Cheaper petrol, bigger property investment returns in Western Sydney & freelance tax return must-knows: This week’s best banking news

 Cheaper petrol, bigger property investment returns in Western Sydney & freelance tax return must-knows: This week’s best banking news
  • Independent petrol chains offer lower prices, says ACCC
  • 81% of Aussies will take advantage of EOFY sales
  • EOFY tax return must-knows for freelancers
  • What to expect when non-major banks join open banking from July 1st
  • Why buying a home is like musical chairs
  • Property investors urged to turn to Western Sydney for bigger returns

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

Independent petrol chains offer lower prices, says ACCC

Did you know that throughout 2020, Aussie drivers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide could’ve saved an unbelievable $485 million on fuel by opting for lower-priced major retailers instead of higher-priced petrol stations.

According to research from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) last year, the average price-difference between these retailers was a whopping 11.4 cents per-litre - an 8.4 cent increase from the year before.

The ACCC said that on average, making the switch could bring drivers’ annual petrol bills down by:

  • $445 in Sydney
  • $330 in Adelaide
  • $317 in Melbourne
  • $216 in Perth
  • $200 in Canberra
  • $174 in Brisbane
  • $78 in Hobart
  • $55 in Darwin

Read the full article: Independent petrol chains offer lower prices, ACCC research finds for the full scoop.

81% of Aussies will take advantage of EOFY sales

“Happy EOFYS!” If you’ve had that iconic Foxtel ad ingrained in your head since 2010 then you’re not alone.

According to new Mozo research, a whopping 81% of Aussies will be taking advantage of the upcoming end of financial year sales to snag cheaper computers, software, office furniture and cars.

In fact, it appears that 45% of the 2,000+ Aussie shoppers we surveyed have been stuffing their savings accounts in prep for the EOFY, a quarter of which have set aside between $1,500 and $6,000 for the occasion.

Read the full article: 81% of Aussies will take advantage of EOFY sales, according to Mozo research to find out more about this study, plus all the deets on how Aussies plan on paying for their EOFYS purchases.

EOFY tax return must-knows for freelancers

EOFY tax return must-knows for freelancers

Speaking of which, this time of year isn’t just about the sales - it’s also time to start thinking about your taxes.

With the online tax returns and all the auto-fill technology we have available to us nowadays, doing your tax return has become a little more straightforward than it used to be. 

However, after the crazy year we’ve had thanks to COVID-19, it wouldn’t hurt to brush up on the do’s and don’ts of submitting your tax return - particularly if you’re working in the gig economy as a freelancer or started up a lockdown inspired side hustle.

Read full article: EOFY for freelancers: Tax return must-knows for a full rundown so you can be locked and loaded by the time July 1st rolls around.

What to expect when non-major banks join open banking from July 1

It’s nearly one year on since open banking first came about in Australia, with the initial launch of the Consumer Data Right (CDR) taking place back in July 2020.

Coinciding with this anniversary is another important milestone. From the 1st of July 2021, authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs), A.K.A. all banks and credit unions beyond the big four (ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB and Westpac) must be capable of sharing customer data under CDR.

Read the full article: What can we expect as non-major banks join the open banking party from July 1? for the 411.

Why buying a home is like musical chairs

Why buying a home is like musical chairs

With the current state of property auctions in capital cities, buying a home is starting to feel like a game of musical chairs where only one person leaves the party smiling.

When looking for who - or what, to point the finger at to blame for this outcome, multiple factors seem to be at play.

One contributing factor would be the significant decline in available properties across this country. In May this year we saw a 6% drop in property listings, bringing it down to 245,953 - from 262,617 in April, found SQM Research.

In Sydney alone there were just 4,248 homes advertised for at least 180 days in May 2021, a 36% fall from May 2020 which saw 6,589 properties advertised.

Read the full article: Why buying a home is like musical chairs: Let's look at the numbers for an in-depth look at the current property market climate in Australia.

Property investors urged to turn to Western Sydney for bigger returns

Over the past year we’ve seen property prices go through the roof, with regional home values growing at double the speed of those in capital cities.

According to CoreLogic, this was the result of more and more Aussies looking for a change of scenery by ditching the city.

However, new data has revealed that property investors could score even bigger returns by buying in Western Sydney.

Read the full article: Property investors urged to turn to Western Sydney for bigger returns for insight on which affordable Sydney suburbs could bring bigger returns for property investors.

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