Guido Torelli in Perth, Western Australia | Financial service

Guido Torelli

Locality: Perth, Western Australia

Phone: +61 417 092 093

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25.01.2022 How to save for your FIrst Home - without moving back to Mum and Dad: Are you trying to save up for your first home? There's so much to think about - not just an enormous deposit, but stamp duties, moving costs, conveyancing fees and loan costs all add up to quite a number. Saving such a large amount can be a tough slog. You try and put a bit away each week but unexpected things tend to pop up, and it can feel like you're not getting anywhere at all. But there are a few thing...s you can do to speed up your savings journey. 1. Cut your costs It's time to sit down with the calculator and work out just how much you spend - on what. It's all too easy these days to 'tap and go' when you make purchases, without really stopping to notice the cost. For example, you might be horrified to learn that you currently spend $900 per year on energy drinks. And that's not including your morning coffee. Wait until you're in the right mood - and then be brutal. It's time to work out where you can trim the fat. 2. Kill the credit cards Credit cards are expensive to keep - and they have a way of blossoming if you don't keep paying them off in full. If you have a credit card debt, get rid of it. Sell your old textbooks, get a Saturday job, do whatever it takes because this one isn't doing you any favours. Not only will a credit card accrue interest, your savings goals will be undermined if you have to keep making repayments on credit cards all the time. 3. Make a budget Write down what you earn. Then list all of your 'non-negotiable' expenses - like rent, groceries, bills, train fares etc. Deduct the non-negotiable expenses, and what you have left is your disposable income. Rather than disposing of it - try to save as much as possible. Make a plan for how much you can afford save each month. It might be a bit of a stretch some months if you receive a big bill - so try keeping a separate account where you save a small amount every week. That way, if you receive your car registration you can pay it without compromising on your savings that month. 4. Leave some room to breathe We all need a break occasionally, and it's important that your budget does include some room to breathe. You might need to buy new shoes for work, or a present for your sister's birthday. Don't make it so tight that you can't even go to the movies. Leave a bit of slack for those times when you really need to live a little. That way, you're more likely to reach your savings goal.

25.01.2022 Do you feel a bit ill when you open the letterbox and see your credit card statement? It's happened to most of us at some point - a few untimely expenses pop up, and suddenly that credit card has a life of its own. The good news? There is hope. You can get control of your credit card debt today with a few simple steps. ... Stop the bleeding It might sound obvious, but the first step to cutting down your credit card debt is to stop growing it. If you have any direct debits connected to the card, make other arrangements for these to come out of a bank account. Then, use whatever means necessary to destroy the card so that you can stop accruing debt. Pay more than the bare minimum If you only pay the minimum amount each month, you'll see many birthdays waiting for your credit card debt to decrease. In most cases, you will only be paying the interest on the debt without reducing what you owe. It's time to sit down and make a budget, and look for ways to pay as much as possible off your credit card each month. Work out your priorities If you have debts on more than one credit card, your instinct might be to pay the largest amount off as a priority. Alternatively, try focussing on the card with the highest interest rate. It's also worth knocking over your smaller cards first (and then cancelling them) so that you can concentrate on one monthly repayment. Try a balance transfer Many lenders offer great introductory rates on new credit cards. Some even offer rates of 0% for the first 6 or 12 months. This presents a great opportunity to work on getting your balance down, without being charged interest. Beware though - it's important to investigate what your interest rate will be after the introductory period. It's also vital that you do pay as much as possible off the balance. If you don't reduce your debt, and if the standard interest rate is higher than what you had before - you will only do further damage. Save for a rainy day Many of us get into trouble with credit cards because we don't have adequate savings when something unexpected comes up. While you work hard at reducing that credit card debt, try to put a little bit in savings each month and build up a buffer. That way if you suddenly need a new set of tyres or a hot water service, you won't undo all of your good work by whacking it on the credit card. Put your hand up If you can't seem to get control of your finances and you feel like the situation is getting worse every day, it might be time to ask for some help. There are experienced financial counsellors and legal representatives who can help you to make a plan and get back on top of things again.

