financial stress – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

In low-rent outer suburbs, almost one in six households could not afford to keep their house cool and went without meals. ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock

July 30, 2019

Private renters are doing it tough in outer suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne

Alan Morris, University of Technology Sydney; Hal Pawson, UNSW; Kath Hulse, Swinburne University of Technology, and Violet Xia, University of Technology Sydney

While politicians ignore calls to raise Newstart, alarming levels of financial stress among private renters, particularly in low-rent outer suburbs, show why current welfare payments are too low.

Businesses are structuring their lending practices to exploit loopholes in consumer credit laws. Shutterstock

April 12, 2019

Four common debt traps: payday loans, consumer leases, blackmail securities and credit ‘management’

Saurav Dutta, Curtin University; Harjinder Singh, Curtin University, and Nigar Sultana, Curtin University

Here are the four common lending practices identified by the Australian inquiry into credit and financial services targeted at those at risk of financial hardship.

Unemployment and underemployment, as well as physical and mental health problems, were the most common experiences of people falling behind on debts. Shutterstock

February 25, 2019

What 1,100 Australians told us about the experience of living with debt they can’t repay

Evgenia Bourova, University of Melbourne; Ian Ramsay, University of Melbourne, and Paul Ali, University of Melbourne

Australia’s first large-scale study on the experiences of people in financial hardship contradict the idea most debt problems are due to poor choices.

More than 40% of older people declaring bankruptcy owe more than A$20,000. Fewer than 10% own their own homes. Shutterstock

January 23, 2019

Low income, no assets, large credit-card debt: why more older Australians are declaring bankruptcy

Ian Ramsay, University of Melbourne; Lev Bromberg, University of Melbourne, and Paul Ali, University of Melbourne

Research on bankrupts illustrates the contrasting financial fortunes of older Australians.

Families are feeling the pinch of the government shutdown. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

January 11, 2019

Federal workers begin to feel pain of shutdown as 800,000 lose their paychecks

Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University

Because many Americans live paycheck to paycheck, the loss of even one can be a big financial blow for a family.

The ‘lucky’ ticket may not be so lucky after all. Reuters/Brendan McDermid

October 24, 2018

How winning $1.54 billion in Mega Millions could still lead to bankruptcy

Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University

The lottery’s jackpot has swelled to that eye-watering sum, but research suggests hopeful ticket holders should be careful what they wish for.

Many students reported regularly going without necessities including food, medications, fuel and prescribed textbooks. Shutterstock

January 16, 2018

Balancing work and tertiary study is harder now than in 2012: study

Susan Gair, James Cook University

The percent of students going without food or other necessities has risen since 2012, with students indicating work-study balance was impacting their daily lives, study success and mental health.

While people in WA might be spending less, there remains segments of the population that are vulnerable to intense cost of living pressures. shutterstock

November 30, 2017

Sydney the most expensive capital in Australia, Perth comes in fifth: new report

Rachel Ong ViforJ, Curtin University; Alan Duncan, Curtin University; Chris Twomey, Curtin University; Ken Leong, Curtin University, and Silvia Salazar, Curtin University

Households in NSW spend the most and WA households the least in Australia, but there are segments of WA who are feeling the bite more acutely in cost of living.

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