When you are staring at an expensive energy bill, it can feel like you are locked into a contract that you never signed. However, the majority of residential energy contracts give you the freedom to leave without any exit fees. With an energy comparison site, you can find an energy retailer that meets your unique […]
You may be eligible for a concession or rebate if you hold a valid concession card or meet the eligibility criteria for a specific concession or rebate. For more information on available concessions and rebates, select the relevant concession or rebate below. New South Wales (NSW) Card Type Pensioner concession card Health care card Department […]
You’ve probably heard that interest rates are on the rise and national property prices are on the way back down. Here’s how you can kill two birds with one stone: by refinancing to unlock equity and giving your home an energy-efficient makeover at the same time. Did you know that energy-efficient homes generally attract premium […]
Thinking about refinancing? As interest rates rise, so do the hurdles you need to clear. Here’s why you might want to look at refinancing soon to avoid potentially missing out. When was the last time you refinanced? If the answer is “never”, or you can’t actually remember, there’s a good chance you’re paying a higher […]
Single Australians under 30 snare the lion’s share of spots in the federal government’s 5% deposit first home buyer scheme, according to new data. Here’s how to secure one of the highly coveted 35,000 scheme spots released on July 1. Long gone are the days when you had to scrimp and save for a 20% […]
We’ve seen interest rates bounce back up over the past three months, and most economists are predicting more increases to come. If you’re starting to worry about your finances, rest assured there are several steps you can take now to get on the front foot. The days of ultra-low interest rates are officially over (it […]
With interest rates on the way back up, there’s no doubt some households around the country are starting to do it a bit tough. Coincidentally, some big changes kick in on July 1 when it comes to recording financial hardship arrangements. In the past, if you were unable to meet your loan repayments, you could […]
Rising interest rates got you feeling a little vulnerable? It might be time to take some control back by refinancing or asking for a rate review. Here’s why we’re seeing refinancing numbers surge across the country. In just two months we’ve seen the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increase the cash rate from a record-low […]
Some of Australia’s biggest banks have tightened their mortgage lending criteria, meaning you might not be able to borrow as much from them. How might this affect your next purchase? This week ANZ lowered a key lending cap, indicating it will no longer lend to borrowers with a debt-to-income (DTI) ratio above 7.5 (meaning people […]
They say all good things come to an end, and that includes your ultra-low fixed-rate home loan period. So what can you do to ensure a smooth transition? With the past couple of years offering historically low interest rates, many Australians have been able to lock in an ultra-low fixed-rate home loan. In fact, in […]
