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Tag: Mortgages

It’s composting awareness week! What eco practices can we all do to save money as well?

“Cash-a-can, cash-a-can, it’s lots of fun to do!” My first inkling that being a tree-huggin’ hippy could be financially rewarding was via that 70s TV jingle. Every kid I knew would fight over aluminium cans to earn extra pocket money. Trawling around school fetes with a plastic bag was particularly profitable. Later in life, the […]

What are the top five personal finance and investment traps?

You want riches? You want to avoid the biggest financial trap in life? Don’t … have … KIDS! They’re money pits – you just shovel cash into them for two decades. I call my first one Leech, the second one Vampire. Occasionally they flash their fangs and glare at me with blood red eyes. That […]

Property investment has always been popular in Australia but is it the best place to put your cash now?

Property’s popularity is perpetual. And for some damn fine reasons! Well, nearly perpetual – there are times investors rightly shy away. Like all asset classes where bubbles can develop, there are good times to invest in property … and some times when caution is required. Some commentators suggest real estate might have run its race […]

Up S**t Creek? I’ll hand you the paddle!

“Hi, I’m Bruce Brammall. I’m a Shit Creek paddle salesman. When you’re really up Shit Creek, I’ll be the there to hand you the paddle. “If you die, I’ll look after your family. If you have a big accident, I’ll look after you. If you’re deathly ill, I’ll get you out of the crap.” Welcome […]

Exploiting low rates 2: Good numbers for gearing

SUMMARY: It’s the perfect cocktail for SMSF property investors. Two parts rising asset prices and one part low-interest rates. So, the bookies were wrong. An interest rate cut was odds-on favourite early yesterday afternoon. But nothing. Another month at least. Possibly longer. Every interest rate cut – for years, actually – has only been icing […]

Life goes on even if your job doesn’t

I’ve been made redundant once. By my Old Man. I was 20. “Dad, how could you? Without so much as a severance cheque?” As part of his redundancy, they gave him his company car. (A year later, he sold me that car for $3000. Cheeky ol’ bugger.) That’s being unfair to poor Dad. The technology […]

Motivation is often lacking when it comes to managing money. What motivates you the most?

EXCUSE me!? Please issue a warning before asking questions like that. I’m choking on my Sunday roast as I write this! Motivation? Lacking? Seriously? Who’s having that problem? Something to motivate you should be easy! Backing your motivations with actions and sacrifices every single day is the “Tough Mudder” part. My motivations? Making sure my […]

The Easter break is great fun but also provides a little time to review money matters. What should you be doing?

AAAWW, come on! It’s Easter! Seriously? It’s a long weekend for chillaxing with the family. A long weekend for letting go. A long weekend to celebrate carbs in all their fat-inducing glory! In every one of that food group’s fabulous forms. Hot cross bun carbs, potato chip carbs, pizza carbs, beer and wine carbs. And […]

A superannuation slap?

SUMMARY: A superannuation slap? Stand by for broken promises on super, probably in property. Given a choice between being slapped in the face and not being slapped in the face, I’ll take the latter. As I’m sure you would. Particularly if you weren’t aware that a slap was on the menu. (Seems to have been […]

Beware the beaut deal

I’VE always thought that I was pretty smart when it came to buying cars. But maybe I’m just a cheapskate. In more than 25 years of driving, I’ve bought just five sets of wheels. In order, a 1980 Holden Gemini, a 1984 Ford Laser, a 1991 Ford Laser, a 2001 Holden Commodore and a 2009 […]