Free Money Advice for Australians
Getting Financial and Debt Management Information at no Cost
Oct 9, 2009
Financial freedom starts with sound knowledge on money management, debt management and investment strategies. Professional financial planners are the best people to get investment and financial advice from. But their fees are generally quite high and may deter many people from using their services.
Still, there are many places where Australians can get free, reliable investment and money advice. These resources are particularly useful for people with little money or those just starting to invest or planning to improve their financial situations. Do bear in mind that the free money advice provided is often very general in nature but extremely useful as the first step towards financial freedom and security.
The following are places to get investment, financial and debt management advice at no costs.
The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Website
At the ASX education and resource center, there is a wealth of very good financial information, free online investment classes and even ASX share market games to help new investors learn the basics of investment strategies.
The free online investment tutorials are certainly worth checking out. They range from introductory to advanced and are easy to follow and complete. The classes include those on shares, options, warrants and futures. In addition, visitors to the website can download share investment-related educational booklets, view audio-visual presentations on various stock market topics and find out more about upcoming investor seminars offered at as low as $5 per ticket.
Look for Free Financial Advice
Free financial advice services are hard to come by but the Financial Planning Association (FPA) of Australia organized the “Ask an Expert” online service in July 2009 free of charge. During the campaign, a panel of registered and licensed financial planners answered questions via email regarding superannuation, mortgages, retirement planning, budgeting, investments and other money related issues. The free service has ended but it’s likely that a similar exercise will take place in the future. Scan advertisements in newspapers or financial magazines for such future events.
Those with bank accounts, home loans or other banking products can also check with their respective banks if the banks provide free financial advice for customers. The flipside is that if they do, they most likely would try to promote their own investment products.
Free Financial Counseling for Those in Debt
In Australia, free, independent and confidential financial counseling services are available in every state. The financial counselors’ main function is to help individuals or families with huge personal or household debts. They assess individuals’ or families’ financial circumstances thoroughly and then determine what can be done to resolve the debts. They give debt analyses, help formulate debt management plans, deal with debt collectors, give solutions to gambling problems and evaluate bankruptcies. Visit the Australian Financial Counseling and Credit Reform Association (AFCCRA) website to get the contact details of financial counselors across the country.
Go to the Library for Financial and Investing Tips
Some of the best investing tips and financial advice are found in investor magazines and financial publications. Unfortunately, most of them are expensive. So why not borrow these from the local library instead of buying them? Current copies are usually not on loan but anyone can read the latest financial journals and magazines at the library without paying a single cent.
In Australia, free investment and money advice is available in many forms. The ASX website is packed with all kinds of information and free investment classes. Also be on the lookout for financial service from the FPA and banks and if necessary, get debt counseling from financial counselors at the AFCCRA. The local library is another great resource for useful and free financial information.
Found this article useful? Read also Understanding Share Investments, Becoming Successful Money Savers and Debt Management for Families.
 |
 |
