As a finance expert I am often writing about the costs of the lazy tax and the savings we stand to make by shopping around. Despite this, I too am guilty of the occasional slip up and still remain surprised as to how much we stand to save by making a few phone calls, and checking whether we are still … Read More
Turning over a new leaf? Don’t skip this important step.
It is the start of a new financial year, and the perfect opportunity to turn over a new leaf with your money or inject some fresh momentum into your new year’s goals. But let me ask you this: when was the last time you paused for a moment to picture precisely what it is that you are working so hard … Read More
Don’t forget to do this before 1 July!
If you’re anything like most people, chances are that any letters or statements from your super fund immediately go either in the bin or in a non-urgent pile of mail to be dealt with at a later time. However, hidden in among those letters rests something very important, that has the potential to significantly affect your income in the future. … Read More
6 simple ways to boost your super while on maternity leave
When it comes to couples deciding who should stay at home to look after the kids, it is not uncommon for women to be the ones to take an extended career break, especially when you consider the cost of childcare. A 2018 KPMG report titled The cost of coming back: Achieving a better deal for working mothers, found that for … Read More
My $150,000 mistake
The biggest mistake I ever made was not paying enough attention to life insurance while I was young, fit and healthy. I first came across the term ‘life insurance’ when I was in my mid-twenties. I had just landed a corporate role at KPMG, and one of the perks was a life insurance policy and some income protection, paid for … Read More
Is financial stress affecting your relationship? Here are 5 things you can do
Have you noticed more arguments over money creeping into your relationship? If so, you are not alone. While money might not buy you happiness it certainly has the power to affect it – money filters through every aspect of our lives and impacts our physical and mental health, as well as our relationships. Research has found that money problems are … Read More
Owning a home is about to get more expensive…unless we act.
The Final report of the Banking Royal Commission into the Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation, and Financial Services Industry was released on the 4th February 2019. One of the recommendations in particular has been receiving a lot of media attention and has been the subject of some heated debates. This is because, if implemented, it has the potential to severely … Read More
5 Questions to help you Recharge and Reset for the New Year
With yet another new year upon us, the holiday period is a great opportunity to recharge, reset and if need be, turn over a new leaf. It is also a popular time for setting some new goals, which, lets face it, we have often long given up on by the time March rolls around. In order to have a greater … Read More
Three ways to save on your home loan
Don’t think you can afford to put more on your mortgage? Actually, you probably can! Lenders will generally calculate your ability to service your loan at a higher interest rate than what they actually offer you. Why? So that if interest rates go up they know that you can still afford your repayments. So this means that you can actually … Read More
Raising money savvy kids
Have you ever stopped to ponder about where your stories or beliefs about money come from and how they influence your spending habits? Last weekend, I realised that baby Emma (who is now 10 months old, where did the time go!) is in need of a walker. Rather than go to the nearest store, I had a look for a … Read More