Insights

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

If it’s been a while since you had that wonderful feeling of euphoria, there are measures you can take to elevate your mood by encouraging production of your bodies naturally occurring ‘happy hormones’. Our hormones control many aspects of our body’s responses and certain hormones are known to help promote positive feelings, including happiness and … Read more

It’s tempting to put price above everything else when choosing insurance for your property. However, whether you’ve just taken out a new mortgage or are hunting for a better deal, making sure you have enough of the right sort of cover is just as important. Here are the main insurance points to consider when comparing … Read more

Stay up to date with what’s happened in Australian markets over the past month. June was a big month in an eventful year for the local and global economy, with inflation and interest rates continuing to dominate. With inflation sitting at 5.1% in Australia, cost of living pressure is mounting. The Reserve Bank lifted the … Read more

It’s a big decision when you decide you’re going to start saving to buy a home. It may seem like it’s going to take forever, but there are ways you can get there more quickly. We’re going to look at some of these in our three-part home deposit series. The key to a successful savings … Read more