![For personal trainer Vicki Lanini, beating credit card debt made her financially fit.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/3/y/w/h/image.related.wideLandscape.940x529.gt0npv.12uqus.png/1481088165788.jpg)
Money features
![A Panasonic lithium-ion flexible battery that's just 0.55 millimetres thick.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/1/k/8/a/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt7gr2.png/1481242574388.jpg)
Galaxy Resources up 46pc, while Cre8tek nearly doubles
Galaxy Resources, a mining company focused on lithium, has emerged as one of the strongest performers in the final Shares Race for 2016.
![Wasting money to upsize your pension payments doesn't make good financial sense.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/j/1/m/m/1/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt74qs.png/1481234414450.jpg)
Straight talk on the age pension
The age pension assets test is being tightened, and some pensioners will lose all or part of their pension come January 1, but it is still one of the most generous age pension systems in the world.
![The Australian economy will face global challenges, especially if the US changes trade policies.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/j/i/d/q/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt739k.png/1481230639632.jpg)
The outlook for investors in 2017
Despite historic low interest rates, super funds and investors generally have fared well in 2016.
![The kids were assigned assets, such as shares in Blackmores or Facebook, or a commercial property and asked to research them.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/b/v/9/1/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt73wk.png/1481233998401.jpg)
Bad Santa and Banqer – teaching school kids about money
There is little doubt that fostering financial literacy in young people leads to more confident decision making in adulthood which in turn leads to lower stress and better outcomes.
![<P>](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/z/d/p/h/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt3yp0.png/1481030213280.jpg)
Is it worth it for young workers to pay extra super?
Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.
![Walmart might be many times the size of the next largest retailer in the US, but it still has well under half of the ...](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/4/q/2/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt4q30.png/1480980313678.jpg)
Monopolies beware, tech is out to get you
Complacent investors may feel the pain.
![Treasurer Scott Morrison has cooked up a policy of genuine merit.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/u/r/r/w/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt40rp.png/1480984567257.jpg)
Morrison's greatest achievement to date
It's sometimes hard to keep faith that good policy development is happening within government.
![If you use disposable nappies, the cost can run to $66 a week.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/2/e/5/t/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt2dxy.png/1480892515303.jpg)
How to grow your super while on parental leave
For my third maternity leave, I've pledged to pay myself enough super to match every dollar I spend on nappies.
![Santa Claus approves of less financial pain for Christmas.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/0/n/c/w/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt0qrg.png/1481008878347.jpg)
Enjoy Christmas without the financial hangover
Go big with giving, but not with big gifts.
![Life is about to get harder for many pensioners.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/h/v/q/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt1jfv.png/1480556096449.jpg)
Pensioners scramble to do the sums as new assets test looms
Financial expert George Cochrane answers readers' questions.
![You have to hand over your banking login to see the round-up transactions in the Acorns app, but the money is ...](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/h/6/5/2/r/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt1lkv.png/1480561154671.jpg)
Nicole helps … sort out fintech and fraud liability
Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon answers questions about the Acorns micro-investment app and direct debits for a charity.
![The $1.6 million cap is for an individual not a couple.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/k/h/e/f/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt0ppm.png/1480474591604.jpg)
New super regime is finally here
Make sure you check out the changes before taking any action.
![A better mortgage rate? I'll drink to that.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/x/f/i/p/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt33gs.png/1480759077095.jpg)
Our early Christmas present: refinancing our home loan
Knocking a few basis points off your mortgage rate can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.
![Myer chief executive Richard Umbers.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/h/h/7/q/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt2hih.png/1480639057637.jpg)
Reshuffling of the ranks as editor widens lead
Money editor Caitlin Fitzsimmons has widened her lead in the three-week Shares Race, with her top pick now worth $16,829.
![Former hoarder Lee Shuer co-founded Buried in Treasures workshops in the US and regularly gives advice to Australian ...](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/1/h/l/j/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt1hdc.png/1480892732862.jpg)
Professional organiser finds $280k in a hoarder's house
Hoarders face many personal problems, not least of them financial.
![Any change to the super system feeds public distrust.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/f/8/h/r/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt1k3s.png/1480718005581.jpg)
Dump super in haste, repent at leisure
Any change in the superannuation rules feeds into the general public distrust of super, but it's important to look at the facts objectively.
![Illustration: Matt Davidson](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/1/2/v/1/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt0o0d.png/1480676056993.jpg)
How Turnbull could be the new Menzies and help first home buyers
Turnbull and Morrison are genuinely concerned about the inability of ordinary Australians to buy houses and are open to ideas.
![A spa treatment won't set you back as much as buying a Prada handbag.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/y/y/w/4/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsyyso.png/1480385429070.jpg)
Celebrate milestones but understand the true cost
Perhaps you're considering buying yourself a gift to reward yourself for seeing through a tough year.
![Flight responses that protected our species so well can make us poor investors.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/0/g/1/l/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsx7ww.png/1480411543552.jpg)
What was good for fending off mammoths is bad for investing
Usually, the best thing to do when doomsayers start to make a lot of noise is to sit tight.
![Illustration: Simon Letch](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/y/x/l/6/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsyy8j.png/1480408197351.jpg)
Mum to lose pension after inheriting small parcels of rocky land
Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.
![Ivanka Trump, daughter of the president-elect, has already had her brand targeted by a boycott.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/y/x/d/a/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsywwm.png/1480694187891.jpg)
The politics of shopping: are consumer boycotts effective?
Holiday shopping season has begun, and so have the boycotts. This year the Trump family is in the crosshairs.
![President-elect Donald Trump has inspired a share market rally, but has it gone too far?](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/y/s/x/k/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsz8kh.png/1480770002934.jpg)
Motley Fool: Beware the Trump share rally
Investors are excited about President Trump. But is the market getting ahead of itself?
![Rates](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/0/9/i/0/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsuq32.png/1480405647052.jpg)
Is this as low as interest rates go?
Changes in an obscure corner of the financial markets that could ultimately have implications for millions of households.
![A few hours of Netflix a month could push up your data usage if you're not careful.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/z/7/y/f/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsz7qi.png/1480396160636.jpg)
The mistake people make when choosing a mobile plan
Many of us think in terms of how much data we're using now without thinking about the fact that many mobile plans cover two year terms.
![You need to make a business case to support a request for a pay rise.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/w/d/n/e/image.related.landscape.120x80.gswdp5.png/1480120176760.jpg)
Nicole helps… position a reader for a pay rise
Nicole helps… position a reader for a pay rise.
![Stephanie Alexander looks forward to leftovers.](/web/20161209165443im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/1/b/6/t/f/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsy1l6.png/1480408175286.jpg)
Love your leftovers
Join our club. We can call it the Leftovers Lovers League.