Jess Brady: money dates & how to achieve your financial goals

In this Australian Investors Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by former financial adviser, co-founder of Fox & Hare, and financial literacy advocate, Jessica Brady.

Like to work with Jess directly? Get her free money dates & investing starter packs.

Jess Brady podcast topics

• How to get started with money – early or late
• Money barriers and biases holding us back
• Goal setting and the mistakes people make
• Money date tips & traps, and
• Australia’s looming property problem

Jess Brady podcast talking points

Jess, this conversation will cover a lot of ground. Everything from resetting your financial life following divorce to barriers and couples, to buying your first home. To begin, I want to learn a bit more about you. You were a financial adviser but have since gone into money coaching, which is a trend I’ve noticed with many great female advisers. We’ll cover the programs you run and how they help people later in the discussion, but I’m hoping you can take us back to when you first learnt about money and why you decided on finance as a career.

Would you say that financial literacy is improving, or declining, in Australia? 

We have a lot of people listening to this show who are just starting out, but that does not mean people in their teens or 20s. Most of us are much older, even though we consider ourselves as beginners. 

Getting started

For a 30-year-old starting fresh after a big  life change, like kids or divorce, where should they start, especially if they feel completely overwhelmed by finances? 

What advice do you have for someone who wakes up at 40 and realises they need to start their financial journey from scratch?

Jess, even the most informed listeners of the podcast can struggle to make positive change. What are the most common beliefs or behaviours that hold people back from taking control of their finances? How do they recognise these in themselves? 

On Financial Goals and building a base

Do you think goal setting works? Discuss. 

When it comes to setting financial goals, what mistakes do people typically make?

How do you track progress towards goals? Do you use tools like… Pocketsmith or bank apps or a spreadsheet? Do you have any tips for keeping the momentum?

What are some of the harsher financial realities people often need to accept if they really want to make progress in their money journey?

Relationships & money

Imagine you are going on your first money date with someone you’ve been seeing for 6 months. You’ve never really talked about money but would like to move in with each other. Where are you both going (e.g. name the restaurant or place), and what topics or questions are you tabling?

Do you find that there are differences with same-sex couples and their relationship towards money and finances?

You’ve said that it’s critical for women to take charge of their financial future—why do you think now is the time for women to really focus on their finances?

Property alternatives

So many Australians are desperately struggling to buy a property. In just 20 years, with virtually no action from the Government, given the older generations are still the voting population, the opportunity for young Australians to buy a proper house is getting rounded down to zero. What options do they have?

For those who can’t get into property, how can they shift their mindset and find other ways to build wealth that align with their financial goals?

Finally, Jess, if you could go back in time and tell yourself one thing about money, finance, business or investing, what would it be?