The Internet doesn’t just make it easier to do our shopping, it also helps us find where the bargains are. That can extend from buying Christmas presents to choosing a bank account or and insurance plan.

Here are some of OUR top Aussie sites which can save you money;

www.choice.com.au

This is Australia’s leading consumer watchdog, and has a whole lot of information that you can use to make sure you’re getting a good deal and not getting ripped off. They test, review and compare all sorts of things from energy and water, to kitchen appliances, to cars, to credit cards.

For a small fee you can get access to their extensive database of research and product comparisons. It’s well worth the money.

www.canstar.com.au

It’s the one-stop-shop which explains everything you need to know about bank accounts, credit cards, loans and insurance. Don’t underestimate the power of searching for a better deal on these sorts of things.

www.superratings.com.au

Super Ratings is a great resource for finding out information about the huge number of superannuation funds available to Aussies. It compares the funds, their rates of return and other details to help find the one that’s right for you… or to compare how your fund is performing against the average.

The sudden unexpected death of a spouse or partner is an emotionally shattering experience… there’s almost nothing worse. And while money is the last thing you want to think about during such a traumatic time, it’s critical your financial wellbeing is safeguarded.

In a crisis, you don’t want to find yourself scrambling from the start. Your kids and your family depend on you.

So the first priority is to keep healthy in the wake of such an emotional tsunami.

Reducing stress should be a guiding principle in responding to the loss of a spouse. Because a lot of the physical and emotional consequences of losing a spouse comes from stress, people need to take better care of themselves and to seek support from friends.

Exercising, doing yoga and meditation, eating healthily and activating social supports like family and friends should be the starting point.

All this helps to think clearly and deal with the essential financial challenges which must be met.

. Get the documentation together.

Locate all of the important documents needed to sort things out, including superannuation statements, insurance policies, deeds, share and investment fund certificates along with bank and share statements. Plus, dig out that all important will.

If you have a spare room in your house or even a granny flat out the back, renting it out can be a great way to make some extra income. There’s an increasing demand for affordable housing of this kind, and you can even set up an arrangement with universities who regularly have foreign students looking for cheap accommodation.

Once you’ve decided to go ahead with it and put your available space out there, you’ve still got a few things to think about.

The tax legislation behind ‘arms-length letting’ as it’s known can get very messy, because there are so many different arrangements you can have. How much of the house is the lodger paying to use? Will they pay more to cover the bills? Do you include meals or not?

Because every situation is going to be different so you’ll need to get specific advice from your accountant to see what your tax implications will be.

As a rule of thumb though, letting space in your house or granny flat works just like any other investment property. The income earned is taxable income.

But that also means you’re entitled to claim deductions on costs directly relating to earning taxable income from that investment. In this case, that will include electricity and water bills and maintenance of that part of the house. It’s no different to having a home office or an investment property.

Also think about the implications for when the house is sold. Remember someone’s principal place of residence is capital gains tax free when sold. But if a portion of the house earns income from a lodger or home office (and deductible costs have been claimed against it) then that portion could be subject to capital gains tax on a sale.

The same goes for renting out a room to a relative, as long as it’s the same situation as any commercial agreement. If you charge a relative a lower-than-commercial rate, then your individual case is looked at to determine what sort of taxes apply.

A combination of a high Australian dollar and sluggish economy is combining to produce a buyer’s paradise for big ticket purchases.

Just look at the marketing war within the car industry at the moment. Renault and Honda are offering 0 per cent finance on some of their models while Holden is offering 0.5 per cent.

Department and electronics stores are using the high Australian dollar, and consequent cheaper import prices, to offer bargains right across the whitegoods and electronics big ticket market.

Bottom line is that, in this environment, you should never ever pay retail. But there are a couple of easy steps to take to clinch the very best deal.

. Buy At End Of The Month

Most car dealers and retailers are on some sort of quota/incentive scheme with their owners or suppliers. If they reach their quota for the month they’re eligible for points towards a bonus, a trip or some other prize scheme.

As the end of the month approaches the pressure builds to get that quota and salespeople will be more likely to sharpen their price to get a sale. That means you’re more likely to get a better deal at the end of the month than at the beginning.