In a nutshell:

• When Jane arrived back in Australia, she unknowingly accepted a salary $40,000 less than her peers.
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• Her decreased earnings resulted in a $20,000 in credit card debt. Three years later she’s debt free and ready to buy her first home.
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• You can book a free 45 minute coffee catch up, to discuss your own financial situation with Jane’s team at Fox & Hare here: book now
  ‎ ‎

I’d been living overseas for eight years and just come back to Australia.  

I’d never worked full time here and had no idea how the wages worked! So, when my employer asked about salary expectations, I’d just translated my British salary direct.  

I must have missed the gleeful looks on their faces when they hired me – because I’d accepted a salary $40,000 less than everyone else!  

In Sydney the rent was more expensive, the food was more expensive, and I was living with this massive wage gap. 

But, at the very same time, everyone seemed to have these amazing credit cards they were amassing all these fun things on.  

You could get lounge points, airline points and that, in 2019, seemed like a great thing to be having.  

So, I signed up. And it was while I was having this massive wage shortfall that the credit cards really started to creep up. 

When Jane accidentally accepted a salary $40,000 less than her peers, she fell into a cycle of running up and ignoring debt – topping out at more than $20,000. It wasn’t until a friend told her to seek financial advice that she was able to get on top of the situation.

There’s this pattern of behaviour in my family. It’s not necessarily being ‘bad’ with money; it’s more putting your head in the sand when things come up.  

So, rather than saying “oh, I need to deal with that”, you just pretend it doesn’t exist. And that’s what I started to do with my credit card.  

The balance was just going up and up and it was getting to a point where I didn’t even need to spend anymore. It was just the interest pushing up my debt! 

So, what did I do?  

I didn’t look at it. That’s how I solved that problem. But as you would expect, that’s never going to end well. 

Simultaneously, I’d made some new friends and started to feel like a lot of them were having these financial conversations that I just wasn’t clued on to.  

I’d been living this very carefree life in London – which is phenomenal in your twenties! But I started to feel further and further away from the things the people around me were talking about.  

My friends were talking about shares and property purchases; I had a $20,000 credit card debt.

Of course, I kept telling myself I’d pay it off. But I’d always spend more. 

Jane grew uncomfortable hearing friends talk about long term investments and property ownership while she was carrying debt. She felt scared that she’d ‘missed a stop’ or somehow set herself up wrong going in to her thirties.

I felt a little bit scared, to be honest.  

I was scared that I’d missed a stop in life. Like I was meant to get off at this point and do something – but I hadn’t done it. So, I was really quite frightened that I’d set myself up wrong going into my thirties… 

As I mentioned, I don’t come from a background where these conversations are happening, and I couldn’t help feeling quite a lot of resentment about that. I was thinking “why hasn’t anyone spoken to me about this before?”.  

I’ve had a very nice life, so I’m not complaining about that, but I definitely felt a little left behind.  

Eventually, a new girl came in as my manager. She took me aside and asked, “do you know how little you’re being paid?” And I had literally no idea.  

I told her I’d been earning £30,000 in the UK and just translated that to $60,000 when I got back to Australia.  

She said “for what you’re doing, that’s really low! Then she helped me negotiate a salary increase and everything”  

It turns out she was also a member at Fox & Hare and as she was telling me how much they’d helped her get her finances in order.  

I was immediately thinking “I think I need help with this, too”. 

I was sitting there in debt and looking at all the people around me who were buying houses, who had shares and I felt so many steps behind.   

So, I booked in.  

Setting up a cashflow plan with buckets was a transformational moment for Jane. Rather than thousands of dollars landing in her spending account every month her finances were automatically sorted. Putting an end to the feast and famine pay cycle and automatically paying down debts.

I think until that point I’d had my head in the sand. But the second I faced up to the issue, there was this immediate relief. I’d acknowledged the problem.  

It was actually a little jarring at first. Because it wasn’t just turning up to one meeting and then your life is sorted out.  

It turns out finance isn’t like that, it’s a bit of a longer journey. 

I was sitting there with $20,000 debt and Simon’s asking, “what are your goals?” “What do you like to do?”, “What do you want out of life?”  

I was thinking “what!?”  

“I don’t know how to pay off this twenty grand and you’re asking me what I want to do with my life?” It all felt very wishy washy. 

But it turned out that goal was what I needed. That’s what gave me the purpose I needed to pay the debt off! And I smashed it.  

It’s probably finance 101, but the first thing we did was put a cashflow plan with ‘buckets’ in place.  

So, rather than thousands and thousands of dollars just landing in my bank account every pay day, it’s all automatically sorted.  

Here’s how much I have to spend; my bills are all covered by this; and my savings are safely stashed away over there.  

There was no more spending an entire month’s pay in one week, then counting pennies for the next three. It was so transformative! 

Within about a year and a half I’d paid off all my debts. Which, I can’t even begin to describe how enormous that was. 

I still remember calling AMEX to cancel the card and them trying to get me to stay.  

I explained to them I’d been in debt with the card, and they were actually great about it. They even sent me vouchers to use the points I had left! 

After that, my partner joined Fox & Hare and it felt like things started to move a lot more quickly.  

Within just three years Jane’s gone from feeling ‘scared’ to ‘free’. She’s still got level 3 Mecca membership, she can afford to book the last minute trip and, most importantly, she’s ready to buy her first home in Sydney.

We set the goal to build a share portfolio and save for a property.  

