If you have multiple credit cards – and there are twice as many cards on issue as there are people in Australia – it would seem to make sense to tackle the one with the highest interest rate first if you’re keen to get your debt under … [Read more...]
Top 10 steps to beating interest costs
Interest rates might be low but even so, there are some basic steps you can take to reduce interest costs. Step 1: Shop around It's never been a better time to negotiate with lenders as the housing market is relatively soft and big banks are … [Read more...]
10 things you need to know when buying life insurance
The TV ads are right: it’s important to provide for your family should you not be able (or around) to do so. But it’s also important to buy insurance that will do the job properly – and the cheapest product is a false economy if you or your family … [Read more...]
Take the bite out of your grocery bill
The sharp rise in food prices in recent years has eroded consumers’ buying power. From having to pay almost $6 for a loaf of bread or even more for a litre of yoghurt, shopping has become a painful exercise, even before you hit the fresh meat or … [Read more...]
The 3 steps to cheaper health insurance
Health insurance premiums have been rising at an average of 5 per cent a year in recent years and can add up to quite a big bill. If affordability is becoming an issue, there are a few things you can do to save money while still retaining the cover … [Read more...]
How to pay off your home loan with your credit card
It takes a bit of discipline, but your credit card can be a tool for paying off your home loan earlier. Don’t believe me? Here’s how it works. You’ll need a home loan with a redraw facility or an attached offset account, plus a credit card – a … [Read more...]
Am I better off with a variable home loan or a fixed rate?
A fixed-rate home loan might seem like a great idea when rates are low, or when rates are likely to rise, but the people who study these things say that in the long run you’re usually better off riding the swings and roundabouts of a variable … [Read more...]
Credit cards – why the minimum payment isn’t enough
Don’t be lulled into a sense of complacency by the minimum payment specified on your credit card statement. Pay that tiny percentage – usually 2 to 3 per cent of the balance – and you could be in credit card limbo for a very long time. In fact, … [Read more...]
Just under $80,000 a year is enough, say most families
By Sunanda Creagh, The Conversation Most families say they would feel comfortable living on an annual household income of just under $80,000 according to new figures from the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research. However, … [Read more...]
Private health insurance and the illusion of choice
By Karen Willis, University of Sydney and Kirsten Harley, University of Sydney The number of people with health insurance plummeted in the 1990s, but almost half the Australian population now has private hospital insurance and over half have … [Read more...]