Could a personal loan save you from Christmas credit card interest?

By Ben Tosi · · 2 min read
Fact Checked
Advertiser disclosure

Congratulations, you’ve managed to get all of the gifts under the Christmas tree and the fridge is fully stocked, but after a frantic December, are you a little hesitant to take a peek at your credit card statement?

If that is the case, you can take some solace from that fact that you’re not alone. In fact, Aussies are likely to whack about $29 billion worth of Chrissy expenditure on their credit cards throughout December - that’s almost $4,000 per household.

With credit card interest rated as the fourth biggest money drain on Aussie households, the cost of Christmas could continue well into the new year for those unable to pay off their balance in full at the end of the December statement cycle.

RELATED: Personal loans on the up ahead of Christmas

And while taking out another loan might seem like the last thing you want to do, SocietyOne’s Maria Loyez insists that using a personal loan to consolidate your debt is a smart strategy to manage repayments and avoid the pricey purchase rates on a lot of plastics.

“If you have multiple credit cards or loans, this can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest which could be better used towards your goals,” she said.

“Consolidating your debt into a fixed-term personal loan, with lower interest rates than credit cards, can be a good option to reduce interest and allow you to plan ahead with manageable monthly payments.”

RELATED: Want your own rooftop solar system? A green personal loan could be the answer

If the idea of grouping all of your Christmas debt into one, low-interest loan sounds attractive to you, check out a bunch of popular options below or to find out what your repayments would look like use Mozo’s personal loan repayments calculator.

Popping personal loans

Mozo may receive payment if you click products on our site. We don’t compare the entire market, but you can search our database of 234 personal loans.
Last updated 22 November 2024 Important disclosures and comparison rate warning*
  • Debt Consolidation Loan

    $5,000-$75,000

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    6.57% p.a.to 18.99% p.a.
    7.19% p.a.to 19.39% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Competitive fixed rates on loans up to $75,000 depending on your credit score. Zero monthly account keeping fees, no exit fees and no early repayment fees. Make weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments, over 1 to 7 years managed entirely online, at any time. Fast and easy, 100% online application.

    Repayment terms from 1 year to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.57% would cost $35,528.12 including fees.

    Compare
    Go to site
    Details
  • Unsecured Personal Loan

    Fixed

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    6.75% p.a.to 26.95% p.a.
    6.75% p.a.to 26.95% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Borrow up to $50,000 unsecured. Perfect if you earn more than $22,100 p.a. and have good to excellent credit. Multi-year winner of Mozo’s Experts Choice Unsecured Personal Loan Award, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024^'

    Repayment terms from 2 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.75% would cost $35,430.23 including fees.

    Compare
    Go to site
    Details
  • Low Rate Personal Loan

    Excellent Credit, $5,000 - $75,000

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    6.57% p.a.to 8.39% p.a.
    7.19% p.a.to 8.75% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Competitive low rates for borrowers with excellent credit on 1-7 year loans from $5,000 up to $75,000, plus free extra repayments. Winner of Mozo's Experts Choice Excellent Credit Unsecured Personal Loan 2024 and Excellent Credit Secured Personal Loan 2024 awards ^. Min. income of 25k after tax, to apply.

    Repayment terms from 1 year to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.57% would cost $35,528.12 including fees.

    Compare
    Go to site
    Details
  • Unsecured Personal Loan

    Fixed

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    5.76% p.a.to 24.03% p.a.
    6.55% p.a.to 24.98% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Fast, easy and 100% online, this is a low cost loan with no ongoing fees or extra repayment penalties. It's perfect for savvy borrowers with great credit. If you’re over 18 and earn above $30,000, you could qualify (other eligibility criteria may apply).

    Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 5.76% would cost $35,173.52 including fees.

    Compare
    Find out more
    Details
  • Debt Consolidation Loan

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    5.76% p.a.to 24.03% p.a.
    6.57% p.a.to 24.99% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Roll multiple debts into one loan to streamline your finances with one set of repayments and one interest rate. Competitive fixed interest rates with no monthly or early repayment fees and flexible repayment options. Easy online application and funding in as little as 24 hours (subject to approval).

    Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 5.76% would cost $35,173.52 including fees.

    Compare
    Find out more
    Details

The pros and cons of personal loan debt consolidation

Pros

  • Typically lower interest rates than on a credit card
  • One, easy-to-manage loan
  • Ability to go with a fixed rate, meaning you know what your repayments will look like for each instalment
  • Unsecured loans available, meaning you won’t have to offer any collateral

Cons

  • Pricey upfront cost to take out the loan
  • Minimum loan term, meaning you’re unable to pay off the balance and close the loan early

* WARNING: The Comparison Rate combines the lender's interest rate, fees and charges into a single rate to show the true cost of a personal loan. The comparison rates displayed are calculated based on a loan of $30,000 for a term of 5 years or a loan of $10,000 for a term of 3 years as indicated, based on monthly principal and interest repayments, on a secured basis for secured loans and an unsecured basis for unsecured loans. This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan.

^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Personal Loan Awards

Mozo provides general product information. We don't consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and we aren't recommending any specific product to you. You should make your own decision after reading the PDS or offer documentation, or seeking independent advice.

While we pride ourselves on covering a wide range of products, we don't cover every product in the market. If you decide to apply for a product through our website, you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product and not with Mozo.

Compare personal loans