The first step to taking control of your personal finances is clearly understand what money is coming in, and where it’s going out.  Step 1: Download your data Go to your First Option internet banking app and download your financial data to help you focus in on where your spending is, and where savings can be made. Now put your data into a spreadsheet like Excel, or go old-school and print it out on paper and get your highlighters out …

Sadness, stress or anxiety are complicated emotions often rooted in bigger feelings like disappointment or powerlessness. Retail therapy can provide you with a sense of reward and control that counteracts these feelings.  Choosing to make a purchase (or not to make a purchase) can help you feel empowered and it can also help others: especially when you choose to shop from small businesses, sharing the love and supporting your community.  But don’t cross the line… Your brain’s dopamine reward system, the same chemical …

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Celebrating your new home is a piece of cake with these tips from the experts. Bill Granger is an Australian chef and food writer, loved by family cooks and sophisticated foodies alike for his relaxed style and fresh local ingredient-led dishes The best celebrations are relaxed ones. Your guests are coming to see you as well as your new home so you don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen. If you serve something simple that can be …

SecondBite ambassador Sally Williams on fighting food waste  Is food waste really a big problem? Yes! Food waste is a big problem, it is a worldwide issue and Australia is a large contributor to food wastage. It is a problem because of the consequences it has on the environment, with food waste taken to landfill and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. The resources required to create that food should be taken into consideration; using water and land, clearing forests, draining …

Dr Steve Enticott, and CIA Tax are tax experts and a financial media presenter recommended by First Option Bank. For those who are not self-employed, super is like a bonus: it isn’t money you see go into your bank account on payday so it’s often not something people think about until they reach a point in their working lives where they are considering their financial future.  It is, however, definitely worthwhile thinking about your super because it is real money and it’s your money. …

The ACCC has reported a huge rise in Flubot scams this year with a massive amount of Australians falling for sophisticated mobile phone scams. Clicking a link in one of these messages could lead to scammers downloading ‘malware’ (malicious software) to your phone. For more information, see the government’s Scamwatch website

Dr Steve Enticott, tax expert and financial media presenter has some suggestions about the best way to go about purchasing your next car. Once you’ve decided you want to buy a car, but before you start looking around for the right one, do some good internet research and ask yourself a few questions: Buy a car at the end of the month or at the end of the financial year Go ahead and plan your purchase but don’t sign a …

Honestly, we love moving house! We love moving house with kids, we love helping other people move house and we especially love unpacking at the new home. There’s something so cleansing in moving house – in having to physically touch every single item that you own in the world. Of having the rare opportunity to pack up your life completely and to visually see how much ‘stuff’ you’ve accumulated over the years. When you move house you uncover things you’d …