Five steps to negotiating a better home loan rate

There are a few simple steps you can follow to negotiate a better rate with your bank.

ACCC spotlight on overseas transaction fees will encourage more fee-free products

RateCity research director Sally Tindall said the investigation would shine a much-needed spotlight on an area of banking that is riddled with fees.

Aussie women more educated than men, but being paid less; ABS

Women are achieving higher levels of education than young men, but still graduating with lower salaries, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Petrol prices no longer dominated by the big brands

Car loan repayments are still a big part of your car's cost, but at least you have more options for getting petrol in Australia.

Bankwest raises mortgage rates by 15 basis points

Bankwest is following in the footsteps of several leading Aussie banks in raising mortgage rates by 15 basis points for owner-occupiers and investors.

ING joins big four banks in raising interest rates

ING have followed the big four banks in raising rates out of cycle, increasing some interest rates for investor variable loans by 15 basis points.

Sydney a "tenant's market", but not every city

Renter vacancy is shifting across the country, and depending on where you live, that may mean good or bad things for rental prices.

Goodbye credit cards: smartphone payments increase popularity

An increasing number of Australians are ditching their wallets at the checkout and opting more and more for smartphone payments, according to research from Commonwealth Bank.

Investors still backing away from property market

Investors are backing away from the housing market while owner-occupiers are taking a bigger piece of the housing pie, according to the latest ABS Housing Finance figures.

Australian women falling behind in financial literacy

Alarming research from Commonwealth Bank has found that Australian women exhibit lower levels of financial literacy compared to men.