In this day and age everywhere we turn there is a new “special credit card offer” advertised online, on the TV, in the newspaper or on the radio. With so many credit card specials to choose from it can be a daunting task trying to pick the right credit card for you. Here are a few pointers in looking for a quality, low fee, low maintenance credit card that will not hit you in the back pocket with nasty surprises ….Comparison is the key to getting the right credit card.

Compare Interest Rates – Each bank or corporation have there “go to” credit card with a low interest rate, usually around 10% to 12% p.a. on purchases. So shop around and compare the lowest interest rate credit cards in offer for Australia.

Check out for special offers – Take advantage of special credit card offers. Many credit card providers will come out with special limited time only features on certain credit cards. Find out about these offers and compare the best credit card promotions available to you.

Have a look at the credit card fine print – Where many people go wrong is by not reading the fine print with their credit card contract. Even though the top credit card providers in Australia will offer special deals with low interest and low balance transfers you have to be careful. Some credit card companies will try and compensate with hidden fees and tricks. For example with most 0% balance transfer offers for 6 months if you do not pay off the amount in the specified time the outstanding balance will go to the cash advance interest rate which can be upwards of 20% p.a. So be sure to compare the fine print with credit card contracts and examine the hidden fees and costs associated with everyday credit card use.

Conclusion – If you do your homework an compare interest rates, costs and fees, special offers an read the fine print you will be able to find a credit card that is right for you and possibly save thousands off your credit card bill. Compare and save yourself from a bad credit card experience.

With the rising Australian interest rates we have seen a continual change in the rates of Australia credit cards. So what do the banks do when the Reserve Bank of Australia raises the interest rate?

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Recently the Reserve Bank of Australia raised interest rates a quarter of a percent. This has had a significant affect on Australian families with increased mortgage repayments. Along with increased mortgage repayments comes also increased percentage rates on credit cards.

The major banks in Australia will sometimes increase your credit card interest rate when there is a rate rise. For example over the past few years  large banks have placed an increase on all of their credit cards. The average rise being half a percent. The moral of the story is to check the interest rate on your current credit card to see if there has been a rate rise from your original contract.

Many Australians do not know about their increased percentage rate on their current credit card and as a result are unaware of the increased monthly repayments. So to avoid a nasty surprise on your credit card bill do some research and find out about your current interest rate. If you are not happy with your situation then shop around for another credit card deal that offers a 0% balance transfer.

Reward Credit Cards in Review

At the moment Australia is seeing more and more reward credit card offers than ever before. With all the offers out there it can be easy to get lost in the reward card maze. When deciding on a rewards credit card there a few little tips you can use to help you find the best one and avoid being trapped to a bad credit card deal.

Read the Fine Print

I know that you have heard this a million times but how many of you out there have actually read the fine print of your current credit card. The answer is very few. Reading the fine print on a credit card deal can save you money and headaches further down the track. So when choosing your next rewards credit card be sure to scroll through the fine print and examine all the pertinent facts before signing up.

How Much is the Annual Fee?

Some credit card providers will charge as much as $90 for an annual fee. Especially with frequent flyer credit card membership programs. If it took you three years to save up for a free flight then that would equate to $270 in annual fee charges. With this amount you could pay for a discount airfare within Australia. So the moral of the story is to check out the annual fee and see if it is worth the benefits you will received from your rewards program.

When Do Your Points Expire?

With this topic we can revert back to the first point….Read the fine print. Find out when your points will expire. There have been many cases where Australians have been working hard to save up their rewards points only to find that they have expired by the time they have gone to redeem them. So once again read the fine print and be sure to understand the fundamentals of the credit card providers reward program.

Does Your Reward Card Have a Cap?

A rewards credit card program cap means that credit card providers can sometimes place a limit on the amount rewards you can earn in a one year period. Be sure to find out if a rewards credit card places a cap on points and find out what that cap is.

There you have it, a few tips in deciding what rewards credit card to choose. Check out our rewards page for the latest offers in reward credit cards for Australia.