Editor’s letter

Idon’t remember all the gifts I received as a young child, but there was one particular present that stood out – my very first piggy bank. I can’t tell you what it looked like (except that it was definitely porcelain), but to this day I vividly remember how happy I was when it was time to find out how much I had saved. I distinctly remember the sound of the hammer as it smashed my piggy bank and sent coins rolling, spinning and scattering all over the floor.

It’s hard to recreate that visceral experience, with most of us now saving our funds electronically. But in our cover story (page 34), which is all about uncovering the “invisible” dollars you never knew you had, we certainly help give you a taste of the anticipation I experienced as a young girl.

Over your working years, you’re likely to have accumulated dollars and cents from casual employment, multiple bank accounts and company benefits that you might have forgotten about.

Over the same period, you may have developed a spending habit that didn’t seem excessive when the economy was stable, but may be impractical in the throes of a recession. On page 40 we give you 10 ideas to help you stretch your budget further.

We hope this issue of Money helps you discover the funds you may have overlooked and spurs you on to unleash your frugal inner self.

Also in this issue are timely articles on post-pandemic property investing (page 54), peer-to-peer lending (page 68) and divorce without the financial heartbreak (page 42).

If your savings buffer needs an urgent boost, read on. This issue is for you.