Aussie Finance Blog

Australian personal finance news, tips and advices.

What to Wear When Working from Home

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So now that you have secured that work from home job (WFH), how do you ensure that you don’t lose it to the teeming number of unemployed folks out there. Simple. Be as productive as you can be wherever you are.

Of course, you also need to cater to your mental health to have the right mindset. But then there are loads of online and offline resources that could help you with your performance at work. Interestingly, an often ignored factor plays an integral role in how much work is done: your work from home attire. ... (read more)

Undateable debt: Why it pays to know your partner’s credit score

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By Kate Browne

Nothing unravels a blossoming relationship quite like a bad credit history. Seriously!

Ok I know what you’re thinking “yeah right sure finance lady, it’s not about how you look or how you come across personality-wise or even if you are a dog or cat person it’s all about your credit report…give me a break.” And well that might be true, bear with me…. If you are going on a date it just might be worth checking your credit report – as well as the mirror – before heading out the door. ... (read more)

Working from Home with Kids

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Owing to changes around the world, working from home has brought a welcome change to the workplace. In the past, working parents used to worry themselves bald trying to work out how to deliver at work without the home suffering and vice versa. Having to work while having your kids around is every woman’s dream.

Right? But here is the thing. Dreams don’t always work well in real life.

And so there is so much stress that comes with balancing your work life and your home life. For one, there are loads of distractions from handling the kids and house chores. ... (read more)

Separating Work and Personal Life When Working from Home

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When you work from home and the same space is used as an office and living quarters, your work life and home life mix seamlessly, and it is near impossible to effect a work-life balance that works for you.

Yet working from home is the new normal in our digital business world. As such, more registered trademarks are leveraging its benefits to drive their objectives, and the regular office environment will soon become part of the past. ... (read more)

How Does Home Loan Interest Work

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Understanding how interest affects your home loan is an important step in the loan process. Even if the interest rate remains relatively low it will still add up to a large portion of your total repayments over the duration of a 25-30 year home loan term.

Understanding interest

Many people misunderstand how interest is calculated. For example, when investigating a $100,000 loan at 10% interest, a novice borrower might think the total amount of interest to be paid will be $10,000. ... (read more)

TransferWise Review: Money Transfers at True Mid-market Rates

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Picture this: You just land a great job, but it’s in a different country. You make the necessary arrangements, and you move there. Problem is, you need to send money back to your country regularly, maybe to pay for a mortgage, a phone bill or your family’s expenses.

Come payday, you calculate your budget and come up with the money you need to send before visiting the bank, only to find out that you lose a significant chunk of money to the bank by sending it. This is because banks do not follow the mid-market rate. ... (read more)

Contactless Payments: How Do They Work?

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Are you someone who absolutely hates how long it takes to make a transaction using a credit or debit card? Do you worry about card fraud a lot? If so, you will love contactless payment systems, which involve the use of contactless cards, stickers, key fobs, mobile devices, and wearable gadgets.

In a nutshell:

  • It is secure. You don’t need to hand over your card to the cashier. For the entire transaction, the card never leaves your hand.
  • It is fast. You don’t need to enter a PIN or leave a signature for purchases under $100.
  • It is easy. You just need to hold the card close to the terminal.

Contactless payments make life a tad easier for the average consumer.

History

Contactless cards have been available in Australia since 2006 but it only started to gain traction in the last few years. From the 7.6 million cards issued in 2010, the number grew to 18 million in 2014. With more and more retailers accepting contactless payments, the total number of contactless cards in Australia should reach 33.9 million in 2019, Timetric predicts. ... (read more)

How to Be Frugal in Australia

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Living a frugal lifestyle in the era of social media, where everyone flaunts what they have and where they’ve travelled to, can be quite challenging—but there’s nothing great about living paycheque to paycheque either.

If you aren’t conscious about your spending, you might end up accumulating credit card debt. It will only eat away at your limited earnings as well as the money you’ve set aside for emergencies. As a result, it can easily compromise your financial future. ... (read more)

What is Home Renovation Loan

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Renovating a home can be one of the most fulfilling achievements for a home owner or investor. However, when things go wrong (as they inevitably do) your renovations can turn into a financial nightmare. Taking out a home renovation loan that is tailored to your needs can be one of the most astute financial decisions you will ever make.

Understanding which home renovation loan best suits your project is the first step toward a successful outcome. The ‘plan’ in financial plan is more than just an idea; it’s an essential factor in making sure you add maximum value to your premises. Unless you have savings set aside for your home renovation, you need to understand what type of loan best suits you. ... (read more)

Calling in Sick When Working from Home

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Naturally, calling in sick shouldn’t be a big deal. But the nature of the modern workplace has changed. Working remotely is the way businesses have adapted to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now it’s not so easy with remote workers. With them, there is always the risk of disbelief when taking sick days. That is why a remote worker calling in sick from home needs to know what to say, when to say it and how to say it. ... (read more)