the fifo wife

I was a child of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s  I never know what to call myself because I grew up in all those decades but I was old enough to remember some of the 80’s; well most of the 80’s if you want to get personal. I remember the high interest rates of 16 and 18%. I remember the tape and read books that my dad would buy me at Coles and I remember looking at the price on the sticker and the temptation to switch it so my Dad could afford to buy it. I remember my mother shopping around in our white Datsun for the best interest rate for my child endowment (because 13% was an option) that she was banking for when I was older. I remember eating buffalo meat, mince, crab and Barra almost nightly because back then it was ‘pauper’s food’ and my mum and dad were doing the best they could. I remember an awesome childhood.

I remember a lot of stuff it’s my ‘quirk’.

So as a child of the 70, 80 and 90’s I remember the recession and in an effort to combat the recession I remember that my father had to work ‘away’ because that’s where the work was. My father wasn’t in mining he was in construction and the jobs that took him ‘away’ were in Groote Eylandt, the Crocodile Hotel in Jabiru and Tindal air base in Katherine. His last job in town for 8 years was the Royal Darwin Hospital; it completed he had to go there was no other choice. I was five when my when my father started to work ‘away’ and did until I was a tween if that’s what we call it now but I was in grade six or seven. I don’t remember feeling like he was ‘away’ or that he was separate from me or my family he wasn’t he was at work. So I don’t remember missing him when I was little what I do remember was the driving and flying to see him every second weekend. It was an adventure. Even then I never saw him as being away he was at work. I give thanks for that to my mother.

I do however remember one of the first times he flew back into Darwin after a trip to Groote it was the afternoon and if I remember right it was the dry season because it wasn’t hot and the air smelt cool and dusty. I was wearing the spaghetti strapped green stripped dress my mother had brought me from Claudettes Young World in Casuarina Shopping centre but I never liked the dress. I was five and hated that dress because I didn’t like how it showed off my shoulders even then I was self-conscious of myself. Darwin airport was still at the RAAF base then still in the aircraft hanger and the airline he was flying was TAA.

I remember the excitement that he was coming home not only was I Daddies girl but it meant he and I would hang out go to the rubbish dump and fuel the truck. Trips in the truck meant salt and vinegar chips and red creaming soda. Good stuff for a five-year-old. The day he arrived home he was wearing his white collared shirt with the brown stripes and he still had the side burns of the 80’s. He walked through the door with the brown laminate handle after the long walk across the tarmac. I had been playing on the brown linking plastic chairs having got impatient at staring through the metal louvres when I saw him. He was hugging my mother and crying into her shoulder his arm firmly wrapped around her neck; I remember worrying that he was crying. I had only ever associated crying with sadness. What’s wrong I asked him? I rember looking at him his face was darker from he sun but the same as always. He picked me up and put me in his hip looking at me he said I am happy. These are happy tears Deb, happy tears.

Happy tears.

I don’t ever remember the missing part or anything else like that now except I remember feeling so very loved that day. Loved and happy because my dad was happy. He was so happy to see me and my mum so happy because he was crying. He was crying happy tears. Happy tears were rare so they were special. And I remember the colour brown because everything in the 80’s was brown.

xx Deb

 

 

He is missing my sons 4th birthday she said to me. I looked at her okay I said. It was out of the blue and unexpected. Yes John wont be here for his birthday. Okay I said not really sure what else I should say. So we are going to have a pirate themed party next week would B3 like to come?

He would love to I said just pop the invite into his pocket at school I said. I always like an invite I’m kind of formal that way. That and I need the directions and the time written down. It makes life easier for me self-indulgent I know.

Has John got a new job I asked her because I didn’t recall him ever working away before. No he has gone to visit his mother. Oh I said kind of shocked. When will he be home then I asked trying to be nosey without seeming so. In a fortnight she replied.

And so I wondered without asking why they couldn’t wait to have the birthday party when dad came home from visiting his mother it was but another week? But I already knew the answer because I get it a lot when people ask if the husband will be home for the boys birthday’s. None-FIFO folk often can’t imagine shifting, bringing forward or delaying the day or celebration. They can’t think outside the square outside by what has been dictated by tradition or the norm yet if FIFO teaches you anything it’s that this is our life we can make it Christmas in July or Easter in June if we want the same goes for birthdays and every other celebration. If you don’t then FIFO, defence, trucking what ever path your currently on is not for you or it will be twice as hard to deal with I can’t put it any other way.

And so I asked the boys this morning has daddy ever missed your birthday? Unanimously they answered No. No with a puzzled look when the truth is both husband and I missed B2’s birthday this year but we didn’t. B2’s birthday falls on the 11th however he was at Nana’s so naturally his birthday happened when he was home with us together as a family on the 15th. He knew it I knew his brothers knew and dad knew it and everyone was happy because nothing is without us all together was a family.

