Astute Varsity Lakes in Varsity Lakes, Queensland | Financial service

Astute Varsity Lakes

Locality: Varsity Lakes, Queensland

Phone: +61 475 628 950

Address: 2 Cumberland Drive 4227 Varsity Lakes, QLD, Australia

Website: http://www.astutefinancial.com.au/varsitylakes

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25.01.2022 Selling your unwanted stuff online is a great way to earn extra money and reduce waste. What have you sold online? https://www.moneymag.com.au/how-to-make-money-selling-stuff

24.01.2022 Here are 7 ways to ensure over spending isn't your undoing. https://www.moneyandlife.com.au//dont-let-overspending-be/

22.01.2022 Millions of households face higher energy bills this year as a result of stay-at-home orders, but there are ways to soften the blow. Here are three ways to prepare for a larger energy bill. https://thenewdaily.com.au//23/energy-bill-shock-coronavi/

21.01.2022 "The Reserve Bank of Australia has flagged keeping the official interest rate at a historical low for the next three years." With these incredibly low interest rates, now's a great time to review your loans. Send us a message to find out more.

21.01.2022 Pent-up demand from buyers around Australia is prompting rises in regional property markets across the country despite the pandemic recession.

21.01.2022 For many of us, COVID-19 has meant that parts of our lives have been put on pause. As restrictions are lifted, we face more changes to our daily routines and an opening back up of our worlds. There will be some who are champing at the bit, ready to spring back into more physical connections and broadening their environments. At the other end of the spectrum, there'll be people who are quite comfortable and safe in the four walls of their home and content with their grocery ...shop as their only outing. Then there are those who are somewhere in the middle. There is no right or wrong in our responses. We all have our own personal circumstances, which includes our own unique vulnerabilities, strengths and just ways of being in the world. We should not necessarily expect that we all have the same skills and abilities to cope with the mental load of COVID-19. We will all need different things and will find some aspects harder than others. This is all perfectly normal and understandable. Mental health clinicians frequently talk about the benefits of going slowly. What we mean by this is: slow yourself down enough so you are tuned in to how you are feeling. When we know how we feel, then we can also think about what we need to manage those feelings and to ultimately cope with more change. With my own recent return to work, I was reminded of these things. I expected to be jumping for joy and race out the door. However, come time to leave the house and break my current comfortable routine, my brain decided to try and rescue me from this by asking: Is this the right time?. I then reminded myself of some handy tips: 1. When things feel uncomfortable (change) it’s normal for our brains to find a reason to avoid them, thus eliminating the initial discomfort. 2. Remind your brain of the facts, such as helpful public health messages. 3. Discomfort is normal, but it doesn’t mean the action that I am taking is wrong. So, before you press play again, remind yourself of the things above. Remember kindness to yourself and others is the key. - Contributed by Caroline Thain, Occupational Therapist, headspace Launceston Source: https://www.stlukes.com.au//Before-you-press-play-again.as

20.01.2022 At its meeting today, the Board decided to maintain the targets for the cash rate. "In Australia, the economy is going through a very difficult period and is experiencing the biggest contraction since the 1930s. As difficult as this is, the downturn is not as severe as earlier expected and a recovery is now underway in most of Australia. This recovery is, however, likely to be both uneven and bumpy, with the coronavirus outbreak in Victoria having a major effect on the Victorian economy." You can read more from the RBA here: https://www.rba.gov.au/media-releases/2020/mr-20-20.html

20.01.2022 Creating new habits is hard. With these three simple steps you can be underway to building good financial habits in no time. https://www.moneymag.com.au/retrain-brain-bad-money-habits

19.01.2022 The events of this year have encouraged more of us to plan an exploration of our own backyard this spring and summer. Whether it’s to the bush, mountains or out on the water, we’ll all be spending more time out and about in our great country. The first step to your next adventure may be to buy a caravan, camper trailer, motorbike, boat or jetski - and we have a range of competitive finance options to assist and can even handle your insurance. Often more competitive than a p...ersonal loan, leisure finance also has flexible terms and can be structured to meet your specific needs. Need a car to get you where you’re going? While buying a new caravan or jetski can be exciting, you may need more grunt from your vehicle to get it to your destination and buying a car can be a drawn out and stressful experience. You may not be aware that we have access to a car buying service to find, negotiate and buy the car you’re looking for. We can find the car you want at a great price and have it delivered to your home or office for a test drive. We can even handle the trade-in of your old vehicle. If you’re keen to explore our wonderful country this summer, contact us first. We can apply to have your finance pre-approved allowing you to shop with confidence, knowing exactly what you can afford and letting you focus on more important things like planning the perfect local getaway.

17.01.2022 From toddlers to teens, there are money management skills you can teach your kids. https://www.moneyandlife.com.au//5-ways-to-set-your-kids-/

14.01.2022 Are you a high income earner? Take out hospital cover with Astute Simplicity Health and avoid paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge* Contact us today or call the team on 1300 090 960 to find out more and to compare your cover.... *The Medicare Levy Surcharge is levied on Australian taxpayers who earn above the income tiers and do not hold an appropriate level of private hospital insurance. Other conditions may apply. See website for details. Health Insurance products are underwritten by St Luke’s Medical and Hospital Benefits Association ACN 009 479 618 (St.LukesHealth), a registered private health insurer, [trading as Astute Simplicity Health] and members are introduced by Astute Financial Management Pty Ltd or related entities (collectively known as Astute) for which Astute receives a commission.

