Mark Bristow

Australian households experience largest wealth decrease in nine years – how to check your own finances

Do you feel like you’re in a tighter financial spot than you were at the start of this year? You’re not alone. New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that in the March quarter 2020, Australia experienced its largest decrease in average household wealth since the September quarter 2011. With this in mind, it could be good to conduct your own financial health check before the end of the financial year.

Five home loans for getting cash out from your equity

With social distancing restrictions affecting many Australian workplaces, a lot of us have had to rethink our personal finances, including our home loans. And with big banks and smaller lenders slashing interest rates to new record lows, it’s no surprise that many Australians are refinancing their mortgages, as shown by recent ABS data.

Why should you refinance?

If you’ve been reading about how more Australians are refinancing their home loans this year, and how many mortgage lenders have been slashing their fixed and variable interest rates, you may be wondering if you should also think about refinancing your mortgage.

86 400 chips in to pay customer bills

Neobank 86 400 is offering to pay the bills of nearly 2000 customers over the coming months.

Australia's best home loans for May 2020

If you’re on a mortgage holiday that may soon be coming to an end, or have been putting off your dreams of home ownership, it could be worth looking at the best home loans of May 2020, as rated by RateCity's Real Time Ratings.

Which car loans have the lowest interest rates?

Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, buying a new car may have been the last thing on the minds of many Australians. But with some social distancing restrictions starting to ease in selected areas, some Australians may be in the market for a car loan for their next vehicle purchase.

What is a cooling off period, and how do they work?

A cooling off period is a length of time that follows signing a contract to purchase property, during which a buyer can choose to terminate the agreement without being in breach of contract and losing their deposit. This gives you a window of opportunity to change your mind about a property purchase if your circumstances change, or you decide it’s not right for you.

Are you putting more everyday spending on your credit card?

Lockdowns and social distancing have changed the way Australians are spending money, with many of us turning to credit cards to help manage our household budgets. But with our financial situations changing, is your credit card still providing the kind of value for money that it used to?

Which banks are freezing mortgages for COVID-19?

As well as offering support for Australian small business, several banks have offered home loan customers being affected by coronavirus the chance to take a mortgage holiday. This allows these affected mortgage holders to pause their loan repayments for a limited time to help relieve pressure on household budgets.

How to protect your personal finances from coronavirus

The global coronavirus pandemic is affecting every aspect of Australian life. Schools are closing, office employees are working from home, and supermarkets are struggling to keep up with demand for essentials.  As well as affecting your health, COVID-19 could also affect your finances. Here are a few things you could do to help protect yourself, your loved ones, and your money.