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Speaking Finance We are Speaking Finance. We work as finance brokers for all sorts of people, everywhere across Australia

4 You Finance Pty Ltd t/as Speaking Finance (ABN 26 609 454 882) Australian credit license holder ( #533666)

16/10/2026

Buying a vehicle for work and not sure whether it should go in your personal name or business name?

It can make a real difference to the finance structure, accounting treatment and paperwork involved, so it’s worth checking before you sign anything.

We can work alongside your accountant to help confirm the right structure and get you on the road sooner.

Also, yes… I could have filmed this in the office. But I’d clearly had a bit too much fun with AI and ended up on a horse instead. 🐴

If you would like help working through the finance structure for your next vehicle, send us a message.

14/10/2026

Debt consolidation isn’t just about turning five repayments into one.

The better question is whether the new loan actually makes life easier.

Can it reduce the overall interest rate?
Can it make the repayments more manageable?
Can it give you enough breathing room to start paying the debt down faster?

That’s where the structure matters.

A consolidation should ideally be a reset — not just the same problem wearing a different shirt. 😂

14/10/2026

DON’T BUY AN EV.

Now I’ve got your attention… unless you’ve considered the following. 👇

EV technology is moving quickly. Batteries, range, charging speeds and features keep improving. Meanwhile, some manufacturers have been cutting new-car prices.

Great news when you’re buying. Slightly less exciting when you bought yours six months ago.

You could buy a new EV today, then see the same model advertised for less — or an updated version arrive with better features at a lower price.

Your car hasn’t suddenly become worse. But the brand-new alternative just became more attractive.

And that can drag your resale value down.

This isn’t just showroom speculation. In its September 2025 market report, the Australian Automotive Dealer Association identified new-EV discounts flowing through to lower second-hand prices.

So, before signing:

🔹 THINK BEYOND THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS.

If you’re buying new, consider keeping it longer. That won’t prevent depreciation, but it gives you more years of use before selling.

🔹 CONSIDER BUYING USED.

The previous owner may have absorbed a sizeable initial drop. And used doesn’t automatically mean a tired battery: Pickles’ Q3 2026 report says more than 2,500 EVs it tested averaged 96% battery health.

That’s a sample average — get a report on the actual car you’re buying, check its remaining warranty and confirm recall work is complete.

🔹 WORK OUT WHERE YOU’LL CHARGE.

Home charging and regular public fast charging can produce very different running costs. Use your actual tariffs and driving habits.

🔹 CHECK YOUR EXIT MATHS.

Before your loan or lease ends, get current valuations and compare them with your payout or residual, including applicable GST.

A balloon payment is an amount you owe. It isn’t a promise of what the car will be worth.

An EV could be a great fit. Just give the ownership costs and exit plan as much attention as the touchscreen.

We make finance black and white.

General information only. Vehicle values, battery condition and finance suitability vary.

Thinking about financing your next car? Let’s talk through the numbers:

14/10/2026

What’s a balloon payment—and is it the same as a residual? 🎈

They’re terms people often use interchangeably—like “thongs” in Australia and “flip-flops” in America.

Same basic idea, very different reaction if you use the wrong term in the wrong country. 😂

Both generally refer to an amount left owing at the end of the finance term.

A balloon can reduce your regular repayments, but the amount is like an interest-only portion of the loan: it remains owing, accrues interest and doesn’t reduce with your regular repayments.

At the end, you’ll generally need to:

💰 Pay it out
🚗 Sell or trade the vehicle
🔄 Refinance it, subject to approval

A balloon may help with cash flow—but it can increase the total interest paid, and you need a realistic plan for the final payment.

It shouldn’t simply be used to make an otherwise unaffordable vehicle look affordable.

Want to compare options with and without a balloon? Contact the Speaking Finance team.

*General information only—not personal financial advice. Terms, conditions and lender approval apply.*

13/10/2026

“WE HAD 17% INTEREST RATES!” Yes, Graham. We’ve heard. You’ve been telling us at every barbecue since 1993. And every time someone points out that houses now cost considerably more relative to wages, you bring out the 17% argument like it’s a Victoria Cross. Nobody’s denying those rates hurt. But a high interest rate on a relatively small mortgage is not automatically worse than a moderate interest rate on a mortgage roughly the size of a small nation’s defence budget.

Here’s a revolutionary concept: the amount you borrow matters just as much as the interest rate. So does your income, the deposit required, how much you spend just keeping the lights on, and whether you need two people working full-time to service the debt. You can’t compare two completely different economic periods by picking the one number that makes your generation look like financial Navy SEALs.

