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What to do when your friend owes you a few

We all want to do our bit to help our friends and family, and we’ve all heard that all too familiar “I’ll pay you back later”. But what do you do when later never seems to come around? According to a new report by finder, 1 in 4 Australians are waiting on a friend to pay them back. The numbers account for roughly 24% of the population, or 4.8 million people. Though the problem is by no means limited to the nation. The most common unpaid debts (all at 6%) fall under the categories of gifts, bill splitting at a restaurant, and event tickets. Sharing ride services (Uber, taxis, etc.), travel expenses, and gambling activities are close behind - making up 5, 4, and 3% of the reasons for lax repayments respectively. "Our research reveals that millions of Aussies have borrowed money from their friends with no intention of paying them back,” Finder’s money expert Sarah Megginson said of their findings. "Not repaying money breaks trust and can put strain on the relationship, but it could also cause financial problems for the friend left shouldering the debt." There is, however, hope for those still clutching their receipts and waiting, with Megginson sharing some top tips to help people get back what they loaned out. "Your first port of call should be to ask your friend to repay the debt,” she said. “It can be a bit uncomfortable bringing up the topic of money but if you don't ask and then you're resentful, that can be more damaging to the friendship long-term.” She then explained how you may have to avoid paying for them in the future, and that re-setting boundaries with some of the people in your life would be of benefit to both parties, as well as having an honest conversation with them about it all. However, if the situation is more serious than a taxi ride or a friendly brunch, further action may be necessary, especially if a large amount of money is involved. "You can send a letter of demand, clearly outlining how much you are owed and asking that it be repaid within a certain time frame,” she suggested of the worst-case scenario, “otherwise legal action will be started. "If you receive no response you can lodge a claim with your state or territory's tribunal for resolving matters like this.” Megginson added that above else it is important to “exercise discretion” when loaning money, even to family and friends. Emergency funds, in particular, should not be touched by anyone but yourself, as every dollar counts in the midst of a cost of living crisis. Images: Getty

Money & Banking

Mee-ow! Grace Tame’s latest swipe at PM

Grace Tame has taken another swipe at Prime Minister Scott Morrison, after he shared a seemingly innocent selfie of his pet cat Charlie recently, who appeared not impressed…or you know, however cats are supposed to look. “You’ve met Buddy before, but this is Charlie," wrote the PM. "He’s been part of our family for almost ten years. And he’s definitely in charge.” The former Australian of the Year took the opportunity to take a dig at the prime minister in reference to her not smiling in a now-famous photo with him earlier in the year. “Pardon my Twitter absence, I’ve been shapeshifting,” she tweeted with a screenshot of ScoMo's cat post. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Pardon my Twitter absence, I’ve been shapeshifting <a href="https://t.co/wrZnx3O5wb">pic.twitter.com/wrZnx3O5wb</a> — Grace Tame (@TamePunk) <a href="https://twitter.com/TamePunk/status/1502896173744795655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2022</a></blockquote> Ms Tame’s post was met with a barrage of support, with many sharing the same image but photoshopping her head onto the cat. “You are a special kind of perfect & we do not deserve you,” one person wrote. “The cat has a pretty decent side eye,” another commented. “First thing I see on opening my Twitter feed and thank you for the genuine belly laugh! You’re amazing,” someone else wrote. Ms Tame <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/why-telling-grace-tame-to-smile-more-is-a-double-standard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sparked national debate</a> following her unsmiling photo with Mr Morrison, with some MPs, journalists and members of the public describing her behaviour as “ungracious and rude” and “childish and embarrassing”. Image: Twitter

