If it is indeed better to give than to receive, then Australians are a happy lot. According to the Financial Planning Association of Australia, 85% of us find more joy in giving gifts to others than in getting them ourselves. We’re also a generous bunch, spending an average of $93 on a significant Christmas gift. […]
It’s fair to say that most of us aren’t crazy about budgeting. Even with the latest budgeting apps that aim to make this common sense habit into something easy and fun, the thought of keeping tabs on what we’re spending from month-to-month fills many people with boredom or anxiety. In their Know your Numbers survey […]
Funny thing, money. On the one hand it can get us excited or give us a real sense of achievement (think reaching a savings goal). On the other hand, it’s something we tend to keep to ourselves. Whether our finances are in great shape or need a bit of TLC, talking about it openly with […]
Parents and guardians want to send children out into the world armed with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. So we talk to them about the birds and the bees, we teach them to catch a ball and drive. But oddly, many of us never talk to them about money and how to […]
We check out the three largest contributors to household spending in Australia and where people would source additional cash if living expenses rose. If you worked a full-time job in Australia in 1975, the average amount you would’ve earned a year was about $7,600, whereas today, that figure would be closer to $72,000, according to […]
Although marriage, mortgage, and young children may have characterised your 30s, your 40s often feature growing responsibilities and ever-competing priorities. Your parents are older, your mortgage is still on foot, children’s education costs are growing, and though retirement may seem a distant reality, planning for that reality becomes an important consideration. The good news is […]
If your partner has expressed that you’re a bit of a letdown when it comes to managing money, here are some pointers for when financial opposites attract. Depending on what stage of life you’re at, you and your other half may be in talks about moving in together, adopting a pet, buying a property, or […]
Being forewarned about the costs of children, particularly educating them, provides an opportunity to prepare for the hit to the family budget. Take Ben and Laura, a young professional couple with a combined after-tax income of $150,000. They plan on starting a family in a few years and after allowing for other financial commitments decide […]
One fact of life is certain, we don’t stay young forever. As we grow older, everyday tasks can become tiresome; we suffer inevitable aches and pains and often have difficulty remembering things. But the ageing process should be seen as a privilege. We have retirement to look forward to, access to good healthcare and the […]
To help reduce credit card balances, many people turn to balance transfer credit cards. While these cards can help you reduce your debt, they do catch people out from time to time. In this article, we’ll flag some common pitfalls and discuss the right way to use these cards. The pitfalls First things first: let’s […]