u/Danger_Five

I am looking to buy my first home later this year and want to use a broker to help navigate the different bank policies. One thing I cannot seem to find a straight answer on is whether I have to pay the broker a direct fee for their time and advice. Some people tell me the service is completely free because the banks pay them a commission upon settlement while others say certain brokers charge an upfront engagement fee on top of what they make from the lender. What is the standard practice in the Australian market and how do I know if a broker is going to hit me with hidden out of pocket costs?

Decent fishing gear that I actually use regularly is the most cost effective hobby I've found

Spent good money on equipment that doesn't break and actually works properly, plus a good quality esky and setup. I go out regularly and catch food instead of buying takeaway. The cost per meal is way lower than anything else we do and I'm getting exercise and mental health benefits on top

Nothing I've landed has really been a standout yet. Hopefully that day comes sooner rather than later.

I've been in the online self-service stream for the past six months and have just received a letter saying I'll be moving to a face-to-face employment services provider next week.

I'm mainly wondering whether this changes my mutual obligations straight away. Does the points target or reporting process usually change once you're assigned to a provider, or does it stay much the same unless they update your job plan?

My first gig in the Pilbara was a mandatory two weeks on one week off roster. Looking back I have no idea how I survived the exhaustion of those back-to-back night shifts, but the extra cash at the time was hard to turn down

Every piece of standard financial advice tells you that renting is throwing money away and you need to get on the property ladder as soon as possible. But looking at capital city house prices right now, taking on a million dollar mortgage at current interest rates feels like absolute madness. Is anyone else genuinely considering just renting forever and funneling their savings into index funds instead, or am I setting myself up for a miserable retirement?

Been at my job for a couple of years and I reckon I'm due for a raise. Not sure how to bring it up without looking greedy or getting knocked back. How's anyone else done this?

I always use a decent length for clear water stealth, but when visibility drops after a storm it feels like a waste of money. Would switching to standard mono change the presentation enough for the fish to actually notice?

Looking at two different project options for my next contract assignment. One is a mature copper asset with a solid decade of runway and the other is a shiny new lithium processing plant expansion. Given the massive commodity price swings lately, where are people placing their bets for structural stability?

Looking at buying some land and houses seem way more affordable around Burnie and Ulverstone compared to Hobart. Is the lifestyle up north actually better for quiet outdoorsy people, or will we end up feeling completely isolated?

Switching from regular cheap monofilament leader to a proper spool of high quality fluorocarbon. The difference in my hookup rate on fussy bream and flathead in clear water was instant. Worth every single cent

Every city has areas that quietly improve without making the news and areas that get talked up without much actually changing. Ipswich has gone through enough development and population growth recently that some parts must feel noticeably different to what they were. Would love to hear from people on the ground about where they've actually noticed something shift in a way that's made a practical difference to daily life.

Maybe it's just my setup, but every online purchase seems to involve a push notification, Face ID, waiting for the app to load, tapping approve and then entering extra credentials before the payment finally goes through

I saw a clean liftback model in traffic today and it is not a terrible looking car contextually but calling it a commodore was the ultimate nail in the coffin for the brand. If they had just given it a completely fresh name it might have actually survived

Heading away for a long weekend down south and planning to catch a heap of beach worms on the first morning to use over the next three days. Last time I tried this they turned into an oily, rotten soup by day two despite being kept in a cool box. How do you guys keep them fresh and lively without access to a proper aeration setup or fresh sand changes every few hours?

Got two job offers from the same tier-one contractor. One is at an established copper operation that looks set to run for the next twenty years, the other is at a newly restarted lithium site with a massive production target. The lithium role pays a slightly higher hourly rate but I know the market has been a bit of a rollercoaster lately. Which sector would you bet your career on for the next decade?