Bank Services
WHITE ELEPHANTS
Five spending cuts that will boost your savings
David Wilson How frugal are you? Presumably, you are not about to buy a yacht. Here are five more specific expenses to cut.
JUST DO IT
Littlest decisions can move mountains
Melissa Browne Saving money, like getting fit, is something many people seem to believe they'll never do.
Keeping out of the red
Penny Pryor Five key additional data fields will be collected from March 2014:
Insight
The cards that are running out of pals
Clancy Yeates Until recently, Australians seemed determined to spend more on credit cards, despite the well-known disadvantages of doing so.
SAVING
Prince Charming won't help you
Nina Hendy Women need to rid themselves of the 'Cinderella complex' and take control of their financial future.
Beat the cuts for a good return
Banks have been wooing depositors since the global financial crisis made the wholesale market an expensive place to source funds.
Loose Change
Great rate on term deposit
John Collett RaboDirect, the online savings and investments bank, last week launched a five-year term deposit with an interest rate of 7.15 per cent a year.
More bang for your buck
John Kavanagh Travellers must watch out for excessive fees and charges when exchanging currencies.
Slaves to our debt
John Collett Not all that long ago, the idea was to have the house paid off by the time retirement came around.
ING Direct Orange Everyday
John Kavanagh This daily transaction account offers fee-free banking, with bonuses and rebates designed to help you pay as little as possible.
Taking charge
Lesley Parker Debt-wary consumers are opting for the plastic that keeps repayments firmly in their minds.
Get in for your slice of pie
Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon It makes sense to join the class action against banks over so-called exception fees.
Woolies restricts payment options
John Kavanagh Customers may face extra banking fees because of a change at Woolworths checkouts.
Banks turn loan shy
Lesley Parker First-home buyers and those looking to refinance may find it increasingly difficult to secure a loan.
Apathy is not an option
Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon The longer you sit on your hands, the more the banks will happily take you for a ride.
Unsecured loans fuel profit margins
John Kavanagh Interest rates have gone up most for car loans, credit cards and personal loans.
Ambushed by card charges
Lesley Parker It pays to understand the rules governing how banks apply interest to your purchases and cash advances.
Play with a double hand
By John Kavanagh The introduction of companion credit cards will allow consumers to build rewards points faster
Revenue raiser
By Elinore Martel ATMs are now set up to deliver advertising on a large, cost-effective scale.
