Reserve Bank data shows savers are shunning the low interest rates paid on bank term deposits with the amount of money held in them down 0.8 per cent from a year ago. The amount in term deposits has fallen for the past five consecutive months – the longest period in records going back almost 30 years, says CommSec.

Credit card bookings protect against scams

Booking an overseas holiday by credit card, whether online or through a travel agent is one of the safest protections against travel scams such as fake rental listings, website hacking and false accommodation promises, according to consumer protection agencies. Unlike BPay or other forms of payment, credit card issuers will mostly charge back a non-delivered service. Selecting "credit" on a debit card also provides protection. Accredited travel agents also have a dispute resolution support scheme. Comprehensive travel insurance is "strongly encouraged" says Consumer Affairs.

Quick credit ratings

Know your credit score within 60 seconds is the promise of a new website set up by lender SocietyOne and ratings agency Veda. GetCreditScore.com.au is free and rates you between 0 and 1200. The higher your score the more creditworthy you are.

Labrador pet insurance most expensive

Labrador owners have to cough up the most for pet insurance. According to a study by Cannstar, one year's insurance for a Labrador cost $589 compared with $496 for a Border Collie and $365 for a cat. No matter the cost, the researchers stressed that getting cover was important. "Pet insurance can be a financial lifesaver if a pet becomes seriously ill or injured," research manager Mitchell Watson said.

House prices on the rise

Across capital cities, 28 per cent of the homes that were sold during the 12 months to June 2014 were priced below $400,000, says researcher RP Data. Ten years ago, almost 70 per cent per cent of capital city homes sold for under $400,000.