An expert in finance has the answers to the five top Googled Money questions. These include how to increase your income, get started with the stock market or learning more about cryptocurrency.
Vanessa Stoykov is a Sydney-based financial educator on a mission: to help others make smarter financial decisions.
The most common questions were: How to earn more, what to do if your mortgage is too expensive and how to save money.
Sydney money expert Vanessa Stoykov (pictured) is on a mission to educate others in order to make better financial decisions. FEMAIL interviewed Stoykov about the top Googled questions regarding money.
Many people ask common questions, such as how to increase your income and how to figure out if you have the money to pay for a mortgage. (stock photo)
1. How can I make my money?
Ms. Stoykov stated that the greatest finance concern many face is how to create money. There are many options, in addition to working.
“Most people are paid a salary and assume that this is how they make their money. But it’s not,” she stated.
“Investing, side-hustling, or getting a raise are all options.
Queenie Tan, a Sydney finance guru, previously listed several side hustles to boost your income. Dropshipping, copywriting, freelancing and dog walking are some side hustles that could help increase your income.
Queenie Tan (a Sydney-based finance expert) identified several side hustles to increase income via a YouTube clip.
Queenie, 25 years old, makes YouTube content to increase her income and earns $2,000 per week. Because of the large number of viewers and subscribers.
Side hustles can include copy writing, dropshipping and freelancing.
To save more each money, she also recommends making your own work lunch, selling items you don’t need, using credit card reward programs and switching out from an ‘underperforming super fund’.
Queenie, a finance expert, recommends that you make your own lunch and sell any items you don’t use. She also suggests using reward credit cards, switching to an ‘underperforming superfund’, and making savings on every dollar.
2. How do I invest?
A second question that millions of people Googled was “How to invest” in the stock exchange.
Australia has many investment platforms, which are ideal for novice investors. Ms Stoykov recommends Raiz or Sharesies.
“If this is your first time investing, it’s important to learn as much as you can. She said that there are many inexpensive courses on the internet. If you have the funds, seek out investment advice from a professional.
It is essential to know enough about investment options to make informed decisions that will help you succeed.
“This knowledge can give you the confidence and security to make the right decision for you personal situation. It could also save you money.
CMC Markets and Pearler are other investing platforms that offer different buying and brokerage fees.
3. How big a mortgage can I get?
A third question that is most frequently searched online was “What size mortgage am I able to afford?”Ms. Stoykov answered the question with a simple answer.
She said that ‘If there is a bank website you can find a calculator to calculate how much money you could borrow, based on your income and borrowing ability.
However, her “golden rule” says to borrow substantially less than what you are able or able to afford.
“This is because interest rates could rise and you may lose your job or face other issues in the future,” she explained.
“A mortgage is a loan that will last a lifetime. Think about how much you can afford in the future.
Money Smart’s mortgage calculator is a great tool that can be found here.
You should limit your rent or mortgage payments to 30 percent of your monthly income. Otherwise, financial stress could result.
More Aussies are looking to buy houses. It’s crucial to find out how much your budget is by talking to your bank or mortgage broker.
4. What should I do?
Ms. Stoykov recommends paying down any outstanding debts prior to saving money or investing in stock markets or real estate.
It’s because debt can accumulate interest, which will be charged to your account. Therefore it’s a good idea to get it paid off as soon as possible.
It is important to keep an emergency fund – small amount of cash that can be used in case of need – on hand.
5. What is Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency?
Forbes says that Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency. It’s a decentralised form of digital currency, which uses blockchain technology.
More than 5,000 varieties of cryptocurrency are currently in circulation including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin.
Ms Stoykov explained that Bitcoin could be an option for investors or an effective way to increase your income. But, it is worth doing some research first before investing.
Although there are many places to trade cryptocurrency in Australia, most people choose to store their digital funds on physical wallets.
Queenie uses Swyftx with a relatively low fee of 0.6% and no deposit and withdrawal fees. There are also options like CoinSpot or Crypto.com.
You can deposit money after signing up and verifying you account.
Bitcoin hit an all-time record high of $85,000 AUD per single coin in November 2021. Since then, the price has declined to 50,000 Australian Dollars. This price is constantly changing.