As a report released by Choice has indicated, using a broker to find a home loan may not be all it is cracked up to be.

One of the issues Choice raises in their article is the false perception that brokers can offer the absolute best loan to each client based on the borrower’s individual circumstances.

But the reality is that not all lenders have agreements in place to issue loans through all brokers. Should the best loan for you be offered…

Saving for a deposit for your home loan can be a long and tiring task, and sometimes it seems like you are never going to reach your goal.

But there is a way to reach your target and get into your home sooner than you think, but it does require some sacrifice on your part.

Before we get to those however, you will first want to figure out what you will need to save.

Having a savings goal is paramount to your success.

How to calculate your savings goal

You can arrive at this total by knowing how much you are willing to spend on a home – even if it’s a ballpark figure. Once you…

Identity theft affects many Australians each and every year, and if your identity is stolen it can have a significant emotional and financial impact on you and your family.

What is identity theft?

Identity theft is the fraudulent practice of someone using your name and other personal information in order to obtain credit, loans, or other financial gain.

Warning signs

There are a few warning signs that you have been a victim of identity theft:

• You get an email, SMS or phone call out of the blue asking to “validate” or…

Free public wifi is readily available and very popular these days, but there are some dangers involved in using it. We take a look at those dangers, the potential costs to you and your privacy, and what you can do to mitigate any potential threats.

The situation

More and more businesses are offering free wifi as a way to entice customers – McDonalds offers it in most of their restaurants, food courts are starting to offer it, even small corner cafes are making it available to their customers.

And in towns and cities throughout Australia, some councils are offering…

Christmas is all about family, friends and over-indulging, but this can lead to over-spending.

There are ways to make sure you don’t over-spend however, which are both simple and effective.

Set a (realistic) budget

The first thing you should do is to think about how much you want, or can afford, to spend over the Christmas period. And this should include everything from gifts, to the food you are planning on consuming.

Make a list of everything you need…