We have instilled in our boys that no celebration is really a celebration without dad and so his birthday despite being the 11th was when ever we could be together and celebrate it.   Its happened a lot over the years birthdays, Christmases and Easters they never fall when tradition or the Calender dictates and if I’m honest when it happens much like our delayed christmas I like it that way.

For birthday’s however the actual birthday is when my husband and I reminisce a lot. We keep that day as our own the day our live’s changed for the better {or worse depending on how much sleep has passed through my lids} We are selfish that way. I am not sad if we are not together and it would seem neither are my children. We wish them happy birthday we speak about the day of their birth what was happening what was on the news how they were laboured but there is no cake no presents exchanged because that can’t be done without dad; it simply can not. Then the day dad arrives home from work its on..birthday cake, presents and favorite dinners. The birthday boy dictates the day because as their birthday that is there right and so we and they do wait for dad as he does for us because nothing it without dad.

x Deb

{image with thanks to here}

I have been investing in shares since I was 20 years old. I don’t invest a lot in fact it’s usually on $1000.00 per buy but until six years ago I was buying them on my own in no particular order often because I liked the name or what they did; I picked them the same way I pick horses at the races, then I met Iain {well we have never met just email and phone} but he has been buying and advising me on shares ever since.

So as part of my money series {and it’s not sponsored} to explore investment options, money handling budget ideas etc I asked him to write a piece for me on buying shares because you always ask an expert and {clearly picking shares because you like the name does not make you an expert} this is what he had to share..it should be noted before making any decision you should always seek the advice of a professional..

Investing in shares.

In my 15 years as an advisor, I can assure you that the most successful methods of creating wealth are the age old tried and tested ways. 

First a couple of quick points.

Risk/Reward.
There is always a tradeoff between risk/reward in all aspects of life, from heading down to the casino on one end of the spectrum and risking everything to make massive multiples, to just having cash in your savings account earning 3% pa but with virtually no risk of loss. The stock market is infamous for suffering big shocks and crashes.  But it’s still here, and its done better than property/cash/fixed interest over the long-term.
Outguessing and ‘beating’ the market
The highest paid hedge fund managers in the world are paid to ‘beat the market’, or generate a better return then what the stock market has done.  And these guys can do anything to achieve this not just by buying shares like most of us, but they can also use derivatives (like futures/options), and hence also have the ability to make money when the market is going down.  Some use extremely expensive and sophisticated computer systems to ‘beat the market’.  So much so that it is estimated 70% of all trading on US markets are driven by computer programmes these days.
During the GFC, when US markets fell 30% in 2008, the average hedge fund return was -30%.  Remember these guys can make money on the market going down!! and yet they couldn’t beat the market.
Sure there would’ve been some that did better, or some that did a lot worse.  But it is extremely rare to be able to consistently beat the market. So far this year, the average hedge fund return is way below what US stock market returns have been.  I repeat this is an average, so there some that have done very well, and ones which have done worse .. but to consistently do it over time is extremely difficult.  Some of the most famous investors in the world have had years of massive losses.

In fact the most consistent hedge fund manager in the world over the long-term has averaged around 9-10% pa.

So if these guys on multimillion salaries can’t beat the market, what’s the point?

To build wealth over time, it can be done, just follow some rules.  Here are some of the important ones ; they even have some sayings attached because they are so well-regarded ;

1.. “It’s not timing the market, its your time in the market.”
Its investing, it’s not gambling or punting.  when you buy a property, you don’t value it every day.  with financial markets you have an asset valuation every second of everyday, and hence its driven a lot by human emotion in the short-term, primarily greed/fear.
Your timeframe should be 2-3 years AT LEAST, but more likely like 5-10years.   If not, then maybe it’s not for you.  Look for stocks with dividend reinvestment plans to build wealth.  There is no question that over the past 100 years, the stock market has provided the best returns then any asset class, but there were big fluctuations in between.  if you keep looking at the prices each day and try to work out small short-term movements in the market, it’ll drive you mad. No one knows what’s happening in the short-term.

2. Dollar cost averaging.  following from point 1.  I can’t emphasise this enough.  Keep buying shares regularly to get the best average price over time.  You will not be able to consistently pick lows or highs of the market, sometimes you will sometimes you won’t.  We’re in the game of investing, and increasing the probability of success, not punting.   By buying slowly and regularly it attempts to create a discipline and reduce ‘market risk’  or the risk of trying to predict what the market will do.

