Smart Tools for Money Matters

How this works: We assume your stamp duty and buying costs are added to the loan (so your loan = property price + buying costs − deposit), which is how most rent-vs-buy calculators model it. Buying is scored on your net position if you sold at the end of the period: your property's grown value, minus the loan still owing, minus selling costs — plus any surplus you could invest in years owning costs less than renting. Renting is scored as the wealth you'd build if you invested your deposit up front and kept investing the difference whenever renting is cheaper than owning each year, earning your chosen investment return. Whichever ends with more money wins. This is an estimate built on assumptions you control; small changes to growth, rent or investment-return rates can flip the result, so try a few scenarios. It does not account for tax (negative gearing, capital gains tax, or investment tax), lifestyle factors, or the security and freedom-to-renovate of owning.

How this works: Both loans use the same amount borrowed, so the fair comparison is the cost of each loan — total interest plus fees — not the principal (which is identical). We calculate each loan's repayment from its rate and term, then apply any extra monthly repayments, which shorten the loan and cut interest. Total cost = total interest + upfront fees + ongoing fees for the years the loan runs. A lower rate isn't always cheaper once fees and term differences are included — that's exactly what this comparison reveals.

How this works: We calculate what you'd pay keeping your current loan versus switching to the new one, over the same remaining term. Switching costs (exit fee + upfront costs) are added to the new loan's total, and we track cumulative costs month by month to find the break-even point — when the new loan's total cost drops below the current loan's. An introductory rate, if entered, applies for the specified period before reverting to the standard new rate. Extra repayments are applied to the new loan and reduce interest. This is an estimate; actual costs and savings will depend on your lender's policies, LMI, and other factors not captured here.

How this works: Credit card interest compounds on your balance each month, so a large chunk of a small payment can go straight to interest rather than reducing what you owe. Paying more than the minimum — even a little — dramatically cuts both the time to clear the card and the total interest. If your monthly payment doesn't cover the monthly interest, the balance never reduces, and the calculator will tell you.

How this works: Both methods pay the minimum on every debt, then throw all spare budget at one target debt until it's gone — rolling that freed-up money onto the next. The avalanche targets the highest interest rate first, so it always costs the least in total interest. The snowball targets the smallest balance first, giving you quick wins that many people find more motivating, usually at a small extra cost. The best method is the one you'll actually stick to.

How this works: Add up your monthly income and expenses, and we show whether you have money left over (a surplus) or are spending more than you earn (a shortfall), plus a breakdown of where your spending goes by category. Use the preset items as a starting point and add your own with the “+ Add item” buttons. Your figures aren’t saved — everything stays private in your browser and clears when you leave, so use Print / Save as PDF to keep a copy. A common guide is the 50/30/20 rule: aim for roughly 50% of after-tax income on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings and extra debt repayments.

How this works: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) captures the full lifetime cost of an asset, not just its purchase price. It adds up the upfront cost, every recurring running cost over the ownership period, and any one-off and end-of-life costs — then subtracts whatever the asset is worth when you're done (resale, trade-in or salvage). The result shows what the asset truly costs you, which often reveals that a cheaper sticker price isn't always the cheaper choice once running and maintenance costs are included. This is an estimate based on the figures you enter; it doesn't account for inflation, the time-value of money, or tax treatment, which a full financial analysis would include.

How this works: CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) is the constant yearly rate that would take your beginning value to your ending value over the period, as if it grew smoothly each year. It's calculated as (Ending ÷ Beginning)^1/Years − 1. Unlike a simple average, CAGR accounts for compounding, so it's the fairest way to compare the growth of different investments over different time frames. It doesn't reflect year-to-year volatility — two investments with the same CAGR can have very different bumpy paths — and it excludes fees, tax and additional contributions.

How this works: ROI (Return on Investment) measures how much you gained or lost relative to what you put in. Your net profit = amount returned − amount invested, and ROI (%) = (net profit ÷ amount invested) × 100. A positive ROI is a gain, a negative one is a loss. ROI is simple and great for quick comparisons, but it ignores time — a 50% return over one year is far better than 50% over ten. For time-adjusted comparisons, use the CAGR calculator. ROI here also excludes fees, tax and transaction costs.

How this works: The annual coupon is the face value × coupon rate — the fixed dollar interest the bond pays each year. Current yield = annual coupon ÷ purchase price, showing your income return at today's price. Approximate yield to maturity (YTM) estimates your total annualised return if you hold to maturity, factoring in the gain or loss between your purchase price and the face value you'll receive at the end: (annual coupon + (face − price) ÷ years) ÷ ((face + price) ÷ 2). If you bought below face value the YTM is higher than the coupon; above face value, lower. This is a standard approximation — a true YTM requires solving for the exact discount rate — and it excludes tax, fees and reinvestment assumptions.

How this works: Inflation means the same goods cost more over time, so money loses buying power. Future cost = amount × (1 + rate)^years shows what something priced at your amount today would cost after the period. Today's buying power = amount ÷ (1 + rate)^years shows what that future sum is worth in today's money. This uses a constant annual inflation rate you choose — real inflation varies year to year, so treat it as a projection. A common long-run assumption is around 2–3% per year.

