Auction clearance rates in Melbourne have been on the wane for the best part of the year now. So much so, they hit a five-year low last weekend, dipping under 60 percent. If you own property, you’d be forgiven for thinking the market’s year-on-year growth would continue shooting up for the foreseeable future. It’s had an incredible run, that’s for sure. Right now, it’s certainly a buyer’s market...
Banks lose tens of millions of dollars to online fraud every year. They may be loathed to publicise it, but it’s true. To say this is a massive issue is an understatement. For me, it really hit home recently. A relative of mine was hacked a little while back and lost $50,000. Let me repeat that. Fifty. Thousand. Dollars. Not $1,000. Not $5,000. But $50,000. Just let that sink...
Okay, picture this. You’ve just come into a significant amount of money. Could be a sizeable redundancy package, an inheritance, a bumper tax return, or you may have just won Saturday’s Powerball. I’ll leave that to your imagination. Now, what would you do with it? Use your windfall to treat yourself and blow it on something you don’t necessarily need or would you see it as an opportunity...
I bought a new car recently. There’s just something about that new-car smell...
Everyone loves free stuff. It’s a fundamental part of human psychology. Mention reward and frequent flyer programs, though, and most people roll their eyes, questioning the value of what you actually get versus what you typically need to spend to, say, net a free flight to the Gold Coast. And fair enough. Unless you’re a global jet-setter racking up frequent flyer points or absolutely diligent in using a...
If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you’ll know that I transitioned from the world of corporate to starting Orange Wealth with my brother, Jason. It’s a cliched thing to say, but making that move was one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made. To be honest, though, making the jump into a new business can be tough. Especially if you’re leaving the safety net of...
Think savings and you typically equate squirrelling money away with having to curb your lifestyle, depending on what your savings goals are. This time last year, my wife Kim and I set ourselves a goal: to put away an extra $10K in savings over the course of a year without impacting on our day-to-day lives too much. Not an easy feat when you have two young...
There are three books I read last year that left a lasting impression, particularly around the way I work and organise my life around it. Now, I've never been an avid reader. In truth, I always struggle to find the time. Last year, I switched to audiobooks and it made a big difference – I listen in the car, when going for a run, gardening, you name it....
Being in debt on your credit card isn’t much fun. If it’s manageable and you’re confident you can pay it down quickly, fine. On the other hand, if you have a couple of cards and you’re heading into the five-digit territory, there’s always an inescapable feeling that lingers around until you’re in the home straight of paying it off. It’s a feeling you wake up to every...
Everyone has a net worth. Whether you’re a small business owner or CEO of a blue-chip company, each and every one of us has a dollar value on paper. Small or large, the only difference is what that number is. Knowing your net worth is a necessity, in my opinion. In fact, I’d argue it’s the most important number you need to know when it comes to your financial...