3. ‘The stock market is where wealth gets transferred from the impatient to the patient’  Warren Buffet.  Yes I’ll say it again, it takes patience. And it takes time, but so does investing in property, or cash or work.  People are so attracted to financial markets because they hear or see companies pop up 20-30% etc.. in a day.  Believe me there are an equal number of stocks falling by that amount as well.  But trying to play that part of the market is dangerous, and its the main reason why most people are turned off by the market (being burnt here).  Stick with top 200, 100 or even top 50 stocks depending on how conservative you are.  Playing the small speculative side is fraught with danger, and the payoffs are similar to going to the casino.  With top 100 stocks, they have an amazing track record and the vast majority of the time, they’ll still be around in 10 years, and if they fall they generally get back up.  It’s hard to say for the speccies which are generally just the flavour of the month.

People get scared when they see the market falling, or the value of their investments falling rapidly with the market. Remember its the liquidity of financial markets that sees asset valuation every second (the settlement period being 3 days as opposed to property which could be months).  You don’t get that with other asset classes.  But the fear makes people sell when others are, and buy when others are, that old herd mentality.  But with property for instance, if you get a valuation suggesting a loss, what do you do, you generally will hold waiting for a better time.  If you are in quality blue chip stocks, they will pay there way over time.

4. Don’t have all your eggs in one basket (Diversify) Boring but true, a one egg basket falls and you’ll be in tears.  Diversify to get exposure to a cross-section of sectors/aspects of the economy, which would include exposure to the AUD, to interest rates etc ..  So if one goes sour for a time, the overall basket won’t.  Over the past 15 years there’s been a tech boom, mining boom, which in itself had booms in gold / uranium / iron ore / oil, but they all came to an end.  It’s difficult to pick these trends up and more importantly know when they’ll end.  Diversification will smooth out returns and you won’t have to be reading the Australian Financial Review everyday and losing any sleep.

The stocks I suggest below fall into that category.  And by diversifying .. this would also include having money spread across all asset classes, ie : property/cash/fixed interest too .. not just the stock market.

5.  Start as soon as you can!  Start now it’s not too late!!   It’s never too late to start.  As they say we all wish we knew what we know now when we were young .. I know its true with investing .. first hand!!  And time goes by so quick.  Think about where you want to be in 5 or 10 years, and how much money you want to have.  As with exercising and diet, it’s a discipline and lifestyle change that may start with $200-500 a month.  It’s always difficult to think about our far future, but we all appreciate how life passes us by so quickly, and before you know it it’s like ‘damn I wish I did something about it earlier’.
Use a diversified fund like Argo, Milton, Australian Foundation, or Australian Leaders fund, (you are buying a basket full of blue-chip Australian stocks, so instant diversification and exposure to primarily the Australian economy but it also includes a bit of global exposure as well).
Use Dividend reinvestment for a compounding wealth creation effect.  The sooner you start, the sooner the compounding can begin.
We love it when clients buy stocks for kids because they can’t touch the money until they’re 18.  Its true long-term investing, and can sometimes pay for a tertiary education.
You may not be a kid, but in 10 years time , you’ll be 10 years older, and hopefully in a better financial position than today.

The stock market is not a casino, and like with so many aspects of life, it can be ‘daunting’, dare I say it ‘boring’ for many.  But it’s not complicated.  It’s basically a marketplace for raising money for businesses/companies to go and do things.  And money gets attracted to the businesses that use it the best, or generate the best return on that money through earnings.  And it looks ahead, not back, the market doesn’t care what you did last year, its only interested in what you’ll do next year :what percentage earnings growth you’ll generate.

Eyes glazed over yet?

I do it because I do have a passion for it, and its great to build wealth for clients for better lives.  But I don’t know how to put a nail in the wall, or how my car works, if there’s something wrong with the latter I take it to the mechanic. If you worried about your money, that’s what I’m here for.  I do enjoy helping and educating people who want to learn more, so shoot us an email with some questions if you’ve got them.

It’s definitely not the glamour of Wolf of Wall St, or even the original Wall St.  I spend my working life reading/watching financial news and numbers going up and down on a screen.

But its an asset class which can be very rewarding with the right perspective and guidance.

Iain Cooper B.Bus (BankFin) ADA MAppFin Dip.TA (ATAA) Prof Dip Stockbroking 

Senior Advisor  |  Authorised Representative: 259239
Email: iain.cooper@morgans.com.au
Direct: 07 4222 0555  |  Fax: 07 4222 0500  |  morgans.com.au/cairns

 

The weekend over before we knew it and its funny that it doesn’t it fly by that quick when husband is at work but truth is often it’s because we clock watch when he is at work a bad habit that I must get out of. We spent it together in the garden mostly. My hands got imbedded with prickles from some Bougainville and this morning they are killing me I am not a gardener. If it’s not a native it does not do well with me the Bougainville will be short lived in the yard. 

