Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services offer you the flexibility to purchase what you want when you want it. BNPL providers, as the name suggests, let you pay in easy instalments. We can think of BNPL as today’s layby, as it essentially offers you the same ease as layby. Some BNPL providers include: Afterpay Brighte Bundll Fupay Humm Klarna LatitudePay Openpay PayPal Payright Zip Money Zip Pay Many major banks have also introduced BNPL products, which make the product you always wanted a bit more affordable. While BNPL services have their advantages, they can also put you in a spot of bother if ..read more

The start of the year is the perfect time to take charge of your finances and set financial goals. When it comes to managing credit, there are some really easy and effective ways to get the most out of your credit by using Credit Simple. 1. Check your credit score Many people don’t think about their credit score until they’re ready to apply for a loan or credit card. However, if you have a lower-than-expected score when you do apply, it could mean the difference between getting a suitable offer, or having to wait another six months to reapply. Don’t let this happen! Log in to Credit Simple no ..read more

Christmas can bring a lot of joy, as well as a lot of budgeting challenges. And with recent rising inflation and interest rates, this holiday season could be one of the trickiest to budget yet. Many of us may need to cut back on our Christmas spending this year to avoid ending up with debts that could take until Christmas next year to pay off. However, you can reduce your Christmas budget costs and still have a holiday full of festive cheer. Cheer that includes knowing that this season’s “ho ho ho” won’t become an “oh no no no” when your bills arrive in the new year. Here are six tips to hel ..read more

With the Australian Open now upon us, it’s a great reminder to keep your eyes on the prize (or finances), whatever your financial goals may be. Whatever form of credit you are looking to apply for, be it a credit card, personal loan, mortgage or a line of credit, you can smash your perfect serve by checking your credit score first with Credit Simple. Match preparation: How to check your credit score Simply log in to Credit Simple to check your credit score. It’s absolutely free and won’t affect your credit rating. Check Credit Score > Line ball! What is affecting your game? Is your credit ..read more

Your credit report provides lenders a detailed view of your credit history. It includes the type of credit you applied for, the name of the lenders you’ve applied to and other information such as your repayment history. Credit reporting has recently changed From 1st July 2022, your credit report will now show any financial hardship arrangement you enter into with a lender. The information shown will include the repayments you make under the arrangement, but not the reason for the arrangement or any other details. Previously, financial hardship arrangements weren’t shown on your credit report ..read more

Comprehensive Credit Reporting is a regime that helps lenders judge how well you can manage your borrowing commitments and make repayments. Let’s take a closer look at what the system is, how it works and the potential impact on credit scores. 1. Changes happened in 2014 Comprehensive Credit Reporting was introduced in 2014. It allowed banks and lenders the opportunity to provide more information to credit bureaus about the accounts you hold with them. 2. Your score may change The availability of more data on your credit file means that your credit score may change. However, that’s not cert ..read more

Romantic partnerships can come in all shapes and sizes, from marriages to de facto relationships to casual relationships and everything in between. No matter what the relationship, it’s always possible to end up in the shallow end if your significant other (SO) is drowning in debt or has poor spending habits. Here are some common ways your partner can burden you with their debt and how you might avoid it: 1. You try to take out a joint loan with your partner, but are denied because of your SO’s past debt issues. The only real way to escape this fate is to avoid it in the first place. That me ..read more

We asked, you responded In our 5 Year Anniversary Competition, we asked ‘What is your top tip on improving our service?’. We received some fantastic feedback! Thank you to everyone for the thought that went into your answers. It was a tough decision, but we have now chosen our top 5 responses. Each winner will receive a $200 gift voucher.   Our top 5 answers were: June ‘Advise realistic indicative (interactive) time frames on when scores may improve.’ Jacqueline ‘Have an option to email the report and score monthly, without having to log in and request.’ Samantha ‘Create a forecasting opt ..read more

Do you find yourself running low on money before you get paid? When you’re in the habit of living pay cycle to pay cycle, saving even a little bit of money can seem impossible. But it doesn’t have to be. Below are five simple things you can do now that will help you save money. 1. Check your utility, telco and insurance contracts While this can take a bit of time, it pays to periodically check your utility, telco and insurance contracts to see that you’re getting the best deal. If not, change providers. 2. Save money on food and coffee Plan what you need before going food shopping and stick t ..read more