A good timepiece is always a worthwhile investment. It’s a functional accessory that can last for more than one lifetime. Plus, there are so many stunning models that won’t break the bank. These days, watchmaking has progressed to a point that even affordable watches are quite good and built to last. At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself: Do you want a watch that is primarily a luxury item or simply a reliable accessory for keeping the time?
Uncertainty Around AUD & What It Means For Aussie Travellers
With the recent global uncertainty surrounding Brexit & the European Union, the Australian Dollar has continued to delve into some less than predictable waters. Coupled with Donald Trump’s continued trade war with China, there are a number of global external factors having a negative impact on our Aussie Dollar.
Meanwhile with household debt increasing and house prices appearing to start to take a slump. Over the past few months, the Australian Dollar has started to decline against some of the more popular international currencies. In this article, we review what impact this is having on Australians planning on heading overseas. After all, there is nothing worse than feeling short-changed when you go and convert your AUD for foreign currency and feel like you can’t afford to go on holiday at all.
Securing a Car Loan in Australia
Prospective car buyers are in for “excellent deals” this August, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber said last week during the release of new vehicle sales data for July 2019.
A total of 83,184 new vehicles were sold. While year-to-date growth is still down 7.7%, this is better than June’s 8.4%.
From $1,000 in factory bonuses on Hyundai’s Tucson range, to a $6,000 discount off Fiat’s Abarth 124 Spider and the $44,990 drive-away price of Holden’s Colorado LSX, today’s buyers have so many options to choose from.
How Much Does Landscaping and Gardening Cost?
Tasteful landscaping and gardening are very effective in increasing the sale value of homes and property. According to a recent article on OpenAgent, an investment in colourful plants, as well as practical garden spaces, can add at least $15,000 to the value of a home. Real estate agents have long extolled the value of simple flowering plants, which quickly enhance a property’s sale value.
Professional landscaping, such as decks, garden spaces, patios, and sitting areas, with fireplaces and pools, exemplify, to potential buyers, a space ready for restful family activities. Real estate agents tell us that professional landscaping can add 6 to 7 per cent to the value of a home, whereas, if you neglect your garden, it can lower the value of your home from between 5 and 15 per cent.
Comparing car insurance
What should you look for when comparing policies?
Cars are a big expense, especially when it comes to insurance. Whether you’re buying insurance for the first time or your policy is due for renewal, you should always start by comparing your options. But where to start? Here are five things you should consider when comparing your car insurance options.
The cost
Cost is the first point of comparison for people when comparing policies because it’s the simplest way to compare, ie policy A costs more/less than policy B.
Comfort Spending: How to beat the $1400 a year habit
By Rhianna Dews, Money Writer at Mozo
Despite all the benefits that come with the digital world we live in today, its fast pace has ultimately led to a rapid increase in stress and anxiety, with Beyond Blue data revealing that 1 in 7 Australians are currently experiencing an anxiety condition.
What makes matters worse is the way in which Aussies are coping with the pressure. Mozo’s 2019 Comfort Spending Report found that Aussies are spending $1,430 each year on average in attempts to dilute stress, boredom and anxiety. This works out to a massive total of $25.5 billion each year!
Planning a Destination Wedding
Compensation for this post was provided by OzForex Limited ABN 65 092 375 703 (trading as OFX). Opinions expressed here are my own.
Destination weddings have grown in popularity and are no longer just for the fortunate few. People travel more than ever, airfares are great value and the overseas destination could even be closer to home for some relatives. With the right advice and sound money management, planning a destination wedding becomes a very real possibility.
Australians are spoilt for choice when it comes to destinations. The entire South Pacific is located conveniently on our doorstep, and wedding groups appreciate the value and facilities of the resort islands. The lush surroundings and warm waters provide many wedding locations worth investigating.
Lots of people meet their future partner and even marry while travelling overseas. Europe and the United States are also favoured for destination weddings, and although more expensive, can also be the convenient option for some guests.
Planning a destination wedding isn’t difficult once you understand your own limitations. You will need to coordinate offshore wedding arrangements and financial transactions, so making certain your investment is in good hands is the first priority.Securing your wedding investment
A destination wedding usually involves purchasing a wedding package or using the services of a wedding planner. Wedding packages, often associated with larger resorts, can seem too formulated, but the exotic or exclusive setting should satisfy just about everyone.
A wedding planner, on the other hand, is able to tailor the wedding to your personal needs. It’s often best to hire a wedding planner who lives locally, speaks the language, and has existing relationships with vendors and service providers.
