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.
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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. ... (read more)

Every day countries publish economic reports, meetings of Central Banks are held, as well as governors give speeches. These events usually occur at a scheduled time. To keep abreast of the upcoming events traders use an economic calendar where the time of their release and the degree of importance are displayed.

An important economic event can significantly change the market price of the asset in a matter of minutes. Traders respond to news reports in different ways. Some traders expect such news and recommend not to miss the opportunity to benefit, while others stop trading before the releases and wait for the market to calm down. ... (read more)

When it comes to aboriginal funerals, it is an event that is highly valued by the Aboriginal people. Often, ceremonies related to funerals can go on for several days and even weeks. In more intense ceremonies, the children might even be absent from school in order to take part in these very valuable communal events. The ceremonies include multiple dances and songs, which have their varied structures and meanings. In order for all these take place, the families will surely incur expenses. This is where the importance of funeral planning comes into the picture.

Make a difference

As humans, we are always busy making one plan or another, especially when it has to do with everyday, weekly, monthly, or annual events that bring us success and happiness. A higher percentage of people never take the time to consider funeral planning, whether for themselves or their loved ones. Although it is not a pleasant topic for thought or discussion, a funeral is a significant part of everyday living and should be given due attention. This is especially true when it comes to the financial aspects of conducting funerals, which might put a whole lot of stress on your loved ones on top of their grief.

The importance of making funeral plans

There are several reasons why you should consider a funeral plan, these include but are not limited to the following;

It Reduces Financial Burdens: Especially if you happen to be the breadwinner of your household. Knowing how much you love your family, it would surely break your heart to allow them to be saddled with the financial burden of handling your funeral. On the other hand, buying funeral plans for other members of the family also eliminates the issue of funeral costs, which might just add to the grief the family is dealing with.

It Makes Cash Available: Most times, it takes weeks and months of paper work before the dependants of a deceased person can have access to the funds left behind by the deceased. This however, will not be an issue if there is a funeral plan in place. With the beneficiary’s demise, payment is usually made within 48 hours, leaving the family members with adequate cash to start the burial preparations without wasting any time.

It Helps Loved Ones Get Closure: In the aboriginal culture, giving a loved one a befitting funeral leaves the loved ones fulfilled. With funerals being a part of the grieving process, a deceased person’s loved ones are able to find closure knowing that their departed family member was given a befitting burial. With a proper funeral plan, a person’s loved ones can bid them a heart-warming goodbye.

Other Funeral Expenses Can Be Settled: Depending on the type of plan opted for, the payout might go a lot farther in helping the family cater for other related funeral expenses. Some of these expenses include but are not limited to transportation for guests, the ceremony, the headstone, and other relevant aspects.

Additional Support Is Made Available: A good number of companies go the extra mile to offer more than just financial assistance to a grieving family. There are a variety of other kinds of support which includes but are not limited to legal assistance, bereavement counselling and proper organising of the funeral. This way, the family members are able to heal quicker and better from the loss of their loved one.

Availability of Future Financial Support: With a good funeral plan, there might be the option for offering the bereaved family a set financial support for several months after the funeral. This option is available to anyone who happens to be the breadwinner of his or her family. With this fund, the family are able to offset bills and certain necessities like food, rent, school fees, etc. Even as they try to find their feet and move forward again as a family.

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Using a guarantor to borrow more than 100% of your property’s value

It is possible to borrow up to 105% of a property’s value through some lenders, with the help of a guarantor. This has a number of benefits, including allowing you to buy a property without a deposit, and – as we explore later, can also save you from the cost of lender’s mortgage insurance (LMI) that can apply to more highly leveraged loans.

A guarantor is a person who provides additional security to a lender for a loan. They agree to become legally liable for repaying a debt if the borrower defaults on their repayments.

Not all lenders offer these types of loans, but several do. Guarantors are usually immediate family members, like parents or spouses. Some lenders even call them family pledge loans, rather than guarantor loans.

You might be wondering why you’d need to borrow more than 100% of your property’s value. It’s important to understand that when you buy a home or investment property, there can be up-front costs in addition to the purchase price, including:

loan application and setup fees,

stamp duty,

building and pest inspections,

conveyancing fees to legally transfer the ownership of the property to you,

furniture,

the total of your land and construction costs if you are building a new home,

utility service connections (e.g. phone, gas, electricity and council water rates).

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