So, the team set us up with a plan and we’re already in the position to be speaking with mortgage brokers and going for approvals.  

In the very near future, we will definitely be making that purchase. Which is such a fast turnaround for me, considering where I was.  

In just three years I’ve gone from being quite scared, feeling a little bit resentful and out of control to this deep relaxing sense of security.  

And in a funny way, even though financial advice is all about planning, buckets, cashflow and all of that, I feel so much more freedom now than I did then.  

Because I’ve the freedom to choose what I do with the money I put aside.  

If I wanted, I could quit my job tomorrow and I’d be fine.  

I still have level 3 Mecca membership and 

I can afford to book that last minute trip if I want it. 

Which is a really a really nice spot to find myself in life 

A place that gives me the chance to say, “Let’s just get on a plane!” 

The Fox & Hare team’s 100% personalised financial advice has helped hundreds of 25-45 year olds pay down debts, buy homes, build investment portfolios and achieve financial freedom. Tap this image to book a free 45 minute virtual coffee and take the first step toward financial freedom today.

What’s next?

If, like Jane, you’re ready to take the next steps toward financial security, you reach out to Fox & Hare for a free virtual coffee catch up.

We have helped hundreds of 20-45 year olds – just like Jane – unlock their potential and find the freedom, security and stability they deserve.

We can assess your current financial world – and give you 100% clarity on how to:

• Pay down debts
• Save to buy a home
• Quit work for a career change / to start a business
• Achieve financial freedom

With clear, reliable and realistic time frames.

If you want to be debt free? We can tell you exactly how long that will take. If you want to own a home? We can tell you how long that’ll take too.

We only take on 10 new members every month, that’s a maximum of 120 spots every year!

And right now there are less than 5 advisories in Australia servicing the more than 10 million 25-45 year olds currently eligible to work with us. So, if you want to put an end to that feeling of unease “when will I be able to buy a home?” “When will I be debt free?” “Will I ever feel financially secure?” Hit “Book now!” and claim your free virtual coffee with Will today. 

Book now!

About Fox & Hare: Founded in 2017 by two former Macquarie execs, Fox & Hare aims to empower and educate Australians in the wealth accumulation phase of their life journey. Through the provision of a safe, inclusive and accepting environment, they’ve built a diverse and devoted following of 30/40 somethings, from many backgrounds, abilities and genders. The organisation and its co-founders have  featured in the AFR, IFA and Sydney Morning Herald, been included in Financial Standard’s Power 50 and voted IFA’s Thought Leader of the Year.

We all appreciate when our boss acknowledges that we’ve gone above and beyond at the office. Working hard and hitting our KPIs is something that should be rewarded, right? And for many of us, that can mean bonuses when tax time rolls around. Another common alternative to the traditional periodic bonus, is the chance to take part in an employee share scheme.  

This scheme is a common way for companies to motivate high-performers by offering shares as a lucrative reward for good results. But it’s also a way for companies to lock employees into a job.  

Think about it like this: your performance has an impact on the profitability and results of the company, which also impacts the value of its shares (which you are now personally invested in). The idea is offering a financial piece of pie will incentivise you to work harder to increase the value of the business.  

For many who take up the scheme, this is their first serious step into investing. And this isn’t a small amount of money we’re talking about. For those who’ve been with a company for a number of years, these shares can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.  

But going into a scheme like this with zero stock market knowledge (and not managing your shares proactively) can tie up your wealth with one company and reduce your chances of meeting your long-term financial goals. And with thousands of your dollars at stake, taking a backseat and doing nothing when in an employee shares scheme can leave you with less than you started with.   

Too often, we see our members unsure how to navigate restricted stock units (RSUs) and how to connect this wealth to their overall financial goals. It’s the part of their portfolio they don’t understand or haven’t taken the time to factor into their big picture plan. So, is doing nothing a feasible option? And if not, what should we be doing instead? Let’s dive into 3 of the most common challenges our members face in employee share schemes and how we can help you take control of this wealth. 

 Challenge 1: Unsure how to align this wealth with your goals  

Being offered a share in your company is a pretty flattering prospect. In most cases, our members opt into a scheme like this and don’t ask many questions. Shares take care of themselves, right?  

But how does this extra pot of wealth impact on your broader financial horizons? This is a stumbling block many of our members face. Suddenly they’re lumped with huge sums of money and unsure how this can help them towards their long-term goals of buying a home or generating a passive income.  

It all comes back to education. When we’re not educated about the stock market or how our shares can help us create wealth, we feel stuck and put the idea into the ‘too hard’ basket. But when managed correctly, these shares can be a powerful player in your investment portfolio and help you unlock the financial freedom and flexibility you’re working towards.  

The key is to get clued up on how this wealth works and start proactively aligning these funds with your long-term goals. Remember: doing nothing prevents you from capitalising on this investment opportunity (which could help you save for your first home or reach early retirement sooner).  

 Challenge 2: Lack of diversification

Let’s call out the obvious before we start: all investment options come with a level of risk. Unless you’re stashing cash under your mattress (not something we’d recommend), investing your money in shares, property or bonds carries a level of risk.   

What makes RSUs particularly risky is the distinct lack of diversification in this investment option. Essentially, your wealth is dictated by the value of one company’s performance. There are no other assets shielding your portfolio from market up and downs, leaving you more vulnerable to losses that can impact your long-term financial goals.   

