![Peter Cakarnis, 60, has seen the value of his credit card rewards diminish over time.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/j/q/x/8/image.related.wideLandscape.940x529.gvk3e1.12uqus.png/1492249754472.jpg)
Money features
![Illustration: John Shakespeare](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/m/6/w/z/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvk6uy.png/1492504100226.jpg)
Do I need to make an 'educated guess' about my SMSF?
Financial expert Noel Whittaker answers readers' questions.
![Monique Kinerson with her partner and child, outside the house they bought with cash.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/m/i/7/6/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvk6cb.png/1492575393783.jpg)
Meet the couple who bought their house with cash
These Australians paid for their house in cash and have two years of wages in the bank.
![Dividends play a huge role in the returns of shareholders.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/1/e/n/j/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvm01x.png/1492495533716.jpg)
More to a share investment than just juicy dividends
It's difficult to overstate the importance of dividends for Australian investors.
![Illustration: Simon Bosch](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/n/2/h/k/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvn0sq.png/1492528404204.jpg)
A universal age pension is a win for younger generations too
Millennials and Baby Boomers are often cast as natural foes fighting in some kind of economic Hunger Games. But what if I told you that economic and social policy doesn't have to be zero-sum?
![<p>](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/m/i/i/8/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvmiel.png/1492521929369.jpg)
The lower the yield, the higher the cost of fees
Several factors mean we shouldn't be so easily fooled about fees now – well, that's the theory.
![A few months ago the smartest people in finance were waxing lyrical on whether the Chinese landing would be "hard" or ...](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/j/a/x/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvm0if.png/1492391284698.jpg)
Motley Fool: What China collapse?
What's the greatest threat to the world economy and our economic prosperity?
![Illustration: Michael Mucci](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/g/5/g/z/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvk4su.png/1492505231939.jpg)
The benefits of capital gains tax
Understanding the fine details of capital gains tax can improve investment returns.
![Afterpay, which lets retailers offer consumers a buy-now-pay-later service, was one of the best stocks in the Shares ...](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/y/y/2/9/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvkp5s.png/1492484495444.jpg)
Reshuffle of the racer ranks in volatile market
The Shares Race is still anyone's game.
![More of us are favouring personal loans over high-fee credit cards.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/7/z/u/o/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvk7oq.png/1492251175437.jpg)
Personal loan applications surge as credit cards wane
Australians are shunning high-interest credit cards and turning to personal loans for large purchases.
![Save money by shopping your pantry first, and avoiding pre-packaged food.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/k/k/a/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvk4q3.png/1492125578845.jpg)
Financial freedom through frugality
How to get rich, happy and save the world.
![A DHA Housing home in Townsville.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/y/a/t/2/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvklx1.png/1492121622239.jpg)
Defence housing offers a defensive yield in low-interest times
The low-interest rate environment is driving rising numbers of private investors to put some of their money into housing for Australian Defence Force members.
![Hyenas rarely do the initial damage but once they swoop in, they can quickly become the problem.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/o/s/z/o/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvk6oj.png/1492390251185.jpg)
Keep the shorting 'hyenas' in your peripheral vision
All investors and traders should keep shorting activity in their peripheral vision because it highlights stocks that have an issue.
![Costco has grabbed a 1 per cent share of the grocery business.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/t/4/x/8/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvk5es.png/1492045420185.jpg)
The real foe for Coles, Woolies
The big box retailer has big ambitions… and runs on the board.
![There are some fund managers with a track record of outperforming the market.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/h/f/m/i/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvd6sa.png/1491953010731.jpg)
Top Australian share funds named
It was not all that long ago that some fund managers had star status with investors.
![Larger super funds tend to outperform smaller funds.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/1/1/9/4/k/0/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvhfpt.png/1491803831216.jpg)
Most super funds with less than $2b not viable
Size does matter when it comes to super funds.
![It pays to shop around for petrol before the Easter road trip.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/c/l/f/j/image.related.landscape.120x80.gviaeu.png/1491904237406.jpg)
Where to fill up the car before Easter road trip
Filling up the car at the right time and place slashes dollars from the long weekend road trip.
![Despite public concerns, Nant kept advertising its scheme of selling barrels of whisky and cattle.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/n/v/b/h/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvhbpp.png/1491866365647.jpg)
Who's to blame when bad investments hit the wall?
Everyone has the right to be stupid and blow their savings – and then to complain bitterly about it afterwards.
![In money management, as in rugby league, practising basic moves can leave you free to think about what makes you exceptional.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/a/3/b/u/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvhe2m.png/1491773480781.jpg)
How to become exceptional
I see many people who tell me how unlucky they are when it comes to their finances.
![There are lots of tricks to help you buy your first home.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/u/m/4/q/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvhht5.png/1491863436596.jpg)
My blueprint for buying your first property – safely
My answers to the 'Hey Nicole' questions.
![Drew Barrymore, left, and Liv Hewson at the premiere of Santa Clarita Diet, a Netflix original.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/p/7/1/6/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvfufs.png/1491532831280.jpg)
How offline viewing for Netflix and Stan can save you hundreds
Watching just a handful of video streaming episodes on-the-go can quickly become expensive for your mobile bill.
![It's better to sell investments when you're no longer working to minimise the capital gains tax bill.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/h/8/n/o/z/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvfeo5.png/1491470309752.jpg)
Why property investors won't take their profits
If you're working, contributing to super beats paying off investment debt.
![Money reader John Wyatt is backing renewable energy companies.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/h/v/x/l/t/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvfnpo.png/1492071340560.jpg)
Money reader takes lead on clean energy and livestock feed picks
Money reader John Wyatt has opened a decent lead in week one of the new four-week Shares Race, helped by his clean energy picks – Carnegie and Infigen.
![GST will be charged on low-value items and digital products and services bought from overseas after July this year.](/web/20170419055029im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/g/d/z/z/image.related.landscape.120x80.gvgcfb.png/1491690188636.jpg)
The $300m GST grab hardly anyone knows about
Australians will soon be paying GST on nearly all purchases from overseas websites, including low-value items and digital products and services.