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Credit Simple

People standing on stacks of money
Personal loans vs credit cards. What you need to know.

A personal loan is about as straightforward as it gets when it comes to borrowing money. It can help you pay for something special like a car, holiday or home renovations, or to consolidate debt. With a personal loan, you borrow a specific amount and you make regular payments until it’s paid (along with the interest), usually one to five years. And for a long time personal loans have been in the shadow of credit cards. That’s because credit cards…

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Does it pay to be a loyal customer?

You don’t get much in this life unless you ask. That’s definitely the case with your bank, your insurance company and utility companies. There’s a lot of money to be made there. And if we’re lazy, companies can maximise their profits. Don’t let that be you. By playing hard to get, or by ‘rate tarting’ (that’s shopping around for a better rate), you can have your loyalty rewarded. Understand your spending Before you storm into your bank or phone your…

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Eight ways to waste your money

We all throw money down the gurgler. But some people have far higher chances of getting a Darwin Award for stupidity by paying too much idiot tax than others. Stop wasting your hard-earned money in these pointless ways: Lottery tax So you think you’re going to get rich quick? If you’re convinced you’re going to win you’ve succumbed to gamblers’ irrationality. Why not be happier with what you’ve got in life already and save that money for your future? If…

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Funding your first set of wheels
Funding your first set of wheels – what you need to know before getting a car loan

Buying yourself a set of wheels is expensive. If you’ve saved the cash to buy the car, that’s great. But realistically, most young people have to borrow money to buy a car. If that’s you, brush up on a few things before you sign on the dotted line. Save Saving up and paying cash is the cheapest way to buy a car. Ask around and you’ll find friends who have done it. Surprising, huh? Downgrade your expectations We know you…

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Six New Year’s resolutions to boost your credit health in 2019

Staying on top of your credit report regularly is good practice to keep yourself updated on how you manage your financial responsibilities. But what happens if your credit history isn’t as clean as you want it to be? When it comes to first impressions, the information contained on your credit report can have a massive impact on your future applications for credit. Here are some tips to improve your credit score and take the right steps towards financial responsibility in…

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How to turn your New Year’s resolutions into results!

For most of us, the New Year is a popular time to set personal goals and look back on the what we’ve achieved in the last 12 months. But with all the goodwill in the world, it can be hard to turn resolutions into results. People who study behaviour for a living reckon that for a resolution to actually work, it needs to tick five boxes. Happily, the five boxes spell “SMART,” making them not just easy to remember but…

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Credit cards: What is a Low-interest or balance transfer credit card

How credit card balance transfers work If you find yourself in credit card debt, paying a huge amount of interest every month and never making any reduction in the balance because it’s all going in interest, a balance transfer could be your way out. In a way you would be paying off your credit cards with another credit card, but the crucial difference is that the new credit card may come with an interest rate holiday. (After a basic card?…

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Colourful cards on pale backdrop
What you need to know about balance transfer credit cards

A friend called me the other day in a panic because he suddenly realised he owed more than $2,000 on his credit card and had no way of paying it off in a reasonable fashion. “You work in finance,” he said, “what am I supposed to do now?” First I made him do the calculations to see how much interest he would pay on that $2,000. He’d blown it on dinners, drinks, and a new smartphone he didn’t need, and…

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What exactly is in your credit file?

Australians are making credit card purchases now more than ever. In 2017, there were over 16 million credit cards in Australia, and Australians spent a total of $315.6 billion using credit cards. Needless to say, credit is a popular topic. However, it’s also something many Australians stress about regularly. Understanding what information is in a credit file can answer many questions related to credit woes, and Credit Simple is here to help. The good That’s right—there can be positive information…

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How to: be more disciplined with credit cards

If you’re considering opening a new credit card, you may worry you’ll overspend and get yourself into trouble. And understandably so – the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that the average household debt in Australia is $168,600, and the most common form of debt is credit card debt. So how can you use a credit card responsibly? Let’s look at the best ways to stay disciplined. Think of your credit card as a debit card A great way to stay…

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