Close
Enter your
text here

Credit Simple

Credit Simple
Lazy man yawning on couch
Why you should aim to be a ‘deadbeat’ – at least when it comes to your credit card

Are you a deadbeat? When it comes to credit cards, that’s actually a good thing. Yep, a ‘deadbeat’ is a term for someone who pays off their credit card in full and on time every month. Why a deadbeat? Well, if you pay off your card each month, the credit card company doesn’t charge you interest  –  so they won’t make any money off you. (Credit card companies also use the much more polite terms ‘non-revolver’ and ‘transactor’.) A whopping…

read more
Millennials at a festival
Stephen Koukoulas: What I would do right now, if I were a millennial

If I were a millennial today, I would strive to save and invest, and limit my extra spending for really nice to do things. It sounds obvious, but many people, young and old, don’t manage their finances well, and this sees them less well off than they should have been. Saving and investing sounds like no fun when there are so many spending choices for young people. The millennial cohort of the community are increasingly well qualified to take the high-profile and…

read more
People standing on stacks of money
What you need to know about: Personal loans vs credit cards

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…

read more
Retired couple playing video games
Two easy ways to fast-track your retirement

Let’s have a quick talk about the meaning of life. Well, maybe not the whole nine yards, but do you have moments in your cubicle when you wonder if the way you’ve got your life planned is the smartest way to go at it. What are your plans for financial security, and where do you hope to be when you retire? And how soon do you want it to happen? Here’s an unnerving thought: is it possible your plans for…

read more
Are you a victim of lifestyle inflation? Our 10 (very honest) principles will help you beat the disease

Once upon a time I used to head to the nearest bakery or fruit shop for cheap lunch. A 50c bread roll or banana was sustenance enough to keep me going until I got home to have a decent balanced meal. Bit by bit over the years my bun and fruit habit evolved into buying $10 packs of sushi when I’m caught short without a packed lunch. Why? Because like virtually every person alive I can fall into ‘lifestyle inflation’.…

read more
Good debt, bad debt. Know the difference.
Good debt, bad debt: Know the difference

Debt’s bad, right? No, it’s good. Okay, okay. It depends on the situation. Debt’s good if it has a positive effect on your financial future. It’s bad if you’re buying unnecessary stuff and falling behind financially. Good debt Debt can be an investment. But before you tell your mates you’ve ‘invested’ in a new surfboard or the best winter coat ever, read on. Good debt is something that you will make money from. Here’s how: 1. Home loans Homes go…

read more
Young, single, and on a budget? Skip the mistakes that others make

You’re young, single and on a budget. It’s hard being a ‘yadult’ sometimes. But life’s a lot more fun if you’re not stressing about the power being cut off. Take some tips from others’ mistakes and skip the ‘shoulda known better’ stage of your financial future. Here’s how: Have a spending plan. That’s a budget, but if you think of it as spending plan it doesn’t feel like a torture device. The idea is that you get a pen and…

read more
Vitaliy Podstreshniy
Five minutes with … Vitaliy Podstreshniy, Systems Developer

Vitaliy is our Systems Developer and he’s a total dev ninja. Vitaliy enjoys DIY, reading, and top-notch snacks, but draws the line at eating one of his team members. (Thanks, Vitaliy.) What does a day in the life of you at Credit Simple look like? Wake up at 6.15am. Catch a train at 7.05am. Arrive at 8am, have a coffee and a biscuit. Programme until lunch, have a lunch and a bit of walk. Programme till finish work at 5pm.     What do…

read more
Never drink your rent (and other sensible life advice)

It can be a dry old topic, personal finance, and it can sometimes inspire feelings of sadness due to one’s lack of savings, which is why I used to imagine it might be more fun to work in in banking pocketing ludicrous bonuses for throwing around other people’s money while sustaining a truly ludicrous social life possibly due to illicit substances. Unfortunately, I have since worked for a bank and I didn’t once get to roll around in piles of dosh…

read more
Parents behaving badly: How parents’ money habits can rub off on the next generation

The concept of ‘monkey see, monkey do’ is alive and well in Aussie families, and that includes when it comes to our parents’ habits with money. When parents behave badly with money, guess what their children do? As a parent, your role modelling is one of the most powerful indicators of how well your children will survive financially. Whether your children are two or 20 you can set them a better example. Don’t see money and spend it Do you see money…

read more