Family & Pets

Amazing audio of Cleo's rescue, plus Premier owes her a new pair of shoes

WA Police have released audio of the moment 4-year-old Cleo Smith was rescued. One officer can be heard reassuring Cleo as they pick her up, saying “I’ve got you bubby”, while another asks Cleo, “What’s your name, sweetheart?” To this, she responds, “My name is Cleo”, to which the officer responds, “Your name is Cleo”, while another says “Hello Cleo”. It’s a heartwarming moment, as is the moment Cleo is carried outside the house she was found in, which police released video footage of on Wednesday soon after announcing she had been safely located and returned to her family. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "My name is Cleo." <a href="https://t.co/xiy59x4kjP">pic.twitter.com/xiy59x4kjP</a> — WA Police Force (@WA_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/WA_Police/status/1456102974502047744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The moment Cleo was rescued 👏 <a href="https://t.co/arusYi9kCa">pic.twitter.com/arusYi9kCa</a> — WA Police Force (@WA_Police) <a href="https://twitter.com/WA_Police/status/1455784205548359682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2021</a></blockquote> In a press conference earlier today, Detective Senior Sergeant Blaine said that Cleo was found awake in a room with the lights on, playing with toys. The home was in Carnarvon, the Western Australian town where the Smith family lives. She had been missing for 18 days when she was finally found around midnight on Wednesday. Blaine said that Cleo appeared to be in good spirits, "From our point of view, I'm amazed she seems to be so well-adjusted and happy, it was really, heart-warming to see. “She is playing in the backyard, exactly how you would expect, like how my daughter did when she was four-years-old." Premier Mark McGowan had the opportunity to meet her on Thursday, bringing with him two teddies – one for Cleo, and one for her younger sister Isla. They named the teddies Cameron and Rod, after the detective who rescued her and the lead investigator on the case, but he wasn’t sure if those names would stick, joking to reporters that “Cleo didn’t seem too enamoured with those names.” McGowan also revealed an embarrassing moment that transpired during the meeting. “I unfortunately trod on her new Barbie shoes and broke one of them, so I owe her a pair of shoes,” he said. Despite that unfortunate incident, the Premier said she was a “very bright, upbeat, sweet little girl” and described the Smith family as “very humble” and “very well adjusted” considering their ordeal. “It was a lovely experience to meet her. She was, I thought, very well adjusted considering and the family were very appreciative of everything that has been done for them. They’re ... fundamentally decent, honest human beings ... they’re really lovely people and it’s great to meet them and acknowledge what they’ve been through. “Obviously, there’ll be a way to go from here but they’re certainly on the right pathway.” Image: WA Police

News

“We’re owed a refund”: Carrie Bickmore’s huge birthday blunder

David “Hughesy” Hughes turned 50 on Thursday and as a wonderful gift, Carrie Bickmore and her radio co-host Tommy Little hired a skywriter. The plan was to write ‘HB Hughesy” with a love heart over Sydney, as a way to honour the comedian who has just moved to the city for his new breakfast radio gig. However, the skywriter made a huge blunder and forgot the second ‘H’ in his name, calling him ‘Hugesy’ instead. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838944/hughsey-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c0202c2c3e99426ea6a80476a97fe9ca" /> “It’s all about you right now … it’s live. This is live. Live above the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge,” Carrie and Tommy told him as he looked out the window. “This is incredible, I’ve never had anything like this before,” Hughesy gushed. However it wasn’t before long that they realised the blunder. “Is there a spelling mistake?” Tommy pointed out. “You spelled my name wrong guys,” laughed Hughesy. “Did you mean that or not?” he asked. “Oh no!” Carrie cried. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838945/hughsey-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/998f2a6d13e745aa871dbabc5b3d5e2c" /> “Look that is disappointing, but I’m flattered by that,” Hughesy admitted. “Well we’re owed a refund from a skywriting company,” Tommy Little laughed. Carrie addressed the hilarious mistake on Instagram. “Oh crap. Tommy and I got @dhughesy a 50TH birthday present and it was written wrong in the sky!!! Happy birthday HUGESY,” the caption read. Hughsey received the unfortunate mistake well however, laughing as he said: “You know what? It’s close enough.”

