There’s an old saying: “Price is what you pay, but value is what you get.” And it’s been front of mind for me after a recent home renovation experience that turned into an expensive lesson.
The Painter Who Went MIA
Here’s what happened.
We thought we’d be clever and save a bit of money by sourcing our own painter. The quotes from the builder seemed expensive, so we found this bloke who quoted about a third of the builder’s price.
At the time, we thought, “How good is this – we’ll pocket the difference and use it elsewhere.”
That decision came back to bite us.
The cheap painter cut every corner possible. He didn’t paint all sides of the doors, didn’t cut in properly, skipped the prep on some walls, so there were visible shadows. When we tried to get him back to fix it, he went completely MIA.
In the end, we had to bring the builder’s painters in to repair the mess. It cost us more than if we’d just gone with them in the first place – not to mention the extra time, stress, and frustration dealing with it all.
When Financial Shortcuts Come Back to Bite
The renovation experience made me think about how often we see the same thing happen with financial decisions.
Recently, I met a couple who, unfortunately for them, had most of their super tied up with Shield Master Trust, which seemed like a better deal at the time than the alternatives.
Sadly, that turned out to be very expensive. Their super is now frozen, leaving them stuck in limbo and unable to access their funds.
This is a couple’s entire retirement on the line.
What looked like a reasonable option has turned into a nightmare – and they’re not alone. Thousands of Australians are in the same boat.
The Real Cost of Quick Fixes
When it comes to your financial life – whether it’s building wealth, protecting your family, or setting up for retirement – it’s not about finding the cheapest solution.
It’s about finding the right solution.
One that’s properly structured, delivers genuine long-term value, and helps you feel confident making informed decisions.
Here’s what financial shortcuts typically cost you:
Missed opportunities: The difference between a quick fix and a proper strategy compounds dramatically over time. That super arrangement that seemed simpler might feel easier today, but it costs you tens of thousands in lost returns and tax benefits down the track.
Time and stress: Trying to fix a financial mess takes way more time and energy than getting it right the first time. Ask anyone who’s had to untangle poorly structured debt or chase down frozen investments.
Real money: Like my painting disaster, you often end up paying twice – once for the shortcut that didn’t work, and again to fix the problems it created.
Peace of mind: There’s a cost to constantly worrying whether your financial setup is actually working. That stress affects your sleep, your relationships, and your ability to enjoy the life you’re working so hard to build.
Why Quality Advice Matters More Than Ever
The financial services landscape is full of operators promising simple solutions and easy answers. Some are legitimate. Many are not.
Recent examples of super funds freezing member accounts, administrators collapsing, and compliance failures leaving people stranded should be a wake-up call. Quick fixes and shortcuts often come with hidden risks that only become obvious when it’s too late to do anything about it.
This is why quality advice matters. An accredited financial adviser doesn’t just offer the path of least resistance; they assess the overall quality of the strategy, consider tax implications, check the stability of the providers, and make sure everything genuinely suits your situation.
That takes time and expertise. But compare that investment to having your retirement savings frozen indefinitely, or discovering your insurance doesn’t actually cover what you thought it did, or realising you’ve been paying thousands more tax than necessary.
The Red Flags You Need to Know
Unfortunately, a few bad eggs have given the entire financial planning profession a bad rap. The vast majority of financial advisers are dedicated professionals who genuinely want to help you build wealth and secure your future. But it’s important to know the warning signs of dodgy operators.
Walk away immediately if you encounter:
Cold calling or unsolicited contact: If someone contacts you out of the blue offering financial advice or investment opportunities, that’s illegal. ASIC banned unsolicited phone calls about financial products and superannuation back in 2021. Legitimate advisers don’t cold call strangers.
Promises of unusually high returns: If someone’s guaranteeing high returns with “low risk,” run. All investments carry risk, and anyone promising guaranteed high returns is either lying or doesn’t understand investing themselves.
Pressure to move quickly: “This opportunity won’t be available tomorrow” or “You need to sign today” are classic high-pressure tactics. Quality advice doesn’t come with artificial deadlines.
Vague or complicated structures you don’t understand: If you can’t explain the investment or super structure to a mate over a beer, it’s probably too complex or deliberately obscure. Good advisers make things clear, not confusing.
No clear credentials: Check they’re actually licensed. You can verify any financial adviser’s credentials on ASIC’s Financial Advisers Register. If they’re evasive about their qualifications or license, walk away.
What Quality Financial Advice Actually Looks Like
Price is an upfront number. Value is the outcome – the peace of mind and the results you experience over time.
Here’s what value looks like in financial planning:
Proper qualifications and ongoing education: At Apex Advice, our advisers are university-qualified and undertake continuing professional development. I’m also a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®). The CFP® designation is the gold standard in Australian financial planning – it requires extensive education, rigorous examination, ongoing professional development, and adherence to strict ethical standards.
Getting to know your ‘why’: Before we talk products or strategies, we want to understand what matters to you. What does financial freedom actually look like for you? Quality advice starts with your goals, not with financial products.
Clear, written advice: You should receive a written Statement Of Advice that explains the strategy, the reasoning, and the costs involved.
Looking at the whole picture: We examine your entire financial situation – cash flow, debt, super, investments, insurance, tax, and estate planning. Everything works together, not in isolation.
Regular reviews: Your life changes, rules change, markets change. Quality advisers don’t set and forget – they review your strategy regularly to make sure it’s still on track.
Transparency about costs: You should know exactly what you’re paying and what you’re getting for that fee. No hidden commissions or conflicts of interest.
Accountability: We keep you on track with your goals. It’s easy to put financial stuff in the too-hard basket. A good adviser makes sure you’re actually making progress, not just thinking about it.
Rigorous compliance and investment screening:
Apex Advice operates under the Paragem Pty Ltd license, which means every investment we recommend is subject to rigorous compliance requirements. All investments must be assessed and approved by Paragem before being added to an approved product list – we simply cannot recommend investments that haven’t passed this screening process.
This framework exists precisely to protect you from the kind of governance failures, conflicts of interest, and inadequate oversight that have left thousands of Australians stranded.
Yes, quality advice takes more time upfront than a quick fix. But it’s about building something that works for the long term, not just what feels easiest in the moment.
The Bottom Line
My painting disaster taught me a valuable lesson: shortcuts can cost you dearly in money, time, peace of mind, and stress.
The same principle applies to your financial life – where the stakes are much higher.
Price is what you pay upfront. Value is what you get over time.
And when it comes to building wealth and securing your financial future, taking the time to get it right from the start will save you a fortune in the long run.
Because fixing a financial mess is much more expensive than doing it properly the first time.
If you have been impacted by the collapse of the Shield or First Guardian super funds, please visit asic.gov.au and, before making any panic decisions about other parts of your financial plan, contact an accredited financial adviser.
Stay Beautiful!
John Manserra
Certified Financial Planner®, Director
Apex Advice – Geelong Financial Advisers and Geelong Mortgage Brokers for professionals and tradies who want to make work a choice before you’re 67. Book a 15 minute chat here.
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Important:
This is not tax advice. The information contained in this update has been provided as general advice only. The contents have been prepared without taking account of your personal objectives, financial situation or needs.
You should seek advice before making any decision regarding any information, strategies or products mentioned to consider whether that is appropriate to your own objectives, financial situation and needs.
Current at 26 August 2025