array(1) { [0]=> &object(stdClass)#5091 (52) { ["id"]=> string(5) "15670" ["title"]=> string(37) "Capitalising on the COVID-19 pandemic" ["alias"]=> string(37) "capitalising-on-the-covid-19-pandemic" ["introtext"]=> string(208) "

More time at home means many Australians now have the opportunity to re-assess their lifestyle and spending habits and set some serious saving goals. So how can you actually go about it?

" ["fulltext"]=> string(1236) "

In this episode of The nestegg Podcast, host Grace Ormsby is joined by Melbourne-based Reventon’s Billie Christofi to talk all things finance and the impact of isolation on our hip pockets.

In stage 4 lockdown, Billie shares the importance of going back to basics when it comes to budgeting, methods to re-assess spending habits, and some of the less conventional ways people can boost their wealth at this time.

Thanks Billie, for sharing your insights with the nestegg podcast team!

Have an investment story to share? Get in touch at [email protected] and you might get featured on an upcoming episode!

" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["catid"]=> string(3) "302" ["created"]=> string(19) "2020-09-01 07:00:26" ["created_by"]=> string(4) "2386" ["created_by_alias"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2020-09-02 02:50:12" ["modified_by"]=> string(4) "2386" ["modified_by_name"]=> string(12) "Grace Ormsby" ["publish_up"]=> string(19) "2020-09-02 02:50:12" ["publish_down"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["images"]=> string(218) "{"image_intro":"images\/podcasts\/Billie_Christofi_WEB_ne.jpg","float_intro":"","image_intro_alt":"","image_intro_caption":"","image_fulltext":"","float_fulltext":"","image_fulltext_alt":"","image_fulltext_caption":""}" ["urls"]=> string(121) "{"urla":false,"urlatext":"","targeta":"","urlb":false,"urlbtext":"","targetb":"","urlc":false,"urlctext":"","targetc":""}" ["attribs"]=> string(782) "{"article_layout":"","show_title":"","link_titles":"","show_tags":"","show_intro":"","info_block_position":"","info_block_show_title":"","show_category":"","link_category":"","show_parent_category":"","link_parent_category":"","show_associations":"","show_author":"","link_author":"","show_create_date":"","show_modify_date":"","show_publish_date":"","show_item_navigation":"","show_icons":"","show_print_icon":"","show_email_icon":"","show_vote":"","show_hits":"","show_noauth":"","urls_position":"","alternative_readmore":"","article_page_title":"","video_url":"","channel_id":"UCLBR-2LtTtui_WiRuEfW3qA","show_publishing_options":"","show_article_options":"","show_urls_images_backend":"","show_urls_images_frontend":"","send":"0","test":"0","readingDiff":"3","canonical_link":""}" ["metadata"]=> string(68) "{"robots":"","author":"","rights":"","xreference":"","metatitle":""}" ["metakey"]=> string(105) "podcast, savings, financial goals, financial freedom, lockdown, pandemic, wealth, wealth creation, saving" ["metadesc"]=> string(186) "More time at home means many Australians now have the opportunity to re-assess their lifestyle and spending habits and set some serious saving goals. So how can you actually go about it?" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["hits"]=> string(4) "1451" ["xreference"]=> string(0) "" ["featured"]=> string(1) "0" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["readmore"]=> string(4) "1236" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "0" ["category_title"]=> string(7) "Podcast" ["category_route"]=> string(17) "resources/podcast" ["category_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["category_alias"]=> string(7) "podcast" ["published"]=> string(1) "1" ["parents_published"]=> string(1) "1" ["lft"]=> string(2) "82" ["author"]=> string(12) "Grace Ormsby" ["author_email"]=> string(33) "[email protected]" ["parent_title"]=> string(9) "Resources" ["parent_id"]=> string(3) "300" ["parent_route"]=> string(9) "resources" ["parent_alias"]=> string(9) "resources" ["alternative_readmore"]=> NULL ["layout"]=> NULL ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#5071 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#5082 (95) { ["article_layout"]=> string(14) "momentum:newne" ["show_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_titles"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_intro"]=> string(1) "0" ["info_block_position"]=> string(1) "0" ["info_block_show_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_category"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_category"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_parent_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["link_parent_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_associations"]=> string(1) "0" ["flags"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_author"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_author"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_create_date"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_modify_date"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_publish_date"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_item_navigation"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_vote"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_readmore"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_readmore_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["readmore_limit"]=> string(3) "100" ["show_tags"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_icons"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_print_icon"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_email_icon"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_hits"]=> string(1) "1" ["record_hits"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_noauth"]=> string(1) "0" ["urls_position"]=> string(1) "0" ["captcha"]=> string(0) "" ["show_publishing_options"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_article_options"]=> string(1) "1" ["save_history"]=> string(1) "1" ["history_limit"]=> int(10) ["show_urls_images_frontend"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_urls_images_backend"]=> string(1) "1" ["targeta"]=> int(0) ["targetb"]=> int(0) ["targetc"]=> int(0) ["float_intro"]=> string(4) "left" ["float_fulltext"]=> string(5) "right" ["category_layout"]=> string(14) "momentum:newne" ["show_category_heading_title_text"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_category_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_description"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_description_image"]=> string(1) "0" ["maxLevel"]=> string(2) "-1" ["show_empty_categories"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_no_articles"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_subcat_desc"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_cat_num_articles"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_cat_tags"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_base_description"]=> string(1) "1" ["maxLevelcat"]=> string(2) "-1" ["show_empty_categories_cat"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_subcat_desc_cat"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_cat_num_articles_cat"]=> string(1) "1" ["num_leading_articles"]=> string(2) "14" ["num_intro_articles"]=> string(1) "0" ["num_columns"]=> string(1) "0" ["num_links"]=> string(1) "0" ["multi_column_order"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_subcategory_content"]=> string(2) "-1" ["show_pagination_limit"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter_field"]=> string(4) "hide" ["show_headings"]=> string(1) "1" ["list_show_date"]=> string(9) "published" ["date_format"]=> string(0) "" ["list_show_hits"]=> string(1) "0" ["list_show_author"]=> string(1) "1" ["orderby_pri"]=> string(4) "none" ["orderby_sec"]=> string(5) "rdate" ["order_date"]=> string(9) "published" ["show_pagination"]=> string(1) "2" ["show_pagination_results"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_featured"]=> string(4) "show" ["show_feed_link"]=> string(1) "1" ["feed_summary"]=> string(1) "0" ["feed_show_readmore"]=> string(1) "0" ["sef_advanced"]=> int(1) ["sef_ids"]=> int(1) ["custom_fields_enable"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_page_heading"]=> NULL ["layout_type"]=> string(4) "blog" ["menu_text"]=> int(1) ["menu_show"]=> int(1) ["page_title"]=> string(70) "Save Money - Tips and Strategies to Reach your Savings Goals | nestegg" ["menu-meta_description"]=> string(144) "Take control of your finances with our comprehensive tips and guides to debt consolidation, expenses, budgeting, savings account and tax saving." ["secure"]=> int(0) ["page_description"]=> string(7) "nestegg" ["page_rights"]=> NULL ["robots"]=> NULL ["page_heading"]=> string(70) "Save Money - Tips and Strategies to Reach your Savings Goals | nestegg" ["access-view"]=> bool(true) } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["displayDate"]=> string(19) "2020-09-02 02:50:12" ["slug"]=> string(43) "15670:capitalising-on-the-covid-19-pandemic" ["catslug"]=> string(11) "302:podcast" ["link"]=> string(56) "/resources/podcast/capitalising-on-the-covid-19-pandemic" ["image"]=> string(43) "images/podcasts/Billie_Christofi_WEB_ne.jpg" ["image_alt"]=> string(0) "" } }

Latest Podcast

Capitalising on the COVID-19 pandemic...