Caring

“I owe my life to that dog”: Husky sniffs out owner’s ovarian cancer three times

If you didn’t think dogs could get any better, then keep reading because you’re about to be proven wrong. While dogs are known to have highly developed senses, one Siberian Husky by the name of Sierra has the gift of detecting when her owner is ill. Stephanie Herfel, from Wisconsin in the US, discovered her pooch’s special talent after she was dealing with pain in her abdomen. It was then that Sierra did something out of the ordinary. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D1636991369654084%26id%3D100000297100983&width=500" width="500" height="613" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> “She put her nose on my lower belly and sniffed so intently that I thought I spilled something on my clothes,” Ms Herfel told Journal Sentinel. “She did it a second and then a third time. After the third time, Sierra went and hid. I mean hid!” Seeking professional help, Ms Herfel was told she had an ovarian cyst and was prescribed painkillers to help alleviate the discomfort. But when she came home, Sierra hid in the closet and rolled up in fear. Ms Herfel didn’t think much of it, but when she went to get a second opinion, a gynaecologist delivered the terrifying news – she had stage three ovarian cancer. After going through a full hysterectomy and chemotherapy, Ms Herfel believed that would be the end of her tiring journey, but she was wrong. In 2015, a year after Ms Herfel was said to be cancer-free, Sierra once again displayed the same behaviour she did in 2013, when Ms Herfel was first diagnosed. A little while later it was confirmed that the cancer had returned and spread to her liver and pelvis. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D1958007604219124%26id%3D100000297100983&width=500" width="500" height="594" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> But Sierra isn’t the only dog to be able to detect when something isn’t quite right in her owner. It is said that other dogs also share this special gift. “It’s almost like the dog knows what’s going on and is scared,” said Ashley Wagner, from the Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance, explained to Journal Sentinel. “The dog didn’t want to be near her.” Ms Herfel is currently working on a book that is based around the relationship she shares with her dog.

Caring

Could you be owed $3000? Five million Aussies set to sue big banks

Set to be the largest class action in the nation’s history, up to five million Australians could end up receiving over a thousand dollars from the country’s biggest banks. Expected to launch today, law firm Slater and Gordon will be responsible for a legal action on behalf of around one in three Australian workers who have invested their super with the banks involved. It is estimated the landmark lawsuits could compensate account holders as much as $3000 back and could cost the banks over $1 billion. The reason for the lawsuit is that bank-owned super funds have been caught putting members' money into the parent bank instead of the bank that offers the best interest rate – which means many workers are often paid between 0.5 and 1 per cent less interest than they should be. According to the firm, if someone has $100,000 in cash, a 0.5 per cent difference could make them $3000 out of pocket in six years. Another study shows that someone with $25,000 in cash in an AMP retail fund would be at a loss of $1600 after five years in comparison to someone in an industry fund, getting just 1.41 per cent interest and higher fees, compared to 2.59 per cent and lower fees. It is believed that around one in three working-age Australians – which is around five million in total – will be affected in some way as they have super in cash with retail funds, which most of the time are owned by big banks. Favoured by older Australians, cash is considered to be the safest form of super investment. The firm has launched a website called <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.slatergordon.com.au/getyoursuperback/" target="_blank">getyoursuperback.com</a> where any Australians who fit the criteria by having their super in cash can register as part of an initiative to get as many people as possible. Ben Hardwick, head of Slater and Gordon’s class actions spoke to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/banking/record-class-action-launched-against-australias-banks/news-story/e2fa23644d189b742e24cee49b40a84c" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> and said that low-interest rates combined with fee gouging by cash funds would have a negative impact on Australians in retirement. “This means that millions of Australians are out of pocket and a handful of banks have lined their pockets,” he said. “Slater and Gordon doesn’t think that’s fair and we are saying, enough is enough.” The first lawsuit announced today will be against Colonial First State, who are under Commonwealth Bank and AMP. From there, another 18 class actions are expected to follow. “What funds like Colonial First State have been doing is dumping super with a parent bank such as CBA. The interest from the parent bank is so low that investors in the cash option are receiving rates as low as 1.25 per cent a year. This is even below the RBA cash rate,” Mr Hardwick told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/banking/record-class-action-launched-against-australias-banks/news-story/e2fa23644d189b742e24cee49b40a84c" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. “This rate of return is ludicrously low. Standard bank interest should be around 2.0 to 2.5 per cent. That’s what most banks offer to ordinary customers with their normal term-deposits. And that’s what industry super fund members and some retail fund members have been getting.” While it’s hard to say how far the class action could go, official data shows that there are 28.6 million superannuation policies held by 14.8 million Australians. Around 55 per cent of those – or 8.2 million – have at least one retail account and it’s been said that majority of these consist of some form of cash component. These numbers show that this would be the biggest class action in Australian history.

