Should you be worried about Greece?
By now you would have heard in the media the unfolding situation in Greece and may be asking yourself this question. It surely isn’t the best way to end a financial year however the focus on Greece is not something new and has been going on since 2009 when the European Debt Crisis ...
Federal Budget Update 2015
Last night Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey presented his second Federal Budget. I am personally glad the messaging of this years budget has changed from one of ‘budget emergencies’ however the impact on the economy with the focus on ‘fairness, small business and families’ ...
The Focus on: Oil
Since June 2014, the price of oil has continued to plummet and this has been a major focus for economic observers. The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price (a grade of crude oil that is used as a benchmark for the price of oil), has fallen by 57 per cent – a staggering decline which […]
Investing in a volatile market
“I buy on the assumption that they could close the market the next day and not reopen it for five years.” – Warren Buffet Warren Buffet, arguably the world’s most successful investor, has long championed the ‘buy-and-hold’ investment strategy on quality stocks. ...
Super Guarantee to freeze
This time of year in the lead up to the Federal Budget there is often ‘noise and media’ around Superannuation, as the government decides what changes to tax system they may implement to assist with balancing of the budget. I always try to stress to people that most of the media you ...
Feeling a little Redundant…
Losing your job is never easy especially if it isn’t on your own terms, and can be as hard on your self esteem as on your finances. It isn’t just about loosing income it can be a loss of routine, self esteem and sense of security and requires a grieving process.
Money Goals before you turn 40!
In the first part of 2015 I reached a milestone in that I am closer to age 50 than I am to age 20 (yes I am a finance geek). As I reflected on this it got me thinking about what tips I would give to my younger self. So here it goes, my top […]
Enjoy a Financially Free Festive Season
Well here we go again, it is almost Christmas here are our tips to surviving the festive season without a debt hangover in the new year! Presents Try the ‘tacky sack challenge’ this year. Each year my partner and I have a Christmas stocking challenge with a set time limit at the ...
Changes to how superannuation pensions affect social security benefits
From 1 January 2015, income from superannuation pensions will be taken into account in determining whether you are eligible to receive the Age Pension (full or part payment) or the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC). This might affect your ability to access either of these social security ...
Is it better to rent or buy a home right now?
Recent research conducted by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) analysts challenges the long-standing convention that rent money is ‘dead’. Peter Tulip (Economic Researcher) and Ryan Fox (Financial Stability Researcher) set out to determine whether it’s cheaper to rent or buy a home and, as a ...