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Thinking of increasing your Insurance protection, or simply would like to know what’s available and how you can make the most of it? Depending on the type of cover you have in place, there are certain extras you can consider. Here’s an outline of some handy optional benefits you can add to your policy, and …

Five Insurance extras to consider Read More »

With a wider capital gains tax off the agenda (for now anyway) it’s a timely reminder that there are existing tax implications for property investors, depending on their situation. Here, we look at two reasons for investment property ownership, and what taxes might apply. Property investors who buy for capital gains Whether you will need …

How does tax affect you as a property investor? Read More »

We all know it – Planning meals, writing a list of groceries and then only buying those items is the only guaranteed method of saving money and staying on budget. However, when we are confronted by ‘special’ signs everywhere, tempting us to seize a bargain, it is easy to lose willpower and ignore our list. …

Stop ‘money leaks’ at the supermarket Read More »

If you have a mortgage, you already know that your house is one of your biggest (and longest-term) investments. And of course, it relies on your ability to meet repayments over time – regardless of life’s ups and downs. So why not invest in peace of mind, and take out Mortgage Protection/Repayment Insurance? Here are …

Want to protect your house from life’s ups and downs? Read More »

No doubt you’ve heard this before: “Save money for a rainy day”. It might be easier said than done (especially with the household budget and other expenses to meet), but it’s good advice. The truth is, it might well ‘rain’ at some point in the future. Creating a healthy emergency fund is like building a …

Rainy-day fund: how big is ‘big enough’? Read More »

At first glance, Income Protection and Trauma Insurance may look very similar. After all, both are designed to protect you financially if you’re sick or injured. But if you get past that first impression, you will realise that they provide very different types of cover. So, which works best for you? To answer this question, let’s …

Income Protection or Trauma Insurance: which is right for you? Read More »

Bad financial habits not only sabotage your savings – they could also sabotage your chances of getting a home loan approved. Check out these five bad financial habits, and how to fix them, to improve the health of your savings, and ability to get a home loan. (Spoiler alert: there is no mention of giving …

Five bad financial habits – and how to fix them Read More »

Selling your first home is always hard; not only is buying your house a momentous occasion, but the house itself will hold a lot of fond memories for you. If you’d like to maximise your house’s potential, and get the best possible price when selling it, here are four mistakes to avoid. Not engaging a …

Selling for the first time? Four mistakes to avoid Read More »

Are you a last-minute shopper? Frantically loading up your shopping basket in an attempt to make sure all your nearest and dearest have gifts on Christmas Day, while the loudspeaker announces five minutes until closing time? Or are you more organised, and spread your shopping over the year, so you can relax on Christmas Eve and …

Christmas shopping: all-year-round or at the last minute? Read More »

New Year’s Eve – traditionally a time to make your resolutions for the following year, generally things you are going to do better (exercise more) or achieve (lose weight, give up smoking). Unfortunately, those resolutions seem to have a habit of becoming a distant memory by the time Easter rolls around. If you want to …

A New Year’s checklist to boost your savings Read More »