News Archive for February 2015

When it comes to keeping money in your hip pocket, sometimes you are your own worst enemy. From being a bit lazy, to getting too excited when making purchases, there are plenty of ways that you are casually - and unintentionally - striking dollars off your bank account balance each month.

If you live in the cyclone-affected areas of Queensland, such as the Banana Shire, Livingstone Shire and Rockhampton Regional Council and find you are either uninsured or unable to claim contents insurance, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the Australian Government.

Do you own an inner-city apartment that’s close to universities, public transport and amenities? If you answered “yes”, Terri Scheer Insurance says attracting international students as tenants could be a unique and lucrative investment opportunity.

Think you have ages to teach your child about financial responsibility? Think again.

Australia’s fifth largest bank, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is gaining traction on the Big Four banks in Australia, announcing a significant after-tax statutory profit of $227.3 million and an underlying cash earnings profit of $217.9 million, for the six months ending 31 December 2014. This equates to a 10.9% increase on the prior half year result.

First it was fast fashion posing a threat to Australian retailers by offering trends straight from the latest runway shows, now global brands such as H&M and Zara are bringing their fast fashion business model to the Australian homewares market.

Four in ten Australians are still feeling the pain of Christmas overspending, according to a new "Cost of Christmas" survey undertaken by financial comparison site, Mozo.com.au.

Tomorrow is Saturday February 14, otherwise known as Valentine's Day, a day when cupid's love arrow hits Australians across the country right in the hip pocket, as restaurants hike up the price of Valentine’s Day set menus, flowers cost an arm and a leg, and chocolates hidden in heart shaped boxes cost $50 bucks a pop.

It’s good news for Commonwealth Bank shareholders after the bank posted a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $4,535 million for the half year ending December 31, an 8% increase on the previous six-month period.

ME Bank’s offer to pay its student customers' Co-op membership fees last year has proven to be a success, with over 9,000 students taking up the offer, which will be available again in 2015.

Interest rates on savings accounts are hitting an average low of 2.99% as banks counterbalance low home loan rates. According to Mozo's savings account database there are 21 accounts paying less than one per cent interest.

To the delight of home owners (and the despair of savers) across Australia, the RBA dropped the official cash rate to 2.25%, at the first Tuesday board meeting of 2015.

Santa has come and gone, and if all that remains of your Christmas celebrations is a sad looking tree and an even sadder looking credit card bill, don’t let the post Christmas grinch get you down. With a handy 0% balance transfer credit card you can blast your debt to smithereens.

Roy Morgan’s latest business confidence survey showed Australian businesses are entering 2015 with a more optimistic outlook than previous years and are considering the next twelve months as a good time to invest in growing their business.

NAB has become the third of the big four banks to pass on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s rate cut, reducing its standard variable home loan rate by 0.25% to 5.63%.

The Reserve Bank of Australia slashed the official cash rate from 2.5% to 2.25%, at yesterday’s February Board meeting. So now all eyes are watching closely to see if the first RBA announcement of 2015 will prompt providers to drop their home loan interest rates by 25 basis point.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has met for its first Tuesday board meeting of 2015, cutting the official cash rate to 2.25%.

According to ING DIRECT’s Household Financial Wellbeing Index, Australian households have big plans for the new year, with a massive 79% of respondents on the hunt for a better deal.