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

There are lenders that offer home loans with no upfront or ongoing fees. However, to be eligible for a no fee home loan you may have to meet certain requirements and could still incur fees if you break the terms of the mortgage contract.

Peter Terlato -

27 Jun, 2023 -

9 min read

Home Loans

Enlisting the help of a mortgage broker during your home buying journey can be advantageous in a number of ways. But will it leave you out of pocket?

Alex Ritchie -

31 Jul, 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

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

Credit Score

Food delivery services can feel like a life saver when the fridge is bare or you’re simply lacking motivation to cook, but can frequent use affect your credit score?

Georgia Brown -

10 Jun, 2023 -

3 min read

Home Insurance

Many apartments are already covered by strata insurance, so you may not need to apply for a traditional home insurance policy to cover damage to the property. However, strata insurance may not always offer the cover you need. If you’re one of the 10% of Australians who live in apartments, it could be worth comparing contents insurance policies and other options.

Mark Bristow -

26 Apr, 2024 -

4 min read

Home Insurance

There are many reasons why you might choose to switch home insurance. You might be looking to save money with a new provider, seeking more comprehensive cover, or looking for a better customer service experience.

Mark Bristow -

16 Feb, 2024 -

3 min read

Home Insurance

It’s important to determine the exact amount you’ll need to be insured for to cover potential losses. Understanding the nuances of home insurance can help ensure your property and possessions are adequately protected without overpaying. 

Mark Bristow -

19 Feb, 2024 -

6 min read

bnpl

Zip Co, which offers Zip Money, and Afterpay are two of the more popular Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) service providers but their fees, lending criteria, and repayment terms vary.

Vidhu Bajaj -

19 Jul, 2023 -

5 min read

bnpl

PayPal Pay in 4 is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service available to PayPal users for breaking down their shopping into smaller, interest-free instalments payable over six weeks. Unlike other BNPL services like Afterpay, Pay in 4 doesn't charge any late fees to users on missing a repayment, but it can report the default to credit bureaus.

Vidhu Bajaj -

04 Jul, 2023 -

6 min read

bnpl

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) platforms allow paying for your purchases using an app and repay the amount in affordable instalments over time.

Vidhu Bajaj -

14 Jun, 2023 -

8 min read

Credit Cards

Credit cards: Fees, fees and more fees

Credit Cards

Whether you’re struggling financially, or just running a fiscal health check in preparation for the new financial year, you may be considering whether your credit card is still the best tool to make payments, or if you should switch to other methods, such as Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services like Afterpay.

Alex Ritchie -

30 May, 2023 -

8 min read

Credit Cards

Being a responsible credit card holder requires you to read the fine print and familiarise yourself with common credit card traps. Here are the common credit card traps that can turn your spending into bad debt.

Alex Ritchie -

04 Aug, 2023 -

4 min read

Bank Accounts

ATM fees are the fees that consumers pay for withdrawing cash from their transaction accounts or even asking for a balance enquiry via an ATM.

RateCity -

09 Sep, 2010 -

2 min read

Bank Accounts

Find accounts with no ATM fees for withdrawals at foreign ATMs. RateCity compares the best of everyday accounts across Australia.

Bank Accounts

How transaction fees work

Laine Gordon -

12 Nov, 2008 -

4 min read

Savings Accounts

Bye Bye Savings Account Fees?

Laine Gordon -

04 Nov, 2009 -

3 min read

Savings Accounts

Banks may not charge you a savings account opening fee, but they may charge other fees. So, it may be a good idea to compare the fees charged by different banks.

Jodie Humphries -

18 Nov, 2022 -

3 min read

Savings Accounts

Over time we have become accustomed to fees so we don't take them into consideration like we should. But fees should not be overlooked when starting a savings account because after all, what's the point of depositing your cash if your interest is eaten up by fees? This is why you should hunt down a no fee savings account.

RateCity -

08 Nov, 2011 -

3 min read

Personal Loans

Your personal loan repayments will drop with a new, lower interest rate. However, you will typically need to negotiate or refinance for a lower interest rate, as a personal loan rate may not fluctuate with the RBA's cash rate. 

Alex Ritchie -

18 Sep, 2023 -

5 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

Superannuation

How much of your superannuation balance is lost to super fees? One percent? Five percent? Maybe even 10 percent? Try closer to a quarter.

Superannuation

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) reviewed fee disclosure practices in the superannuation industry last year, and the results weren't pretty.

Laine Gordon -

27 Feb, 2015 -

3 min read

Car Insurance

Your quote for a car insurance policy may suggest an annual premium. Still, most insurers also accept a monthly car insurance payment, often at no extra cost.

Alex Ritchie -

10 Aug, 2023 -

4 min read

Car Insurance

As a learner driver, it’s important to make sure you’re insured, even if it’s through someone else’s policy. Driving an uninsured vehicle is against the law, and there are serious consequences if you get into an accident.

Mark Bristow -

11 Aug, 2023 -

4 min read

Car Loans

Before you buy a new set of wheels, it helps to explore your financing options and choose the right type of car loan to get the maximum value out of the deal. Unfortunately, there's no formula to decide which car loan is the best for you, but learning more about the available options can help you make an informed choice. 

Vidhu Bajaj -

12 May, 2023 -

4 min read

Car Loans

Ready to join the electric revolution? Upgrading from your petrol-powered car to an electric vehicle (EV) may seem daunting, but it may be worth it in the end when it comes to saving on fuel, as well as the positive environmental impact. Getting an idea of how much you’ll be expected to pay for an electric car is essential when it comes to working out a budget and sourcing vehicle finance.

Mark Bristow -

20 Oct, 2023 -

5 min read