Can I take a second mortgage for home improvements?

A second mortgage may be handy if you’re looking for extra cash to start renovating. However, there are a raft of pros and cons to consider and a number of alternative financing options may also be available.

When should you buy home insurance?

Home insurance needs differ from household to household, so when should you consider taking out a policy on your property? Consult our handy checklist to learn all about home insurance in Australia.

What could Australia's property market look like in 2023?

Nationally, property prices fell 2.3 percent in 2022 and are anticipated to decline up to a further 10 per cent by December 2023. However, there’s evidence to suggest that the outcome won’t be as damaging as it might seem.

Planning a holiday? Check out February's top personal loans

A holiday loan is simply a personal loan you can use to help pay for your trip. This type of loan can offer convenience to travellers wanting to pay for flights, accommodation, insurance and other travel expenses, without having to save up a large sum.

Could you be locked into your mortgage?

If APRA's lending rules were to revert to pre-2019 conditions, existing borrowers may find themselves locked into their current mortgages as it would likely be difficult to refinance with a different lender.

Can you get a home equity loan with low income?

A home equity loan allows you to borrow against the equity in your home. But you need to be earning enough to qualify for one, as lenders want to ensure you can comfortably repay the additional amount you borrow on top of your original mortgage.

What is car rental excess insurance?

Car insurance excess can be expensive. It can also be costly to reduce this amount to zero. Buying car rental excess insurance is an alternative option to consider that may prove to be the most cost-effective solution.

What is passive income?

Passive income can be loosely defined as investment returns that require little to no effort to attain. Imagine if you could retire sooner, repay your credit card debts, grow your savings and/or bolster your investment portfolio to generate further sources of passive income.

Inflation ticks higher: Will this spur more interest rate hikes?

Annual headline inflation jumped to 7.8 per cent in December on the back of expensive domestic and international holiday costs and rising energy prices. The question remains: Will the RBA continue to hike the cash rate to quell inflation or could we see a pause?

Will Australia go into recession in 2023?

Forecasts remain conflicted. Australia last experienced a recession in 2020, an aftershock from the global COVID-19 pandemic. Before that we'd been sailing pretty since '90/91. The 2023 outlook for the world economy is contractionary but Australia may be well-positioned to face the headwinds of a potential recession.