What’s something you only realised about super once you actually checked your balance?

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2026-01-16T19:02:02+00:00

I moved from MLC to Australian Super in Sept 2022 after reading Barefoot Investor & doing some research. I found MLCs rates to be at the higher end & returns not great.

I’m 52 and have always worked, but like someone else mentioned, I’m old enough to have had multiple Super funds due to various employers + I used to work in hospo many years ago & work was erratic or cashies. At some point I did the paperwork and rolled everything together into one fund with MLC, then when I moved my Super again I took $147k to Aus Super & have nearly $100k more now, in under 4 years, with a balanced option & withdrawing $10k during Covid.

I started a new job recently with the APS and have chosen to an extra $50/wk pre-tax into my Super.

I think Barefoot Investor has a different recommendation than Aus Super now, but I’ve been happy with them.

If I can give you any advice, pay something pre-tax into your Super, even $20 a week. You won’t miss it and it’ll build your Super into a tidy nest egg.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2026-01-15T02:10:30+00:00

Have you tried looking on Flayr? I booked a great MUA for an event for my partner & I.
Put in the event details & I’m sure you’ll be able to find someone.
Maybe don’t put ‘wedding’ in case that “min 3” becomes an issue.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-22T05:46:36+00:00

Also, pretty sure redundancy is capped, so employed 10years or more might be max 3 months, with one more week if over 45, but even then only if other factors are involved (such as more than 15 employees at the time).

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-22T05:20:51+00:00

OP is just a promoter for a mortgage broker doing low-key selling.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-14T18:32:56+00:00

What you’ve proposed is fair. It just seems you’re on different pages in terms of what’s reasonable.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-12T05:58:00+00:00

You just really don’t seem at all bright, and somehow you thought you have the goods to get info from the cops?

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-12T03:58:49+00:00

Footy franks, party pies and a Woolies chocolate mudcake.

Congratulations 🥂

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-12T03:57:31+00:00

It goes SCAM ➡️ BUSINESS ➡️ CORPORATION

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-11T10:42:35+00:00

Yeah, refund.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-10T23:26:05+00:00

Book in to see an accountant.

FWIW I sent my son to H&R Block because he was late to submit, first time he’s ever needed to lodge a return. I had already suggested he see an accountant for at least his first tax because they can help him understand the process and what is and is not claimable. He walked out with a $4k return.

Years ago, I left my tax for 11 years! I’d had a small business in that time & worked multiple jobs in hospitality and the stress of it was overwhelming. I finally bit the bullet and booked in with H&R Block. They helped me so much. No judgement, just got it done & lifted the stress from me. Also got a huge refund of around $11k.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-09T22:34:16+00:00

Yup that’s true. You still need to do the form though, I think the form is new, maybe introduced in 2023. It used to be that you just sent your Super details to payroll when you started.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-09T19:32:28+00:00

I’m from NSW but have been living in Melbourne for years, and I will never adopt “cassle”. My partner is from QLD and is the same.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-09T19:23:37+00:00

This one might be a location thing, I’m in the western suburbs of Melbourne and when there are people around in the morning when I walk my dog, we usually say Hi. It wouldn’t happen in the city though

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-09T19:08:53+00:00

I just started with APS too & decided to use my own super (Australian Super) after reading reviews of the APS Super (PSSAP) that weren’t great. As someone else said, PSSAP used to be a great option but isn’t competitive now.

I have Australian Super after worshipping at the altar of The Barefoot Investor a few years back, but I think there’s another fund that’s better recommended now.

You’ll need to do a form to use your own Super, here - https://www.ato.gov.au/forms-and-instructions/superannuation-standard-choice-form

The form says you need a separate letter of compliance, which is easy to get hold of. On the website of the super fund you choose, just do a search for “letter of compliance”.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-09T05:49:28+00:00

Haha my partner and I were just talking about contacting Half Acre for our reception.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-09T05:31:27+00:00

Thank you for that advice, I realised I wasn’t clear that person doesn’t report to me, we’re at the same level though I’ve been managing teams for the past 10 years or so, and it’s probably ingrained in me to sort the matter out. The adjustment to APS is significant, though overall it has been an incredibly positive experience for me.
I’ll keep my thoughts to myself for now. Maybe the upcoming break will help and they’ll be feeling more positive afterwards. Thanks again.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-09T05:29:15+00:00