Resources

There is $17.5 billion in lost and unclaimed super across ...

Save

Scammers targeting ‘confident’ investors in 2019

By Grace Ormsby

August 12 2019
Share

Save

Scammers targeting ‘confident’ investors in 2019

By Grace Ormsby
August 12 2019

Australians are set to lose more than half a billion dollars in scams this year, with investment scams one of the costliest offenders, the ACCC has said.

Scammers targeting ‘confident’ investors in 2019

By Grace Ormsby

August 12 2019
Share

Australians are set to lose more than half a billion dollars in scams this year, with investment scams one of the costliest offenders, the ACCC has said.

With this week dubbed as National Scams Awareness Week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has warned that consumers need to test their scam knowledge and refresh their scam protection and detection skills.

ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said, “Many people are confident they would never fall for a scam, but often it’s this sense of confidence that scammers target.”

According to the commission, investment scams “are one of the most sophisticated and convincing scams and continue to have the highest losses”, with nearly half of all investment scams reported this year resulting in a financial loss.

Such scams are prominent on social media, it was reported, with “Facebook lottery” scams, the Loom pyramid scheme, and cryptocurrency scams particularly common.

Cryptocurrency investment scams have seen record losses, the ACCC has reported, with $14.76 million lost by Australians in the first seven months of this year.

Many such scams use social media platforms, fake celebrity endorsements, or fake online trading platforms that look legitimate, the ACCC highlighted.

Ms Rickard urged people to “update their idea of what a scam is so that we are less vulnerable”.

“Scammers are professional businesses dedicated to ripping us off. They have call centres with convincing scripts, staff training programs and corporate performance indicators their ‘employees’ need to meet,” she continued.

How can you protect yourself from scams?

The advice of the ACCC, according to Ms Rickard, is for consumers to be wary of ads on the internet.

She also warned against being persuaded by celebrity endorsements or “not to be missed” opportunities.

“You never know for certain who you’re dealing with or whether they’re credible,” the deputy chair said.

Not unlike the advice given by the organisation earlier this year, she reminded individuals that “if you think you’re speaking to a friend on social media, call them, or find another way to contact them before acting on any advice that might result in you giving away your personal details or money”.

Be vigilant on social media, when shopping online and when answering the phone, and never give anyone who has contacted you out of the blue your personal details, banking details or remote access to your computer, no matter who they say they are, the ACCC has instructed.

“It’s best to assume scammers are everywhere, waiting for you to let your guard down,” it said.

Forward this article to a friend. Follow us on Linkedin. Join us on Facebook. Find us on Twitter for the latest updates

Rate the article

About the author

Grace Ormsby

Grace is a journalist on Momentum Media's nestegg. She enjoys being able to provide easy to digest information and practical tips for Australians with regard to their wealth, as well as having a platform on which to engage leading experts and commentators and leverage their insight.

About the author

Grace Ormsby

Scams

GST fraudster cops 5 years in jail over $5m scheme

A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to five years imprisonment after conspiring to defraud the Commonwealth of more than $5 million through the goods and services tax refunds. ...Read more

Scams

Youth and migrants target in the latest threat-based scams

Australians have lost over $8.8 million to threat-based scams, with young people and those in Chinese communities reporting the highest losses, new research has found. ...Read more

Scams

The $29bn mistake businesses are making

Australians are urged to be vigilant following a surge in remote-access cyber scams. ...Read more

Scams

How to avoid the latest tax scam

A consumer watchdog has warned Australians to be vigilant against the latest phone scam. ...Read more

Scams

TikTok sees scammers target new victims

Australians could be throwing away their hard-earned money with the purchase and download of a number of intrusive apps currently being advertised on social media giant TikTok. ...Read more

Scams

Virtual inspection trap triggers warning as rental scams rise

The consumer watchdog is warning of an increase in rental and accommodation scams, with more than $300,000 lost to fraudulent activities this year alone. ...Read more