News Archive for November 2022

If rising repayments have you itching to switch on your home loan, you’re not alone. Refinancers are in high demand, with lenders bringing out all the stops to win over eligible borrowers. You could walk away from your refinancing with a bonus of more than $3,000 in your pocket.

A home loan that rewards you for your loyalty, does away with pesky fees, and has a low variable rate that’s below the market average. It may not sound like a home loan from a big 4 bank, but it is. Well, sort of.

Got a teenage gamer in the family but need help deciding which game to get this Christmas? Have no fear - we’ve rounded up the latest video games on the market to spread the joy-con this season.

Happy holidays! 2022 has been a big year for mobile, with the exciting release of new smartphones, providers, and plans pushing the industry to new heights.

The silly season has officially arrived and with Christmas Day just around the corner, the more you’re prepared, the smoother things will go, particularly when it comes to gift-giving.Christmas is the perfect time to remind your friends and family that you’re thinking of them, but we all lead busy lives and sometimes there’s nothing like the convenience of sending your gifts via post. Especially with the surge in online shopping, it’s wise to plan ahead, particularly if you want your gifts to arrive before Christmas Day.Fortunately, Australia Post has released the cut-off dates to help you plan ahead and make sure that your loved ones get their gifts on time. So if you plan to send your Christmas prezzies via mail, whether it be Regular (Parcel) or Express Post, be sure to check out the postal deadlines for your part of the country.

Roy Morgan’s quarterly update has confirmed that when it comes to banks we trust, Australians still hold Bendigo Bank above the rest.

New data from Domain reveals the cities where properties are spending the most time on the market, indicating the past year’s FOMO-fuelled competition has subsided.

New research from Roy Morgan reveals that if the Reserve Bank of Australia hikes rates again in December, it could put a quarter (25.1%) of home loan borrowers at risk of mortgage stress.

2022 has been the year of inflation. From May to November, the Reserve Bank of Australia delivered 275 basis points worth of rate hikes, the consequences of which have been deeply felt by home loan borrowers, especially those with the Big Four banks.

Love it or hate it, we’ve well and truly entered Christmas music season. Michael Bublé has defrosted for the festive season and Mariah Carey is draped in tinsel, ready to take her position atop the tree. But when it comes to Christmas songs, is the financial advice we can glean from them any good?

More of us are opting for the Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) option – it’s simple to sign up to and allows access to easy credit. But not everyone’s benefiting from the newest in fintech innovation.

Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe has apologised to the thousands of Australians who believed him when he said interest rates wouldn’t rise until 2024 and took out home loans they are currently struggling to repay.

Black Friday sales are finally here!

This year has been tricky for many households, wondering when interest rates might steady, when inflation will cool off and when the supply of homes, cars and energy will normalise.

Going a full year through uni, only just having enough to get by, can be a stressful experience that negatively affects your mental and physical health as well as impacting your grades.

Many retailers are having Black Friday sales but you might not be aware that some of the major streaming services are also offering discounts!

New research by cybersecurity and compliance company Proofpoint finds that many retailers don’t have an adequate level of protection from consumer scams.

With each RBA cash rate hike, financial institutions have increased their variable interest rates too, some of which are on savings accounts.

Christmas is fast approaching, but even Santa is not immune from the rising cost of living. Here are five ways to enter the Christmas shopping fray and not hurt your wallet in the process!

Get ready cause Black Friday is nearly here! Okay, so technically, Black Friday 2023 doesn’t start until Friday, the 24th of November (ends Monday, the 27th of November). But loads of brands have already started dropping deals.

The idea of sustainability and being eco-friendly has been a popular concept that has taken off over the last few years and for very good reason. Aside from the aspect of saving by reusing and recycling, the idea of creating something that is sustainable can have a positive impact on many facets of life including the environment and the impact we have on our precious planet, as well as having a positive effect on the back pocket.But if you’re not exactly a green thumb by nature, we’ve put together a few simple tips on a more sustainable approach to Christmas gift giving this year, and you might just be surprised at how easy and rewarding making eco-friendly pressies can be.

Buying a house is one of the largest financial commitments most Australians will make, yet new research reveals that we do more due diligence when choosing a mobile phone plan than a home loan.

The new year approaches fast, and with it comes annual leave, holidays, and wanderlust. So if you’re looking for inspiration for destinations to visit in 2023, here are some hot recommendations from Lonely Planet’s best-in-travel list.

More Aussies are looking for greener alternatives in home ownership in 2022, and now more lenders are offering competitive home loans with a focus on the environment.

Returning to the office has had a major impact on the wallets of Aussies in more than one way. The cost of commuting is one of those things we tend to absorb and deal with as a reality of everyday life, but how much exactly is the commute costing you?

Black Friday is the perfect time to start your Christmas shopping but also to buy things for the home.

