Editor’s letter
We are all facing uncertainty. As much as it would be great to party like it’s 1999 or 2019, we cannot go back to the way we spent, saved or invested before the pandemic. A new approach is needed.
Enter our cover story “Beat the Budget Blues” (page 34). The good news is there are many ways to rejig your investing and spending budget to suit the post-Covid-19 world. My best tip? Take action today. This month’s issue is packed with actionable tasks to save you thousands of dollars.
For example, don’t get stuck in a high-rate loan (page 49). Latest stats suggest 1 in 14 homeowners has asked for a mortgage deferral, and there are many others who are in a position to re-negotiate their loans while interest rates are lower.
Or maybe you’ve been saving up for a property and have a fairly secure job. Make 2020 the year you decide to buy your first home (page 54) . If you are eligible, another
10,000 new spots under the government’s first home loan deposit scheme will open up in July.
Never thought much about super? At the very least, make sure you’re not forfeiting irreplaceable life insurance if you switch funds (page 62).
And finally, it’s tax time again. Find out how you can boost your refund this year (page 46).
Thank you to all our readers who have written in to tell us the value they got from our May issue. We’re here again this month with even more ways to help you get ahead even in a crisis. Above all, stay safe.