Transferring your existing balances to a card with a lower interest rate is one way to get on top of existing credit card balances. Find out more about how balance transfer offers work and what to consider.
Transferring your existing balances to a card with a lower interest rate is one way to get on top of existing credit card balances. Find out more about how balance transfer offers work and what to consider.
It’s when you transfer the balance you owe on your existing cards to another credit card with a different provider.
It’s when we offer a lower interest rate on balance transfers for a set period of time – like 0% p.a. for 12 months. It can be useful for consolidating debt into one place, which can make working out monthly repayments and budgeting easier.
Work out a repayment plan
Find out how much you need to repay each month to pay off your balance transfer. Assuming you make no other purchases or cash advances, you can do this by dividing the amount you have transferred by the number of remaining months in your offer to find out your monthly repayments. Don’t forget to consider any fees or charges that may also apply.
If you can afford to, you can make larger repayments to pay it off even quicker.
Streamline your cards
Consider closing your old credit card - this can help avoid unnecessary fees and will stop you from accruing more debt on that card.
Take advantage of interest free days on purchases
You can also benefit from interest free days on your purchases when you have a balance transfer. With a Bankwest credit card, you’ll just need to pay the closing balance owing on your statement, excluding any balance transfer amount, by the payment due date to qualify.
If you can afford to, you can make larger repayments to pay it off even quicker.
Once the offer period finishes, it’s important to know the interest rate you’ll roll on to. With us, you’ll be charged the ongoing balance transfer rate on any remaining balance that you’ve transferred and haven’t paid down.
There’s more to a balance transfer offer than a great interest rate. Make sure you understand:
Saving is easier said that done. Here are some tips to prove it is possible.
Your mortgage doesn’t need to mess with your bank account.
Things you should know