The festive season can leave more than just happy memories behind, with Christmas spending sometimes creating a financial hangover that stretches well into the New Year. This article explores the risks of using credit to cover post-Christmas expenses and the importance of understanding your financial position before a short-term solution becomes a long-term problem.

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Christmas is over, the decorations are coming down, and the credit card bill has arrived.
Sound familiar?

After weeks of presents, parties, travel and entertaining, January can be a bit of a financial shock. The money that seemed to stretch a little further in December suddenly has to cover the usual bills – plus all those Christmas expenses that haven't disappeared just because the holidays have.

For some households, the temptation is to reach for the credit card or a personal loan to get through the month.

But before you borrow your way out of a short-term problem, take a moment to think about where that borrowing could lead.

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Are you sitting on a huge pile of frequent flyer points that you are struggling to redeem? How much are they really worth, and is it worth the effort (and cost) of collecting them? Find the answers here.

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The average Australian is sitting on a balance of 73,000 frequent flyer points, according to a 2025 survey. About a quarter of those surveyed used their points for travel occasionally, but didn’t keep track of their balance, while 18% said they rarely redeemed them, and 15% didn’t understand how frequent flyer programs worked.

Clearly, there’s a lot of confusion about collecting points, using points and their true value. Let’s remedy that.

Collecting points

Although purchasing flights (and to a lesser extent hotel accommodation) is the traditional way to earn points, this only works well for regular business travellers. Most Australians accumulate points via credit card spending and other shopping, including converting Coles Flybuys and Woolworths Rewards Points into frequent flyer points.

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Travel insurance can be a lifeline when facing the unpredictability of travel. This article discusses the common misconceptions many of us have with travel insurance, reiterates the importance of understanding exclusions, and includes two case studies.

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Lost luggage, medical emergencies, travel disruptions, theft—these are the unexpected surprises that can accompany travelling.

While they can be difficult enough to manage in the comfort of your own home, they become even more daunting when in a foreign country.

To keep your holiday truly stress-free and enjoyable, consider travel insurance as your secret weapon. It acts as a financial safety net, ensuring you can tackle unexpected situations with confidence and ease.{snippet title="Article Subscribe Message"}{/tabs}

This article explores the allure and pitfalls of post-Christmas sales, highlighting the importance of discernment and strategic planning when making purchases. It advises readers to focus on essential items, set budgets, and consider long-term financial goals, encouraging wise spending and financial responsibility in the new year.

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We've all experienced it… the undeniable allure of post-Christmas sales.

No sooner has Christmas wrapped up for the year than the frenzy of Boxing Day Sales descends upon us. Every store window beckons, and our inboxes overflow with promises of unbeatable discounts.

But before you indulge in some festive leftovers and make a beeline for the air-conditioned wonderland of sales, let's take a moment to pause and ponder...

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This article examines a real-life case to reveal how caregivers juggle financial pressures and emotional challenges. It stresses the importance of caregivers looking after their own well-being, offering practical advice on accessing vital financial assistance.

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Caring for a loved one can be deeply fulfilling but brings its fair share of challenges too – as Laura discovered.

When her mother Shelly had a stroke, she didn’t require a nursing facility, but could no longer live alone.

Laura was working part-time while studying a Bachelor of Dental Surgery and dreaming of one day opening her own boutique dental practice. She assumed that moving home to care for Shelly wouldn’t greatly affect her career plans, and, in fact, giving up her rental accommodation would save money.

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This article takes a look into the importance of work/life balance and burnout, including strategies for people experiencing burnout to help restore balance. {tab title="Introduction"}

Dolly Parton once said, 'Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life'…

And we couldn't imagine a sentence that more perfectly sums up the importance of work-life balance.

While we will likely never learn the true meaning of life, a great place to start might be to take guidance from those who've lived. {snippet title="Article Subscribe Message"}{/tabs}

After the adrenaline and excitement of the holiday season is over, many people struggle with the post-Christmas blues. This article describes the symptoms to look out for and discusses ways to reduce the impact so you can start the new year off in a positive way.

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The days leading to Christmas, holidays and celebrations are exciting, frenetic times. They’re a whirl of parties and social engagements, gifts and food to be purchased and travel arranged. The rush to get things organised builds into a great festive crescendo then…well, it’s over.

If you’ve ever awoken on New Year’s Day feeling a tad flat, you’re not alone. Don’t beat yourself up; the Post-Christmas Blues is a well-documented condition.

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In this article we take a look at why your financial success isn’t just a numbers game and five changes you can make today for a more successful relationship with your money!

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Money, finances, investments… it is easy to see why, logically, financial success could be considered a numbers game. However, real financial success requires much more than just numbers that work.

It also requires passion, interest, determination, commitment, perseverance, optimism, resilience and more. This is why mindset is such a critical ingredient to the financial success equation.

Here are five steps you can take to improve your mindset and create a more successful relationship with your money today:

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This article explains what a carbon footprint is and provides details on how your personal carbon footprint can be calculated. It concludes with some simple tips to help reduce your carbon emissions at home.

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Ignoring all of the politicising of climate change and carbon emissions, have you ever actually wondered what a carbon footprint is?

A simple explanation

Human activity is increasing atmospheric levels of known greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. These form a blanket around the earth trapping heat, a process known as the ‘greenhouse effect’, which experts believe is linked to global warming and climate change.

