Author: Andrew Whelan
With interest rates being the talk of the town for the past couple of years, it’s time to dive into the age-old question: Fixed rates or variable rates? Let’s break it down and see if we’re starting to witness a fixed rate comeback. Fixed vs. Variable: What’s the Difference? Before we get into it, let’s clarify what these two types of rates are. A fixed rate is when you “lock in” your interest rate for a set term, usually between 1 to 5 years. This means your rate won’t budge, no matter what happens in the market during that term—it’s rock-solid…
You’d think loyalty pays off, right? Whether it’s frequent flyer points or your favourite café giving you a free coffee, we’re used to the idea that sticking around gets you rewarded. But when it comes to your mortgage, being loyal could actually be costing you more. That’s where The Mortgage Loyalty Tax comes in. So, what exactly is The Mortgage Loyalty Tax? It’s the sneaky difference between the interest rates that existing customers pay compared to the fresh deals offered to new borrowers. According to the latest data from the Reserve Bank of Australia, if you’ve already got a home…
Pharmacy ownership has been a wild ride over the past decade. From navigating price disclosures to battling fierce competition, and even grappling with the curveballs of a pandemic, pharmacy owners have had to embrace change to succeed. And now 2024 is well and truly underway, it’s proving to be no less of a rollercoaster. Our aim with this series of articles is to show aspiring pharmacy owners what is possible when starting from the ground floor. Article three in AP Group’s first-time pharmacy owner series travels to Tasmania’s rugged and wild west coast, where Sam Skellern is embracing his ownership…
Pharmacy ownership has been a wild ride in 2023. But the truth is, the past decade has been no less of a rollercoaster. From navigating price disclosures to battling fierce competition, and even grappling with the curveballs of a pandemic, pharmacy owners have had to embrace change to succeed. Our aim with this series of articles is to show aspiring pharmacy owners what is possible when starting from the ground floor. Article two in AP Group’s first-time pharmacy owner series delves into the journey of Tom Pham and his Sunshine West Pharmacy. Hailing from the local Sunshine area, Tom embarked…
Daily commutes and work travel were a great place for AP Group to start reducing our environmental footprint. Low hanging fruit if you will. We have taken three simple steps to help us capitalise on the many green travel options available – we don’t pretend these steps are the panacea, but they are a decent start. 1. Empowering Eco-Friendly Choices By providing free public transport passes, we make it easy for our team members to leave their cars at home, put their feet up and read a book on the train (Note – figure of speech only, you’re likely to…
Over the coming months AP Group will be unwrapping a series of articles charting the journey of some of the brave souls that have entered the world of pharmacy ownership for the first time. We’ll ask them to share the key things that helped them succeed as well as some of their harshest learnings. Article one features Joey Habak who started his pharmacy ownership journey in 2016 with the purchase of a 33% share of the then Boronia Discount Drug Store. Pharmacy ownership has been a wild ride in 2023. But the truth is, the past decade has been no…
Driving to work and commuting between appointments doesn’t need to be a smoggy affair. What if those same journeys were taken from behind the wheel of an electric vehicle – sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it. At AP Group supporting our team with the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is part of our commitment to innovation and sustainability. We are making environmentally conscious vehicle travel more accessible for our team by offering an ongoing monthly subsidy as well as access to free on-site charging. Our transition to electric vehicles (EVs) has numerous benefits compared to traditional petrol or diesel-powered vehicles such…
At AP Group, our journey to becoming carbon neutral can be summarised into three simple steps: Setting targets has been an important part of step 2 – having ambitious targets to work to has forced us to look in all corners for ways to minimise our footprint. We’re aiming for a 15% reduction in company emissions per team member by 2025 and a 30% reduction by 2030. In 2023, we made solid progress on our way to meeting our 2025 emissions reduction target of 15%, achieving a 7% reduction per team member. While we’re proud of this progress, we recognise…