Laine Gordon

Basic finances out of reach for 1 in 5 Aussies

More than three million Australians lack access to critical financial services including transaction accounts, credit cards and basic home and car insurance, a new report has revealed.

Fraud rates rise but thieves take less

While thieves did rip off more Australians and their cards, new research shows they are now stealing far less.

Money tips to empower women

Becoming smart about money and planning for the future should be a priority - here's how.

Government grab for your cash

New laws allow for any bank or investment account not used for three years to be automatically closed and the money transferred to the Federal Government.

Reserve Bank Interest Rate Annoucement May

May update: RBA cuts the cash rate to 2.75 percent

Borrowers rush to fix

RateCity data shows almost one third of all its home loan applications in April, and 22 percent in March, were for fixed rate mortgages. Just 16 percent of all loan applications in February were for fixed rates.

Lenders favour borrowers who take on more debt

A RateCity analysis of mortgage rates has revealed that the average advertised rate for variable home loans under $250,000 is 5.74 percent. For loans above $750,000, however, the average advertised rate drops to 5.32 percent – an automatic discount of 0.42 percentage points.

Renovate or sell?

The time comes in the life of many young families when they outgrow their home. That’s when the inevitable question rears its head: embark on a radical renovation or sell up and buy a new, more spacious home?

Beat the squeeze on household budgets

Wages may be growing faster than inflation, yet research shows one in seven Australian households is spending more than it earns.

Car insurance premiums soar

Car insurance premiums have increased at a rate three times higher than inflation over the past year, new research has revealed.