The Australian, Wealth: YOU’RE on holiday and haven’t got a care in the world. But at the back of your mind there is a nagging doubt. How much will I be charged for using my credit card abroad? Should I use the ATM, or would travellers’ cheques have been the best option? Will my free travel insurance cover me? These are questions that should be considered and answered in the months leading up to a big trip for the best […]
journalism
Pure-bred chocolate
From The Australian, Indulgence: The Curious Cook By Ed Charles I’M at Melbourne’s Prahran Market tasting tiny portions of dark European-style chocolate truffles on the end of cocktail sticks at Monsieur Truffe’s stall in the main hall. Some are of 74 per cent single-origin chocolate. Others contain a lower ratio of cocoa solids and are rolled in crushed nuts or flavoured with rosemary or fresh raspberries. They are M. Truffe’s bestsellers and I am capable of consuming a whole box […]
In the trenches: whisky
INTHEBLACK – In the trenches Over a thousand years ago whisky was born in Asia. Only now is it experiencing a rebirth. By Edward Charles. Chinese youths are increasingly turning away from the nation’s traditional potent spirits, known as baijiu, in favour of whisky as their alcohol of choice. In the bars and discos in Shanghai, Beijing and other cities, famous baijius like Maotai are nowhere to be found. But whisky is flowing in ever- greater volume for young party […]
Simplifying the small business tax system
From The Australian, Entrepreneur: CANBERRA IS CUTTING SOME OF THE RED TAPE TO REDUCE THE BURDEN, ED CHARLES REPORTS TAX isn’t the simplest of subjects and for many entrepreneurs or small business it is an annoyance that gets in the way of business. But now the tax office seems to be finally acknowledging that it is anything but simple. It is dropping the moniker of the Simplified Tax System in favour of the Small Business Tax System and cutting red […]
Standards important for home office
From The Australian, Entrepreneur: Ed Charles | July 27, 2007 THE home office is often thought of as an oasis outside office politics, an ideal space without interruptions, but the reality is that there might be more distractions at home. For people who have kids (or partners), their grubby mits can get over everything. Even though a home office may be stuck in the corner of a garage or family room, it is important that it is ergonomic and professional, […]
Hair essentials
From Henry (Henry Bucks’ magazine) A good shave and a haircut can leave you looking sharp and feeling great. It’s that stage in life. Things are looking a bit thin on top. And to be quite honest, the heat and the pollution on Collins Street are not helping. But Leo Di Valentino has just the thing for me: a snip, a head massage and a shave. A hairdresser Leo is not. Rather he’s a proper, old-fashioned barber. The word “barber” […]
How to build a multi-million dollar property portfolio
From The Australian, Wealth: Building a portfolio of multi-million-dollar properties is easier than you might have thought, Ed Charles writes | July 18, 2007 WHAT can be better than owning property? All you need to do is to know how to navigate the mortgage maze and have a sense of timingfor the peaks and troughs of the property market to build a multimillion-dollar portfolio, according to experts. It also takes self-discipline and nerves of steel, as you will need what […]
Multiple loans or one-lender
From The Australian, Wealth: Ed Charles | July 18, 2007 ONCE upon a time it was difficult to borrow money. The major banks required a 20 per cent deposit and some evidence of financial prudence. Now, thanks to the influx of smaller lenders known as the non-banks, it’s possible to borrow more than the value of an asset. The trouble is choosing the best product and which lender will give the best service. “Because there are so many loans, low-doc, […]
FAMILY IS A BIG BOTTLER — ANGOVE’S
The Australian, Entrepreneur: Victoria Angove continues to push her family’s heritage further, Ed Charles reports. BEING the fifth generation of family to enter a business founded in 1886 doesn’t preclude Victoria Angove from being entrepreneurial. At the age of 29 she is charged with developing the Angove’s wine company’s international markets to diversify export risk and build sales, which is like building a new company itself. That said, there are also many benefits of selling an established family business abroad. […]