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Shock horror! Why would I pay cash for things when its easier to use my credit card I hear you say! The answer is simply that – using credit is just far too easy. I read about some research in the US a few years ago that found that we spend 20% less if we pay cash instead of using credit.

Cash PIEs have been flavour of the month with a number of new funds released in recent times. So what are Cash PIEs? A portfolio investment entity (PIE) is a new type of entity (such as a managed fund) that invests the contributions from investors in different types of investments.

This is a highly debated topic in the financial community, with some people for the idea and others against it. I personally think it depends. That’s not an overly helpful answer so let's look at why...

It's been a challenging year in the investment world. We've seen collapsing finance companies, erratic currencies, falling sharemarket, a declining local property market and the Blue Chip scandal, and high interest rates.

Given property has gone up so much in the last few years I have often been asked if people should buy leasehold property because its cheaper. It's the understanding of the cheaper that needs to be considered.