How this works: A cash-out refinance (or equity access / top-up) replaces your current home loan with a larger one, and you take the difference as cash. We work out your new loan amount (current balance + cash), your new repayment, and how it compares to now. Lenders usually cap your total loan at around 80% of your home's value (your LVR) before charging lenders mortgage insurance, so we flag if you go over. The catch with funding big purchases this way: a mortgage has a low rate but a very long term, so spreading a car's cost over 25–30 years can cost far more in total interest than a 5-year car loan — even though the car loan's rate is higher. The comparison above shows this. A smart middle ground is to add it to your mortgage for the low rate, then make extra repayments to clear it quickly. This is an estimate and excludes refinance fees, LMI, and lender policies.

How this works: This calculator works two ways. “Work out the rate” takes your loan amount, monthly payment and term to reveal the interest rate you're actually being charged — handy for checking a dealer finance offer. “Work out the monthly payment” takes a rate and term to estimate your repayment. An optional balloon (residual) payment at the end lowers your monthly repayment but leaves a lump sum owing. Figures are principal-and-interest estimates and exclude fees, stamp duty and insurance.

How this works: A novated lease is a three-way agreement between you, your employer and a financier. Your lease payments and running costs come out of your salary — partly before tax (reducing your taxable income) and partly after tax (the Employee Contribution Method, used to cancel out Fringe Benefits Tax). For fully electric vehicles (EVs) priced under the luxury car tax threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles, the government waives FBT entirely, so the whole lease can be packaged pre-tax — which is why EV savings are dramatically larger. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) lost this exemption from 1 April 2025 and are now treated the same as petrol, diesel and conventional hybrids. We compare the after-tax cost of leasing against buying the same car with a car loan at the same rate. This is an estimate using 2026–27 tax rates; it excludes the Medicare Levy Surcharge, HELP/HECS debt, and your Reportable Fringe Benefits Amount (RFBA), which can affect family-payment and surcharge thresholds. Always confirm with a licensed novated lease provider or tax adviser before committing.

How this works: NPV discounts every future cash flow back to today's value using your discount rate, then subtracts your initial investment — a positive NPV means the cash flows are worth more than the cost, in today's dollars. IRR is the discount rate at which NPV would equal exactly zero; it's solved numerically and requires at least one sign change in your cash flows (an outflow followed by inflows, or similar) to exist. If your cash flows never change sign, IRR can't be calculated and will show as N/A.

How this works: Enter a start date and an end date and we count the exact time between them — the total number of calendar days, plus the equivalent in weeks, months and years, and the number of weekdays (Monday to Friday). The calculation uses real calendar dates, so different month lengths and leap years are handled automatically. It’s handy for deadlines, notice periods, project timelines, or counting down to an event.

How this works: This tool covers six everyday percentage jobs. Residual shows the leftover (balloon) value of an asset at the end of a lease term. What is X% of Y? finds a portion of a number (e.g. 20% of 150 = 30) — handy for tips, deposits and commissions. X is what % of Y? tells you what proportion one number is of another (e.g. 15 is 25% of 60) — useful for scores, savings rates and progress. % Change measures the change from a starting value to a new one and tells you if it’s an increase or decrease. Increase / Decrease adds or subtracts a percentage from a value (e.g. a 10% raise or a 20% discount). % Difference compares two values relative to their average, when neither is the “starting point.” Pick the tab that matches your question, enter the numbers, and press Calculate.

How this works: This calculator has two modes. “How long to pay off?” takes your balance, interest rate and monthly payment and works out how long until the loan is clear and the total interest you'll pay. “What must I pay monthly?” works backwards from a target payoff date to tell you the required payment. Adding extra per month shortens the term and cuts interest. If your payment doesn't cover the monthly interest, the balance never reduces — and the calculator will warn you.

How this works: Enter the net (take-home) year-to-date figure from your payslip, your pay frequency, when your pay year started, and the date of that payslip. We divide your YTD net by the number of pay periods that have occurred to find your average pay per period, then annualise it across a full year and divide by 12 for a monthly figure. Because it uses your actual YTD total, it captures overtime, bonuses and shift loadings that a single regular payslip would miss — giving a truer picture of what you really earn. Actual future pay may vary if your hours change.

Tax year 2026–27 estimate (Australia). Simplified estimate for a single person with standard allowances. Select a country above for tailored details.

This is an estimate, not pre-approval. Real lenders also use their own living-expense benchmarks, assess credit card limits (not just repayments), apply minimum income requirements, and have their own credit policies and caps that can differ from this calculation. Always confirm your actual borrowing capacity with a lender or mortgage broker.

How this works: Compound interest means you earn interest not just on your initial amount, but also on the interest already added — so growth accelerates over time. If you add a monthly contribution, it's assumed to be added at the end of each month. This is a mathematical projection assuming a constant interest rate; real returns (especially for investments rather than fixed savings accounts) will vary year to year.

How this works: This calculator has two modes. “How much do I need?” works out the lump sum required at the start of retirement to cover your living costs for a set number of years. “How long will it last?” takes your current savings (nest egg) and works out how many years they’ll cover your spending. Both assume your balance keeps earning the return you enter while you draw it down, and that withdrawals rise with inflation to keep your spending power constant. If your return is high enough to out-earn your withdrawals, the pot can last indefinitely. This is a simplified projection and doesn’t account for any government pension or state benefits, tax, lumpy expenses, or market volatility — always speak to a licensed financial adviser for personal retirement planning.