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 and home loans.
The new financial year sees some big changes, chief amongst them new interchange rate rules which mean many rewards credit cards now offer fewer points. That means shopping around for the best deal is more important than ever.
Credit Cards
Feature: 0 percent balance transfer
St.George Vertigo Platinum: 0% p.a. interest on balance transfers for 20 months This deal doesn’t include any balance transfer fee, making it one of the stronger long-term offers right now. After the 20 months, any remaining balance will attract interest at the purchase rate (currently 12.74% per annum). The annual fee is $99.
Feature: Bonus frequent flyer points
ANZ Frequent Flyer Black: 75,000 bonus Qantas Frequent Flyer Points To earn the 75,000 points, you need to spend at least $2,500 within 3 months of card approval. The annual fee for the first year is also waived (it’s normally $425, so that’s a decent saving).
Feature: Cashback offer
American Express Essential: $50 cashback for new applicants To qualify for the cashback, you need to spend $750 in the first 3 months. Interest rate on purchases is 14.99% per annum, and the card also offers smartphone screen insurance if you pay for your phone using the card.
Home Loans
Feature: Bonus rewards points
NAB Choice Package: 350,000 NAB Rewards Points To qualify for the rewards points, you must apply as a new applicant before 31 August 2017, and draw down your finance before 30 November 2017. First home buyers can also qualify for a special rate for two years if they’re borrowing more than $150,000 (if you can find a house for less than that, we’re jealous, actually).
Feature: Fixed rate home loan
Greater Bank Ultimate Fixed Rate Home Loan: Comparison rate of 4.48% per annum If you want the certainty of predictable payments, this is a competitive rate. Note that the loan is only available for properties in NSW, ACT and Queensland.
Savings Accounts
Feature: Introductory rate
St.George Maxi Saver: Bonus interest rate of 3.00% per annum for first 3 months The bonus rate applies on balances up to $5 million. The standard interest rate is 1% per annum.
Personal Loans
Feature: Car loan
loans.com.au Car Loan: Comparison rate from 5.99% per annum This secured loan is available for cars priced from $5,000 to $100,000, with 3, 4 and 5-year terms. The vehicle must be less than four years old.
Travel Insurance
Feature: Policy discount
Columbus Direct Travel Insurance: 10% off all premiums 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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