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Posts Tagged :

budgeting

Managing your finances when life throws you a curveball

Occasionally life will throw you a curveball that directly or indirectly impacts your finances: you’re made redundant, your furnace dies or you’re expecting a child and you realise you’ll need to upgrade homes in the not-too-distant future. The last thing you want is to dig yourself into a deeper hole because you weren’t able to manage the financial side of things. Here are some ways to avoid that, so that you can bounce back sooner rather than later. 1.  Put…

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7 ways to save money this holiday season

Here are a few tips to help you ring in the new decade with as little debt as possible. 1. Reconsider whom you need to shop for At different points in our lives, it makes sense to shop for certain people and not for others. For example, when our nieces and nephews are young, gifts are appropriate but when they’re adults, maybe a heartfelt card is enough. Go through your list and decide whom you really need to shop for…

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The secret to your budget? Buckets.

If you’ve never had a budget, or if you’ve tried and given up on one before, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Visions of complicated spreadsheets and living on nothing but 2 minute noodles make the idea seem at best, snore-inducing and at worst, overly restrictive. But the truth is it takes very little effort to get a basic system – ‘money buckets’ – in place. This is great news, as it can mean the difference between major savings…

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How to enjoy a low-spend long weekend

As the long weekend kicks off, it can be all too easy to fill your time with fun and frivolous spending. But before you know it, Monday night rolls around and your bank balance is looking more than a little depleted. Luckily, it doesn’t take much to reset your default setting from ‘spend’ to ‘save’ for a few days, and the savings can be pretty significant. Read on for our tips to boost your savings in just a few days.…

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5 super fun (and frugal) school holiday hacks

If the school holidays have you fearing those dreaded words, ‘I’m bored!’ but you know you don’t have cash to spare, never fear – a quick Credit Simple brainstorm is all you need. Check out our top 5 tips to help you survive – and thrive – during these school holidays, with your budget and savings well and truly intact. 1. Get out and about – for free Whether you’re planning a vacation or a staycation, the school holidays are…

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How to build an emergency fund (and why you need one)

Last week I paid for an upcoming ski holiday in Canada. The trip isn’t until next ski season but it has to be paid in advance. Skiing in Canada is my idea of nirvana, so it wasn’t too painful to see the thousands of dollars flowing out of my account; after all, it’s going to a good cause. But this week, my car decided it needed a wheel bearing replaced plus a wheel alignment and new spark plugs. Then my dentist…

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Funding your first set of wheels
Funding your first set of wheels – what you need to know before getting a car loan

Buying yourself a set of wheels is expensive. If you’ve saved the cash to buy the car, that’s great. But realistically, most young people have to borrow money to buy a car. If that’s you, brush up on a few things before you sign on the dotted line. Save Saving up and paying cash is the cheapest way to buy a car. Ask around and you’ll find friends who have done it. Surprising, huh? Downgrade your expectations We know you…

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Colourful cards on pale backdrop
What you need to know about balance transfer credit cards

A friend called me the other day in a panic because he suddenly realised he owed more than $2,000 on his credit card and had no way of paying it off in a reasonable fashion. “You work in finance,” he said, “what am I supposed to do now?” First I made him do the calculations to see how much interest he would pay on that $2,000. He’d blown it on dinners, drinks, and a new smartphone he didn’t need, and…

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How to milk those rewards points

People can be suckers for rewards points, going out of their way to get a few extra clicks. But you’ve got to be careful to get the most out of the rewards points in the best way. It’s not just rewards points credit cards to be careful with. We have wallets full of little plastic and cardboard cards for everything from coffee to Fly Buys. But customer loyalty doesn’t always add up. Here’s the rub: rewards points do work is if…

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How your credit score affects the interest rates you pay: Welcome to the brave new world of risk-based pricing

Watch out! Your credit score could soon affect the interest rate you pay. That’s good if you’re a “unicorn” with a credit score from 801 to 1,000, and not bad if you’re a “thoroughbred” with a score of 601 to 800. If, however, you’re a credit “donkey” at the very bottom of the credit score pile, a credit pony at 201 to 400, or a farm horse from 401 to 600 you could well pay more. Why “donkeys” pay more…

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