Avoid the interest free rip off

Buy now, pay later - there's no shortage of interest-free offers from stores selling everything from designer furniture to home theatre packages. While it's tempting to take home the very latest gizmo and worry about paying for it later, be aware of how another big debt could affect your finances after the novelty wears off and real life kicks back in.

Are banks keeping credit cardholders in debt?

As interest rates rise so does the minimum repayments on your credit card, right? Wrong! Only a handful of credit card providers have changed their minimum repayment requirements over the years despite the credit card interest rate rises.

Road tripping on the cheap

If you’re heading for the open road this long weekend, there are simple ways you can plan ahead and save a significant amount of money over the course of your holiday. Here are the top 5 ways to save on a road trip: Bring a sack lunch

Micro chipped credit cards boost security

All credit card issuers now provide "chip cards", ie. cards with microchip security built in. The idea behind chip cards is that the data previously held only on the magnetic strip is also held inside an embedded micro chip.

Are Australians wising up to bank fees?

It seems bank fees can be a licence to print money and no-one wants banks profiting at their expense. So how can you eliminate, or at least minimise, bank fees from your life?

How valid are credit card signatures?

Is the signature on the back of your credit card unforgeable? Chances are, it is just your initials. A couple of letters, scrawled onto the card so that when you are paying for your lunch it does not take so long that your coffee gets cold.

A Kardashian credit card habit on a pauper's budget

The Kardashians are renown for their indulgent lifestyle, and while credit cards are an accessory rather than a monetary requirement for the reality stars, the rest of us run the risk of falling into miserable credit card debt if we even try to keep up with their extravagant spending.

Australia's worst drivers: males or females?

Are young women safer drivers than their male counterparts? It’s hardly an easy question to answer and the debate tends to get quite heated, with both sides of the argument keen to demonstrate who is the safest. Unfortunately for the guys however, many of the big name insurers offer discounts on their premiums for female drivers under 25

Debt detox 5 tips to a clean bill of wealth

The warning signs are unmistakeable: the euphoric high of several intensive shopping trips followed by a crashing low at bank statement time. Repeating this pattern of over-spending is likely to send your budget to break-point. Fortunately, you can take action to shake the habit with the help of the following guidelines.

Car Insurance Excess

It is probably fair to say that when it comes to car insurance, we all have a long list of things on which we would rather spend our money. Because of this, minimising the amount of money we do have to spend when purchasing a car insurance policy is important for many Australians.