And before someone starts typing “just stop buying smashed avocado”, perhaps consider that skipping a $25 breakfast once a week saves $1,300 a year. At that rate, you’ll have your $150,000 deposit sorted in a little over 115 years. Assuming you don’t spend any of it, property prices don’t move and you’re planning to attend your first home inspection shortly after your 140th birthday.

12/10/2026

What does a finance broker actually do?

Hopefully a bit more than just send an application to a lender. 😂

A good broker should understand what you’re trying to achieve, compare suitable lender options and help you avoid applying in places that were never a good fit to begin with.

One bank can only show you its own products. A broker can look across different lenders and policies and help make sense of the options.

That’s the job in plain English. 👊

11/10/2026

If you're starting to struggle with repayments…

don't be afraid to call your lender.

A lot of people imagine that conversation going something like:

‘Hi, I'm struggling.’

Lender:

‘Excellent. Release the hounds.’ 😂

Reality is usually very different.

Lenders can often be much more helpful than people expect, particularly when you communicate early.

The worst approach is often avoiding the calls, ignoring the emails and hoping everything magically fixes itself.

But there is one really important distinction.

Talking to your lender about what's happening does not automatically mean you've entered into a formal hardship arrangement.

If formal hardship assistance is being discussed, make sure you understand exactly what is being proposed.

Ask:

👉 Is this a formal hardship arrangement?
👉 What happens to my repayments?
👉 Will interest continue?
👉 Is the arrangement temporary?
👉 What happens when it finishes?
👉 How will this appear on my credit report?
👉 Are there other options?

Formal hardship assistance can absolutely be the right option in some circumstances.

The point isn't:

‘Never enter hardship.’

It's:

Talk early. Ask questions. Understand the consequences. Then make an informed decision.

There's no prize for struggling quietly.

Debt Carousel Tip #5 of 5

Debt consolidation can help someone get off the carousel.

The next challenge is trying not to buy another ticket. 🎠

08/10/2026

“I’m a business owner. Should I buy my vehicle personally or through my business?”

Don’t ask me.

Well—you can ask me, but I’m going to tell you to ask your accountant. 😂

Before calling them, make sure you can answer:

🚗 What type of vehicle is it?
⚡ Petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric?
🆕 New or used?
💼 How will it be used?
📊 What percentage will be business use?
🧾 Is the business registered for GST?
👤 Who will own and operate it?

Your accountant can recommend the appropriate ownership structure based on your circumstances.

Once that’s sorted, the Speaking Finance team can help you explore the finance options.

Get the structure right before buying—not after sending your accountant a photo of the new ute captioned, “Can I claim this?” 😂

*General information only and not tax or financial advice. Speak with a qualified accountant about your circumstances.*

07/10/2026

I'm not a huge believer in financial plans that rely entirely on willpower.

Because willpower has competition.

Uber Eats exists. 😂

So after consolidating debt, one simple option is to automate as much as possible.

Pay hits the account?

Consider having money move automatically:

💰 Some into savings
🏠 Some into a bills account
💳 Repayments covered
🚗 Regular expenses separated

Then what's left is a much better indication of what you actually have available to spend.

This isn't revolutionary.

That's exactly why I like it.

You shouldn't need three spreadsheets and the discipline of an Olympic athlete just to manage your money every week.

Set up the system.

Let it do the boring work.

Adjust it when life changes.

Sometimes the best financial habit isn't developing more willpower.

It's needing less of it.

Debt Carousel Tip #4 of 5

Next is probably the most important one:

If things start going wrong again…

pick up the phone.

05/10/2026

Do I need to buy my car from a dealership—or can I buy privately? 🚗

The short answer is: most vehicles purchased privately can be financed.

Buying privately can often mean:

✅ A better price
✅ More room to negotiate
✅ More vehicles to choose from
✅ Speaking directly with the owner about the car’s history
✅ Less dealership pressure and fewer expensive upsells—like floor mats and paint protection with plenty of extra dollar signs attached

Warranties may also be available and included in the finance when purchasing privately.

Just remember to arrange a mechanical inspection, check the vehicle’s history and complete a PPSR search.

Thinking about buying privately? Contact the Speaking Finance team before committing so we can explain the process and what the lender may require.

Address

3/213 Hyde Street
Melbourne, VIC
3013

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61390750050

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