EasyPlan Financial Services

5 top tips to beat rising mortgage stress

May 14, 2012 8:48 am ⋅ Leave a Comment ⋅

It’s that time of year. The budget has been passed down and the end of financial year is looming and many Australian families are finding it tough. Some counting their coin jars, just to get through the next month.

If you are struggling to pay regular expenses such as insurance and school fees, have been cutting down on any extras, or find yourself using your credit cards for everyday expenses, then you may be under mortgage stress.

We’ve put together a list of five top tips to help you regain control of your mortgage:

  • Set and stick to a budget: Just like the Treasurer, having a budget will help you track your money and avoid it running out before you have to pay your mortgage. You should be reassessing your budget regularly.
  • Use pay rises wisely - It is so easy to fall into the trap of increasing your spending when you have an increase in salary. You can escape this cycle by putting at least 50% of your pay rise towards increasing your loan repayments.
  • Build a buffer: By paying off a little extra each month or by making regular additional payments you help to build up a cushion to make life a little easier in the harder times.
  • Don’t overstretch: If you’re planning to buy a home or refinance, make sure your percentage of income towards repayments is no greater than 30 per cent.
  • Stick to your limit – Have a budget and stick to it. Credit providers may also tempt you to increase your limit. Resist unless absolutely necessary; don’t increase spending simply because you can.

If you find yourself in a stressed-out mortgage situation, talk to us about refinancing. Check out our EasyPlan webpages for further information or give us a call on 1800 652 224 or email us enquiries@easyplan.com.au

Posted in: Mortgage ⋅ Tagged: , , , , ,

Focus on Easy Plan – top tips to financial success

September 19, 2011 9:52 am ⋅

Easy Plan – 6 top tips to financial success

Are you at that stage in your life when you’re thinking about your future financial goals? Wouldn’t it be a weight off to know you’ve planned as well as you can to achieve financial security for yourself and even your children? With some basic information and some clever planning, you’ll soon be on your way to financial success.

ParkTrent has put together some basic tips to get you thinking about financial planning. As the weeks go by, we’ll be exploring each of these ideas-so stay tuned!

1.  Make sure your most valuable asset is protected – YOU

Your ability to earn an income is the most valuable asset you and your family have.  Have you thought about what would happen to your family if you couldn’t earn an income?  It’s a pretty scary thought and one that sometimes gets pushed aside.  You should ensure that you have enough life insurance and income protection to look after you and your family should the worst happen, or if you should be unable to work due to illness or injury.  Don’t leave your family vulnerable; make sure you’re protected with life insurance!

2. Take a look at your superannuation

Many people in Australia are complacent when it comes to their super.  But remember, it equates to 9% of all your earnings!  That’s a lot of work hours!   For financial success, you should take your superannuation seriously.  With a little financial know-how and advice from a professional financial planner, you can learn to use the untapped wealth potential that your superannuation offers.

3.  Don’t be afraid if the market fluctuates

Many people get swept up in media hype when there are periods of volatility and fluctuations in the property markets.  Without some financial know-how, it can be easy to believe that the property investment world is about to end!  Indeed, some people are so afraid of normal market volatility that they avoid investing in the property market.  Over the long-term, the property market can offer one of the most powerful tools for creating wealth for the future, if you’ve got the financial savvy and time to hang in there and weather any volatility storms.

4.  Develop a financial plan

Trying to achieve financial goals without a financial plan is like trying to find a street in a foreign city without a map.  The chances that you’ll find your way are very slim!  A financial plan is a bit like a roadmap, which can help you to navigate your finances through the short, medium and long-term.  A financial planner can help you map your wealth future with a financial plan, and also be your trusted guide along the way.

5.  Book into a ParkTrent seminar

At ParkTrent, our aim is to present an enjoyable, informative evening for you to learn about creating a secure future for you and your family through investing in property. We also encourage all of our clients to obtain independent advice before investing.

Register for a Property investment seminar located nationally including interstate and capital cities to reserve seats for you and your guest/s.

6. Talk to one of our EasyPlan financial brokers

Our team of EasyPlan financial brokers work with our real estate and property investment consultants in the ParkTrent Properties Group to provide clients with integrated services tailored to their needs.

EasyPlan provides clients with choice; we have established links to all major banks and lenders and work with a panel of insurers. These links are used to source the most appropriate property financing for a client. Insurance brokers also provide advice on property insurance and a range of other products such as Income Protection insurance, Term Life insurance, Business Insurance and many others.

EasyPlan adheres to the Code of Practice of the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia.

Easy Plan Insurance advisors are accredited by many of the major Australian Insurers including ING Life, AMP and AC&L (part of the AXA Group).

EasyPlan Financial Services is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Millennium3 Financial Services Pty Ltd (M3FS) (ABN 61 094 529 987). M3FS holds an Australian Financial Services License (License No. 255252).

If you would like more information, please contact our customer service team on 13INVEST (13468378) or email contact@parktrent.com.au

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Take the long term approach for property investment

August 28, 2011 2:58 am ⋅

Welcome to the Easy Plan Financial Services Blog, where today we are turning our attention to the time frames and benefits of taking a long-term view when investing in property.

It’s true to say that everyone wants to make their money quickly, but with property investment, one should learn to sit back and watch the value grow.

Buying investment property is something that a lot of people have gravitated towards recently. Like buying a home to live in; buying a home to rent out and eventually sell at a profit is an easy concept to grasp for most people. This kind of investment is not as volatile as shares or bonds, making it even more appealing to the average investor and goes a long way to explaining its popularity.

But for you to make a profit on the sale of a property, the value of your investment needs to grow by more than the value of the costs associated with holding onto the property. That’s why you should regard property investment as a long-term strategy and be prepared to sit tight for at least five to ten years.

There is some truth that during periods of rapid market growth, you may be lucky and make a quick profit on a property, but this calls for good research, good luck and good timing – something that is hard to get right.

A sensible approach is to treat your investment property as part of your overall portfolio for the long-term.

The team at ParkTrent can assist you to build your property portfolio by assessing multiple criteria. Our team of professionals will determine which locations and properties offer you a solid return and long-term capital gain. We combine this assessment with our expertise and familiarity with buying investment properties to accurately predict the best investment property to out-perform the market.

If you are interested in investing in property, why not attend one of our free property investment seminars.

If you would like more information, please contact our customer service team on 13INVEST (13468378) or email

Disclaimer: The information contained within this page is general in nature. It serves as a guide only and does not take into account your personal financial needs. Before you act on this information you should seek independent legal and financial advice. ParkTrent does not warrant the accuracy or appropriateness of this information.

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Easy Plan Financial Services

August 24, 2011 12:42 am ⋅

At EasyPlan Financial Services, our team of property investment brokers are experienced in all aspects of property finance. We assist clients looking for investment property and residential property to find the best available financing package to suit their individual circumstances.

We take the hassle out of finding the right investment or home loan. Our property investment brokers do all the work for you by researching all of Australia’s leading banks and lending institutions to find the best possible property finance available.

We understand the risks and concerns involved with all aspects of property finance and investment and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

If you are interested in property finance and wish to discuss your options, please contact us by calling 13INVEST (13468378) or emailing us contact@parktrent.com.au

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