Retirement Income

“We owe them”: The adorable initiative that’s helping our Aussie farmers

Rachel Allen, a sheep farmer based in Yass, NSW has been hand-feeding her sheep for over two months in an attempt to keep them alive throughout the worst drought in almost a hundred years. Now, she’s facing another problem – mothers are rejecting their newborn lambs due to low feed. During droughts, mothers tend to reject their young, so they could look after their own survival. After having lost three lambs to the harsh weather conditions, Ms Allen ordered 10 hand-knitted jumpers for the babies in the hopes that it will keep them warm. With the conditions deteriorating for our Aussie farmers, Ms Allen said she only had 10 bales of hay left, and to be able to afford costs, she sold three of her horses. “It’s pretty bad,” she said. “We’re hand-feeding every two days to all our sheep and feeding horses twice a day. There’s just no grass for anything.” With very little grass left, Ms Allen along with other farmers, are desperately hoping for rain. In the meantime, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cwaofnsw.org.au/" target="_blank">The Country Women’s Association (CWA)</a> has asked knitters across Australia to come together and knit for a good cause. The jumpers, which are knitted for lambs, are helping them stay warm and alive. “The lambs are weakened from the extreme cold and the lack of feed available. The mothers have been rejecting the weakest lambs, so before the jumpers came I was keeping the weakest ones inside in a box next to the heater,” said Ms Allen. The initiative was started by Marie Knight – a sheep farmer from Tannabar, a town south of Coonabarabran in NSW. Having launched the campaign through Facebook in late July, she now has the support of the CWA and is hoping to better the conditions after witnessing first-hand how the weather can affect lambs and farmers around the nation. “Many farmers are stressed about how long this drought has been going, and a lot of ewes are having twins for some reason, so they are struggling to feed their babies,” says Ms Knight. “The jumpers are very easy to make. “You can save an animal’s life and put a smile on the face of a farmer – and they could really use that right now!” Crafty Frog, a craft shop located in Canberra, is also sending woolly jumpers to farmers around NSW and surrounding regions of the ACT. Store owner Laura MacKinnon said that she gets countless requests each day from farmers requesting jumpers and quilts for their lambs. “If farmers haven’t already requested the jumpers, we seek out farmers and offer them our knitting, crocheting and sewing services. “These jumpers are helping to keep the lambs warm and alive,” Ms MacKinnon said. “We owe them. It’s time to support our farmers and show them that we love and care for them and their livelihood”. Have a go using the pattern below: The jumper is knitted all in one. Use ONLY 8 ply acrylic yarn (pure wool not suitable for conditions). <a href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/news/real-life/baby-lamb-jumper-knitting-pattern-50649">Women's Day</a> Knitting Pattern As a tension guide: Size 5mm needles (tight knitters) Size 4.5mm needles (loose knitter) Cast on 44 stitches, work 18 rows in K2, P2 rib. Work 30 rows in stocking stitch. To shape sleeves: Cast on 12 stitches at beginning of next two rows, at the same time change to rib stitch for 22 more rows. Shape neck: First row rib 21, cast off 26 stitches, rib 21. Next row rib 21, cast on 26 stitches, rib 21. Work 22 rows in K2, P2 rib. Work 30 rows in stocking stitch. Work 18 rows K2, P2 rib. Cast off. Please send your baby lamb jumpers to: Coonabarabran Times 44 Dalgarno Street (PO Box 6) Coonabarabran NSW 2357 If you’re wanting to lend a helping hand, then check out <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/CraftyFrog/" target="_blank">Crafty Frog Facebook page</a> or the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/lambjumpershelpingourfarmers/" target="_blank">Lamb Jumpers “Helping Our Farmers” Facebook page</a> for more information.