A destination wedding doesn’t need to be complicated, and neither should an overseas money transfer.is OFX money transfers are among the most popular, offering 55 currencies and paying to 190 countries around the world, with the ability to track the progress of your global payment.
Whether you need to send a one-off payment or staggered payments to various wedding suppliers, money transfers are normally completed in a couple of days, so it’s easy to keep a destination wedding plan on track.
The detailed wedding plan
Unless you have experienced local contacts, a highly competent wedding planner will be essential to get the most out of your budget. The destination is just the setting, and for the wedding to become all that it can, your spending and money transfers need to be targeted and secure. A wedding planner can assist in many ways, including:
- venue hire and decoration
- guest reception, limos, accommodation
- photographer, DJ or band
- catering, organising the wedding cake
- coordinating the sequence of events on the day of the wedding
- ensuring local events or other festivities don’t conflict with your chosen wedding day
The wedding can even become an extended vacation that takes full advantage of your chosen destination. Consider sailing, diving or day trips as an additional attraction for everyone’s enjoyment. An OFX money transfer can cover it all, or be used specifically for destination wedding essentials. This flexibility keeps you in control of spending and provides opportunity for extra spontaneity and vacation-style adventure.
Start planning early
There are lots of reasons why people choose a destination wedding. For some it’s an idyllic dream, while others have cherished memories of a favourite place. The location could be perfect for both sides of the family, or just a great way to do something a little different, create a party atmosphere, and soak up some tropical sun.
The earlier you get moving with the wedding plan, the easier it will be for your guests to make arrangements. Plan ahead to secure your dream destination wedding location, and send invitations out well in advance of the wedding day. If some guests aren’t able to attend, it’s worth considering hosting a second ceremony back home at a later date. In some cultures, this is already the expected practice.
The favourable climate of competitively priced accommodations, cheap international travel and secure money transfers is an opportunity worth taking advantage of. Destination weddings are now within reach of most couples hoping for an enchanting experience like no other.
For more information and to read OFX’s Product Disclosure Statement, please visit the OFX website.
Juggling your changing health needs on a budget
The start of Autumn every year is a good reminder to make sure you’re on the right private health insurance plan. Why Autumn though?
Make sure your policy suits your life stage and medical needs, especially if they are regularly changing. A careful review of your policy might reveal that you’re covered for the birth of a child, which is perfect if you’re trying for a baby but is a needless cost if you’re not.
On 1 April, premiums for health insurance rise by an average of 4.84%. So if you don’t take the time review your policy, not only could you be worse off financially but you could end up with the wrong level of cover – something that could cost you much more in the long run.
Luckily, it doesn’t take long to make sure you’ve got the right health insurance plan in place, and to ensure you’re getting as much as value for money as possible. Laura Crowden, spokesperson for iSelect, has a few tips to help you on your way:
- Play the offset game. Many people who shop around ahead of April 1 find that they not only offset the premium rise by getting a better value with a new plan or provider but even save money. With many providers in the market, some are offering attractive deals in a bid to win your business. Just make sure you’re not sacrificing coverage for savings.
Australian Car Sales for August 2014
The automotive market’s performance is not closely related to personal finance, unless you’re planning to buy a car or work in this industry. My article tries to summarise the latest statistical repots.
Based on the monthly and yearly comparison reports of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), car dealers are having a tough time in Australia, especially in WA. The national year-to-date (YTD) average declines in vehicle sales was -2.5% in August 2014. Western Australia is leading this negative list with -8.3%, followed by Tasmania and Queensland with -7.1% and -5.4%, respectively.
The report doesn’t have state specific statistics about vehicle types, but in overall “passenger” vehicle sales decreased by 5.4% year-to-date, as well as light and heavy commercial vehicle sales. The only growth was reported in the SUV market, +3.7% year-to-date. The FCAI report has more details about the passenger type vehicles. Micro, light, small and medium categories decreased, while large, upper large and people movers increased YTD. The sports category had a 7.8% decrease.
In the SUV market, small SUVs had the best and only positive performance (+15.7%); therefore, the SUV market increased mentioned in the previous paragraph is due to the small ones. In overall, it’s not looking too good and it’s interesting to compare these numbers with the Australian automotive industry’s monthly product volumes. The FCAI website has data about the monthly production volumes and it can be seen that 14% less vehicles were built during the first two quarters of 2014 than the previous year. The product volume has been decreasing since 2013.
The tough market situation might be good if you’re planning to buy a car, because you have a better chance to get a larger than average discount from car dealers. As far as I know, car dealers make profit on service, not car sales, so you should compare prices and fight for a good discount.
Undateable debt: Why it pays to know your partner’s credit score
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.
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