Debt disaster: How to ask for financial hardship help
Money – particularly the lack of it – is a sensitive topic for most of us. There's a level of embarrassment or shame that can come with the inability to meet financial obligations.
Power up: How to get a rebate on your electricity bill
Feeling the sting of yet another surging power bill? There is some relief on the way – providing you meet the eligibility criteria.
Handing down the Federal Budget on 9 May, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said more than five million households would have up to $500 deducted from their power bills in the next financial year through the Energy Bill Relief Fund.
But are you one of them?
Finding solid ground: What can I do if my home builder collapses?
Worried about all those headlines about builders going bust? If you’re building a new home, you might be increasingly concerned about what happens when a builder goes into liquidation.
The surge in construction company collapses across Australia, including high-profile builders such as Porter Davis and Probuild, has understandably made homeowners and investors nervous about the future.
Paying the price: The cost of payday loans
Picture this: It's the end of the month, and you're anxiously waiting for your next paycheck. An unexpected expense throws your budget off balance, and you're desperate for a solution. An online search brings up payday loans in Australia and you are tempted by the promise of immediate relief.
When we find ourselves in financial strife, it's tempting to look for a quick fix but if you don’t pay the loan back quickly, even a small amount can end up costing you big time. Before you sign on that dotted line, take a closer look at what you might be getting yourself into.
New lease on life: Should I buy or lease my computer?
Need a new computer at home or some new laptops for the office? If you are weighing up whether your budget can stretch to the latest model, you might consider putting your new computer or laptops on lease.
Buying a new computer or laptop can be very expensive, particularly if you need one that has a decent capacity to get your work done. With rapid technological advances, it can be challenging to keep up. What once seemed speedy can now feel like a drag as the volume of work you do increases.
Home stretch: Is it time to change your mortgage lender?
How do those monthly mortgage payments look? Feeling the pain of constant interest rate rises? You’re not the only one.
Paying a premium: What are the real benefits of private health insurance?
Private health insurance is a popular choice in Australia, with more than 13 million people, or 55.2 percent of the population, holding a policy. More than $22 billion is paid out in benefits each year, which sounds like a huge amount being returned to customers. But is it?
Taking flight? Here’s how to deal with delays
Qantas proudly sells itself as “the spirit of Australia” but if that’s the case the spirit is not happy. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Qantas received the highest number of complaints of any airline in the 2022 financial year. Most grievances related to service issues, such as flight delays and long wait times to speak with customer service agents.
Hyundai and Kia face new class actions over faulty engines in Australia
Hyundai and Kia are facing two class action lawsuits in Australia over allegations that the car manufacturers sold cars with potentially faulty engines that breached Australian consumer law. The lawsuits come after a series of recalls and safety concerns in Australia over the past few years.
On 15 February 2023, law firm Johnson Winter Slattery filed lawsuits against Hyundai and Kia, claiming that vehicles sold since 2011 were fitted with defective engines that violate Australian consumer law.
Vehicle recalls: Take the driver’s seat with safety issues
When you hear your vehicle has been recalled, it’s natural to go into panic mode. However, a recall is not necessarily a bad thing - it means the manufacturer is staying on top of safety regulations.
It becomes an issue when the manufacturers don’t communicate properly with vehicle owners or conduct repairs in a timely manner.