Financial Guides: The 'Take Control' series

The ‘Take Control’ series is produced by the Credit Union Services Corporation (Cuscal) and can assist you in understanding a range of topics from buying a car to fraud prevention. Each booklet is outlined below. You can browse these booklets and decide which ones are right for you. To download a free PDF version, simply click on any publication.

In fact, budgeting can be quite the opposite. It’s about knowing how you spend your money, so that you can afford more of the things you like. This booklet explains the basics of budgeting and saving and gives you the tools you need to get started. Take control of your money and watch your effort pay off.

This booklet outlines the basic steps of buying residential property and will help you to work out what you can afford, the best way to finance your purchase and what up-front costs you’ll need to cover. This booklet also contains a separate section tailored to the specific needs of property investors.

There are some basic steps you can follow so that you can take control and be confident that you’ve bought the car that’s right for you. This booklet has been put together to help you through the different stages of buying a car and to make the whole process simple and straightforward.

The challenge with credit is managing it – it can seem easy to get, but can be difficult to repay. It’s important to understand how credit works, if you can afford to borrow and what type of credit is right for you. This booklet has been written to explain the basics of getting and managing credit so you can take control of your finances and make credit work for you.

The aim of this booklet is to outline the basics of wealth creation so that you can take control and get started on your investment future. This booklet also covers some simple steps to make a Will and a Power of Attorney so that as you accumulate your wealth you can take control of your assets and decide what happens to them if you die or become incapacitated.

It pays to be prepared and have adequate safeguards in place, just in case hardship or tragedy occurs. This booklet has been put together to help you take control and work through the various different types of protection that you should consider for yourself, your family and your assets.