Credit Simple NZ
A friend called me the other day in a panic because he suddenly realised he owed more than $2,000 on his credit card and had no way of paying it off in a reasonable fashion. “You work in finance,” he said, “what am I supposed to do now?” First I made him do the calculations to see how much interest he would pay on that $2,000. He’d blown it on dinners, drinks, and a new smartphone he didn’t need, and…
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Your illion credit score via Credit Simple is a number between 1 and 1,000 that indicates how financially healthy and responsible you are, and how likely you are to pay your debts. Understanding how this score is calculated is crucial to improving your score, so you can get better deals from your bank, telco, insurance company and more. Here’s what affects your credit score: Defaulting on a payment, even if you eventually pay it. Even if it’s a day late,…
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An acquaintance said to me – rather smugly – the other day, “I don’t need to check my credit score, because I don’t have a credit history.” “Oh, you don’t?” I said. “Have you checked it in the past and discovered you didn’t have a profile in the system?” “No,” he said. “But I’ve never had any hire purchases or a car loan, so they won’t have anything on me.” Many people think that a credit history is built solely…
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Aries As Saturn reaches its closest point to Earth this month, the wise Aries will be thinking about kindness to others, avoiding foods starting with P, and paying off that pesky credit card debt before Christmas kicks in. Lucky number: any single-digit interest rate. Taurus An ascendant Shatner’s Bassoon, coupled with some instability in the Euro, could mean great things for the canny Taurus. Invest wisely now and you’re sure to reap the benefits in the New Year. Or just…
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We got an email the other day from a guy who wanted his account deleted. He’d registered for Credit Simple, discovered his credit score was in the 200s, and decided the best thing was to just wipe it all off the history of the world, immediately and forever. Great idea in theory. And many people point to other parts of the world where there’s such a thing as “the right to be forgotten”, where you can apply to have things…
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If credit scores were emojis, getting a zero would be a bit like this guy. Getting a zero for your credit score can be a bit of a shock. But don’t worry, you can turn your emoji frown upside down with a few fixes. But first, a bit about why you got a zero score. For 85% of people with zero scores, they’ll have a default collection record or a bankruptcy on their file. This is the major problem: not paying…
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I got asked for ID last week at the supermarket and I was shamefully delighted about it, earning me the disgust of the very young checkout assistant. And while she might be in need of an eye check, once I stopped waving my ID in her face with glee it occurred to me that she probably thinks I am just a sad old lady eying up forty. While this might be true, I don’t miss my twenties. I might miss…
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I’m not who you think I am. Sure, you probably don’t think of me at all, which is fine (I won’t judge you for it) but what surprised me is I’m not who I thought I was either. I got an email from an Aussie guy out of the blue asking me if I was investing in a ceramics factory in Thailand. A curious opening gambit, for sure, but having checked my portfolio and discussed matters with my business manager…
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Before we had the Kardashians to keep up with (yes, there was life before the Kardashians), we kept up with the Joneses. The Joneses were more figurative than literal and didn’t have their own TV show; they represented the people next door who owned more (and better) gadgets than you. The Joneses and the Kardashians – along with social media, celebrity culture and reality TV – are responsible for creating the #YOLO attitude: You Only Live Once. It’s a lifestyle…
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Buying yourself a set of wheels is expensive. If you’ve saved the cash to buy the car, that’s great. But realistically, most young people have to borrow money to buy a car. If that’s you, brush up on a few things before you sign on the dotted line. Save Saving up and paying cash is the cheapest way to buy a car. Ask around and you’ll find friends who have done it. Surprising, huh? Downgrade your expectations We know you…
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