Modest vs Comfortable Retirement You may have grand plans for travel, leisure and living the good life in retirement, but how easily will these things be within your reach? Will you have the choice of a modest vs comfortable lifestyle? Assuming you own your home outright and are relatively healthy, the current figure stands at […]
‘Financial goals measured better if you have a passion for sports’ If your golf clubs have been under wraps or your tennis racquet has been tucked away for some time, it could be worth dusting them off. Research by AMP found Australians who play sport regularly are 64% more likely to achieve their financial goals […]
Be in control of your personal debt Household and personal debt in Australia is high but more of us are taking a sensible approach to debt management. Nationally, our household debt ratio is nudging 200%. On paper it means we owe twice as much in debt as we bring home in our pay packets each year. […]
Everyone makes mistakes during their investment lifetime; the trick is to avoid them when you can and learn from the ones you can’t. HAVE A PLAN Failing to plan for retirement and build up savings is one of the most common mistakes. Having adequate retirement funds can be undermined by unrealistic expectations about future lifestyle […]
If you’re experiencing financial crisis – if you’ve taken some hard knocks – then you’ll know how quickly things can spiral. We look at five ways you can take charge. Give me the main points Talk to a free government-funded Financial Counsellor. Get in touch with your bank ASAP – talk to their financial hardship […]
De-stress mortgage De-stress mortgage: “Don’t sail out farther than you can row back.” This Danish saying is sound advice for anyone thinking of borrowing to buy a home, particularly now that interest rates are low and house prices are generally rising. According to a paper for the Centre of Policy Development and University of Canberra, Australians […]
Gut instinct does not help in finance One of the marvelous aspects of living in the digital age is the ready availability of information. It’s a far cry from the days when we often made decisions based on a hunch, and that’s just as well. Research by broking group Mortgage Choice confirms that one in three […]
Ever feel like you’re drowning in a sea of paper? Tame the paperwork today and reap the rewards tomorrow. Life can be complicated enough without all the administrative paperwork that often accompanies it. This is particularly true when it comes to your personal finances/financial records. If stacks of old bank statements, utility bills, receipts, insurance […]
Ways to keep money safe this season A colleague of mine had an interesting experience this week. She received both an email and SMS from her credit card provider saying her card had been blocked due to fraudulent activity. It was an unnerving incident, and a timely reminder that none of us can assume “it won’t […]
