It has been an eventful couple of years for first-home buyers from booming property prices to rising interest rates. Cooling market conditions and a reduction in borrowing power means many frustrated purchasers need to pivot their property plans. Despite a widespread dwelling price correction – down –3.5% nationally for the quarter to 30 November – … Read more
Inflation dominated the economic landscape The year began optimistically, as we finally began to emerge from Covid restrictions. Russia threw a curve ball that reverberated around the world and suddenly people who hadn’t given a thought to the Reserve Bank were eagerly waiting for its monthly interest rate announcements. 2022 was the year of rising … Read more
It’s not just school leavers who dream of a gap year. Those of us who’ve been working for a decade or two (or more) may also long for a real break from career and commitments. An adult gap year is a chance to reset and to take stock of what’s important to you. There‘s the … Read more
“At the end of the day, we are accountable to ourselves – our success is a result of what we do” – Catherine Pulsifer It can be both empowering and a little uncomfortable to think that we are responsible for our successes – and failures. Being willing to accept the consequences of our actions, choices … Read more
Holidays should be blissful periods where you can do exactly what you want – usually involving relaxing and enjoying time with loved ones. However, it’s not uncommon to come back even more tense than ever and feeling like you need another vacation after what should have been a lovely break. Here are some ways to … Read more
The festive season is a magical time of year but it’s also a time when it’s easy for your spending to go off the rails. One of the main ways spending can get out of hand at this time of year is when you purchase using buy-now-pay-later (BPNL). Just like any form of credit BPNL … Read more
Quarterly Property Update It took the Reserve Bank just seven months to move the official cash rate from an historic low of 0.10% in April to 2.85% by November. The last time the RBA sent the rate up by 2.75% it took more than six years. Therefore, it isn’t any wonder why home values are … Read more
Sustainable investing isn’t new and is becoming more mainstream. From climate change to gender diversity, more people are aligning their money with their values. In 2021, Australia’s sustainable investment market increased 20 per cent to a record $1.5 trillion. The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) 2022 benchmark report found sustainable investments represents 43 per cent … Read more
Many parents and grandparents worry about how to help the children in their lives achieve financial independence. But the value of long-term investment can seem like a dry and complicated idea for kids to get their heads around. In fact, many young people would like to know more about money, according to a Young People … Read more
If you are looking to buy property in the near future there are a lot of numbers you’ll be keeping track of – how much deposit you are saving for, how much you can borrow, how much to allow for closing costs, a figure for your total overall budget, as well as how much your … Read more