When we work with our members to create investment strategies, diversification is at the top of our list. Why? Because a diverse portfolio of assets spread across a broad range of industries fosters financial resilience (a.k.a. safeguards your wealth from the ups and downs of the market). The value of individual stocks will fluctuate over time and a diversified portfolio helps lessen the blows of any major downturns or market slumps.  

And for those who haven’t paid attention or actively managed their RSUs over the years, they might be holding onto them long after they should have been sold. Essentially, this heightens the risk of losses. Remember the saying, ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket?’ That’s exactly what we’re talking about. 

Challenge 3: Tax implications 

Tax isn’t a hot topic of conversation, but we need to tackle it. Because if you take anything from this article, make it this: RSUs require active tax management, meaning you are responsible for paying the tax bill. And no, avoiding the tax man isn’t a smart option.  

RSUs have a vesting period (usually a specified number of years), which means you have to wait out this period before being able to take ownership to sell these shares. Along the way, you might be able to gain access to a certain portion of the full amount. For example, say you receive $100k worth of RSUs, with a vesting period of 3 years. After 1 year, you can access 33% of the total amount, then another 33% the following year and finally the full amount after year 3. And if you leave the company before this period is up, you forego the remainder of your shares.   

It’s important to note that you do have to wait until your RSU’s vest and become shares before you can sell them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning how you’re going to navigate the tax implications of this investment! Because you have the vesting schedule from the beginning, we can help you work out roughly what your tax bill is going to be. This proactive approach means we can plan to potentially sell some of the resulting shares to cover the costs of tax or ensure you have accumulated enough cash to meet the tax bill.  

Plus, when you do sell the resulting shares, you’re also liable for the capital gains tax. But with proactive management you can receive a 50% discount on capital gains as well as offset your capital losses with gains made from your investments.  

Moving forward, if you were to cash in a portion of these vested shares, we would then help you invest in a more tax effective manner.

We are here for you!

When it comes to RSUs, feeling confused and uncertain is all too common. Many of our members come to us with the same problems and questions, unsure how to be using this wealth to their advantage. We understand that the process can seem complicated and overwhelming, but you don’t need to go it alone. We work with members just like you who are struggling to get a handle on this newfound wealth.  

We can help you understand what these shares mean for your wealth and how to make this investment a powerful way to help you reach your long-term goals. Because the last thing we’d want is for inaction to cause you to miss out on what’s most important to you. Get in touch with us and let’s chat about how we can make your RSUs work as hard as you do. 

In a nutshell:

• With a proper financial plan, Matt’s gone from “a car, credit card debt and some super” to financially free.
• Setting up an automated cash management system with ‘buckets’ was a pivotal moment, helping Matt achieve multiple goals like getting invested, buying property and being stable enough to freelance.
• You can book a free 45 minute coffee catch up, to discuss your own financial situation with Matt’s team at Fox & Hare here: book now

I arrived in Sydney with my car, a bit of credit card debt and some super. 

I was about a year out of university and moved for a job as an assistant video editor with a big advertising agency in the city.  

It was my first job, I was earning good money, and so, I was looking at the world through these YOLO kind of eyes. A bit of living in the moment, which you do when you’re younger, right? 

I wasn’t out of control or anything like that. 

Sure, I might get close to pay day with fifty dollars to last a few days or something. But I was never out on the street flipping my finger to get through! Or putting three weeks’ worth of groceries on the credit card because I’d spent a month’s salary in seven days. 

But I had to be cautious.  

Despite never feeling ‘out of control’ Matt knew that if he was going to pay down his debts and buy property, he would need to start thinking long term.

I was going out a lot, spending more money than I usually would.

And even though I wasn’t dropping $300 on a round of drinks or anything like that, it got to a point where I was thinking to myself ‘no, no, no. I need to start thinking more long term about this’.  

I wanted to buy property. I had HECS debt. I had little bit of credit card debt, not a huge amount, but still enough that it was niggling away at me.  

Then I met my partner. We got into a long-term relationship and that really made us both think about our future, talk about our goals, all that kind of stuff.  

Also, for me, there was a bit of a salary mismatch. That pushed me even further into thinking ‘how can I be a bit smarter with my side of things?’.  

So yeah, I needed to progress quicker than I was if I was going to get where I wanted.  

6 months into our relationship, we reached out to a financial adviser at Fox & Hare, and it was actually really nice.  

I realised pretty early on that the purpose was not to stop me from spending my money, but to do it in a smart way, you know?  

Matt and his partner weren’t sure how to balance the desire for an ‘amazing, comfortable, exciting’ life in Sydney with longer term goals like owning property. So, they sought financial advice and within five years were the proud owners of their own home.

It was about getting into a different mindset.

Working out how I can still live this amazing, comfortable, exciting life with all the things you’d expect from a city like Sydney – but also save for those longer-term goals.

It sounds like such a basic thing, but setting everything up into a cash management system had such a huge effect on my life.  

Every month the money would just go into this system automatically and break down into all the different buckets. Your weekly spending, your bills, your investment fund, everything would be exactly where it needed to be.  

That was the best feeling, just knowing that day to day, week to week, the money was always going to be there.   

It’s something that’s really caught on in the rest of my life, too. Thinking really hard about what my goals are and what I’ll need to realistically achieve them.  

That’s been the most transformative part for me.  

So, yeah. I arrived in Sydney with my car, a bit of credit card debt and some super. 

And now, I guess the biggest difference is that I’m a property owner, but there is a lot of longer-term stuff going on too.  

