Are you 55 with no savings?

Life is not easy. Earning money is not easy. Saving money is even more difficult. Do you remember when you were 20 years of age? Your plans, dreams, aspirations and hopes? Can you see your last 35 years gone by? You might even feel like you accomplished very little. But devoting yourself to your children, your partner, your home is a big accomplishment on its own. Only now, you must start thinking about yourself. You must take specific steps to take control of your finance to start building your financial security. I hope this will be easier with few suggestions for late-starters:

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Ethical investing – good for planet and portfolio returns

Responsible investment funds have outperformed several benchmarks. People have always had conversations about the weather, but these days they tend to be accompanied by an ominous sense of urgency: “It's unseasonably hot, isn't it?”, or “A heatwave in July?” Social media activity, too, is teeming with conversations about wildlife conservation, biological pollutants, rampant consumerism, overfishing, land degradation, toxins and waste. Bookstores are filling up with titles such as ‘Plastic: A Toxic Love Story’, or ‘The Ripple Effect: The Fate of Freshwater in the Twenty-First Century’.

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Luxury cruising on a budget

Most travellers know that cruising is an experience of a lifetime. You’re able to reach places that are usually exclusive to those who travel by sea and each morning you’re greeted with spectacular views. While there are plenty of cruise ships you can hop aboard on, nothing is quite like cruising in a luxurious suite aboard a boutique vessel. Boutique cruises are becoming extremely popular with more discerning travellers. They have a much more intimate feel to them.....

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Market correction or market downturn?

It’s understandable that the recent sharp sell-off on financial markets has left investors feeling particularly nervous. The main concern has been the US Federal Reserve’s shift in monetary policy from low rates and printing money to rising rates and the withdrawal of that printing policy. But there’s also a lengthy worry list of issues that we hear continuously: the US trade conflict with China, issues around the leadership of President Donald Trump, and the economic and budgetary implications of the populist government in Italy.

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Why share dividends are good

There are three key reasons why dividends have always been and will continue to be an important component for investors to consider:  1).  Dividends are a more reliable source of return from an Australian equity portfolio 2).  The level of dividends received is not impacted by the level of the share market 3).  The dividend yield on stocks can act as a "safety net" during times of market volatility 

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Eat Smart for a Healthier Brain

Add these 'superfoods' to your daily diet, and you will increase your odds of maintaining a healthy brain for the rest of your life. There's no denying that as we age chronologically, our body ages right along with us. But research is showing that you can increase your chances of maintaining a healthy brain well into your old age if you add these "smart" foods to your daily eating regimen.

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