In our monthly Ratehacker round-up, Jeremy Cabral from comparison site finder.com.au highlights the latest credit card deals, along with the best savings accounts, home loans and insurance deals.
Money picture from Shutterstock
The new financial year has begun! That’s a great reason to take stock of your money situation and hunt down better deals. From calculating your potential tax refund to shifting yourself onto a more affordable credit card, there are plenty of steps you can take to firm up your financial future.
Credit Cards
Feature: 0 percent balance transfer
Virgin Australia Velocity Flyer Card: 0% per annum on balance transfers for 18 months As well as offering a long-term balance transfer deal, you can earn 2 bonus Velocity Points for every dollar spent in your first three months. You can also score a $129 Virgin Australia gift voucher.
Feature: Low interest rate
Coles Low Rate MasterCard: 9.99% per annum interest rate The interest rate on this card is competitive, and the $49 annual fee makes it an affordable option if you want a low-interest deal. There is also a 6-month 0% balance transfer offer.
Feature: 0% foreign fees
ANZ Rewards Travel Adventures Card: Includes a free domestic flight with Virgin Australia There are no foreign currency conversion fees with this card, which is handy both for overseas travel and for online shopping. If you spend $500 on the card in the first three months, you’ll get a free domestic flight. The card offers both Visa and MasterCard access.
Home Loans
The Reserve Bank kept the official cash rate unchanged this month, but it’s widely expected that there may be a further fall in August. That said, rates are still at very low levels, and any variable rate loan will potentially benefit from further cuts.
Feature: Variable rate home loan
UBank UHomeLoan Standard Variable Rate Value Offer: 3.74% per annum with no application or ongoing fees either With no fees and a super-low interest rate, this continues to be one of the most competitive variable-rate loans on the market right now. You’ll need a 20% deposit to qualify, and it’s only available to owner-occupiers.
Feature: Five-year fixed rate loan
Greater Bank Great Rate Home Loan: 4.31% per annum comparison rate If you’d like your interest rate locked in long-term for predictable payments, this loan could suit. It’s only available to owner-occupiers and the minimum amount is $150,000.
Savings Accounts
Feature: High maximum variable interest rate
ME Online Savings Account: 3.35% per annum variable rate To score the maximum variable rate, you need to link to an ME Everday Transaction account and make a purchase each week using a tap & go Debit MasterCard. If you don’t, the rate is a less pleasing 1.55% per annum.
Transaction Accounts
Feature: Cashback on PayWave purchases
ING DIRECT Orange Everyday Account: 2% cash back on Visa payWave purchases To qualify for the cashback, you need to deposit at least $1,000 into the account each month. The cash back applies to transactions under $100 in Australia. If you meet the $1,000 deposit condition, you also won’t pay fees for any ATM usage in Australia.
Personal Loans
Feature: Fixed rate new car loan
Beyond Bank Low Rate Car Loan: Rate from 6.74% per annum This loan is available for vehicles that are new or less than two years old. The application fee is $150, and the minimum amount is $25,000. There are no early repayment fees.
Feature: Short-term loan
Credit24 Personal Loans: Borrow up to $1,750 for 1-12 months Interest on this short-term loans is charged at between 10% and 15% of the loan, plus 4% of the loan amount monthly. You must be employed and have a good credit history to apply.
Travel Insurance
Feature: Policy discount
InsureandGo Travel Insurance: 10% off policies Score a discount on your travel insurance with this finder.com.au exclusive coupon.
Jeremy Cabral is the Publisher at finder.com.au and finder.com which includes tools to compare credit cards, find savings accounts and pick the best mobile phone plans, and a constantly updated database of discounts and coupon codes. Connect with Jeremy on Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+.
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