Thank you to everyone who participated in our “How Flexible is Your Business?” survey and congratulations to the winners of our featured book “Flexible Work Solutions”!

Please click here to access the survey results.

Flexible work arrangements - such as job sharing, compressed work-weeks and home offices - are fast gaining popularity in Australia. But how does a small business with limited resources implement solutions that suit both the business and the employees? Have your say: Do our mini-survey now and you’ll also go in the draw to win one of 10 copies of this week’s recommended book “Flexible Work Solutions”.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our What’s Your Wealth Plan? mini-survey. 63% of you indicated that you have a financial plan. The most popular wealth strategies included business (74%), savings (52%) and investment property (48%). Despite participants reliance on business as their overall primary wealth strategy, 88% indicated that a lack of financial and/or business education was a barrier to financial success. Managing cash flow was the biggest concern amongst women business owners, followed by funding growth and 66.7% of you felt somewhat confident in the current state to today’s economy.

The ABN has taken your responses on board and is currently planning a series of webinars and events to assist members address these barriers, across the areas of financial planning, business development and government resources for small business.

Congratulations to the 10 winners of Mark Bouris’ new book The Yellow Brick Road to Your Financial Security: Loata Brealey, Bianca de Reus, Loueen Goodall, Carrol Jones, Judi McDonald, Rina Lee, Natasha Reynolds, Jane Skamp, Rebecca Woodcock, Daina Peel.

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission offers a “wealth” of free information about managing finances through its consumer watchdog site, Fido,  including financial tips and safety checks, financial turning points, investing, budgeting, dealing with debt, credit cards, protecting yourself, your family and your property, managing loans, socially responsible investment and superannuation.  

It also has a range of resources you can download and a “Pie in the Sky Award” for the most outrageous financial scheme that’s too good to be true.   With previous winners including interest free loans, scams and a slice of Diana, Princess of Wales’ estate “Pie in the Sky” is essential reading!

Another source of free information for women about handling money is provided by “Women Understanding Money“, a joint resource of the Australian Government’s Office for Women and the Financial Literacy Foundation.  Click here to access fourteen information sheets for women who want to build their money skills.

An interesting research report recently released by The Australian Government Financial Literacy Foundation’s is entitled “Financial Literacy - women understanding money“, which  surveyed the attitudes and behaviours of 4138 women across seven areas of financial management - budgeting, saving, investing, credit and debt, planning and retirement, protecting money and information and advice. It also has some interesting comparisons between female and male attitudes and behaviors relating to money.