News Archive for September 2014

25,000 bank customers have cast their votes and ING DIRECT has been crowned the Best Bank for the fifth consecutive year, as well as Best Bank Accounts, Best Debit Cards and Best Savings Accounts in the annual Mozo People’s Choice Awards.

With the single season fast approaching from November to January, otherwise known as the wining and dining season, Suncorp Bank has released the Cost of Being Single Report, which showed maintaining a ‘single’ lifestyle can often be a major money drain.

Transferring money overseas is costing Australians big bucks, with the latest figures from the World Bank showing Australia is the fourth most expensive country in the world for international money transfers, behind South Africa, Japan and France.

If you’re looking to transfer money overseas, beware of the “fake” website fifx.com, which is promoting foreign exchange broker First Forex, claiming that their services are “under the regulation of Australia (Regulation No. 290600)”.

Keeping the kids amused throughout school holidays is no mean feat - and it can clean out your wallet, too. But entertaining your children doesn't have to be about forking out for endless tickets - the beach or a day at the park are always foolproof options, but with a little planning and some new ideas, you can avoid the dreaded "Mum! I'™m bored".

If you’ve decided it’s time to drop some of those unwanted winter kilos and you’ve been wondering which wonder diet to choose, Mozo has some interesting money facts worth knowing before you fork out on weight loss essentials.

Just when you thought you could manage your mortgage, you realise you’re starting to feel like the little old lady who lived in a shoe. You may be ready for more breathing space, but are your finances ready to move on bigger things too?

We all know we need one, but if you dread having to live by a budget, forget the idea that it's all about what you can't have. It's a way of planning what you can have. Stick to some rules, give yourself space and you'll see family finances aren'€™t that hard to handle.

Finding it impossible to scrape together savings with a baby or young kids? If you're falling behind with a savings goal, or want to create a better buffer, it's time to reconsider your spending - and saving - habits and try some smart alternatives.

Nothing kills a holiday glow like a holiday debt. And it's not just the travel costs and accommodation that can be the culprit - eating every meal out, entry tickets to see the sights and souvenirs for the kids all take a chunk. Here's how to keep that holiday buzz and avoid the blowout.

Setting up a bedroom for your baby? Or does the latest growth spurt call for a makeover? Here’s how to create a fun, functional space that can evolve with your child – without the expense.

Expecting a baby and gone into nesting mode? Not so fast – before you start stocking up on ‘must-haves’ for the nursery, consider what you’ll really need and what might just end up on eBay.

With a new baby you probably feel as if you’re learning everything again from scratch, so the last thing you need is to make rookie mistakes when it comes to your new family finances.

New mums are faced with one of the most difficult dilemmas during the most stressful times of their lives: do you stay at home to look after your child, or go back to work? And can you afford not to?

Overwhelmed by the cost of having a baby? From smart shopping to savvy savings, try these small changes that can make all the difference.

Outgrown your house? If your home office now has a cot next to the computer or you can’t bear another bunk bed, the next step is to stay and renovate, or buy something bigger for your brood. But how do you know which route to take?

Worried about how you’re going to afford a baby? If you’ve found yourself with a nine-month deadline to get your finances in order, here’s how to budget and plan for the new arrival.

There's no better motivator than a baby on the way to get a financial fresh start. If you have credit card debt hanging over your head, make the moves, right now, to be debt-free before your due date.

A new survey by the National Australia Bank (NAB) highlighted that while most people consider themselves as good money managers, one in five adults rarely or never have any money left at the end of a pay cycle.

While seasonally adjusted estimates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed an increase in employment of 121,000 people to 11,703,500 over August, Senator Eric Abetz warned “there’s still a long way to go.”

The National Australia Bank (NAB) has launched a new online life insurance policy dubbed “Essential Life”, offering a 10% discount on the premium for the life of the policy if you apply for online coverage at nab.com.au by 31 October 2014.

Travelling to Southeast Asia is becoming a rite of passage for many young Aussies, however according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Tourism 400,000 people under 25 die on world’s roads each year - in locations like Bali, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam - most of which are deaths occurring among motorcyclists.

It has been a good year for the National Roads & Motorists’ Association with a 81% increase on last year’s results at $67.4 million net profit after tax and a growth to over 2.4 million members and roadside assistance subscriptions to 2.7 million.

With the cost of fees attached to several super accounts eroding final retirement savings by tens of thousands of dollars and only 5% of Aussies confident they will have more than enough savings for retirement according to the latest MLC Wealth Sentiment Survey, MoneySmart Week is the perfect time to ramp up your super savings.

At its September meeting today, the Reserve Bank of Australia Board left the official cash rate at a record low 2.50% for the 13th consecutive month and rates are likely to stay put for the remainder of the year.

A report by the Insurance Council of Australia showed 74% of Aussie renters are putting themselves at risk by not insuring their home’s contents and 29% who previously held contents insurance, have since not renewed it.