I obviously still have super, but also an investment fund that money goes into every month. And I had some credit card debt and university debts which are all paid off now, too.  

So that’s a significant change in five years or so, and it’s amazing to be feeling so secure. I’ve gone from this feeling of cautiousness to confident, comfortable and in control.

I know that my money is going exactly where it needs to be, I know what I have to spend, and the bills will get paid.   

It’s given us so much freedom! 

After 8 years of agency work and big city life, Matt was ready for a change. Leveraging his positive financial position to pivot into freelancing, move to the Gold Coast and finding a few hours to visit the beach every day.

My partner and I got to a point after eight and ten years of living in Sydney, where we needed a change.

I’d been working in agencies for so many years and from both a lifestyle and career point of view, I was a bit burnt out.  

And so, we took a bit of a lifestyle pivot, moved to the Gold Coast and started freelancing. It was scary to go from having a full-time job with a good income to literally nothing. But I was confident because I knew the way I spend my money, and I knew it’s all set up and working. 

So, while it might not be forever, and the big city might lure us back with a career opportunity or something like that, for now we’re just living our best Gold Coast lives.  

We’ve found the balance between working hard, but also being able to spend a few hours at the beach. We’ve got time go to the gym every day and just booked off a month in March.  

So yeah, right now, it’s bliss.  

The Fox & Hare team’s 100% personalised financial advice has helped hundreds of 25-45 year olds pay down debts, buy homes, build investment portfolios and achieve financial freedom. Tap this image to book a free 45 minute virtual coffee and take the first step toward financial freedom today.

What’s next?

If, like Matt, you’re ready to take the next steps toward financial security, you reach out to Fox & Hare for a free virtual coffee catch up.

In this meeting we will discuss your financial frustrations and greatest aspirations, and start working out just how you can achieve financial freedom – whatever that looks like for you!

We have helped hundreds of 25-45 year olds – just like Matt – unlock their potential and find the freedom, security and stability they deserve.

We can assess your current financial world – and give you 100% clarity on how to:

• Pay down debts
• Save to buy a home
• Quit work for a career change / to start a business
• Achieve financial freedom

With clear, reliable and realistic time frames.

If you want to be bad debt free? We can tell you exactly how long that will take. If you want to own a home? We can tell you how long that’ll take too.

If you like what you hear, you can tee up a second, commitment free, “Goals and Values Session” and begin to unearth what’s been holding you back and why.

We only take on 10 new members every month, that’s a maximum of 120 spots every year! And right now there are less than 5 advisories in Australia servicing the more than 10 million 25-45 year olds currently eligible to work with us. So, if you want to put an end to that feeling of unease “when will I be able to buy a home?” “When will I be debt free?” “Will I ever feel financially secure?” Hit “Book now!” and claim your free virtual coffee with Will today. 

Book now!

About Fox & Hare: Founded in 2017 by two former Macquarie execs, Fox & Hare aims to empower and educate Australians in the wealth accumulation phase of their life journey. Through the provision of a safe, inclusive and accepting environment, they’ve built a diverse and devoted following of 30/40 somethings, from many backgrounds, abilities and genders. The organisation and its co-founders have  featured in the AFR, IFA and Sydney Morning Herald, been included in Financial Standard’s Power 50 and voted IFA’s Thought Leader of the Year.

In a nutshell:

• Marla’s* gone from living pay cheque to pay cheque with $90,000 worth of credit card debt to totally debt free.
• Tackling small debts rather than focusing on the bigger amount was ‘transformational’ on Marla’s journey.
• You can book a free 45 minute coffee catch up, to discuss your own financial situation with Marla’s team at Fox & Hare here: book now

“If I could have all that, I’d be successful” 

“I grew up very, very poor. It was a very rural, very remote upbringing; we’re talking west of Wagga – in a small town called Narrandera. It was the kind of situation where you’d have your own electricity generator on the farm, that type of thing.  

At the time I thought I was the only gay in the village but later found out I wasn’t. Although that’s probably a story for another time (laughs). 

So, here I was, you know, in this tiny country town and I’d be looking at Women’s Weekly seeing all these people in the city. They’re wearing beautiful clothes, drinking expensive champagne and I remember thinking to myself ‘that’s what success is.’ 

If I could have all that, I’d be successful, and not have to be that person I grew up with anymore. And so, I think that’s where it all began – my weird relationship with money.  

I moved to Sydney in 1995 and suddenly, it was all about keeping up with the Joneses. As I said, I grew up so poor, but here I am flying in circles where people don’t really understand what that was like.  

After moving from Narrandera, 6 hours west of Sydney, the pressure to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ pushed Marla into unsustainable spending.

On top of all that, it was 1995, I am trans, and I was working in corporate.

I didn’t realise that, at the time, a lot of trans people were showgirls or sex workers. I’d just kind of assumed that everyone would have a day job, but I quickly learned I was the odd one out – in all my worlds.  

And so, I would spend to be accepted. I think that’s where the bulk of the behaviour came about. It was about being accepted.  

“$70 bottle of wine? You want to order it? There’s the credit card. Excellent, not a problem. I’m the nice one, the generous friend.” 

The way I was spending, it was a status symbol. Drop $1000 on a Carla Zampatti jacket? Not a problem at all. 

And at the time of the purchase, I felt like I was in power, I was in control, and I was an extremely good friend. Generous, that sort of thing.  

I didn’t care about the balance sheet, all I cared about was whether the minimum payment, plus a little extra, was covered.  

