Older generations have long called out the young for being wasteful with their limited resources. For example, what about the furore over their alleged preference for high-priced smashed avocado? But now the boot is on the other foot. Retirees are being egged on to spend their money in savings, super and even the family home before it’s all too late and their children are the beneficiaries o... Read more

It hardly needs saying that it pays to avoid high-interest borrowing, be that credit cards or payday lenders, especially at Christmas. Those who pay top dollar over the festive season to finance their purchases, even the necessities, presumably feel they have no other choices. Few would sample the delights of the payday lender, whether online or in the shopping strip, if they thought th... Read more

Older people make better repairers. It may not be as racy as claiming we are better lovers, but it’s more likely to be true. Surely more people over 50 can mend, stick, fix, glue, solder or stitch and breathe new life into an item, be it clothing or a car, which might otherwise be discarded. Granted, the young are better at activating digital devices and addressing error messages, but sad... Read more

The best travel deals don’t wait. So if you see a great deal or you need to book a flight ASAP and you don’t have the cash on hand, what are the Smart Ways (and the Dumb Ways) to pay for it? We’ve looked at the options from Cash to Debit cards, Buy Now Pay Later, Credit Cards and Payday Loans. Below you can see what the cost of each option is for a $1500 holiday, and what the worst... Read more

The irony and injustice of age discrimination at work, as the best candidate is not always ‘young’ and experience does matter, has been highlighted by the US elections. After an exhaustive selection process two men in their seventies were chosen to complete for a plum role, and after a robust battle, the older man won. The President of the United States is not your average job yet the age... Read more

“Compound interest is the 8th wonder of the world,” said Albert Einstein. “He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn't, pays it.” Let’s say you put $1000 on a Credit Card with a 20% interest rate and don’t pay it off for 10 years. In the end, you’ll pay the bank $2168! The interest alone will be more than the initial amount you borrowed. Add to that the merchant fee of up to 2% ea... Read more

In some ways, it’s the ultimate Generation Z expression: the "side hustle", which promises extra money for any number of gig economy, freelance or other labours. The term goes back to the 1950s as long before COVID, unemployment and uncertainty, there were imaginative, energetic and needy people who found ways to earn a buck on the side. There are long lists of available side hustles; one... Read more

Are you owed hundreds or thousands of dollars in refunds for junk insurance or unfair financial advice fees? We’ve got your back! The Banking Royal Commission revealed that banks and insurance companies have used pressure tactics to sell billions of dollars worth of junk insurance to thousands of Australians and many financial advisers have also charged fees for services they never provided.... Read more

The initials BNPL sprout up regularly in newspapers resembling an awkward alphabet soup. It's hard to miss the proliferation of platforms such as AfterPay, Zip Pay, Klarna and others who offer their services in shop windows, websites and other channels. 'Buy Now, Pay Later' is a consumer revolution causing quite a stir. It claims to take the quaint shopping tradition of lay-by into the digit... Read more

I’m on assignment, consigned to pick up bargain goods and highlight the thrifty tradition and enticing experience of opportunity shops. While much shopping is predictable and pricey, the op shop combines the unexpected, the unnecessary and the cut-price indulgence of consuming, all in one. And what better place to start than Ballina in northern NSW - known as an ‘op shop capital’ - comple... Read more