Five Ideas on hearth, home and harmony.

I was interviewed recently for an industry publication about my early days, family and getting ahead…. I thought I’d share my answers.

Q1: You say on your website that “life is the sum of our experiences, not our belongings”. So can we have some thoughts on another sort of experience, the experience of buying a home to live and raise a family. What can you tell us about your experience of the first home you purchased?

A1: I bought my first home [flat] before I was married - back in 1988 had saved the deposit over 3 years. It cost $80,000 - which was a lot of money. Interest rates shot up to 16% - ouch. It was so hard financially that I had to take in a border and I could only afford to eat at home, I lived on boiled eggs. There was an upside to all this hardship however, when I sold the property a several years later, the price had gone up and I had created a small nest egg that was the deposit for the family home. In some ways that property was like forced savings.

Q2: One essential belonging is having a roof over your head but reaching that goal can be very stressful. With continual mortgage strain, do you think a new experience, family fun or bit of indulgence can provide some relief?

A2: Good times don't have to cost a lot - and it is important to balance hard work and determination with joy. A fun thing to do is to create the family dream list - things that you want to do or experience together as a family. So whilst you are paying off the mortgage you are still planning and looking forward to other family activities. One of my favorite sayings is 'Even if you are on a diet you can still read the menu' - it is important to imagine, dream and plan. Have some small things on the list - and make sure you do them.

Q3: What are some experiences you could recommend for these people, to help them with mortgage relief or give them more quality in their family time?

A3: Children don't want to be entertained - they want your time and listening. Shared experiences are the basis of all relationships. Having everyone in the kitchen cooking the meal, or everyone researching the family holiday means that everyone has a voice. [The family that plays together..] Giving someone a gift of something they have always wanted to do and sharing that joy creates fabulous family connection.

Q4: You were a winner at the National Telstra Business Women’s awards, we have a large female audience and the results of our recent survey concluded that females are the most active online seekers in the home loan market. What words of advice could you give these women who maybe trying to juggle a career and/or motherhood as well as a home?

Q4: There is no right answer - we all just muddle through the best we can. Each day with a family and career is a day of logistics and planning. My trick is just to be truly present at what ever I am doing in that moment. If I am with my children then I am in their world and playing their games. And it is the same at the office. It is not the quantity of time that we spend with our family it is about our connection with the moments we have.

Q5: Your favorite experience?

A5: How could I have a favorite - That would be like choosing between your children. There are perfect experiences for different moments. Sometimes you want to put people out of their comfort zone - other times you want to pamper them or give them a treat. That is why RedBalloon has more than 2,500 different activities. There is something for every occasion and personality - the easiest thing is to use the gift finder.