In my head I was going “OK, if the minimum payment is 400 bucks a month, I’ll pay off 600. It’s not a problem, I’m not one of those naughty people who only pay the minimum balance. No, no, no, not me. I’m not that stupid.” 

But the reality was, I was spending way more than the extra $200 on wine, dinner and all that other stuff. 

Marla’s understanding of wealth and success were shaped by media depictions of inner-city wealth and privilege. After almost 20 years of social comparison, keeping up with Joneses – and running up $90,000 on the credit card, she’s finally 100% debt free.

I was trying to present this image to the world.  

This image of control. But the control was just hiding stuff. Yes, I was in control of the information I was giving the world, I was in control of what you got to see. I was in control, you know, of how you perceive me.  

But I was actually just the person who’s turning up in an expensive Carla Zampatti suit, with $90,000 bucks of debt, and living pay cheque to pay cheque with no savings in the bank.

Where’s the control in that?  

I went on like this for many, many years.

Until one day I saw these two financial planners presenting at an event. And as I was walking out, they were outside waiting for a cab. I stopped to thank them. ‘Thank you it was very informative’ that type of thing.  

They invited me to catch up for a drink and I said ‘Ok, cool. Here’s my business card.’ By this point I was 45, and 50 was careening down the path toward me.  

I was not looking for a financial planner, I can tell you that now, although I really knew I should have started to sort it out – even if I wasn’t admitting it yet! 

Deep down I was thinking ‘my money is not in a good position. Eventually I want to buy a house. I really should be talking to these people.’ 

It’s crazy when I think back. There I was with 90 grand on credit cards, loans and all that stuff, which was ridiculous enough, but I was thinking to myself ‘yeah if I just get it down to 50 I could probably buy a house’. 

Fox & Hare adviser Trish Gregory (right) has worked with Marla from $90,000 debt to financial freedom. Creating, implementing and helping her remain accountable to the plan that’s helped her escape more than 20 years of debt.

Anyway, the Fox & Hare team did end up giving me a call. They invited me out for some food and a drink at The Winery and from the very first meeting I was like ‘Oh, so you’re actually here to understand me?’. 

At that stage, I hadn’t told anyone about the debt.

Not even my closest friends or family. So, Fox & Hare were the first ones to hear the real story and that was a big, big thing for me. I can’t remember the exact moment I signed up, but I knew that if I’d walked away from that meeting I wouldn’t have. It really was one of those now or never moments.  

I thought to myself ‘I like them. I like how they operate, what’s the worst that can happen? I’ll give them a twelve-month trial and if it doesn’t work, I’ll cut it off. I’ll do it now, great. And in a few weeks’ time if it’s not so great, I’ll pivot.’ 

I guess that’s something I learned being trans. If you don’t like something, change. I didn’t like my body. I changed it. Congratulations! Not a problem, keep moving forward.  

And so, I said ‘let’s give it a go!’

I signed up.  

The first steps out of debt.

We went through this process that I was just not expecting. This process of learning about my relationship with money, my relationship with spending and my history, my goals, all this stuff. We didn’t even mention a financial plan until two meetings in! 

They really wanted to know me, they wanted to know my relationship with money, and I absolutely loved that ethos. I mean, if you don’t understand who I am, how can you put a plan in place? 

As I said, though. At that point, nobody knew about the debt. And so, for me, it was actually about building that trust, too.  

I felt like I’d been treading water, like I hadn’t been moving forward and it was all a bit of a façade. Like my whole life was about hiding behind a mask. And it was terrifying to take the mask off.  

Sydney’s median house price passed $1.4m in December 2023. But that’s not stopping Marla – who’s tackled her personal debts and is now ready to purchase her first home in Australia’s most expensive housing market.

At some points I was saying to myself ‘no, I can’t do this.’ I had to talk myself into it, I was saying to myself ‘you need to tell them everything because you need to have a plan and the only way they can plan is to know everything.’ 

It was very, very emotional. But we kept pushing forward and here we are, five years later – and 100% debt free! 

Thinking back, I was not afraid of debt. I had a Myer card, a David Jones card, two, three credit cards, you know, and a personal loan. It was bad. 

But they looked at my debts and started by saying “let’s tackle the little ones first. So, you have a few little successes and then we’ll tackle something big”  

And it worked!  

From $90,000 debt and living pay cheque to pay cheque to buying property in Sydney

When the Myer and the David Jones cards got paid off, I think it was then I was able to look back and say ‘OK, now I can get the others.’ So yeah, that probably was the pivotal moment for me. Before that I’d just been focusing on the big debt, as opposed to the little ones where I was more likely to succeed. 

I was so impressed with the strategy. They went through everything with a fine-tooth comb. Right down to consolidating my super and finding the best coverage for a trans person. 

It wasn’t just ‘Ohh yeah, we’ve done a deal with Macquarie Super, so therefore it all goes to Macquarie’ I know there’s financial advisers who do that, which is cool, but Fox & Hare tailor it to the individual, and they try their hardest to understand. 

As I said, I didn’t fear debt. And when you don’t fear it, you’re not conscious about why you’re not fearing it. I realised I was in debt because I wanted to be kind, to please the people around me and to show off a little bit.  

But because I was comfortable talking to the team about that, because we were able to get it out there in the open, there was suddenly this level of accountability that I’d never had before. 