News

Why this Aussie sports star owes Roger Federer an apology

Aussie tennis star Ash Barty has said she owes Roger Federer an apology after her massive fightback victory to get to the third round of the Australian Open. Barty, who triumphed 5-7 6-4 6-1 over Italy’s Camila Giorgi last night, apologised to the Swiss tennis ace for finishing so late and delaying his entrance onto Rod Laver Arena. In her post match interview with Channel 7 personality Basil Zempilas, Barty described what it was like to be playing ahead of one of the all-time-greats. “Yeah, I hope I didn’t hold him up too long. I hope he still likes me,” she said. “I would like to not lose the first set all the time and not get hit off the court. It’s nice to get through in three sets and sort of feel good and work my way into the match.” If the late start worried Federer the reigning champion didn’t let it show, looking comfortable in his 6-4 6-4 7-6 (7-4) over German contender Jan-Lennard Struff. Scheduling has been a hot topic at this year’s tournament, with some arguing the likes of Federer have been given favourable draws to avoid hot afternoon temperatures. Did you see the match last night? Do you think Barty should have apologised to Roger Federer? Have you enjoyed the Australian Open so far? Let us know in the comments.

News

Rove reflects on glory days: "Carrie owes me for her success!"

Nearly two decades after the premiere of his first national talk show Rove Live, Rove McManus has reflected on how it became such a hit and launched the careers of many Aussie talents we see on our TV screens today. "I was excited that my 10 mates could see it - that was a huge success," Rove told TV Week, adding that was his first goal for the talk show that launched on Nine Network before moving to Channel Ten. Rove Live soon became a breeding ground for Aussie talent like Carrie Bickmore, Peter Helliar and comedy duo Hamish and Andy, who all started on the weekly show. <img width="522" height="261" src="http://www.throng.co.nz/files/u4208/rove.jpg" style="user-select: none; background-position: 0px 0px, 10px 10px; background-size: 20px 20px; background-image: linear-gradient(45deg, #eeeeee 25%, transparent 25%, transparent 75%, #eeeeee 75%, #eeeeee 100%), linear-gradient(45deg, #eeeeee 25%, white 25%, white 75%, #eeeeee 75%, #eeeeee 100%); display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> These names have all gone on to great things in the intervening years and when asked if they owe him their success, Rove jokingly shot back: "Absolutely.” He added: "Of course they do. I'll be seeing Pete tonight, so I'll remind him of that!" The affable host said he fondly remembered celebrating the show’s 10th anniversary and was proud of the fact he landed many visiting international talents on the show. "We'd get stars to detour to Melbourne, because we became the show to do, which I'm really proud of," Rove says. <img width="377" height="393" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/11/22/473AA15F00000578-5168751-Launching_pad_Rove_Live_kick_started_the_career_of_household_nam-a-11_1513031603675.jpg" alt="Image result for rove live carrie and rove" class="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 0px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Rove Live kick-started the career of household names including The Project's Carrie Bickmore. Of the TV landscape today, the father-of-one, and husband to actress Tasma Walton, said he feels that there is a need for a new show dedicated to “light entertainment”. "Without pointing fingers, there are a lot of very similar shows on air at the moment," he says. "There are, of course, plenty of programs guests can turn up on, but there's no show dedicated to just that - light entertainment. And I think there's a hunger for it."

