Home Loans

Choosing your mortgage provider can sometimes involve as much research as locating your ideal property. After all, you wouldn’t purchase the first property you saw without looking inside, so why would you treat your mortgage this way?

Alex Ritchie -

05 Mar, 2024 -

6 min read

Home Loans

Getting your first home loan doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it sounds. With just a little preparation, you can confidently calculate how much you can afford to borrow, what support you may be able to get, and how to make an application that’s more likely to be approved by the bank.

Mark Bristow -

29 Feb, 2024 -

11 min read

Home Loans

While you’re a customer of a bank or mortgage lender, they should keep records of your home loan, including interest rates and charges, repayments and much more. You should be able to request access to these records if required, though there may be a maximum time limit for how far back you can go.

Mark Bristow -

03 Jul, 2023 -

3 min read

Personal Loans

It’s no secret that tying the knot can be an expensive proposition, with the W-word often being associated with higher than typical prices for many products and services. While you might be wedded to getting a personal loan to pay for it, it’s important to be aware of the risks involved before saying I Do to a bank or lender.

Mark Bristow -

15 Mar, 2024 -

5 min read

Personal Loans

Personal loans are available from retail banks and mutual banks, but also from specialised online-only lenders. Because these lenders often have lower ongoing costs, they may be able to offer more competitive personal loans than their big bank rivals. It’s still essential to compare personal loans before you apply, to make sure you’re making the best choice to suit your needs.

Mark Bristow -

14 Sep, 2023 -

4 min read

Personal Loans

Many banks won’t allow borrowers to use a personal loan to pay tax debts. However, it may be possible to get a loan to help cover your other expenses while you concentrate on repaying what you owe to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Mark Bristow -

21 Dec, 2023 -

3 min read

Credit Score

Shoppers find the buy now, pay later services quite attractive but before you jump in, you should know how these services work and if they impact your credit score.

Vidhu Bajaj -

15 Mar, 2024 -

5 min read

Credit Score

The frequency at which your credit score changes will depend on how often a bank, lender or service provider offers this information to credit bureaus, and how often a credit bureau assesses your individual credit history and payment behaviour. 

Eden Radford -

30 Jan, 2024 -

4 min read

Credit Score

Being mindful of your financial habits can make a big difference to how easy or hard it is to keep your credit score at the top end of the band. Here are four of the top ways to maintain or grow a good credit score:

Mark Bristow -

15 Feb, 2024 -

4 min read

Bank Accounts

Not sure what to do with your loose change and spare cash? Most banks will let you deposit change or cash into your bank account by visiting a branch and doing so in person or using a deposit ATM.

Alex Ritchie -

27 Jun, 2023 -

3 min read

Bank Accounts

In most cases, your bank withholds the amount owing for pending transactions (such as online purchases). Because the pending amount is deducted from your bank balance, you can close your bank account and the purchase will be honoured.

Peter Terlato -

29 Jun, 2023 -

3 min read

Bank Accounts

You don’t need a bank account to send or receive money through PayPal. However, you do need a bank account if you want to withdraw money from your PayPal account.

Alex Ritchie -

17 Aug, 2023 -

4 min read

Term Deposits

It’s usually possible to withdraw your money from a term deposit early if you need the cash back in your pocket. But doing so may require providing advance notice to the bank, and you may miss out on earning interest on your savings.

Alex Ritchie -

01 Sep, 2023 -

4 min read

Credit Cards

Your credit card number is the 15- or 16-digit card number printed on the front or back of the card, along with your name and the card expiry date.

Alex Ritchie -

23 May, 2023 -

4 min read

Credit Cards

Balance transfer credit cards can be an invaluable tool for cardholders hoping to work off their existing card debt. But just how long does it actually take to transfer your existing balance over to your new credit card?

Alex Ritchie -

08 Aug, 2023 -

5 min read

Credit Cards

While all credit card fraud is concerning, card skimming and phishing is becoming more rampant and harder to control. Discover how to spot and protect yourself from card skimming and phishing scams.

Alex Ritchie -

23 May, 2023 -

6 min read

Savings Accounts

Savings can provide a safety net for individuals and households during periods of financial difficulty or stress. But how much does the average Australian actually have stashed away in their savings account?

Peter Terlato -

15 Nov, 2023 -

3 min read

Savings Accounts

For a more convenient way to manage your money, many Australians choose to use online banking for their debit or savings accounts. Most financial institutions have the option for online banking and provide a safe and secure platform to allow access to your money.

RateCity -

04 Jan, 2010 -

1 min read

Savings Accounts

There are several financial institutions that provide branchless banking. It is the future of banking as more people avoid the queues and find more convenience online.

RateCity -

16 Dec, 2009 -

1 min read

Car Loans

A salary sacrifice car loan is simply another term for a novated lease, in which you purchase a vehicle using your pre-tax salary. Car salary sacrifice loans are essentially three-way contracts.

Alex Ritchie -

20 Nov, 2023 -

5 min read

Car Loans

When it comes time to purchase your first or next car, you may assume that simply taking out a loan at a car dealership is your best option. However, you could be missing out on potential savings by shopping around and comparing your options.

Alex Ritchie -

26 Oct, 2023 -

4 min read

Car Loans

If the time has come to upgrade to a new set of wheels, but your savings won’t quite cover the purchase cost, you might be weighing up your financing options.

Alex Ritchie -

06 Nov, 2023 -

5 min read

Car Insurance

Let’s explore what your insurance may cover if your car is stolen, and you might increase your chances of having your insurance claim approved. 

Alex Ritchie -

27 Oct, 2023 -

4 min read

Energy

Whether you’re trying to be more environmentally conscious, or are sick of paying through the teeth for your utilities, Australian homeowners are increasingly seeking ways to trim down their electricity and gas expenses.  

Alex Ritchie -

17 Nov, 2023 -

4 min read

Home Insurance

With more and more flooding events occurring in Australia, it’s a no-brainer to investigate whether your home insurance covers damages from floods.

Alex Ritchie -

13 Nov, 2023 -

5 min read

Home Insurance

If you’re intent on making more sustainable choices this year - this could also include your insurance provider. Two major insurers, Auto & General and Huddle, have both committed to avoiding companies in the fossil fuel sector.

Alex Ritchie -

24 Nov, 2023 -

6 min read