And, as a result, I’ve gone from 90k in debt, living pay cheque to pay cheque and robbing Peter to pay Paul to totally debt free, money in the bank and ready to buy a home in Sydney. As you can imagine, I’m feeling great! And very lucky to now be in a position where,

If I didn’t like my job I could just leave, have myself a hot girl summer and not have to stress about money! 

Back then I didn’t see a future, but now, since working with Fox & Hare I am actually hopeful for it.  

I am excited to see how I get there, excited to see how I get the property, the nice happy retirement and for having money in the bank.  

Yes, it’s a challenge, but it’s doable. And really all about priorities. Since working with Fox & Hare I’ve been empowered to ask myself ‘what do I prioritise?’  ‘Do I prioritise my future or the bottle of wine?’ And that has turned my world around. 

The Fox & Hare team’s 100% personalised financial advice has helped hundreds of 25-45 year olds pay down debts, buy homes, build investment portfolios and achieve financial freedom. Tap this image to book a free 45 minute virtual coffee and take the first step toward financial freedom today.

What’s next?

If, like Marla, you’re worried about your current financial position and ready to take steps toward financial security, reach out to Fox & Hare for a free virtual coffee catch up.

In this meeting we will discuss your financial frustrations and greatest aspirations, and start working out just how you can achieve financial freedom – whatever that looks like for you!

We have helped hundreds of 25-45 year olds – just like Marla – unlock their potential and find the freedom, security and stability they deserve.

We can assess your current financial world – and give you 100% clarity on how to:

• Pay down debts
• Save to buy a home
• Quit work for a career change / to start a business
• Achieve financial freedom

With clear, reliable and realistic time frames.

If you want to be bad debt free? We can tell you exactly how long that will take. If you want to own a home? We can tell you how long that’ll take too.

If you like what you hear, you can tee up a second, commitment free, “Goals and Values Session” and begin to unearth what’s been holding you back and why.

We only take on 10 new members every month, that’s a maximum of 120 spots every year! And right now there are less than 5 advisories in Australia servicing the more than 10 million 25-45 year olds currently eligible to work with us. So, if you want to put an end to that feeling of unease “when will I be able to buy a home?” “When will I be debt free?” “Will I ever feel financially secure?” Hit “Book now!” and claim your free virtual coffee with Will today. 

Book now!

About Fox & Hare: Founded in 2017 by two former Macquarie execs, Fox & Hare aims to empower and educate Australians in the wealth accumulation phase of their life journey. Through the provision of a safe, inclusive and accepting environment, they’ve built a diverse and devoted following of 30/40 somethings, from many backgrounds, abilities and genders. The organisation and its co-founders have  featured in the AFR, IFA and Sydney Morning Herald, been included in Financial Standard’s Power 50 and voted IFA’s Thought Leader of the Year.

*Name changed and model used to protect privacy. Nobody wants their boss knowing they could running away for a ‘hot girl summer’ at any moment, right!?

Fox & Hare’s breastfeeding policy made it to Asia:

• Read Fox & Hare co founder, Glen Hare’s Op Ed on the important of a robust and fair breastfeeding policy.
• Founded in 2011 Green Queen is an award-winning sustainability & impact media platform advocating for social & environmental change in Asia.
• Link here

About Fox & Hare: Founded in 2017 by two former Macquarie execs, Fox & Hare aims to empower and educate Australians in the wealth accumulation phase of their life journey. Through the provision of a safe, inclusive and accepting environment, they’ve built a diverse and devoted following of 30/40 somethings, from many backgrounds, abilities and genders. The organisation and its co-founders have  featured in the AFR, IFA and Sydney Morning Herald, been included in Financial Standard’s Power 50 and voted IFA’s Thought Leader of the Year.

In a nutshell:

• 2022 was the year of “cost of living, almost everything seemed to get more expensive!
• The Fox & Hare members and team came up with many creative ways to offset the rising cost of living.
• From menstrual cups to mutts, these are the Fox & Hare teams five favourite life hacks guaranteed to save you money in 2023.

2022 was bloody expensive.

Food, fuel, travel, you name it and the cost is likely up from 2021. Unsurprisingly, though, Fox & Hare’s money minded team and members came up with some creative ways to offset the increase in cost of living. From meat free Mondays to menstrual cups, here are our advice team’s favourite, creative ways to make bank in 2023: 

1.  Go vego for a few nights per week:

   More money and less disease is a winning combination – one that I’ve (gladly) seen increasing in popularity over the last twelve months! Whether you’re partial to steak, chicken, pork or kangaroo – meat is expensive and too much is bad for you. There is good news, though, and when you cut back – like a huge number of Fox & Hare members have over the last year – you’re able to buy better cuts, contribute to the end of battery farming and live a longer, healthier life.

    

   

   Gone are the days of bland, boring vegan & vegetarian food. We started our meat free journey with this super simple, but delicious, braised eggs banger from chef Yotam Ottolenghi.

    

   According to a Canstar Blue survey of 6,000 Aussie shoppers, the average spend on supermarket meat and seafood products, per shop, across Australia is $36 which, assuming respondents shop once per week, equates to roughly $1872 per year.

   Cut that number in half and you’ve bought yourself a return flight to Tokyo, significantly decreased your risk of stomach/bowel cancer and, provided you buy ethical, made a sizeable contribution to a world with less suffering. 

   – Simon, F&H Financial Adviser and bed & breakfast Host.

