the mozo blog

Champagne corks were popping at Mozo HQ this week as news that our revolutionary rewards credit card calculator, Mozo Rewards Revealer, has been named Australia’s 30th most innovative product in the Anthill Magazine SMART 100 Index.

The SMART 100 index was created by Anthill Magazine in 2008 to identify and rank Australia’s 100 most innovative products, proving to be one of the largest surveys of its kind in Australia.

Mozo’s Rewards Revealer is the only rewards card calculator on the market which enables Australian consumers to compare rewards credit cards and get an instant summary of the best and worst rewards cards for their situation, with full numerical calculations.

The common perception with rewards credit cards is that the more you spend, the more points or rewards you earn. But Rewards Revealer shows this is not the case. There are good and bad cards at each spend threshold and that no one credit card is best, so it’s important to shop around.

For instance, if you spend $14,000 a year on your credit card and are only interested in domestic flight rewards then Rewards Revealer illustrates that the Qantas American Express Discovery Card or Jeststar Mastercard are your best options (excluding platinum cards). But if you are interested in cashback cards then your best options are the Bluey Rewarder Card from Queensland Police CU or the Westpac Altitude Card.

This is the second year running that a Mozo innovation has been named in the Smart 100 index. Last year, our Health Check Tool was selected for taking the headache out of comparing home loans, credit cards, car loans and personal loans.

All development for Rewards Revealer was done by our inhouse team of web developers and data gurus. Congrats team!

Is there something on your financial mind? Or do you have some money savvy to share? Mozo has just launched its new Q&A forum, Mozo Answers, to spark up the money conversation among everyday Australians.

From savings tips, managing money to home loans and student finance, Mozo Answers is the hippest hotspot to ask, learn and share money info with other Aussies and become part of the Mozo community of clever people.

Why not test out our money gurus by asking a question now? Or if you’re ready to share your financial wisdom, why not answer these questions:

• Will the RBA move rates today, and if so, by how much? Answer before 2.30pm today and win yourself a tasty 100g bag of chocolate coins if you’re right!
• What is the best way to consolidate small debts?
• Anyone got any good tips for saving money on grocery bills?

Be warned, according to several of our early adopters Mozo Answers is extremely addictive. Stay tuned in the forum for helpful hints on how to manage this addiction and other tips for staying money savvy in 2011.

Visit our super new money Q&A forum now! Mozo Answers.

Does your bank deserve a stocking full of goodies or a lump of coal this Christmas?

Help raise money for the Starlight Children’s Foundation this festive season by telling us what you really think of your bank or credit union!

We are donating $1 for every bank review posted to Mozo in the month of December. Our plan is to raise $5000 and brighten the lives of some seriously ill kids.

With big bank CEOs playing the grinch and hiking their rates above the RBA in November, now is a great time to join in the conversation and let your bank or credit union know your opinion.

Whether your bank has been well behaved all year, or has acted like a spoiled brat, your voice can help other Australians make a more informed choice and find out the truth about bank fees, customer service, interest rates and more.

Get involved and really bring some Christmas joy to some kids in need this December!

Rate your bank for charity now!

It’s not often we toot our own horn. (You know we’re special. We know we’re special. Who needs to go on about it?) But hey, what’s the point of an accolade if you can’t share it with your friends, supporters and, yes, with your competitors…

So, to the big news. Renowned beancounters Deloitte have named Mozo ‘The Rising Star’ in the 2010 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 awards. Mozo won the award for our innovative consumer offering and strong growth potential.

Deloitte was particularly impressed by our snappy Health Check tool and market first Rewards Revealer.

“Mozo is a worthy winner of our Rising Star awards and a great example of a company introducing new technologies that empower customers by providing them with online tools  to make more informed purchase decisions than ever before. We expect continued growth in this space,” said Joshua Tanchel, Leader, Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Program.

Also cluttering the Mozo vanity mantlepiece are the 2010 Australian Web Awards (“innovation” and “for the people” finalist), ActionCOACH My Business Awards 2010 (highly commended, Best Small Business) and a place in Anthill’s Smart 100 index for our Health Check Tool .

But we couldn’t have done it without you — so snaps all round.

With all of the election buzz, it can be easy to forget some of the key issues, media blunders and budgie smugglers that came up throughout the year. Our eyes gloss over and our brains turn to mush as we are hit with empty promises and rhetoric.

In the same way, the bank earnings season kidnaps our conscious mind. Soaring profits and shareholder returns take precedence, and we begin to forget about some of the biggest rip-offs, disasters and general foul plays that banks have made over the last year.

In true Mozo fashion, we have created a quick 1 minute voting booth – where the community can vote on these real issues and remind the banks that we haven’t forgotten.

Have your say: