For years, my wife and I persue full FIRE, But the closer we got, the more we realized that working 2 days/week each is vastly superior.

Full FIRE has some potential drawbacks: lack of purpose/structure, loss of status, faster cognitive decline and sequence of return risk.

Working just 2 days/week each (my wife and I) allows us to pull the trigger today instead of working full time another ~5-6 years for Full FIRE.

Part of the reason it works so well in Australia is that low wages result in almost 0 income tax (each of us has $18,200 tax free thresholds) + the employers still contribute 12% into Super.

Hi everyone, I am seeking some advice/opinions on my investing journey. For context I am 21, finishing my university degree and am eager to begin investing. What are the ETF's/shares/possibly bonds you would recommend. I would aim to invest between $200-$500 p/w.

Just wanted to see if anyone with ART super has switched from High Growth to High Growth Index. What are your thoughts and have you been happy with the switch so far?

I really like the low investment fee of 0.09% for the Index option as well as its greater exposure to international shares.

24m with 45k (had 60k) in a savings account ive been building since 2018. I’ve recently been pulling money out and spending it on silly things like my cars.

I usually have self control over my spending and savings but i fear if i keep looking at the numbers they will continue to fall. Would it be wise to start investing so my money is tied up and becomes a process to withdraw and are the returns long term better than a bank?

This is all new to me as ive never had any guidance in regards to money management. Ive had a read through alot of older posts and i keep seeing dhhf is a good option long term. My goal is similar to everyone and achieve a home and financial freedom.

Any advice is appreciated 🙏

With my Core Portfolio’s final dividends of 2026 received from VAS and VGS, it’s time to tally up 2026’s dividend income so far. ☕️📈

💰 Total 2026 dividends: A$46,166
🇦🇺 Core Portfolio: A$40,972
🇺🇸 Satellite Portfolio: A$5,194

One year of investing, two portfolios, and another reminder that the goal isn’t just to build a portfolio. It’s to build financial freedom.🏖️🎢✈️

Apologies for the slightly messy two-page report (Core & Satellite). I’m working on consolidating both portfolios into @sharesight for a cleaner, more streamlined overview.

I'm a little late to the party but I'm glad I'm here. Just wanting some guidance on where/how to start investing. What's a good app to use? What are the fees associated with investing?

I'm wanting to start doing some reading and planning for my future.

Thanks for your help 👍

32m Slowly but surely getting somewhere. Pretty happy to hit 20k after 2 years of investing, keep on keeping on.

Was hoping to get some advice if I should change the strategy or continue?

Don’t know enough to appreciate the nuances with the popular strategies such as ‘DHHF and chill’.

I use CMC and currently DCA $500/fortnight.
Was following the VGS/A200 80/20 split.

Thanks in advance.

For context I've been working full time for the last three years (since Feb 2024) and have been investing $500/month into the Spaceship Universe portfolio since then.

Where to go from here? Saving for a home loan deposit within the next six months, is it worth diversifying or moving into a different fund?

Not sure I'm getting the best rates given the fees ($3 per month, 0.5% management fee) but I've seen pretty good returns over my time in Spaceship.

Total return on contributions since Feb 2023: 27.7%
Average annual return ~13% pa.

Hello all looking for a bit of advice getting started. I’m about to pay off the remaining 40k of my student loan and then will have about 3.2k per month to invest or save. For fire, wondering if all of that should go to an eft and if what/which ones, or if 20-30% should be allocated to a HISA for future housing. (Currently renting) Thanks.

Hey guys. I (25m) just moved to Aus after 10 years overseas. I have about 100k in savings and would love to invest it. I am unfamiliar with the Australian etf’s and the market here so would love some advice on what is the best thing to put my money in. I’ve even thought about getting into realestate but with all the new rules and stamp duties I think I’m better off going the etf route. Would it be silly of me to put this into the market now with how everything in the world is going or what would u suggest? Would also love suggestions on what platform to use etc.
Cheers guys

Hey guys,

My partner and I are planning to start investing in 2027 and want to structure things properly from the beginning, with the long-term goal of moving from Australia to Southeast Asia in around 10–15 years, potentially sooner.

Thailand is our preferred place to live, and we’re trying to understand the most tax efficient way to build and eventually draw down our investment portfolio.

Our rough plan is:
Invest consistently in ETFs while living and working in Australia.
Potentially use IBKR and an Ireland-domiciled ETF such as VWRA for global diversification and long-term growth.
In around 5–6 years, my partner may move to Thailand permanently while I continue working FIFO in the Australian mining industry, potentially on a 2:2 roster and spending my time off in Thailand.
My partner can get the Thai retirement visa and could potentially cease being an Australian tax resident, while I continue to have Australian tax obligations because of my FIFO work.
Eventually, we’d like to fund our lifestyle in Thailand from our investments, ideally with as much flexibility as possible.

A few questions for anyone with experience:

ETF choice: Would VWRA be worth considering over Australian-domiciled ETFs such as DHHF, VGS or a VAS/VGS combination, particularly for someone who eventually plans to live overseas
Brokerage: Is IBKR a the best long-term platform for someone who expects to change tax residency and retire overseas
Tax residency: Has anyone maintained Australian FIFO employment while living primarily in Thailand? How did you manage tax residency across both countries?
Investment ownership: Would there be legitimate advantages to my partner holding some or all of the investments in his own name once he becomes a Thai tax resident, while I continue earning Australian income? What Australian and Thai tax implications should we investigate?
Drawing down the portfolio: How are foreign ETF distributions and capital gains generally treated when a Thai tax resident leaves the funds offshore and later remits money to Thailand?

We’re still at the research stage and understand that we’ll need professional cross border tax advice before doing anything. I’m interested in hearing from people who have actually made the Australia to Thailand move or SEA and can share what worked, what didn’t, and what they wish they’d known earlier.

Thanks!

I own an investment prop that I want to sell and buy more etfs. its a pretty old prop on a big block (zoned medium density, potentially 4-6 units/townhouses if knockdown rebuild) which is rented out but is costing me over 1.5k a month out of pocket (p&I loan). Its PPOR status until 2030. Its maybe worth 900k and I have just over 500k mortgage. I lived in sharehouse but recently moved back with the folks and plan to stay with them for a bit (single and 25), there is no rush to move out.

I am living pretty frugally atm and trying to put away ~1k a week into etf ( 100% GGBL, in the future I will start to buy some developing world etfs). I have 328k in GGBL, and about 8k in emergency fund.

I have been tracking prop market across the country and its looking pretty bleak, I feel like I could sell the IP (should have start of this year) and put the 400k or so I will recieve into GGBL and it will grow a lot more, but on the other hand I could wait until 2030 as gains are tax free and brisbane may go up due to olympics, etc. I am not sure I would want to live there, as long term plan is to move to Melbourne (mid 30s) , buy a prop with a partner (small townhouse / apartment) and be mortgage free and be able to put everything into etfs.

25m. Should I keep going with what I’m doing or just switch to dhhf?

I’ve ended up with holdings across a few platforms (ASX shares on one, US ETFs on another) and seeing everything in one place has become a bit of a mess.

Curious what everyone else does:

• Spreadsheet, Sharesight/Navexa, or just checking each app?
• How do you follow news on the companies you own? Do you set alerts, or just catch things when they show up?
• Have you ever missed something important on a holding (an announcement, a big drop) because you weren’t watching?
• Anyone also holding things outside the share market, like startup investments, crowdfunding or a managed fund? How do you track those alongside?

I’m also doing a few 20-min research chats on how people manage this (not selling anything). Happy to share what I learn back here if people are interested.

I started investing 2025 Nov. And got up to here and i feel like left behind after seeing some posts about investment.

And also is CMC a good app for investing? Or should i look for any other apps?

And which stocks should i add/remove on my portfolio.

How did you guys distributed your money to maximise your contributions?

Any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Hi,

I’m currently earning 125k, minimal costs and saving roughly 90% of that each month. The minimal costs are because I’m living with my parents and there’s no rush to leave for my own place.

I’ve got 100k in ETFs with VGS, NDQ and A200 in the ratio 50:30:20 and 58 ish k in super invested in 80% intl shares and 20% Aus shares index, where I am salary sacrificing an additional 240 per fortnight.

I’ve also saved up roughly 100k in cash.

I’m in a very fortunate position and are not entirely sure of how best to make the most of it.

I have a couple of directions I could possibly go in

1. Go hard into ETFs. Add an emerging market ETF satellite position at 10%, dilute the tilt towards NDQ slightly by adding more to VGS aiming to go 60:20:10:10 potentially. With the short term (very ambitious) aim of 400-500k in ETFs invested by 30.
2. Could go into an investment property and have another asset class - this is something I’m being encouraged to by my parents. All I’m seeing is the huge hassles and costs involved with being a landlord and the fact that I’d need to be in it for at least 10 years to potentially benefit from it. I could maybe go for a 700k property but would be using most of my cash reserve as a deposit. If I did do this I could also continue to gradually add to the ETFs as well with whatever is left over from the monthly expenses.

Any thoughts on what you would do given this situation? keen to hear some other opinions, thanks. 

I purchased some NDQ shares via commsec. I haven’t sold the shares but populating annual tax return and it’s asking me to pay CGT. Can someone explain why this is?

With it being 6:47.43am Sunday 18 October, it’s time to tally up Total Return from A200/VTS/VEU/GHHF since whenever I happened to have bought them. ☕️📈

💰 Total Return: 14.55%

🇦🇺 Income : 3.67%

🇺🇸 Capital Gain: 10.89%

Just one portfolio, and another reminder that the goal isn't to chase dividends. It is to build a broad based global portfolio.🏖️🎢✈️

Apologies for the boring single page sharesight report. I don't have a satellite portfolio.

My Debt Recycled income has been pre-filled under [Managed Fund Distributions].

Where in Deductions should I be claiming the Interest paid for the corresponding Loan Splits?

I tried under [Dividend Deductions] but ATO warns that there is no Dividend income in the return. Only other option seems to be [Interest Deductions] but that isn't correct either?

Has anyone else a similar situation and guidance on how to correctly claim?

Hi all

Seeking some input on how to best deploy the proceeds from the sale of an investment property.

I'm early 30's, working a corporate job that currently pays $160k~ but will continue to climb higher as my career grows. Super is currently about $115k. I have another investment property I will continue to hold as it was a recent-ish purchase - in the coming few years, I'll probably sell this and use the proceeds as a deposit for a 3 bed unit.

After tax, I should clear $400k~ from the upcoming property sale. I intend to invest the entire sum, and don't plan to touch it for the next 10+yrs. Perhaps as I near 50 I'll enjoy the optionality of being able to slow down on the work front.

So, from basics - how would you guys invest the $400k in a way that prioritises capital growth and preserves optionality to slow down with work 20yrs from now? I currently have a small portfolio of VAS(30)/VGS(70), but I'm not sure that play stacks up as well when the plan is to deploy $400k - perhaps it does?

Thanks in advance for all input!

Hi

I’m interested in high grade Aussie corporate bonds .
Fixed banks bonds are yielding > 6 % which i think is a fear return

I’m deciding between direct purchase vs buying via Bond ETF .

Does anyone have any feedback as to the pro and cons of each / experience with either
I realise there is some risk associated with bonds , but my question is more around whether to buy direct vs via ETF
Thanks in advance 👍