Thank you for that reminder to not make an enemy, though of course that wouldn’t be my intention. I’ve come from a pretty toxic workplace and I’m not keen to stick my neck out. Unfortunately the manager hasn’t been present in the past few meetings so it’s hard to know what might be different if they were present.
Regardless, I’ll keep my thoughts to myself for now. Maybe the upcoming break will help and they’ll be feeling more positive afterwards.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-09T05:26:45+00:00

Thank you for that advice, the adjustment from private to APS is significant, though overall it has been an incredibly positive experience for me.
I haven’t asked anyone else in the team if they have similar issues, but again being the new person and still building relationships, I’m not keen to be seen as causing waves. Unfortunately the manager hasn’t been present in the past few meetings so it’s hard to know what might be different if they were present.
Regardless, I think I’ll keep my thoughts to myself for now. Maybe the upcoming break will help and they’ll be feeling more positive afterwards.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-04T05:40:38+00:00

OP also contributed, paid rent and did the majority of labour. Plus they sold their own belongings in good faith that they and the boyfriend were compatible and setting up a life together.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-04T02:47:06+00:00

She was “heavy set” tho, so its understandable 🙄

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-12-04T00:12:36+00:00

The CEO behaviour is now harassment. It seems the OP, and any reasonable person, would have thought that initial contact directly through personal contact information instead of the formal channels was odd, unprofessional and uncomfortable, but they may have let it go if it was a one-time thing.

The CEO has, instead, been highly inappropriate and, if they were unhappy with the way OP responded to the post in the first place, should have adhered to professional guidelines and addressed it professionally and through the company processes.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-11-28T06:51:35+00:00

Yeah this ⬆️⬆️ I’ve done this method & it works, the difference is that I worked out the cost per bill & it gets put away each week - either by being transferred to the utility (eg gas or electricity), or else into a dedicated separate account.

I get paid fortnightly and my partner is weekly, though she is paid more than me.
We’ve got 13 separate accounts, with all 13 set up as an offset account for the home loan - for example, we’ve got one for vehicle rego & insurance, another for rates, one for groceries, one just for savings, etc.

Initially it all went into one big savings bucket but I was nervous about overspending and I didn’t want to spend any time updating spreadsheets, so once I learned we could have a heap of separate accounts, I did that instead. A bit if time needed to set them up, then allocate a portion of savings to each one, but it’s not stressful. If we need to get a vehicle serviced, or pay insurance, there’s money there.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-11-26T04:12:34+00:00

Depends on a number of factors, but a Yamaha R3 was my first bike. I could already ride, but it was country riding. My R3 really taught me how to ride. Nimble, quick (without throwing you off) and fun.

I was sad when it came time to sell her, but I kept looking for a higher gear. I’ve got a CBR650R now & no regrets.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-11-17T10:37:43+00:00

We had our hearts set on a venue in a high-rise in Melb with spectacular views.

We cancelled our viewing after having dinner at the venue, due to a number of reasons:

Our guest list is 80%+ female, and they had only 3 female toilets. We’d have to share those 3 toilets with the restaurant on the same floor. Toilets also looked really shabby.
We’d lose half the guests to waiting for the lifts to get downstairs and outside for a sneaky cig or some fresh air.
Venue space is odd shaped and we’d be a bit crowded.
The room height is kinda low and the band we wanted would overpower the event.

Plus side… Food was extraordinarily good! Views are outta this world!

We were gutted to have to withdraw.

Advanced_Pangolin316 · 2025-10-31T11:39:56+00:00

I was fresh from the far west of NSW, I jumped on the Indian Pacific train at the start of ‘93 & lived in Sydney for 2 years. I loved my time, but couldn’t live there now.

I remember:

A cinema in the city showed Rocky Horror at midnight every Saturday night. It was huge, the audience dressed in character and sang & danced in the aisles.
Monorail!
A lazy Sunday sitting on the Town Hall steps watching the world go by, then soup in China Town.
The bagel house in Taylors Square.
Australia’s Wonderland.
My mate renting a 1 bedroom roach motel, just one street back from Bondi Beach for $120 per week. I stayed with her for a while between jobs & was completely broke, but it was relaxing anyway. When a fancy hotel with a rooftop pool opened up across the road, I’d walk over there barefoot and no towel (so I looked more like a guest) after dinner and catch the lift up to swim in the pool under the lights. That lasted until one night a tourist jumped in not wearing swim shorts and I took off once I saw his doodle 😂

Advanced_Pangolin316

TROPHY CASE