Paul's Insights

It's been a week of shake, rattle and roll in the financial sector as the Banking Royal Commission wound to a close.

Valentine's Day is around the corner, and florists everywhere will be gearing up for a rush of orders.

Why focusing on the fees you pay, the investment choice you make and your ability to add to your portfolio is important.

Credit card reforms and how you might be affected.

Low household savings are a real source of financial stress, yet it's possible to grow a pool of cash without having to sell a body part or scrimp on lifestyle.

History is peppered with natural disasters, multiple wars, any number of great depressions, and at any given time there have always been nations at loggerheads.

Five easy steps to start making your money work harder.

To sum up 2018, Paul talks about the property downturn in the last few months and what caused it, why he's not fussed by share markets going down, InvestSMART's new capped fees model and the significance of $451 and why downturns can be good for regular investors. Paul's Insights will return in 2019.

Volatility is a natural part of investment markets, and acting on rushed decisions could mean taking a loss on an investment that recovers its value in 2019

For investors, the challenge is deciding which small companies to invest in out of the hundreds listed on the stock exchange.

Australians owe $900 million in outstanding buy now pay later balances, and it's landing some shoppers in financial hot water.

The Australian sharemarket has taken a dip in the past few weeks but it pays to keep things in perspective.

In pure economic terms, gift giving doesn't always stack up.

The impact of digital money is greatest on our under-25s, who have grown up knowing nothing of lunchtime queues at the bank to withdraw or deposit cash.

The fight to win new customers is real in the banking sector. But competition can see loyal customers cop a raw deal.

The problem with property is that it's hard to get into if you don't have much cash to invest.