    

2. Use a menstrual cup:

   It’s estimated the average Australian woman spends $234 per year on her period. Couple that with a persistent wage gap and multitude of other unofficial “taxes” applied primarily to women (hair & makeup, anti-ageing, nails, etc) and we’ve some serious financial inequities to unpick.  

   One of the coolest ways I’ve seen my members cut back on their spending in 2022, and I myself have been doing for over 15 years, is making the switch to a menstrual cup. This is a $30-50 spend every 2-5 years that will pay massive dividends to your bank account, overall health and even the environment.

   The cups are designed for long term use, so you can quite literally save thousands of dollars with one purchase, minimising your period’s impact on your bank balance and redirecting hundreds of pads and tampons from landfill.

   Most important, though, unlike tampons, menstrual cups don’t absorb your vaginal fluid, leaving your PH levels and bacterial balance intact – minimising the risk of toxic shock syndrome, infections and other nasties! Win, win, win.

   – Trish, F&H Financial Adviser & Mum

    

3.   Apply for scholarships:

   I am a recent graduate and, as a result, simultaneously staring down the barrel of a long period of HELP repayments while considering whether post-graduate studies are an option for me. One of the most interesting cash saving schemes I came across in 2022 was applying for scholarships!  

   One Fox & Hare member spent five hours on a successful scholarship application and ended up being awarded $3,400! That’s like getting paid $680 per hour – to write about her passion. I’d always considered scholarships as reserved for a small few, but the reality couldn’t be more different.

   There are more than 3,000 up for grabs in Australia and they are available across both higher education and vocational sectors. Even better, they’re not limited to tuition! And can cover other expenses such as living and accommodation costs.

   If you’re considering levelling up in 2023, I would definitely recommend looking into a scholarship!

   – Sam, F&H Associate Adviser & recent graduate

4. Choose a Mixed Breed/Bitza:

   Choosing a cross/mixed-breed dog can simultaneously reduce your veterinary costs while improving the wellbeing of all pets in general.  

   2022 marked the first year that I would welcome a dog into my life. Larry is a pure-bred Greyhound, adopted from the local dog’s home and a very good boy. I had never questioned the (assumed) knowledge that pure bred = more expensive = higher “quality”.

   So, you can imagine my surprise when I found out it would be more expensive to insure a pure breed than a Bitza (bits of everything) and would likely cost significantly more in vet and other bills over Larry’s lifetime!  

   The quest for “pure” bloodlines in pedigree / purebred dogs leads to inbreeding which, in turn, leads to the proliferation of painful and life-threatening disabilities over the animal’s lifetime. Selective breeding guaranteed that Larry would look and act a certain way, but also entrenched an increased risk of debilitating disease, like Osteosarcoma, inflammatory bowel disease and Glomerulonephropathy that will seriously affect his quality of life – and, less importantly, my bank balance!

   Even more surprising than the realisation that pure bred dogs are significantly more likely to experience health issues, was the realisation that choosing a mixed breed “mutt” would result in a significantly lower risk of congenital health issues, better long-term health outcomes and savings on vet bills / insurance. 

   I still love Larry and I still love Greyhounds, but if their situation wasn’t so dire, with so many needing to be rescued (17,000 are killed in Australia every year) – I’d be sure to choose a pet with a higher likelihood of good health.

   – Glen, F&H Co-founder, Financial Adviser & newly minted Dog Dad

    

   

   I love my pure breed, but if the insurance companies are to be believed, choosing a mixed breed would likely improve the quality of life for my pet AND reduce associated vet bills

    

5. Ride a bike where you can:

   I was so surprised to find out the average Aussie family spends more than $18,000 per year getting from A to B in their car. That’s a huge amount of money for any pay bracket and absolutely must be minimised – at every possible opportunity. 

   Happily, I’ve noticed a huge jump in the number of Fox & Hare members cutting costs by switching the car for a bike where possible. It’s not a perfect solution, but one of the most accessible for a decent number of Australians. Transportation costs are rising faster than inflation, spurred on by spiraling fuel prices, higher personal loan repayments and the climbing cost of insurance.

   Even if you’re not able to give up the car full time, which most of us are not, you can still save a huge amount by switching to a bike where possible.   

   The average household paid $100.39 per week for fuel in 2022, that’s $5,220 over the course of the year! If you can switch 75%, 50% or even 25% of those journeys for a bike ride, you’d be pocketing an absolutely massive $3915, $2610 or $1305 – and that’s before we get started on the health benefits! 

   – Courtenay, F&H Advice Operations Manager

What next?

If you’re worried about your current financial position and ready to take steps toward financial security, reach out to Fox & Hare for a free coffee and catch up.

We have helped hundreds of people, just like you, unlock their potential. 

We can assess your current financial world – and clarify what it is exactly that you can achieve.

Do you want to be bad debt free? We can tell you exactly how long that will take. Do you want to own a home? We can tell you how long that’ll take too.

If you like what you hear, you can tee up a second, commitment free, “Goals and Values Session” and begin to unearth what’s been holding you back and why.

We’re close to fully booked for the next two months and only take on 10 new members every month, so if you’re into it.

Book now!

About Fox & Hare: Founded in 2017 by two former Macquarie execs, Fox & Hare aims to empower and educate Australians in the wealth accumulation phase of their life journey. Through the provision of a safe, inclusive and accepting environment, they’ve built a diverse and devoted following of 30/40 somethings, from many backgrounds, abilities and genders. The organisation and its co-founders have  featured in the AFR, IFA and Sydney Morning Herald, been included in Financial Standard’s Power 50 and voted IFA’s Thought Leader of the Year.

