How to avoid bill shock with bill-smoothing payments Sidestep the shock of unexpected bills by smoothing out payments and making regular, automated instalments that can be planned well in advance. Ever experience that sinking feeling when you’ve opened a bill that you can’t possibly afford to pay? The shock of receiving a big bill – or worse, a number of them arriving at the same time – can be extremely stressful. Thankfully, by setting up …
A guide to retirement in Australia | Money & Life Many of us think of retirement as a given – you work hard for your middle years, and then you get to bow out of the workforce and enjoy a well-deserved rest, take those bucket-list trips and enjoy the best life has to offer. After all, you’ve made your contribution and now you’ve earned the right to kick back. But unfortunately, retirement isn’t that simple …
Life After Work Retirement is instilling a new level of confidence, with almost two thirds of Australians aged 50 and over saying they are living their best years.i In this video we demonstrate this with some real-life stories. Three retirees talk about what their lives are like after work, including their fears, hopes and dreams for the future. “Nothing like what I dreamt it’d be like – it’s so much better.” Retirees reveal the magic of …
We all know getting into debt isn’t really desirable. So are there times when borrowing is justified? And what’s the best approach to keeping repayments within reasonable limits? We spoke to Sandy Hopps CFP® from Strategic Planners to get expert advice on smart ways to borrow money. Recent reports and statistics show we’re no strangers to debt in Australia. According to OECD data from 2015, Australia is 4th in the world – behind Denmark, the …
Key points The rout in financial markets has continued, on the back of coronavirus, made worse by a flow on to oil markets. The risk of a deeper hit to economic activity has risen. Key things to watch are the daily number of new cases, measures of economic stress and policy stimulus. Key things for investors to bear in mind remain that: share market falls are normal; selling shares after a fall locks in a …
Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets had a very volatile week – helped initially by more policy easing globally with both the Fed and the RBA cutting interest rates but only to get hit again by intensifying coronavirus concerns. While Chinese shares briefly made it back to their January high and had a strong week, Eurozone, Japanese and Australian shares fell for the week. The Australian share market got some boost …
International Women’s Day and the art of listening For all the complications of the gender divide in the corporate world, the basics of listening – to clients and to employees – is a simple part of a bigger remedy. The chasm between men and women with pay, workforce representation and economic independence draws a flurry of debate every year, particularly around International Women’s Day. It also creates a lot of noise and distraction from working …
The company earnings reporting season was best described as mixed, but probably better than we feared. The Australian share market hit a new record high in the middle of the reporting season before it got whacked by concerns over coronavirus. The ASX 200 reached a record close of 7,162 points on February 20 before joining Wall Street in a sell off that was fanned by fears over the effect of COVID-19 on the world economy. …
Super investment options – what’s right for you? When it comes to superannuation, most funds offer a range of investment options. If there’s one thing certain in life it’s change. And generally your attitude towards saving and investing will change as you get older. How your super is invested when starting your first job may not be the right approach when you’re approaching retirement. Luckily you can change your investment options at any time and …
How to save money at university Back at uni? Do away with the poor student clichés with these money making and money saving tips Students aren’t exactly known for rolling in cash, but by following these simple tips to start saving money at university you can make the most of what you’ve got. Get a part-time job This might seem obvious, but part-time jobs aren’t what they used to be. Sure, you could take on …
