Finding alternatives to payday loans
When you're struggling to pay bills, it can be tempting to look for a quick fix. Payday loans may seem like a simple solution but before you sign up it’s worth exploring alternatives to payday loans.
Paying for JB Hi-Fi extra care
As you go up to pay for your new TV or computer, the helpful salesperson might suggest you take out JB Hi-Fi extra care. If you’re forking over a few thousand dollars, the extended warranty might seem like a good idea, but is it?
Do you have to pay for a warranty?
An extended warranty is a voluntary add-on, not a mandatory purchase. If someone you’re buying a product or service from suggests that you have to pay for a warranty, don’t fall for the sales pitch.
Using a debt collection dispute letter
If you have received a letter of demand from a debt collector for a debt that isn’t yours or is for more than you owe, you should take steps to challenge it. One of the best ways to do so is with a debt collection dispute letter - a formal response outlining why you are disputing the amount claimed.
What can a debt collector legally do?
There are rules and regulations governing debt collection in Australia. While businesses and individuals are entitled to seek money they are owed, it is important to ask what can a debt collector legally do to ensure your rights are not infringed in the process.
Fuel fight: What vehicle efficiency standards mean for you
Are you looking to buy a new car? The rising cost of fuel will undoubtedly be factored into the choice you make - a more efficient car means less money at the bowser, after all.
Out of sight: Keeping a lid on optometrist costs
If you wear glasses or contact lenses all the time, you know they can be costly. Given you can’t do without them, it’s a cost you just have to bear, right?.
Rent increases: Do tenants have any rights?
Your landlord has just hit you with another rent rise. But this one isn’t just incremental, in keeping with inflation or the cost of living. It’s a jump of several hundred dollars a week. How are you going to afford it?
Consumer law update needed to combat ‘junk insurance’
Handle My Complaint is urging the Federal Government to protect consumers from so-called ‘junk insurance’ by making the Australian Consumer Law clearer.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers filed a class action against JB Hi-Fi in the Supreme Court of Victoria last week, claiming that extended warranties offer no benefit to consumers.
Buckle up: Tips to trim the budget this Christmas
Are you feeling the pinch? Perhaps you’ve already cut back on discretionary spending. Or are contemplating a much more frugal Christmas season.
You’re not alone. New research shows while Australians are tipped to spend almost $5 billion on online shopping in the leadup to Christmas this year, almost half of those surveyed are planning to spend less than the same time in 2022. And almost 80 percent said they plan to cut back on non-essential spending in the same period.