In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask is joined by Cameron Gleeson from Betashares for a practical challenge: if you could only use three ETFs for your whole portfolio, which ones would you choose — and why?
Rather than keeping it theoretical, they build two example portfolios from the ground up. The first is for a 34-year-old couple with young kids, a $50,000 portfolio and $1,000 a month to invest. The second is for a 54-year-old couple moving towards retirement, with part of their wealth outside super and a growing need for flexibility, stability and income.
Along the way, Owen and Cameron unpack how to think about diversification, asset allocation, risk tolerance, income versus growth, and why the right ETF mix changes with your stage of life. They also dig into some of the biggest mistakes investors make with ETFs, including chasing past performance, misunderstanding what is actually inside a fund, and focusing on yield without understanding the trade-offs.
The episode covers passive income, covered calls, credit and fixed income, and the role simple portfolio construction can play for Australians who want to invest with more clarity and less complexity. If you want a practical framework for choosing ETFs and building a portfolio that actually fits your goals, this episode is a strong place to start.