Looking to send gifts to family and friends in Copenhagen? New York? Tokyo? Well, with the help of international money transfer (IMT) provider Wise, we gathered five tips on how to save money anywhere abroad.

Aside from gifts, Christmas dinner can be one of the holiday’s significant expenses. And like everything else this year, the price of groceries has skyrocketed.

Will you and your family be spending more time at home and getting into tech obsessions over the coming months?

After the last year of crazy inflation and rising interest rates, it’s hard to know what shopping trends to expect this Christmas.

Deep inside the inland jungle of southwest Japan, along the winding udon noodle of the Nishiki River, is a train station. That mightn’t seem like a big deal. There are train stations all over Japan. So what?

Starting early next year, New South Wales first-time home buyers will have the option to pay an annual land tax instead of the one-off stamp duty.

Ah, Christmastime. Mistletoe and wine – and an increased risk of household fires. Oddly, this festive season may be a great time to revisit your home and contents insurance and get across all the limits and exclusions you need to know – before your friends and relatives descend.

With summer and the scorching heat that accompanies it around the corner, it’s a good time to start thinking about ways you can reduce your energy bill.

With Christmas about a month away, party invitations are arriving, and the present-buying season is upon us.

Just in time for the Christmas holidays, HSBC have announced a new credit card designed to really get the most out of every dollar you spend.

Digital lender ubank, a subsidiary of NAB, is now offering new home loan customers and refinancers up to $5,000 when they sign up — among the most generous cashback offers from lenders we track.

While most Australians tend to have a hassle-free trip overseas, it doesn’t always go smoothly for everyone.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year - at least as far as retailers are concerned!

Many complaints about the rising cost of living concern grocery prices, which ballooned in the last year thanks primarily to supply chain issues.

Moving out for the first time could be exciting, but before you pack your first box there are several things to consider.

Sometimes holiday magic is curling up in a quiet corner with a book, warm sun on your face with a tasty cup of tea. Can you smell the fresh paper already?

We’ve all got different ideas of what financial success looks like. There might be a dollar figure you want to reach, you might want a passive income for retirement, or maybe you’re trying to knock Warren Buffet off his gilded perch.

Higher borrowing costs have taken a large bite out of property prices in recent months, and with more rate hikes to come we likely haven’t seen the bottom of this current downturn.

It’s sale season, and the temptation to spend is growing! Black Friday is just around the corner, with all sorts of promotions ready to give your credit card a workout.

Commonweatlh Bank now offers a special 18-month term deposit with a 4.00% p.a. interest rate.

The availability of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations is one of the primary barriers to EV uptake in Australia, according to chief executive of EVX, Andrew Forster.

New findings from Mozo show that 75% of surveyed Australians have found themselves paying by plastic more, with the rising cost of living to blame. Of these:

Remember paying for things with cash? Nowadays, it can feel like a bit of a novelty. When the EFTPOS terminal is down at your favourite cafe, it feels a lot easier to find somewhere else than to scour your pockets for spare change.

Many people prefer to do the Christmas shopping online rather than face the crowds and queues at the shopping centre.

A proposed merger between Newcastle Permanent and Greater Bank received the green light from members this week, laying the groundwork for the creation of Australia’s largest customer-owned bank.

People who rename their savings accounts with an emoji are shaving 40% off the average time to reach their goals, says new data from Australian digital bank ubank.

November’s here, folks! And with just seven weeks until Christmas, time is of the essence to get yourself organised for the silly season. Luckily, your fave monthly read is here to help get you through!

“What’s your number?” isn’t just a pick-up line for a handsome stranger. It can be an essential part of signing up for a mobile plan, making connections, or even helping EMTs make medical decisions.

The Reserve Bank of Australia lifted interest rates by 0.25% in November, marking the seventh consecutive month of monetary policy tightening.

The federal government has pledged $1 billion over five years to the national Disaster Ready Fund.

Term deposits are a no-brainer for some savers because you simply stash your money away and forget it. Then with a good interest rate, your initial deposit comes back a little bigger.

Got a few kids on the family shopping list this Christmas?

Consultations have just closed for the National Electric Vehicle Strategy (NEVS), aiming to develop a national strategy to encourage greater uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia.

Australian property has been swept with a cascade of market falls, dragging prices down in 80% of the country. But a new housing report from QBE highlights a surprisingly simple way to add up to 10% to the value of your home: energy-efficient features.

Last updated: 8 November at 8:52 am

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s war on inflation enters its seventh month, with the Board lifting official interest rates by 0.25 basis points to 2.85 per cent at its November meeting today.

This year’s aggressive interest rate hikes continue to eat into Aussie property prices, with almost all capital cities and rest-of-state regions recording a drop in housing values last month.