How to upskill your financial know-how in 2021
Whether you are looking to switch your home loan, opt for a high interest savings account or get a fresh set of wheels with a car loan, 2021 could be the year to get more financially savvy.
So, how can you improve your money know-how this year? It’s all about what you look for when choosing your financial products.
There are three main things to consider:
- Interest
- Features
- Fees
Read on as we take a deep dive into how they work for different financial products and what you need to know about finding a good deal.
First off ... interest, interest, interest
One of the most important things to get to know when it comes to your finances is interest rates.
Many banking products have interest rates, but they don’t all work in the same way.
For loan products (like home loans, personal loans, car loans, business loans and credit cards) interest is what the bank or lender charges the customer for the money they borrow.
Whereas for deposit products (like savings accounts, term deposits and bank accounts) interest is what you, as the customer, earn on the money you put into the bank.
So to put things simply, when borrowing you want to opt for a low interest rate, and when depositing you want to opt for a high interest rate.
For more on how different interest rates work and to compare products, check out the Mozo Interest Rates page.
Throw in a handful of bonus features
With so many different financial products out there, it pays to be picky when it comes to weighing up your options.
This is where bonus features can really make the difference.
For example, some savings accounts reward customers with bonus interest when they make regular deposits and purchases. Or some accounts may have cashback offers when you first sign up.
When it comes to loans, there are a whole bunch of features to keep your eyes peeled for. These include extra repayments, redraw facilities, offset accounts, repayment frequency and more.
And for credit cards, customers can look for things like rewards, balance transfer offers, interest-free days etc.
Ultimately, you need to consider what types of features best suit your financial situation and where you can get them for the lowest possible price.
Try to dodge pesky fees
Fees are an unfortunate part of banking, but an easy way to upskill your financial know-how is to familiarise yourself on how to dodge them (or at least as many as you can).
Here are a bunch of fees you may face on your financial products:
- Upfront fees (application, establishment fee etc)
- Annual fees
- Monthly service fees
- Early repayment fees
- Late payment fees
- Transaction fees
- International fees
While it may be hard to avoid every fee, when weighing up your options take into consideration which products have less fees that others. Also remember to crunch the numbers in relation to the different fees. While a $10 monthly fee may not seem like much at first, it can add up over time and may outweigh the cost of a one-off application charge.
Want to start weighing up some savings accounts right now? Check out these options below or head over to our savings accounts comparison hub for more!
Compare savings accounts - last updated February 27, 2021
Bonus Saver Account
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
1.20% p.a. (for $0 to $250,000)0.10% p.a.(for $0 and over)Yes up to $250,000Bonus rate when at least $20 is deposited each month and five Visa Debit transactions are made each month using linked Everyday or Glide transaction accounts.
CompareCompareBonus Saver Account
Winner of a Mozo Experts Choice Award 2021 in the Regular Saver category.^ No monthly account fees and no minimum balance requirements.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- Bonus rate when at least $20 is deposited each month and five Visa Debit transactions are made each month using linked Everyday or Glide transaction accounts.
- Access
- BPay, Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
- Must link to a transaction account
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Bonus Saver Account
Serious Saver
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
0.30% p.a. (for $0 to $1,000,000)0.15% p.a.(for $0 and over)Yes up to $250,000No withdrawals in the month. Bonus rate for first 4 months, reverting to 0.15% rate after*
CompareCompareSerious Saver
$0 monthly account fee. Link to any Australian bank account.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- No withdrawals in the month. Bonus rate for first 4 months, reverting to 0.15% rate after*
- Access
- Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Serious Saver
Online Saver
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
1.10% p.a. (for $0 to $500,000)0.35% p.a.(for $0 and over)Yes up to $250,000Bonus rate for the first 4 months from account opening
CompareCompareOnline Saver
No account keeping fees. No minimum balance required. Unlimited phone and internet transactions.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- Bonus rate for the first 4 months from account opening
- Access
- Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
- Must link to a transaction account.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Online Saver
Flexi Saver
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
0.25% p.a. (for $0 to $5,000,000)0.05% p.a.(for $0 to $5,000,000)Yes up to $250,000Increase balance by at least $300 in the month
CompareCompareFlexi Saver
No upfront or ongoing fees. Unlimited free transactions. Great for regular contributions.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- Increase balance by at least $300 in the month (excluding interest)
- Access
- BPay, Branch access, Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Flexi Saver
Hero Saver
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
0.80% p.a. (for $0 to $250,001)0.01% p.a.(for $0 to $5,000,000)Yes up to $250,000Minimum deposit of $200 and no withdrawals in the month.
CompareCompareHero Saver
Interest is calculated daily and paid monthly. Automatic payment feature. No minimum opening balance needed.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- Minimum deposit of $200 and no withdrawals in the month.
- Access
- Phone banking, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $0.00
- Other restrictions
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Hero Saver
Fast Track Saver Account
Maximum rate
standard interest rate
Govt Deposit Guarantee
1.05% p.a. (for $1 to $250,000)0.05% p.a.(for $1 and over)Yes up to $250,000Ongoing bonus rate applied if in the previous month $1,000 or more is credited to the linked Day2Day Plus account and 5 eligible transactions are made by the linked account.
CompareCompareFast Track Saver Account
Earn 1.05% p.a. Bonus Interest in the following month on your Fast Track Saver Account balance. Earn Bonus Interest on your savings, with no minimum balance required.
- account fee per month
- $0.00
- Maximum rate conditions
- Ongoing bonus rate applied if in the previous month $1,000 or more is credited to the linked Day2Day Plus account and 5 eligible transactions are made by the linked account.
- Access
- BPay, Branch access, Internet banking
- Minimum balance
- $1.00
- Other restrictions
- Bonus interest rate criteria is effective from 1 February 2020.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Fast Track Saver Account
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Savings Accounts Awards
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