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The Numbers Game

The Numbers Game

Nick Reilly, Jason Robinson 282 Episodes Aug 23, 2026

The Numbers Game is a finance, investment, and business podcast hosted by CPA accountant Jason Robinson and planner Nick Reilly. Each week, they provide strategy and advice on the importance of knowing your numbers in life and business. The show aims to help listeners understand the stories that numbers tell and make better financial decisions.

Episodes

Why You Feel Poorer Despite Getting a Pay Rise | The Bracket Creep Problem
Why You Feel Poorer Despite Getting a Pay Rise | The Bracket Creep Problem Aug 23, 2026 00:22:31 Every pay rise feels smaller than it should. That's because when your income goes up but the tax brackets don't move, you quietly pay more tax at higher rates. It's called bracket creep, and it's why your pay never quite catches up. Today we run through what your pay rise is really worth after tax, and the one change every other developed country makes that Australia doesn't. On this episode, we
How to Get Ahead in Your 20s | What We'd Do If We Had Our Time Again
How to Get Ahead in Your 20s | What We'd Do If We Had Our Time Again Aug 16, 2026 00:29:46 The doom and gloom online is loud, but what never changes is young people wanting to get ahead. Today we're looking back on the choices we made in our 20s to see what we would do differently now.  On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:00) What We'd Change at 25 Again (01:43) The One Property Choice Nick Would Undo (04:54) Why We Wasted Every Paycheck at 15 (06:23) How Jase Lost on Hi
Build or Buy a Business? | The Huge Opportunity in Australia Right Now
Build or Buy a Business? | The Huge Opportunity in Australia Right Now Aug 9, 2026 00:25:17 1.3 million Aussie small businesses are owned by baby boomers, and in the next few years we’ll see the biggest handover of small business ownership in a generation. For anyone thinking of starting one, today's ep looks at what it means to buy an existing business rather than build from scratch. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:24) 1.3 Million Aussie Businesses Owned by Boomers (00:
Why Australia Isn't as Broken as the Media Says
Why Australia Isn't as Broken as the Media Says Aug 2, 2026 00:30:28 Nothing on the news feels like good news. Wages under pressure, taxes up, housing broken. But there's another story if you go looking for it. Today we lay out the bullish case for Australia in 2026: why we're still the third-richest country per household, and the business, property and tech plays going for anyone paying attention. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:20) Voice Note From
Should Australia Ditch Super?
Should Australia Ditch Super? Jul 26, 2026 00:29:14 Is there a case to ditch super in Australia? A clip doing the rounds by Senator Gerard Rennick says yes, and it turns out the argument is stronger than most people would think. Nick walks through why it stacks up on paper but breaks down in reality, from the fund returns and tax breaks people would give up, to what actually happens to money the second it lands in their pocket. On this episode, we
Pokemon Cards vs Bitcoin, Gold and the ASX | A 25-Year Investment Comparison
Pokemon Cards vs Bitcoin, Gold and the ASX | A 25-Year Investment Comparison Jul 19, 2026 00:23:55 Pokemon cards are being treated as a serious investment by some Aussies right now, with collectors sitting on multi-million dollar portfolios. But do the numbers actually stack up as a solid investment? Jase has run the comparison of investing $10k in a vintage Pokemon collection against the ASX, gold and Bitcoin over the last 25 years. On this episode, we discuss:  (00:00) Intro (02:26) A Living
Buying Commercial Property With Your Super in 2026 | What the Numbers Say
Buying Commercial Property With Your Super in 2026 | What the Numbers Say Jul 12, 2026 00:21:11 There's a resurgence of Aussies buying commercial property in Self-managed Super Funds. Nick's found a real-world example of a commercial shed in regional Victoria that could generate $133K a year, and he breaks down the numbers of what this would look like as an investment in 2026. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (02:45) Inside The SMSF Resurgence (03:33) When Property Income Falls S
The Most Expensive Day in Aussie Small Business History
The Most Expensive Day in Aussie Small Business History Jul 5, 2026 00:32:35 1 July might be the most expensive day in Australian small business history. Jase has done the maths on a 10-person business and the cost is around $50,000 extra a year on the basics alone. If you're employing people in Australia, this is hitting you now, and he's mapped out a game plan to tackle it. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:26) The Most Expensive Day In Small Business Histo
What Real Budget Reform for Young Australians Would Actually Look Like
What Real Budget Reform for Young Australians Would Actually Look Like Jun 28, 2026 00:26:47 The 2026 Budget was pitched as a fix for intergenerational unfairness. Nick's fired up and reckons none of it adds up, especially if you're a young Australian trying to get ahead. But you can't just criticise without bringing a solution, and he's got a few of his own. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:17) The 2026 Budget's Reform Pitch and Where It Misses Young Australians (02:29) B
The Business of Gift Cards | Why Most Get the Accounting Wrong
The Business of Gift Cards | Why Most Get the Accounting Wrong Jun 21, 2026 00:23:30 Australians waste $1.9 billion a year on gift cards they never use, and there's a whole business model built around hoping you don't show up. If your business sells gift cards, there's a good chance the accounting is wrong. It's one of the most common mistakes Jase sees with his clients, and this episode gets into how the accounting should actually work so you're not paying tax before you need to.
How to Know If Your Skills Transfer in an AI World
How to Know If Your Skills Transfer in an AI World Jun 14, 2026 00:28:32 Over 9,000 Australian jobs have gone to AI this year and we're now second in the world for tech displacement. Nick reckons you don't need to be a tech expert to stay relevant. Your existing skills transfer to roles AI can't replace, you just need to know which ones and where. He's put together a 6-step playbook that walks you through assessing your own exposure, identifying what transfers, and mak
Victoria Owes $199 Billion | What It Means for Your Business
Victoria Owes $199 Billion | What It Means for Your Business Jun 7, 2026 00:26:11 Victoria's $199 billion in debt, and if you're running a small business in this state, you're the one wearing it. Taxes keep climbing, businesses are going under at record rates, and the COVID levy that was sold as temporary isn't going anywhere. Jase has done the numbers on where the money went and what it means for Victorian business owners heading into end of financial year. On this episode, we

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