Laine Gordon

Driving change in gender bias

Forget the stereotype; women are safer behind the wheel than male drivers, new British research has revealed.

More families face financial hardship

Almost half the first-time buyers lured by hefty home grants towards the end of 2008 will be faced with the prospect of losing their homes by mid next year, a new report shows.

Obesity may be contagious: researchers

Are your friends fit and healthy eaters or more of a beer and pizza crowd? The answer could provide some insight into the current state of your body, research shows.

Homeowners rush to fix rates

If you're a homeowner, then the big ticket item on your budget will be your mortgage, and the choices you make about whether to fix your rate or ride the variable rollercoaster could mean thousands of dollars to your bottom line.

First home buyer warning

Would-be homebuyers are being urged not to overstretch their budgets in light of new data, which shows some lenders are loosening the belt in time for the spring mortgage season.

Australians spend billions on pets

Australians are paying as much in vet bills for sick pets as it would cost them to buy a new car, research suggests.

Super: mums missing out

If you believe the pundits, taking just two years out of the workforce to have children can leave women up to $50,000 worse off in retirement.

The perils of a small deposit

Forget mortgage exit fees, the real sting when refinancing a home loan can be a double dose of lender’s mortgage insurance.

Inertia costs Aussies thousands

A third of Australians believe it's too time-consuming and costly to switch banks, new research shows.

Bizarre treatments celebrities swear by

Ever on the lookout for ways to appear younger and even more radiant, celebrities are the pioneers of the beauty world. But in recent years the A-list has turned its attention to radical alternative medical therapies, putting health ahead of vanity.