THE START of a new financial year is the perfect opportunity to take stock, reset, and ensure your finances are working for you — not against you.
With cost-of-living pressures continuing to challenge Australian households, it’s more important than ever to get your financial house in order.
Here’s some hints on where to start, courtesy of Smooth Sailing Finance Consulting.
Review Your Home Loan
Your mortgage is likely one of your biggest expenses — and also one of the easiest to optimise.
If it’s been more than 12 months since your last review, you may be paying more than you need to.
- Check your interest rate against current offers
- Compare fixed vs. variable options based on your goals
- Ask your broker for an obligation-free review to see if refinancing could save you money or help you pay off your loan faster
Compare Insurance Premiums
Insurance premiums often creep up year after year — sometimes without you noticing. Take time to review:
- Home and contents or landlords’ insurance
- Car, pet, health, and life insurance
Don’t be afraid to shop around or ask your current insurer for a better deal.
Loyalty doesn’t always pay when it comes to premiums.
A good insurance broker can help you understand what cover you need and ensure you don’t pay for cover you don’t need.
Audit Your Utilities
Electricity, phone, internet, and water bills are always rising. It only takes a few minutes to:
- Compare your provider to others
- Look for bundled internet and phone deals
- Set reminders to check usage and billing more regularly
Even small changes — like switching to a more competitive provider or negotiating a better phone plan — can lead to big annual savings.
Do a Stocktake on Subscriptions
Many of us are paying for subscriptions we no longer use. Review all direct debits and app charges:
- Streaming platforms
- Fitness and wellness apps
- Software or cloud storage services
Use the new financial year to cancel or pause anything that doesn’t add value.
Tidy Up Your Bank Accounts
Take a look at:
- Credit cards — are you paying unnecessary annual fees or interest?
- Personal loans — could you consolidate or pay them off faster?
- Savings and offset accounts — are your funds working hard enough for you?
Streamlining your accounts not only saves money but also makes financial management easier, day to day.
✅ Need Help Getting Started?
If you’d like help reviewing your home loan, budgeting more effectively, or exploring better finance options, we’re here to support you.
A quick check-in now could lead to significant savings over the year ahead.
Smooth Sailing Finance can help you stay on course — from refinancing and investment loans to insurance referrals and personal lending.
Let’s make this financial year your smartest yet.
Your full financial needs and requirements need to be assessed prior to any offer or acceptance of a loan product. Credit Representative 522752 is authorised under Australian Credit Licence 389328.
