life and Money hub is full of great tips and ideas!