Insights

InvestSMART Capped Fee Portfolio review: Monthly Musings: October - economic expansion with second waves

In this series we drill into the biggest issues that investors face when it comes to psychology.

Got money to invest, but don't need a strategic financial plan or support around insurances, super and debt? Then a low-cost Roboadvice solution with InvestSMART could be right for you.

If you like the idea of investing in a lot of listed shares at low cost, with a modest investment outlay, and the potential to achieve good returns, you owe it to yourself to check out what are called ETFs (Exchange Trade Funds).

With the compulsion for holding banks now waning, it's time to look for alternative sources of total returns through both income and growth.

The Reserve Bank's decision to cut the official cash rate to a historic low of 0.1% was something of a blow for anyone trying to grow cash savings. But there are still valid reasons to hang onto a savings account.

Cashback deals to refinance a home loan are becoming commonplace. But do they offer good value?

If ignorance or uncertainty makes you fearful of investing, you're missing out on opportunities to increase your wealth and improve your lifestyle

The way we pay for things is changing - and in a major turnaround, Australians have wiped $6.3 billion off the nation's credit card debt during COVID.

While the government's banking on you spending it, the smarter move would be to commit your cash windfall - courtesy of recently announced tax cuts - to a new or existing savings plan.

I don't normally write personal anecdotes, but something happened this year that has been over 15 years in the making - my mum invested her hard-earned money. It was a big achievement for myself and my grandfather Grampie.

Plenty of Australians have seen their working week - and income - cut short as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. But in true Aussie have-a-go style, around 200,000 of these people have turned the situation around, using it as an opportunity to start their own business.

InvestSMART Capped Fee Portfolio quarterly updates for September.

Compared with the ASX, which is heavily weighted to the fortunes of a handful of financial and mining companies, international equities offer a much broader and exciting range of investment opportunities.

Australia's super savings are now worth more than $3 trillion. That's good news, but there are weak spots in the system including over $20 billion in lost and forgotten accounts, and close to four in ten people still have more than one super account.

One of the few upsides of COVID-19 is that Australians are taking a closer look at how they manage their money.