The word ‘inflation’ doesn’t only dominate business news headlines but finds its way into general news reports too. So, what is inflation and how does it affect you? In simple terms, inflation signifies a rise in the price of goods and services, meaning you pay for more for every purchase you make. Does the US influence […]

On 19 March 2020, Australia’s international borders were closed. Our island home was suddenly Fortress Australia. How we’d taken the freedom to come and go as we pleased for granted! After nearly two years, the restrictions have lifted and we are emerging, blinking and hopeful. While some of us may have lingering concerns, many others just […]

Pssst! Want to be a millionaire? It may seem an impossible dream but depending on your circumstances joining the ranks of the millionaires may be easier than you think. There are three key components to a successful savings strategy. The first is some surplus cash; an amount of money you can regularly set aside in […]

Not a day goes by where we don’t hear about bitcoin in the news or from a friend who has a hot tip on a new cryptocurrency. The past few years have seen an increase in the popularity of digital assets such as cryptocurrency and Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Direct shares and managed funds are […]

It’s never been easy to save the deposit for a home, but low interest rates make it even more difficult. For starters low rates drive up house prices, forcing homebuyers to come up with bigger deposit amounts. Then those low rates rob buyers of the ability to earn a decent, low risk return on their […]

Just as night follows day, it seems part of the regular cycle of the world’s share markets that downturns and falling prices follow good times and rising prices. The impact of the covid-19 global pandemic was typical of such downturns, prompting a 35 per cent sell off in world share markets and a dramatic fall […]

Work From Home (WFH) arrangements seem to have got our creative juices flowing with more online, home-based businesses springing up every day, providing a limitless variety of goods and services. Home based micro businesses (0 – 4 employees) and small businesses (5 – 19 employees) offer everything from retail items, to construction industry services. According […]

We work hard to earn our income and even harder to save it to achieve our dreams. Even a few dollars saved on different types of bills over the years can compound to something meaningful. Let’s go through some of the ways that can help achieve these savings. Track your expenses Why should you track […]

Australians were introduced to credit cards way back in 1974. Since then, we have embraced the plastic-fantastic with much enthusiasm, and why not? Credit cards meant no waiting; purchases went home immediately and were paid-off in monthly instalments – what could be better? For some 40 years, no other credit facility came close to offering […]

While the standard of living is constantly improving in Australia, economic disruptions, stagnant wage growth and continually increasing house prices are putting more and more people under financial stress. A recent report by the social research group, the Melbourne Institute, ‘Taking the Pulse of the Nation’, found one in three Australians reported being under financial […]