19.01.2022 How to make sure your next home isn't a money pit. The typical home purchaser spends around 90 hours over 6 months browsing the internet, researching websites, visiting real estate agencies and inspecting no less than a dozen properties. However we only spend a little more than one hour inspecting the home we eventually purchase.... Not surprisingly, 55% of us discover 'hidden problems' after the settlement. Please read this article on how to avoid problems before finalising the purchase of your next home - Biggest Investment. https://www.mortgageaustralia.com.au//biggestinvestment.pdf

09.01.2022 Do you have the right things covered? It's funny how most of us insure the simple and basic things that can easily be replaced - like our car and the contents of our home. However, not many of us cover the most important things- like our health and income.... These statistics outline how 75% of us will be diagnosed with a serious illness during our working life, yet nearly all of us are under insured when it comes to protecting our life and income. Regardless of whether you rent, have a home and mortgage or are paying off an investment property, its important to protect your income in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Please read my short factsheet - Do you have the right things covered? https://www.mortgageaustralia.com.au//doyouhavetherightthi

07.01.2022 Discover how to turn your home equity into a better retirement for you. If you have equity stored away in your home, now could be the perfect time to tap into it for an investment property. Equity is simply the difference between the value of your home and what you owe on it. If you have a property valued at $500,000 and owe $200,000 on it, you have $300,000 equity available....Continue reading

06.01.2022 Do you know what your credit record says about you? Have you ever actually seen it? For many borrowers, it can be quite a surprise to learn that a few blotches have appeared over the years on their credit history report. ... Unfortunately, many are blissfully unaware until they apply for a home loan. Once your application has been lodged, it can be tricky to challenge your credit report and prove your worth to the lenders. Don't let this happen to you. Enrol in boot-camp today and get your credit record in shape - and the good news? You won't need to squeeze into the Lycra and start counting calories. 1) Review your credit record The first step is to get your hands on a copy of your credit history report. This can usually be done through your mortgage broker, or by directly contacting a Credit Reporting Body. There are quite a few companies who can provide your credit report to you, but the national bodies are: Veda, D&B, and Experian. 2) Challenge any discrepancies or misunderstandings If you think that there's a discrepancy on your credit history report, you can challenge these. The first step is usually to contact the company who added the incorrect information to your report, and see if they can amend it. Failing this, you can dispute the discrepancy through a Credit Reporting Body. 3) Be honest It pays to be upfront with your lender about anything on your credit report that could impact your ability to borrow. Most lenders are fairly strict, but some will take into account your explanation credit issues, and the steps you took to resolve them. 4) Cut down debt and credit Before you apply for a loan, try to reduce the amount of credit card debt - and also available credit that you have. Some borrowers are surprised to learn that a credit card with no debt owing at all - but with a high limit, can have an impact when being assessed for a loan. Try to reduce your limits wherever possible, or if you don't really use the card then consider cancelling it. 5) Know your finances Come to the first meeting with your lender or broker, prepared to explain your budget, expenses, income and your capacity to repay the loan. It's also important that you can demonstrate savings, as most lenders will require at least 5% of the purchase price in order to approve a loan. When it comes to the deposit, the more you can pay upfront, the greater your chances of being approved for a loan. If you can put down 20%, you will remove the need for Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) which could represent significant savings for you.

06.01.2022 Avoid these Common Mortgage Mistakes: For many homeowners, it's easy to get caught up in all of the excitement, and stumble into one or more of these embarrassing mortgage mistakes. Unfortunately I see it very often. Getting a Standard Variable Rate loan:...Continue reading

02.01.2022 BUYER BEWARE THE BARGAINS Limited cash flow and equity mean many first-time property investors feel the need to chase down a bargain to enter the market. But, like most things in life, you usually get what you pay for, which in the case of property can mean unrealised returns or even losses. While theres nothing wrong with paying less in the hope of making more, investors need to understand when a cheap property is truly a bargain and when they could be selling (or rath...Continue reading