Travel lighter with these hot tips
It’s great to be back out and about again, isn’t it? But before you step beyond the confines of your state or national borders, it pays to do some homework.
Not only will a little planning save you a lot of money, it could also save you a few headaches at your destination. After all, holidays are supposed to be relaxing, not stressful.
Screen time: What you need to know about streaming
Australians love to stream. It's a love affair that grew while we were stuck at home during Covid. And one that shows no sign of abating, even if we’re spreading that love around a lot more.
Research firm Telsyte found that more than 75 percent of Australian households subscribe to at least one streaming video on demand (SVOD) service. There were 23.4 million subscriptions to June this year, one for almost every Australian, and rising. Telsyte predicts the figure to be more than 30 million within four years.
Mobile thinking: How to save money on your phone bill
If you’re with Optus, chances are you have bigger concerns about your mobile plan than how to slice dollars off the next bill.
The telco is under pressure after it revealed that hackers had stolen data, including names, birth dates, passport and Medicare details, from about 10 million past and present Optus customers, putting them at risk of identity theft and fraud.
Unlucky break: Will travel insurance protect you when you need it?
Australians are big travellers — at least we were before Covid hit. Now that we’re getting back out on the road and into the air again, should we protect our hard-earned money with travel insurance?
Some people might say that travel insurance is a waste of money. After all, what are the chances that something will actually happen to you while you’re on holiday? But the truth is, anything can happen when you’re away from home. And if something does go wrong, travel insurance can be a life saver. But is it really worth the extra expense? And how has Covid changed things?
Dead loss: Is funeral insurance worth the money?
Dying isn’t something any of us like to think about it, let alone discuss, but it might be worth asking exactly what funeral insurance is and whether it’s for you.
Funerals can be very expensive. According to Canstar, it can cost anything from $4,000 to $15,000, depending on the ceremony, and insurers know you won’t want to leave your loved ones with a hefty bill as well as a heavy heart. But is funeral insurance worth it?
Shocking power prices? Make money off your electricity
Power bills are on the rise again but don’t despair. There are ways you can not only save money on electricity but actually make some.
The Victorian Government has just announced that it will give consumers $250 to use its energy comparison site. It is basically incentivising you to take a closer look at your electricity bill.
Second best: Are used cars still worth your money?
If you've been shopping for a secondhand car recently, you've likely noticed they're still not cheap, especially if you want to avoid ending up with a lemon.
The pandemic caused production delays and a shortage of new cars, driving up demand for the next-best option. While prices for used cars have come down somewhat, they are still higher than pre-Covid levels.
According to the Moody’s Analytics' price index, the average used car now costs 20 percent less than its peak in May 2022 but is still 40 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Sure thing: Are new car warranties a safe bet?
For many of us, cars are our second most expensive investment after our home. So it's only right to want some peace of mind when it comes to buying one.
Enter: the car warranty. In Australia, most new cars come with a manufacturer's warranty. That warranty covers you for a set period of time, usually three years. But in recent times, we've seen an increase in the number of brands offering longer warranties. Up to 10 years in some cases. It's a persuasive marketing tool.
Second bite: What does Apple’s new repair program mean for you?
Have an iPhone that needs repairing? Is your MacBook not working properly again? It’s almost expected that technology won’t go the distance, or that Apple parts will cost too much to get fixed. So we may as well buy a new one. It’s a mindset that has contributed to a stockpile of e-waste that is tipped to hit more than 70 million tonnes globally by 2030.
But what if you could repair your phone or other electronic devices yourself? Apple has introduced a Self Service Repair program, where you can order the parts to fix the issue yourself — or get a more experienced third party to do so.
Driving prices: How to make your fuel dollars go further
Holding your breath every time you head to the petrol station? Wondering whether to fill up or just put in $20 and hope the price takes a dive within the week?
There’s no question we’re all feeling the pinch at the pump. According to the Australia Institute of Petroleum, the national average petrol price as of 20 March 2022 was 197.6c and 202.4c for diesel. The trend has been going up since 27 December 2021, with only a slight dip on 31 January this year. The price of fuel is expected to drop in the coming weeks due to a cut in fuel excise but we are yet to see the impact.