Associate Advisers! ?? are hiring.

We are on the lookout for 2 Associates to join the Fox & Hare family.

We are a tight knit team of 13, work remotely (with an option to use our Sydney office) and catch up once per month for a boogie and laugh.

If you want to launch your career with one of Australia’s most recognised and respected advisories, check out the job description here.

————————-

To apply, please forward your resume and cover letter to Courtenay Walker at [email protected]

REALLY want the role? Reach out to a Fox & Hare employee on LinkedIn – they know our company and culture inside out. Who knows what you could find out!

FOX & HARE FINANCIAL ADVICE CELEBRATES MAJOR STEP IN “CLEANING UP” AUSTRALIA’S BELEAGUERED ADVICE INDUSTRY

Industry leading firm cements its place as one of Australia’s most progressive advisories, passing rigorous social, environmental and good governance B-Corp certification process. 

22/06/22 SYDNEY, NSW: Today, Fox & Hare, one of Australia’s most recognised and celebrated boutique advisories celebrates passing the gruelling assessment and certification process to become a fully certified B-Corporation. By meeting the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, Fox & Hare intends joins other business leaders in a global movement of people using business as a force for good – working toward a global economy that benefits all people, communities and the planet.

Fox & Hare Co-Founder, Glen Hare says “we recognise the damage that years of shady behaviour, exclusion and questionable ethics have caused to our industry and believe that this is a significant step toward rectifying that damage. A Recent Roy Morgan study revealed a meagre 17% of Australians rate Financial Planners ‘very high’ or ‘high’ for ethics and honesty – and we’re doing everything in our power to change that.”

B-Corp certification calls for the highest verified standards in social, environmental and good governance. Fox & Hare’s successful accreditation was underpinned by the implementation and maintenance of policies including, but not limited to: 

• Gender representation and equity at all levels of business: Less than 23% of Australian advisers identify as women, an already depressing number that falls precipitously when adjusted to include entrepreneurs and business owners. Fox & Hare smashes industry glass ceilings at every level, it is female co-founded, boasts a 50/50 gender split amongst team members, and a whopping 49% of members who identify as female.

• Meaningful inclusion for the rainbow community: It’s estimated that less than 5% of Australia’s total population identify as members of the rainbow community – yet more than 16% of the Fox & Hare membership base do so. Welcome news for a cohort reporting significantly higher levels of financial hardship and stress than their heterosexual and/or cis-gendered counterparts.

• Environmental and social stewardship: Recognising the impact human activity has on the climate and environment, Fox & Hare maintains 100% carbon neutrality – offsetting everything from staff commutes to utilities. Further, Fox & Hare uphold specific reduction targets relative to previous performance, are currently in the process of sponsoring an Australian environmentally focused NFP and have a stated commitment to reach 50% of all funds under management invested ethically by 2023.

Fox & Hare are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with other notable B-Corporations Patagonia, Koala, Aesop and Bank Australia.

About Fox & Hare: Founded in 2017 by two former Macquarie execs, Fox & Hare aims to empower and educate Australians in the wealth accumulation phase of their life journey. Through the provision of a safe, inclusive and accepting environment, they’ve built a diverse and devoted following of 30/40 somethings, from many backgrounds, abilities and genders. The organisation and its co-founders have  featured in the AFR, IFA and Sydney Morning Herald, been included in Financial Standard’s Power 50 and voted IFA’s Thought Leader of the Year.

Glen Hare

0434 418 478

What do you get when you combine a ridiculously credentialed financial planner, with first hand experience of financial challenge, hardship and motherhood?

The newest addition to the Fox & Hare family, Trish Gregory.

“I decided to become a Financial Adviser after my partner was medically discharged from the RAAF in 2016” says Trish

“Up until that point I’d been the stay-at-home parent with two of our eventual three children, and absolutely loved the opportunity to put into practice what I’d been learning organically for years”

After successfully landing the pivot of the century, from stay at home mum to launching a career in advice in Melbourne then Canberra, she found the time to launch a monthly mother’s financial forum – facilitating conversations about investment properties, share portfolios and financial goals, in a safe, friendly environment (with no advice given, of course!).

Obviously not one to settle, Trish tells us she “didn’t want to complete the minimum required level of education” and followed up her Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning with an almost complete Master of Financial Planning – both earned with a distinction grade average, while raising a family of three.

We believe that life changing financial advice comes as a result of first-hand experience, hardship and the ability to truly understand the transformative effect that properly (or poorly) managed finances can have on our lives. Trish brings all three to the Fox & Hare experience in spades.

“I watched the effects of a messy divorce on my mother’s financial situation and knew that I wanted to be financially independent. I bought my first home long before I met my partner, signed up for a ‘basics of investing’ course at my local Tafe and started from there”

“When my journey began I was working with a salary around 40k, I wasn’t earning the big bucks but I was a homeowner, I was an investor and I was putting money into my offset account”

“Life can throw some really shitty situations your way, things can get extraordinarily stressful – even WITH savings and those earning a higher income are not immune, there are so many costs imposed on them and that’s before we even consider the self-imposed ones”

“I want all the young people out there, the ones who look like me and the rest of the Fox & Hare team to know that they have lots of time, lots of opportunity and lots of potential – I’m here to help you with all of these competing priorities , all the complex goals that are there but you have no idea where to start”

We are so grateful that Trish chose to join us at Fox & Hare and look forward to the many great things to come!