13.01.2022 Comparing apples with oranges doesn’t make sense. To make finding the right loan easier, and to make advertised rates as transparent as possible, we have comparison rates. You’re looking for a great mortgage deal and you see an ad ‘3.8% INTEREST!’, underneath that is ‘7.9% comparison rate’. What does this mean? What is a comparison rate? A comparison rate aims to indicate the true cost of a loan.... A comparison rate is designed to help you understand the overall cost of a loan based on several relevant factors, rather than just the interest rate. Each comparison rate is calculated using a standard formula: Amount of the loan ($150,000) Interest rate Loan term (25 years) Repayment frequency Fees and charges such as Establishment, Valuation, Exit Costs, Mortgage Documentation and Settlement fees It also takes into account loans with a lower introductory rate that revert to a different interest rate after a set period of time. Why it’s important The goal is to help you make a more accurate comparison when considering different loans. Ensuring all lenders use a standard formula comparison rate makes it much simpler to hold two loan products side by side and see at a glance which one is the better deal financially. Why you need to be careful While comparison rates can be a good starting point, they’re not the only thing to consider. If your loan is going to be for $900,000, the comparison rate for your loan could be vastly different to the standard one. Loan features and benefits, short and long term goals, and product flexibility are just some of the other factors that need to be taken into account. Comparison rates are a very handy tool. It’s important, however, to look at a rate that is specific to your circumstances. One of our friendly Finance Brokers can do exactly that for you, and also ensure your goals, lifestyle and personal circumstances are considered before taking a loan. So why not contact us today to compare?

13.01.2022 Want to sell your car faster? Auto photographer Easton Chang shares his tips to make your listing stand out

08.01.2022 Have you seen the recent car adverts promoting Guaranteed Future Value? It seems like a good idea, so what does it all mean? What should you be aware of? Simply put, this tactic attempts to leverage your fear that your new car will fall drastically in value, especially when your finance contract has a balloon payment (i.e. a large final repayment at the end of the finance contract). It also puts the dealership in a position to ‘control the second market’ by forcing you to co...me back to them for your next purchase, effectively giving you less choice and often under the guise of ‘supporting their brand’. If you are considering this type of guarantee, take time to review all your options and consider the following important points when making your decision: You may have less choice next time you want to trade this car as you must return to the same dealer. If you elect to go to another dealership, and your balloon payment is above the ‘real market value’, you may have a negative equity position and may need additional finance to assist paying the remaining debt. Dealers may seek to recover any shortfall in the ‘real value’ of the car by charging full retail price on your next purchase, accessories, finance etc. This means you may have fewer opportunities to negotiate on price as the money must come from somewhere! Generally all maintenance must be completed by the dealership’s workshop as a condition of the offer, often at a higher cost than competitors. There will be ‘return conditions’ on the contract capping kilometres travelled and allowing for only ‘fair wear and tear’ on the vehicle. Failure to comply will void the offer or may require you to pay a ‘make up payment’. There may be a ‘sunset clause’ - a date the guarantee offer must be taken up by or it will lapse. This may encourage you to consider upgrading your vehicle earlier than you would like to. Independent resources such as Red Book (www.redbook.com.au) can be used to see how specific car models depreciate over time and help ensure balloon values on finance contracts are realistic without locking into arrangements that may not suit you in the future. An experienced finance broker is well placed to assist you and will have access to a variety of finance options and structures that can be tailored to best suit your needs. So if you are considering upgrading or purchasing a car, contact us today!

08.01.2022 Astute Simplicity Health have recently extended their cover options, providing you with more choices to suit your lifestyle and finances. Contact us today to find out more or to get a quote.

06.01.2022 Today is #RUOKDay. It’s a simple question, but just asking it could lead to a conversation that changes someone’s life. Learn how to keep the conversation going at www.ruok.org.au.

05.01.2022 Here's Laura Higgins, head of moneysmart.gov.au, about why getting on top of your finances is so important for mental wellbeing.

04.01.2022 Storms have already caused damage across Australia this year. Here are eight simple things that you can do now to prepare your home and help reduce the potential damage caused by severe storms . https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au//simpl/prepare-for-a-storm-now/

04.01.2022 Caravan and campers are more popular than ever with restrictions to travel. If you need finance for your new purchase, we can help get you preapproved so you can shop with confidence.

04.01.2022 Does pausing payments affect your credit score? https://www.moneymag.com.au/payment-pause-credit-score

03.01.2022 A little planning can go a long way in the great outdoors.

02.01.2022 Spring is just around the corner so that means spring cleaning is in order! Here are some tips to help get you started. https://www.homestolove.com.au/how-to-spring-clean-your-hom

01.01.2022 Increasing your car's fuel efficiency can help your bank account and the environment. Here's how you can start. https://www.abc.net.au//driving-tips-to-save-mone/12566182