Saving

Illustration: Michael Mucci

How to make a granny flat arrangement work for you

Kate Cowling   Retirees keen to help their children into the property market and keep the age pension are increasingly looking at granny flat arrangements.

The five biggest myths about saving money, according to a millennial

A generic latte coffee shot. 22 March 2012. The Age Epicure. Photo:EDDIE JIM.

Suzanne Woolley   Ethan Bloch has some financial advice for his millennial peers: "Just have your f------ latte!"

Comments 12

How to have a calm Christmas

Jill Stewart used lay-by to budget for her kids' Christmas presents.

Christine Long   You might think it's too early to think about Christmas but Jill Stewart would beg to differ.

ASSET CHECK

Savers under attack

Tax reform could encourage overinvestment in the family home.

Daryl Dixon   People relying on their past savings for their retirement income face being big losers in any increase in the GST tax burden.

Aussies return from summer holidays with debt hangover

The best way to fund a holiday is to save for it.

John Collett   More than 200,000 people each year who use their credit cards to pay for overseas holidays are taking at least a year to repay their card debts.

Coles v Woolies: which loyalty card scheme is better?

Woolworths' loyalty scheme is better for families spending about $108 a week.

John Collett   Woolworths' new customer loyalty scheme unveiled this week should be welcomed by most of the 9 million holders of Woolies' rewards cards.

Young Aussies out of financial control

Commerce graduate Daniel Wroby didn't hear the term "financial literacy" until he was 23.

Emily Chantiri   ​Twenty-three-year-old Daniel Wroby had never heard the term "financial literacy" until this year. He is not alone.

MONEY BRAIN

What a transport strike can teach you about money

Melbourne CBD during the August tram strike. Use a nudge, such as a strike, to help you set up a financial safety net.

Catherine Robson   Transport strikes are frustrating but research suggests they can lead to productivity gains over time - and you can apply the same lessons to your personal finances.

ASSET CHECK

The magic of the mortgage offset account

Mortgage offset accounts provide financial flexibility to homeowners.

Daryl Dixon   It's an excellent development for consumers that mortgage offset accounts are becoming more commonplace.

YOUR QUESTIONS

Family finance beyond the wedding

Save for short-term goals like a wedding.

George Cochrane   Readers ask how they can plan for their own retirement and to invest for their children's futures.

Playing detective on 'lost' money has its rewards

Detective work can pay off.

John Collett   With families' finances stretched we could all do with recovering some "lost" money. A mountain of money is waiting to be re-united with its rightful owners – the trick is knowing where to look for it.

BASIC TRAINING

How to negotiate on your bills

Don't let bills crush your spirits.

Larissa Ham   You can't stop bills coming, but you can control how much you choose to fork out.

Home owners go back to renting

Growing numbers of Australians are jumping out of home ownership and giving renting another whirl. Illustration: Michael Mucci

Christine Long   Growing numbers of Australians are leaving home ownership to return to renting.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Giving it away can make you richer

Give a little: it's good for you.

Catherine Robson   We all want to be wealthy but there's plenty of evidence that more money does not make us any happier

STUDY BREAK

Why arts students can now be taken seriously

Arts graduates are the new success story when it comes to finding jobs.

Michelle Hutchison   The Australian arts sector is the fastest-growing industry in the land. What does that say about us?

Comments 12

Non-banks give best deals on international money transfers

John Brown, from Dulwich in Sydney and his sister each inherited the same amount from Britain but after the transfers he received $5000 less.

John Collett   Consumers transferring money in and out of Australia could be doing themselves out of hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars using their big bank to make the transfers.

KIDS AND MONEY

The great pocket money rip-off

The piggy bank is filling up as Australian kids reap the rewards of generous - or guilty - parents.

Most parents give pocket money to their children, but very few of the kids do anything at all to earn it.

BOURIS ON MONEY

Compounding the solution

MON00-Bouris Mark Bouris.

Mark Bouris   It's important to teach kids about money. And one aspect in particular.

BASIC TRAINING

How to drum up some extra cash

It's easier than ever to drum up some extra cash thanks to the growing number of new websites and online marketplaces.

Larissa Ham   Money's ripe for the picking for anyone with a smartphone, some spare time and a little bit of savvy.

CASH TRAP

Six reasons you're missing out on money

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon.

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon   No one would ignore $100 lying on the pavement Yet most people obliviously pass over more than this every month. It's time to shape up.

PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON

Households cut spending as costs rise and income growth weakens

A new survey says more people are feeling financially squeezed.

John Collett   A flurry of surveys is showing a marked increase in the financial pressure consumers are feeling.

PENNY PINCHING

A cashless economy? Where’s the catch?

An empty purse may not mean an empty stomach for those who can make lifestyle adjustments around having no cash.

David Wilson   Some enterprising Australians are opting out of the relentless grind of working and spending.

STORE WARS

Winners and losers in trolley wars

Shop in the evenings and you're more likely to pick up specials in perishables.

David Potts   Competition is making life tough for the big players but it’s a boon for shoppers.

RATINGS

Credit scores poor in the heart of the city

People living in the inner cities have poor credit ratings.

John Collett   Inner Sydney and inner Melbourne are among the worst regions in Australia for poor credit records.

SAVING

Curbing the urge to splurge

Shoppers need discipline to forgo buying at sales when others are spending up large.

Christine Long   It might be a bit late to start No Buy July – but the lessons learnt can help everyone spend more mindfully.

OFFSHORING

Nice day at the office?

Owner Luke McAllister joins his colleagues by the pool of his co-working space Salty Volt in the Balinese surfing town of Canggu.

Larissa Ham   Many of us can now do our work from wherever we choose. So why not do it from somewhere with warm temperatures and a low cost of living?

HAMMER TIME

Grab yourself a wheel bargain

Sal Bua, of Sydney, and his partner, Susana Montero, (with Bix the dog) replaced their Toyota RAV4 with a later model of the same make bought at auction.

Sylvia Pennington   Motorists prepared to buy a second-hand vehicle under the hammer can score serious savings – or find themselves behind the wheel of a lemon, with no recourse.

RISE AND SHINE

Smart larks make a dawn start

Those who rise early tend to feel more ready to tackle tasks head on.

David Wilson   Research suggests early risers earn more. What's their secret?

THE MOTLEY FOOL

Motley Fool: Use a points plan for new year health check

Your finances need regular health checks as much as your body does.

Scott Phillips   The start of the new financial year is a good time to see how your finances are faring.

CHANGE UP

How to change your life in a month

Make one change a day and you could reap big rewards.

Christine Long   If you really put your mind to it, there's a lot you can achieve with your finances in a few weeks.