If you know more about Kim and Kanye‘s financial affairs than your own, it might be time to look a little closer to home.
This money-smart Q&A will give you a clearer view of the state of your financial health and help you get on track:
1. Are you spending more than you earn?
We’ve all been guilty of it at some point but if you’re regularly spending more than you’re bringing in, you’re probably cranking up your debt and not putting any savings aside. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, it’s time to turn things around by working out your debt-to-income ratio.
There are helpful tools like the Commonwealth Bank’s Cash Flow View, which gives you a complete picture of your income, spending and saving habits.
2. Are you on top of your debt?
Most of us rely on our credit cards at some point because we just don’t have the cash when we most need it.
That’s okay if you’re keeping on top of your repayments and paying off the full amount owing. But if you’re not sure how much debt you’re in and you’re paying interest every month on your credit cards, you’re at risk of debt shock.
Check the amount owing on your cards, contact your financial provider and work out a payment plan to pay it off.
3. Could you handle an unexpected big expense?
Life events happen when we least expect them so having an emergency fund is an important safety net.
We’ve all been there: the car breaks down, we get sick or need expensive dental work, or find ourselves in between jobs. When the proverbial hits the fan, you’ll want to be prepared.
You might not be able to put aside more than $10 to $20 each pay into your emergency funds savings account but it will add up over time and be there should you need it.
4. Do you have more than one super account?
If you don’t nominate a super fund when you start a new job, your compulsory super payments usually land in a MySuper default account. And if you’ve had different jobs over the years, you’ve probably clocked up two or three super account balances.
Rest Super statistics show Australians are losing $2.6 billion each year by having multiple super fund accounts and doubling up on costs such as administration and management fees.
You can check your super by registering for the Australian Taxation Office’s online services via myGov. This will allow you to see details of all your super accounts, including any you may have lost or forgotten about, and you can have them consolidated into one account.
5. What’s your mortgage interest rate?
If you can’t answer this one, you’re not alone.
CommBank Home Own research shows one in five Australian borrowers doesn’t know what their home loan interest rate is,” says a CBA spokesperson.
“The lower your home loan interest rate, the faster you can pay off your home loan, saving you significant amounts of money over the life of your loan.
“At Commonwealth Bank, we constantly review and monitor our home loan products. We encourage borrowers to speak to one of our home-lending specialists to ensure they are in the right home loan product for their needs.”
To help improve your financial wellbeing, please visit financiallyfitfemales.com.au. Proud partner, CommBank. Always consider your personal circumstances before acting on financial advice
