Aeroplanes have hardly been fuller. Airfares have rarely been higher. It only makes sense because we are swapping the chains of the COVID bug for the delights of the travel bug. The dreaded masks are no longer required, but the relentless queues, delays, lost luggage and sometimes frankly lousy customer service continues. So why do we do it? Of all the economists’ jargon, the term ‘pent-u... read more>

Source: https://majorstreet.com.au/products/live-the-life-you-want-with-the-money-you-have-vince-scully What are the three questions the over-50s tend to ask one of Australia's most experienced financial planners about money?  They’re simple enough, but if only the answers were so easy… I presumed the three areas would be retirement, superannuation and the vexed area of wills and estate p... read more>

The electricity market has many rules, but one handy rule of thumb to save money has changed, and it pays to take notice from July 1. It’s the time of year when power prices are re-set, and as you know, due to steep rises in the wholesale cost, they are substantial. In the past, you may have heard us consumer people advising to switch from pricey standing offers to usually discounted mark... read more>

“Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.” - George Orwell Advising your kids is one thing and sometimes a thankless task, but giving it to a whole generation - we’ll stand back and take care. However, George Orwell's wise words ‘notwithstanding’, is there any advice we can give those younger than ... read more>

One of the cruel ironies of financial scams is that we like to think only suckers get stung, and we'd never fall for the trickery, especially with a few extra years of experience. Sadly, think again - there's research from the US which suggests over 65s, even with no cognitive decline, can suffer from what's called age-related financial vulnerability. "We are learning that there are chang... read more>