Apple Music vs. Spotify, cancel culture & home renos: This week’s best banking news

By Rhianna Dews · · 3 min read
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Apple Music vs. Spotify, cancel culture & home renos: This week’s best banking news
  • HomeBuilder extension announced
  • AMEX launches new American Express Cashback Credit Card
  • Home renovations are on the rise
  • Gen Z cancels environmentally unfriendly companies
  • Apple Music VS. Spotify: Which platform pays artists more?
  • Aussies swoon over SUV’s

All in this week’s best banking news recap: editor’s pick.

HomeBuilder extension announced

The other week we saw the federal government announce an extension to the construction commencement requirement for the HomeBuilder program, which means that existing applicants now have 18 months to start work on their homes.

This extension applies to applicants who signed contracts during the HomeBuilder eligibility period (from 4 June 2020 to 31 March 2021).

The deadline for applications has passed, but if you’ve already sent in your application then you won’t have to submit all the required documentation to your State or Territory Revenue Office until the 30th of April 2023.

Read full article: HomeBuilder extension gives applicants extra 12 months to build to find out more.

New American Express Cashback Credit Card

Did someone say cashback? American Express has just launched its brand new American Express Cashback Credit Card. 

Not only does this shiny new card give customers the chance to earn 1% cashback per $1 spent on eligible purchases, but it also offers an extra 5% cashback per $1 spent for the first month, once you’re approved (up to $200 cashback).

But it doesn’t stop there … 

Read full article: What you need to know about the new American Express Cashback Credit Card to get the full scoop on the value-packed new piece of plastic.

Home renos on the rise

Home renos on the rise

Lately, it seems like just about everyone is taking out a personal loan to kick off a new home reno project.

And with Aussies spending more time at home than ever over the past year, who can really blame them for wanting to spruce the place up a bit.

But your outdated nineties kitchen won’t go from grandma vibes to Grand Designs for free. So before you whip out your hoards of Pinterest boards, first go and see what home renovation loan deals are up for grabs at the moment in the Mozo database.

Read full article: April 2021 Personal Loans: Home renos on the rise to get the low-down on some of the lowest home reno loan rates in the Mozo database right now.

Gen Z cancels environmentally unfriendly companies

New research from Mastercard reveals that Aussies are becoming more and more conscious about making sustainable shopping choices post-COVID.

The biggest advocates of this being zoomers (A.K.A. the generation who practically invented ‘cancel culture’) who are actively boycotting brands that don’t factor the environment into their business practices.

Read full article: Sustainable shopping a priority for young Aussies in 2021 for a deep dive into the issue.

Apple Music VS. Spotify: Which platform pays artists more per stream?

Billie-Eilish-Spotify-iPhone-AirPods-AppleWatch

With Liv back from her break, the original duo is back in The Finance Burrito studio to spill the tea on some trending finance news topics for the week.

In episode 23 (#YourMoneyNews: Taking a bite out of Apple Music & unemployment) of the podcast, your favourite hosts Liv and Tom talk about:

  • The new unemployment figures from the ABS, plus, why it’s good news for the economy
  • The new tax change that will impact millions of Aussies
  • The age-old battle between Apple Music and Spotify and setting the record straight on which streaming service pays artists more per stream.

Speaking of the devil, you can go stream the episode now via Apple Podcasts, Spotify (oh the irony) or wherever else you get your podcasts from!

Read full article: The Finance Burrito podcast: Personal finance unwrapped to keep in the know about the tastiest financial podcast on the internet!

SUV car sales sky-rockets

Cars are selling like hotcakes at the moment, with new data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) showing a 22.4% increase in new car sales when comparing this March to last.

But what’s more interesting is that people just can’t get enough of SUVs right now - with SUV’s having the greatest growth in sales (32%), closely followed by light commercial vehicles, including vans and utes, which saw a 28% increase.

Read full article: SUV sales up by over 30%: Can a personal loan get you into the market? To find out what’s been going on in the world of cars.

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