MasterChef judge owes $2.6 million after restaurant scandal

MasterChef judge George Calombaris has found himself in hot water with the Fair Work Ombudsman, after the government body ruled the celebrity chef had underpaid nearly 200 staff at his restaurants, equating to roughly $2.6 million in missing wages. 162 of the 430-person staff at Calombaris’ current restaurants, including The Press Club, Gazi and Hellenic Republic, had been underpaid over the last six years, with the television personality blaming the bungle on “historically poor processes.” Staff were reportedly not paid correct salaries and missed out on overtime entitlements entirely due to “poor processes in classifying employees,” said Calombaris. The <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/07/george-calombaris-portrait-wins-archibald-packing-room-prize/">MasterChef judge was deeply apologetic</a> when he addressed the media, saying affected employees will be back-paid an average of $16,000 each. In an email to staff, Calombaris wrote, "You, our amazing team, are the key to our success. I am so sorry we have messed up and let you down on a fundamental issue. “I am devastated by what has happened and we have been working extremely hard to fix this. I want to be clear that getting it right means ensuring that every single one of our team members is paid what they are entitled to under the industry award, and that any outstanding money owed to staff is rectified.” What’s your take on the scandal? Have you ever been to one of Calombaris’ restaurants?

News

How to cope if you owe an insurer money

Unexpectedly large insurance bills can create quite a financial strain. If you’ve lost a stream of income, are suffering from an illness or have unexpectedly large bills you may have difficulty meeting your insurer’s financial obligations. We’re going to look at how you can cope if you owe an insurer money. By tackling the issue head on in a proactive manner, you can get back in the black as soon as possible. Owing money as a direct customer This sometimes happens when people have to pay for a policy and for whatever reason can’t meet a payment. If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, it’s recommended you contact your insurer as soon as possible and discuss alternate payment options. If you fail to do so, you might find your insurer will cancel your policy, which can leave you exposed. Owing money to a third party You may also find yourself in a situation where you have a debt to an insurer you are not a customer of. Probably the most common example of this would be if you were the cause of a car accident and didn’t have a policy. In this instance, the insurer of the other vehicle may seek payment for the damage caused. If you find yourself unable to meet financial obligations, it’s essential you talk to the insurer about options that may include reducing the amount of each payment or postponing the payment until you’re in a better financial position. What else can I do? Even if you’ve tried the measures above, you may find yourself unable to meet your financial obligations. In this instance, online insurance guide <a href="http://understandinsurance.com.au/" target="_blank">Understand Insurance</a> recommends you contact a financial counsellor. Understand Insurance writes, “A financial counsellor can help you work out your options. When you call the national financial counselling hotline on1800 007 007, you will be automatically put through to the free financial counselling service in your state. Were you aware of the options if you faced financial hardship? If you’re comfortable, let us know in the comments. Related links: <a href="/finance/insurance/2016/05/have-hospital-parking-fees-become-too-high/">Have hospital parking fees become too high?</a> <a href="/finance/insurance/2016/06/10-unhealthy-habits-you-need-to-stop-now/">10 unhealthy habits you need to stop now</a> <a href="/finance/insurance/2016/06/10-foods-to-help-you-get-to-sleep/">10 foods to help you get to sleep</a>

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What to do when your friend owes you a few

Mee-ow! Grace Tame’s latest swipe at PM

Amazing audio of Cleo's rescue, plus Premier owes her a new pair of shoes

“We’re owed a refund”: Carrie Bickmore’s huge birthday blunder

“I owe my life to that dog”: Husky sniffs out owner’s ovarian cancer three times

Could you be owed $3000? Five million Aussies set to sue big banks

“We owe them”: The adorable initiative that’s helping our Aussie farmers

Why this Aussie sports star owes Roger Federer an apology

Rove reflects on glory days: "Carrie owes me for her success!"

MasterChef judge owes $2.6 million after restaurant scandal

How to cope if you owe an insurer money

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