It was also the weekend my B3 discovered he wasn’t the favourite child after we discussed favoritism and how his father and I loved them all equal. His reaction as we said that we loved them all equally was mixed with disappointment and happiness but there is no favourite here they are all equal and its important for them to know that we do however refer to them as B1 being our favourite B1, B2 is our favourite B2 and B3 will always be our favourite B3. I dont doubt this is where B3’s confusion lay.

So it’s the third week of July my B2 realised we are half way through the year and so these are the few things running through my head. 

1.I love in a small town rural. You hear cows instead of cars of a night so its with great disappointment that I found out that the free range piggery that sits on the outskirts of town {nexst to a wagu beef farm} was forced to close..forced to slaughter the pigs they couldn’t sell..because the city slickers living across the way have their hands in the local councils pockets. This is a country area..a lively hood is now lost..another farmer gone. When we are back to slaughtering our own animals I guess only then will they will be grateful someone does the dirty work for them. A pig is one of the cleanest animals you can have on a farm..ignorant gits…don’t live in the country or “weekend” in the country if you cant handle a animal or two..

2. Support Sunday this week overwhelmed me in a good way. The thoughtfulness and care of the responses blew me away. It didn’t surprise me just after the despair of last week made me ‘ho hum’ but Sunday’s responses it was like a sucker punch to terror and all that evil. 

3. In my former life I was in hotels and loved it. I worked front office, reservations and events. So we are now looking at renting out a property of ours for holiday stays..its like being given my own hotel I am so excited about it also thank you to everyone who offered tips about what they like in a holiday stay..if you have any to share let me know.

4. I’m coming to the Gold Coast at the end of August if anyone fancies coffee can you give me an email.. debbie@thefifowife.com.au would love to meet some of you..

5. My husband brought the Cadbury picnic chocolate slab..he brought this morning six hours later its gone..its why I never bring the stuff into the house. What was he thinking?

6. For our fur parents here

7. Ever wondered what Jane Austin looked like? No well I have I do with all those old worldly types here.

8. How to raise kind kids here.

9. A sticky situation here.

10. Pin up girls of the 1940’s here

xx Deb

{image with thanks to here}

I tell people that I picked my husband up out of a Darwin gutter which is true. On a girls night out with my still dearest friend Ms Jones I had spotted him earlier outside so it was later that evening I went out of the club I was in and grabbed him. Now despite however I treated him in those first few weeks {he was just the man in uniform fling} I knew he was the one and he has rocked my world in every sense ever since.

And so it his birthday today we met when he was 24 and now we are both fast approaching forty and I can’t believe what we have a achieved. The places and depths that we have both been to would overwhelm most but not us and since I am a writer and he is a talker these are some of things I want to tell my husband…

1. You balance me out. You are fearless I am not. We thrive off being different and I like that. It’s our strength not our weakness. Except when we are renovating…then it’s a whole new ball game and I will not approach you when you have a hammer in your hand…simple.
2. You encourage me to better at everything and I want to be a better person because you have faith in me. You taught me to laugh at myself. To see the funny side.
3. I am so proud of you. When we met you lacked confidence. You didn’t think you had it in you to be anything now you manage things stuff and people. You create things resolves things and have faith in yourself. You are not the same man you were at 24 you are bigger and better. I am so proud of where you have come from I tell the world about you anyone that will listen or can listen because the ugly cry is usually involved.
4. I had children because of you and some days when I am cleaning pee off the wall I curse you but because of you I have a family I have this.
5. You have put your dreams on hold for us so we can have this life together I don’t think I can ever say thank you enough.
6. You don’t mind the ugly cry well at least pretend you don’t want to head to the hills instead you let me use you as a tissue.
7. When I say I’m fat and ugly or that I am not aging well like you; you tell me otherwise all without rolling your eyes because you have heard it all so many times before.
8. I love it that I have had to ask that you save yourself if there was ever an accident at work because I know that you would always put others before yourself but remember I need you to wake up every morning.
9. I need you to get rid of some of your jackets there is no space left in the cupboards…when you have more than you can wear its called hoarding…
10. I like it when you just know to take over..that I am tired and the thinking and doing needs to be done for me..

You are funny, sexy, an amazing husband, father and best friend you are everything to me and I fall deeper in love with you every day and the thought that this could disappear leaves me with a sense of panic each time you leave me.

Husband there is so much more I could say but like PDA {and because I know you wont know what that means ‘public display of affection’} there is a limit so let’s not get carried away with ourselves but you know the rest …

Happy birthday husband. I love you.

Xx Deb