Latest news with #She'sontheMoney
7NEWS
6 days ago
- Business
- 7NEWS
'Scaling back is always okay': Inside Victoria Devine's bathroom renovation
When planning a bathroom renovation, there are lots of exciting decisions to be made. What tiles will you choose? Will you have a bathtub or an extra-large shower? And, most importantly, how will you afford it? When financial expert and host of She's on the Money, Victoria Devine embarked on a bathroom renovation, staying in control of her budget was a top priority. "Renovations rarely go exactly to plan," she says. Unsurprisingly, her first step before undertaking the renovation was making sure she had a 'financial safety net'. "The amount needed differs depending on the property you're renovating, but as a blanket rule I recommend a buffer of 10 to 20 percent of your total budget," she says. "If you're doing up an older home or anything structural, lean closer to the 20 percent to be safe." The buffer was also there in the instance that problems or unwanted surprises pop up. "Being financially and mentally prepared means less stress when problems come up," she says. "Have early chats with your builder about common surprises based on your property type so you're not caught off guard when they come." The features most important to Devine in the new bathrooms were "quality, style and functionality". She wanted practical items that were great value and ended up choosing Reece's Posh range for the big-ticket items. "The vanities and back-to-wall baths were standout pieces: easy to customise, super functional, and designed to last," she says. "I know they'll still look great for years to come." For the rooms, she settled on a neutral colour palette with large square 'griege' tiles, pared with smaller rectangular sage green tiles as a feature. The finished bathroom includes a large shower with built-in recess for toiletries, a separate bathtub, matte black tap-ware, built-in timber vanity and round mirror with in-built storage. Now that she's been through the process herself, the finance guru has plenty of money tips to share for those embarking on a similar journey, including having clear rules on where to spend and where to save. "Spending should be prioritised towards good trades and anything structural," she says. "Save on finishes and styling touches that can be easily changed later. "You can always upgrade these along the way when your budget has more breathing room." If you've begun to realise costs are creeping up and your budget is dwindling, Devine suggests to "pause and reassess". "Have a clear list of your non-negotiables and the things you're happy to let go," she says. "Scaling back is always okay. Your financial wellbeing should come first, always." With any renovation, one of the biggest decisions is how to fund it. Before you decide, Devine recommends weighing up the pros and cons that come with each option. "Home equity is usually more affordable than other options, but it's important to make sure you're not overextending," she says. "A mix of equity and savings can offer flexibility and reduce repayment pressure. "Be cautious with personal loans as they often come with higher interest rates and stricter terms." Devine's top three considerations when working out your budget: 1. Council permits are often not initially considered and fly under the radar until it is too late. Make sure you look at the regulations for renovating in your area to factor those costs into your budget. 2. If the renovation requires you to move out temporarily, accommodation and storage costs can add up quickly. 3. Interest costs when taking out a renovation loan are easy to forget but should be factored into the budget too.
Sydney Morning Herald
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
I wanted to ask Dutton these nine questions. He never got back to me
Similar to what we saw in the US election last year, podcasts, video content and social media (sometimes referred to as 'new media') is playing a big part in this year's federal election. From thoughtful sit down interviews between current and aspiring MPs with leading creators, to viral TikToks and even a failed AI diss track, for many voters, digital content is set to inform how they'll vote next week. Considering Millennial and Gen Z voters are set to make up 47 per cent of voters in this election, and that the number of people accessing their daily news via digital media continues to rise each year, none of this is particularly surprising. In fact, in its 2023 report, the Australian Communications and Media Authority found that social media was the predominant news source for 46 per cent of people aged 18 to 24, instead of more traditional streams like television and print, and that the number of people accessing their news via podcasts is growing each year. As someone who has a large online platform and a successful podcast designed to financially educate young people, particularly women, I strongly believe in the power of each individual vote come election day. And, as someone who has made a career out of financially empowering young people, I understand how politics and the financial freedoms (or lack thereof) that we have are linked. As a former assistant treasurer, I know Peter Dutton also understands this, too. I had hoped Peter Dutton would be willing to speak to us about the Coalition's policies and what his priorities would be if elected. When you combine the opposition leader's experience with recent Resolve polling published by this masthead that shows just 26 per cent of Australian women say Dutton would be their preferred PM (lower than the national rate of 30 per cent), and low support across the board from younger voters, you'd think the opposition leader would be keen to pitch his case or, at the very least, have a conversation and be heard by the very people who will hold half the control next weekend. But for months now, multiple requests from my team to have Peter Dutton appear on the She's on the Money podcast have gone unanswered.
The Age
26-04-2025
- Politics
- The Age
I wanted to ask Dutton these nine questions. He never got back to me
Similar to what we saw in the US election last year, podcasts, video content and social media (sometimes referred to as 'new media') is playing a big part in this year's federal election. From thoughtful sit down interviews between current and aspiring MPs with leading creators, to viral TikToks and even a failed AI diss track, for many voters, digital content is set to inform how they'll vote next week. Considering Millennial and Gen Z voters are set to make up 47 per cent of voters in this election, and that the number of people accessing their daily news via digital media continues to rise each year, none of this is particularly surprising. In fact, in its 2023 report, the Australian Communications and Media Authority found that social media was the predominant news source for 46 per cent of people aged 18 to 24, instead of more traditional streams like television and print, and that the number of people accessing their news via podcasts is growing each year. As someone who has a large online platform and a successful podcast designed to financially educate young people, particularly women, I strongly believe in the power of each individual vote come election day. And, as someone who has made a career out of financially empowering young people, I understand how politics and the financial freedoms (or lack thereof) that we have are linked. As a former assistant treasurer, I know Peter Dutton also understands this, too. I had hoped Peter Dutton would be willing to speak to us about the Coalition's policies and what his priorities would be if elected. When you combine the opposition leader's experience with recent Resolve polling published by this masthead that shows just 26 per cent of Australian women say Dutton would be their preferred PM (lower than the national rate of 30 per cent), and low support across the board from younger voters, you'd think the opposition leader would be keen to pitch his case or, at the very least, have a conversation and be heard by the very people who will hold half the control next weekend. But for months now, multiple requests from my team to have Peter Dutton appear on the She's on the Money podcast have gone unanswered.