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While the holiday season brings joy and happiness, it also brings enormous physical and financial waste. This jolly article provides six tips for a sustainable Christmas to help both the environment and your hip pocket.

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Just as the Grinch stole Christmas, excess spending can rob us all of yuletide happiness. Seasonal credit card splurges can create ballooning long term debt, while unnecessary consumption inevitably leads to a blow-out in rubbish bin waste.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia estimates $11 billion is spent on presents each year, including some 20 million unwanted gifts. At the same time, seasonal celebrations boost landfill rubbish by a massive 30 per cent.

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The holiday season is a magical time, but it can also be a time of stress for many including overwhelmed charities. This article describes the work that charities do around this time of the year and explains how people can lend a hand.

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Summer and the festive season is a time we all look forward to, representing, balmy evenings, relaxing holidays and social get-togethers. Like a beacon on the horizon, it provides something to aim for as we work, play and navigate our way through twelve, long months.

Our modern world is busier and more stressful than ever, and for many the holidays, also represent a time when feelings of isolation, worries over work, finances and family conflicts, seem intensified. A time when more families than ever seek the assistance of charities.

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When we get to the end of another year, we often feel the stress and events of the last 12 months weigh on us. As we head into the holiday season, the overwhelming pressure and strain of spending can take a toll. Here, we take a look at the impacts that the expense of Christmas can have on our mental health and how to enjoy the festive season without going overboard.

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When we get to the end of another year, we often feel the stress and events of the last 12 months weigh on us. As we head into the holiday season, the overwhelming pressure and stress of spending can take a toll.

You don't need to keep up with the Jones' at Christmas, or any other time of the year

We live in a world driven by consumerism. New smartphones are released every year or two, the temptation to upgrade to a fancier car when your current lease ends lingers and our social media feeds, while sometimes a source of inspiration, can tend to celebrate material possessions.

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Travelling the world and seeing the sites is an expensive endeavour, particularly when young. This article explains how working abroad can help you live the work-life-travel dream.

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Michael was twenty-something and eager for adventure when he spotted the advertisement. It read, “Japanese schools seeking English teachers. No experience necessary – we train you.”

What followed changed Michael’s life forever as he successfully completed the organiser’s training program, and embarked on a year of living and working in Japan.

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Christmas in Australia is unique for our climate and outdoor lifestyle, but who hasn’t dreamed of experiencing Christmas European-style? This article rounds-up a small selection of the Christmas markets in Europe – something to delight and inspire a Christmas holiday next year.

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Ever dreamed of a white Christmas? While there’s something so very Australian about a sweltering southern-hemisphere celebration, the lure of snow and mulled wine is something else again.

Imagine the scene: horse-drawn sleigh, pink-cheeked children, fir trees and snow – Christmas card stuff!

But there’s more to a European Christmas than that – and it’s pure magic! We could write a book about these magical places but as we’re limited by space, here is a sampling of three.

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Buy now pay later services are a growing trend. This article gives some tips on keeping your BNPL spending in check and avoiding a holiday headache this silly season.

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Move over debit and credit cards; consumers are flocking to Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services. Afterpay, Zip Pay and several similar payment solutions allow shoppers to take home their goodies now while paying them off via a few weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments. There’s no interest payable as such, although fees are charged for late payments.

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This article explains why a growing number of Australians are choosing to return to study as mature-age students. We have included two case studies that help discuss the benefits and study opportunities available.

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A growing number of Australians are choosing to return to study as mature-age students. Perhaps caught in the hamster-wheel of mortgage and family, furthering their education wasn’t an option when they were younger.
But that was then.

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This article identifies some popular opportunities for building passive income. It includes brief tips and warnings for making the most of this popular trend.

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A simple guide from an earlier era suggested eight hours for sleeping, eight hours for work and eight hours for leisure. Nowadays work seems to take up more than its fair share and many people might be seeking a way to maintain or increase their income without increasing their working hours. Creating passive income is one way of achieving this goal.

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A good trivia article for your Christmas edition that explains how the current calendar evolved.

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A new year is a time to look forward and plan new ventures and goals. But why does the New Year start in January? It hasn’t always been this way. So, where did our calendar originate?

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This article is aimed at anyone who sits too much – and that’s nearly everyone! It discusses the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle, while offering suggestions for fitting more incidental movement into each day.{tab Introduction}

Do you have a twelve-a-day habit? We’re talking seated hours, not cigarettes, although recent studies indicate that sitting too much and moving too little can be just as bad for your health.

The Victorian Government’s Better Health website suggests that sitting is the new smoking, and plenty of studies are backing up the claim. According to government stats, more than 60% of us do less than the recommended 30 minutes of daily exercise.

But it’s not just structured exercise we’re lacking...

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This article is focused on making big changes in life. Even though it has a New Year theme, with some minor editing it can be used any time of the year. It lists 4 steps to inspire change.

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Another year has swiftly vanished into history. How were the past 12 months for you? Did you make the changes you’d planned or did your resolve for something different this year peter out by February? Don’t worry, there’s another 12 months ready and waiting for you!

If you’re not happy with the way your life is playing out, here are a few steps to help you take a whole new direction.

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