The real cost of credit card debt

Few of us are without at least one credit card these days, they’re easy to get, they’re convenient – particularly if you’re travelling and need fast access to money, they make us feel wealthier and they give us instant gratification when we want something. We say “feel wealthier” because rather than actually being wealthier, credit cards frequently... Read More

Guide: How to read annual reports

Much of the best data gleaned from companies is taken from the annual reports they produce.  Companies around the world and here in Australia, use them to tell investors and the major market players exactly how they have performed in the previous 12 months and where they’re headed in the future. Understanding them is absolutely fundamental to any investor who wants to go... Read More

The rotten apple: how to avoid dodgy stocks

Before collapsing, companies often send out subtle, and some not so subtle, signals to the stockmarket. While you may not see them unless you’re looking, it’s handy to know what they are so you can keep tabs on the companies you’re invested in, looking at, or aready invested in. During the GFC much was made of the collapse, and in some cases complete demise, of companies such... Read More

Shares v property for the long term – I love ’em both

By Bruce Brammall Q: Shares versus property: which of these two is the best long-term investment? Aww, do we really have to start this argument? That’s like asking: “Which was better, Dynasty or Dallas?” Heather Locklear or Victoria Principal? The “property versus shares” battle is a war with no end. And I’ve donned khakis for both sides. I originally fell in love with... Read More

Why QE2 matters to you now

Quantitative easing (QE) is a monetary policy used by central banks to increase the supply of money by increasing the excess reserves of that nation’s banking system. QE is generally used when other, normal, monetary policy methods have failed. It is also implemented when the country’s interest rates are at zero or close to zero. It is described as being... Read More