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Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon is a financial educator, commentator and author.

Your credit card debt is probably the first place you’ll want to start.

Credit cards, loans or your mortgage: what should you pay off first?

When it comes to wiping off your debts, there are a few different ways to approach it, and some might work better for you than others.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon

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There are plenty of schemes taxpayers can take advantage of to boost their returns.

These two tax time moves could net you an extra $1040

We’re roughly two weeks away from tax time, so if you want to lock in some extra savings, you’ll have to act now.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
A growing band of frequent flyer points enthusiasts leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of deals.

Whether Qantas or Velocity, here’s where to find bulk frequent flyer points

Despite the looming ban on credit card surcharges, there are still plenty of places offering big bags of frequent flyer points.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
If you know how to make your loyalty points work for you, travel can cost you almost nothing.

Holidays have become dirt cheap – but only if you book them right

Amid all the budget and interest rate outrage and Delta only coming fourth in Eurovision, you may have missed it’s been getting cheaper and cheaper to travel.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
Labor’s 5 per cent deposit scheme spurred an influx of first homebuyers who are now set to be punished by next years taxation changes.

Will the budget really help first home buyers? I don’t think so

Labor’s 5 per cent deposit scheme spurred an influx of aspiring first home buyers who are now set to be punished by next year’s taxation changes.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
Adding to cart can provide the rush of shopping, without costing a cent.

How to spot the sinister tricks retailers use to manipulate your spending

Forget straight-up digital marketing and targeting, online retailers are using “dark patterns” to convince consumers into parting with money they didn’t intend.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
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With the cost of everything increasing, it’s never been so important to look for fresh savings.

The top five money mistakes you’re probably making right now

With things likely to get worse on Tuesday with another rate rise predicted, it’s never been more important to get on top of your money.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
Mortgage interest rates are set to rise.

With rates rising, should we use savings to reduce our mortgage?

To get out of harm’s way of the RBA, it might seem a good plan to discharge a loan early – but when you have savings, there’s a better approach.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
You could be paying more than you need to across various aspects of your life.

The emergency expense audit that could save you $800 a month

Suddenly, it seems the price of everything, not just petrol, is up. So, get forensic about your finances with these seven expense audits.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon
The main benefit of a fixed mortgage is peace of mind.

It might be too late to fix your mortgage – so try this saving instead

The thing about locking in your loan interest with a fixed rate is that by the time most people think about doing it, it’s already too late.

  • Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon