Ratehacker: January’s Best Credit Card, Savings Account And Home Loan Deals

In our monthly Ratehacker round-up, Jeremy Cabral from comparison site finder.com.au highlights the latest credit card deals, plus the best savings accounts, home loans and personal loans.

When we make New Year’s resolutions, improving our finances is often top of the list. There are plenty of good credit card deals to help you clear your debt, but home loan hunters will need to dig a little deeper with many financial institutions lifting their rates. Let’s dive into the deals.

Credit Cards

Feature: 0 percent balance transfer

Westpac Low Rate Balance Transfer: 0% p.a. for 24 months on transferred balances Late December saw a number of 24-month balance transfer offers hit the market, which is welcome news for those looking to pay off credit card debt; typically, these deals max out at 18 months, and 12 months is usually more common. Of these, the Westpac deal stands out because of the low revert rate (13.49%) if you don’t pay out the transferred balance within 24 months. Note that there is a one-time 2% balance transfer fee on the card, and you won’t be eligible if you already bank with Westpac or one of its subsidiaries (Bank of Melbourne, St.George or BankSA).

Feature: No annual fee credit card

American Express Essential Credit Card Review: $0 annual fee and smartphone insurance This card has a 14.99% p.a. rate on purchases, and can be used with Android Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. It also includes an optional balance transfer offer for 12 months (with a 1% transfer fee), and up to $500 in smartphone screen insurance (capped at two repairs in a 12-month period).

Feature: 0% foreign fees

Bankwest Zero Platinum MasterCard: No foreign transaction fees for online or overseas purchases If you regularly shop online or you’re planning a holiday, cutting out foreign transaction fees can represent a major saving. This card has no annual fee, which makes it an affordable option. The purchase rate is 17.99% per annum.

Home Loans

Feature: Variable rate home loan

State Custodians Standard Variable Spring Special Home Loan: 3.59% per annum variable rate With an effective comparison rate of 3.92% per annum, this is one of the lowest rate deals on the market right now. To qualify for the rate, you’ll need at least a 20% deposit. The loan includes a 100% offset feature with redraw.

Feature: Investment home loan

Greater Bank Ultimate Fixed Rate Home Loan: 3.69% per annum fixed rate for first year This loan is available for investors in NSW, Queensland and the ACT, and offers a comparison rate of 4.56% per annum.

Savings Accounts

Feature: High bonus interest rate

ME Online Savings Account: 3.05% per annum interest rate To qualify for the higher rate, you need to link the account to an ME Everday account and make a tap and go purchase once a week (no great strain, that). If that doesn’t happen, the rate reverts to 1.30% per annum.

Transaction Accounts

Feature: Earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points

Bankwest Qantas Transaction Account: Earn 12 points each month for every $100 in your account You also earn 5 points each time you make a debit Mastercard transaction, and 5 points any time you make a withdrawal from an overseas ATM. There are no fees on the account provided you deposit at least $2,000 each month.

Personal Loans

Feature: Unsecured personal loan

NOW Finance Unsecured Personal Loan: Fixed rate loans starting from 9.95% per annum You can borrow between $4,000 and $40,000 with this loan. Loan term is between 18 months and 7 years.

Travel Insurance

Feature: Policy discount

Columbus Direct Travel Insurance: 10% off all policies Receive a discount on your travel insurance with this finder.com.au exclusive coupon.

Jeremy Cabral is the Global Head of Publishing for finder.com.au which includes tools to compare credit cards, find savings accounts, energy deals, mobile & broadband plans, and a constantly updated database of discounts and coupon codes. Connect with Jeremy on Twitter, Medium and LinkedIn.


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