A recent experience with an adult birthday party made me wonder how best to mark such occasions when getting to fifty and above. Last weekend, I went to an old pal's sixtieth birthday party, and it wasn't obvious she wanted to celebrate this particular coming of age. We were asked not to bring presents; there were no candles on the cake and please no singing of 'Happy Birthday' either. ... read more>

This was a recent headline in Australia’s most popular satirical newspaper.  When it appears you bought your house for peanuts, how to best advise younger people about coping with the rash of higher prices, and not sound patronising? It's a dilemma highlighted with a cash rate increase for the first time in eleven years and many feeling the pinch and growing uncertainty of their world. ... 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>

To some, it is known as the aisle of shame, to others merely the “middle aisle”. But to most, it is the mecca of impulse buying and surprises in an otherwise highly predictable supermarket. I suspect many FiftyUp Club members may keep more than a fleeting eye on the unlikely bargains which pop up ever so fleetingly at Aldi stores every Wednesday and Saturday from 8.30 am. Sometimes there’... read more>

The rich are known for their willingness to pay ridiculous prices to show everyone else they are indeed very well off. Fancy a Tiffany tennis ball can for just $1500, that Louis Vuitton skateboard - only $8,250 - or a carbon fibre toilet seat a snip at $249? But now it seems prices are going through the roof for almost everything: meat, new cars, hire cars, building materials, labour, fru... read more>