Monday, July 28, 2008

Car Loans Galore! Which To Choose??

I have been shopping around for a new car but to afford the car of my dreams, it looks like I will need to take out a car loan. I will also need to make sure I have enough money for car insurance, car registration, not to mention all the fancy car accessories I hope to buy. The HSBC car loan is one of my top 10 car loans and seems to have some great loan packages and interest rates. Another loan I have had my eye on is the RACV car loan - it has very affordable interest rates and no extra charges which is a huge bonus.

To ensure I do choose the best car loan for my financial situation, I need to compare car loans thoroughly and research all my options. Another loan possibility is the Aussie car loan. I have heard great things about Aussie and am keen to find out more about their car loan features. They have fixed monthly repayments which means I know exactly how much I will need to pay each month and can budget accordingly. The Bank of Queensland car loan has a similar feature, but you can actually choose fixed or variable rate options and pay off your car sooner.

Choosing a car loan can be an exhausting task with so many loan options and packages available! From a GE Money car loan to a Wizard car loan, the list is seemingly endless. I will spend the next week or two continuing my car loan research and also see if I can find a car loan package with some discounted extras. Who knows, I might even end up with a Commonwealth Bank car loan.

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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

The Great Mobile Phone Number Heist

I was searching for my friend's new mobile phone number this morning as she had changed phone companies recently. I should have put it straight into my phones contact phonebook, but alas I did not think ahead and the scap of paper the number is written on has gone missing. I need to find a mobile phone directory and track down her mobile number as soon as possible. I never realised how hard it was to find someone's mobile phone number online. I shall try and find her home phone number and just leave a message.

I am also attempting to learn the functions of my mobile phone as I only purchased it a week ago. The mobile phone internet has been the most convenient aspect of the phone which surprised me. I can check my email and surf the internet anytime and in any location as long as I have my 3G mobile with me. I almost bought a cheaper phone without 3G connectivity, but the mobile plans actually worked out to be cheaper overall for the better quality mobile phone! This phone also allows me to watch mobile phone movies with superb audio and video quality. I just have to master the rest of the features, especially the mobile ringtone customisation, to get the most out of it.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Bank Account Bliss

I finally applied for a high interest savings account so I can deposit any extra cash I may have and watch it grow. It's going to be such a gold mine that I will ensure my financial advisor is informed about the impending money explosion, although I may find I can't resist but spend it using my bank accounts online. Having bank accounts full of money is such a wonderful thing as it means I do not have to worry about having enough money available to pay for bills or any unexpected expenses. It will be a nice change of pace I must say, and I can also buy myself a treat or two without worrying.

These high interest savings accounts are such a great idea. You can just let them sit there gaining interest and even have a chosen amount of money automatically deposited regularly from your other accounts. If I even need to use the money in the savings accounts, all I need to do is to transfer it to my online bank accounts and it will be ready for me to use straight away. It is such a relief to know my money is slowly growing rather than disappearing on account fees and purchases.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Card Find 101

It's that time of the year again and I have been spending up big with my low interest credit cards. I have signed up to their rewards program so I should have increased my points balance significantly. My credit card companies regularly contact me asking if I want to increase my spend limit but i'm sure I would end up in debt if I had such a huge amount of credit waiting, yearning even, to be spent. However I do want to apply for a new credit card as my current one does not have any interest free days. If I managed to pay off any balance owing on a higher interest card within the interest free days period, then I would virtually have interest free credit cards!

There are several cards I am thinking of applying for including the Commonwealth Bank credit cards and HSBC credit cards. The NAB visa mini is a very desirable card also but I am basing that entirely on its looks - I haven't even read about any of its features yet. My current rewards program is quite good and rewards me with gift vouchers, appliances, and magazine subscriptions, but I really want a Frequent Flyer rewards program so I can build up points for free flights. I do believe some ANZ credit cards have this rewards program so I think they will end up being my number one choice.