Once upon a time, you needed to schedule a meeting with your suit-and-tie stockbroker and pore over complicated spreadsheets to trade shares on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). But thanks to investment apps, you can get started investing from as little as $5. Designed to take the stress out of investing, micro-investing platforms such as Raiz and Spaceship invest your spare change into a mix of exchange traded funds (ETFs).

Other investment apps like Selfwealth and Douugh use automation to streamline and simplify the trading process for beginner investors. Both offer low-cost brokerage fees and a user-friendly interface. Selfwealth also offers the most markets of any Australian investment platform, giving you access to US and Hong Kong stocks alongside ASX-listed shares. Plus, you’ll get access to Bitcoin and a variety of crypto-currencies in addition to equities.

Best Investment Apps in Australia: Manage Your Portfolio Easily

For the more experienced trader, the investor centre offers a full suite of trading tools including advanced charting and news feeds. You can trade global shares, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, IPOs and forex from a mobile-first experience with competitive pricing and fast execution speeds.

Unlike other investment apps, eToro’s social trading functionality allows users to follow and copy trades from other successful traders, which can be a useful learning tool for beginners. Its low brokerage fees and easy-to-use platform make it a great choice for new investors, with no account maintenance, inactivity or transfer fees.…

A comprehensive Financial planning is an essential part of achieving your long and short-term goals. It starts with a meticulous analysis of income, expenses, assets, debts and investments to ensure they align with your overall financial objectives. It also entails creating an emergency savings fund and drawing up well-structured investment plans that grow over time. It provides financial security and prepares you for unforeseen circumstances.

Financial Planning: Steps to Achieve Your Short- and Long-Term Goals

To begin, take stock of where you are now by reviewing your paychecks, monthly bills and bank statements to create a snapshot of your financial situation. This exercise enables you to see exactly where your money is going and helps identify opportunities to make amends. The next step is to prioritize the goals you have in mind for the future – whether it’s paying off debt, saving more or purchasing a home. Once you’ve outlined these objectives, start putting your financial plan into action by setting up automated deductions from your salary to help reach your savings and debt-payment targets. In addition, try to pay off debt before putting additional money into your savings or investments – this method, known as the snowball or avalanche approach, helps you feel accomplished sooner and saves you more in the long run.

You can also seek professional advice from a certified financial planner who specialises in helping you achieve your goals. A financial advisor can guide you through the process and may even help with your budgeting and expense tracking. You can find one through recommendations from family and friends or by using an online database such as Unbiased or VouchedFor.…

Few things feel more luxurious after a shower than slipping into a plush, absorbent bathrobe that wraps you in warmth and comfort. Choosing the best towels and bathrobes, however, can be a challenge. Aside from size and design, you’ll need to consider material like cotton or terry cloth, fabric construction, and how soft the towels feel on your skin. Source

When selecting the best bathroom towels and robes, experts recommend choosing premium materials. Egyptian and Turkish cotton, for example, use extra-long staple fibers to enhance the fabric’s softness, absorbency, and durability. They also become softer with each wash. Other popular towel materials include bamboo, modal, and viscose.

The Best Towels for Sensitive Skin: Hypoallergenic Options

While terry cloth is the go-to fabric for bath towels, there are a variety of other designs to choose from. For instance, multidisciplinary designer Nick Spain loves Melbourne-based brand Baina’s checkerboard patterned towels—available at Ssense and The Break—which are “super plush, surprisingly quick-drying, and oh so lux.” Decorator Carrie Carrollo prefers the brand’s dark colorway of its reversible loop terry towel, which she says is “super absorbent and a great way to add some boldness to a small space without having to worry about it matching.”

If you’re looking for a green bath towel that dries quickly, try Coyuchi’s Temescal Bath Towel Set, which features a high-quality, Oeko-Tex-Certified 100% organic cotton in either a diamond or cable weave and comes with matching washcloths and hand towels. The towels are a little thinner than some other options on this list, but our associate commerce director Lori Keong vouches that they’re incredibly plush and still absorbent.

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