Credit Simple NZ
We know your new girlfriend or boyfriend wants to go out every Friday. Even two drinks each, some snacks and an Uber ride home could set you back $50. It’s dead easy to blow $100 if you throw food in as well. What’s more, dating can send your credit score south. Fast. Let’s say you spend $150 a week going out, $300 a couple of times a year on a weekend away, $200 on his/her birthday, and flowers or chocolates…
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Perhaps you’ve lost your job, you’ve fallen ill, can’t sell but have bought a new property, the property is uninhabitable thanks to an earthquake, or have no rent coming in. Whatever the cause, if you can’t make mortgage payments your finances can turn to custard rapidly. Non-payment will do your credit score a lot of damage. Even worse, it ultimately leads to your home or investment property being repossessed if you can’t make mortgage payments. Talk to the bank and…
read moreIf it feels as though you’re struggling with money problems, the best thing you can do is ask for help. You’re not the first person to get into debt, and you won’t be the last. The sooner you get started on fixing the problem, the sooner you can put it all behind you. It can be amazing how much weight feels lifted off your shoulders once you sit down with someone and lay out your situation. FinCap can put you…
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Watch out! Your credit score could soon affect the interest rate you pay. That’s good if you’re a “unicorn” with a credit score from 801 to 1,000, and not bad if you’re a “thoroughbred” with a score of 601 to 800. If, however, you’re a credit “donkey” at the very bottom of the credit score pile, a credit pony at 201 to 400, or a farm horse from 401 to 600 you could well pay more. Why donkeys pay more…
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Everyone knows someone who has been a victim of fraud. It can be a nightmare when a cybercriminal has dipped into your bank account, stolen your credit card details or taken out credit in your name. In the short term your credit score is going to take a dip because you can’t simply delete it. Don’t despair, however. You’re not the first person in this situation and it can be ironed out. There are a number of different types of…
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You’d think closing off credit cards or other accounts would boost your bankability in the eye of credit providers. The reality is that sometimes it can do exactly the opposite. Closing off some accounts after paying down your debt may actually harm your credit score. Take mortgages for example. It would be natural to think that clearing your home loan would improve your credit score. But hold that thought. One of the lesser known things that could hurt your credit…
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Credit scores may tell us more about Kiwis than just how good we are at paying bills – our research shows they also hint at voting preferences. We overlaid New Zealand electorates with average credit scores and found those in National electorates are more likely to have a higher average credit score (652) than those in Labour electorates (621). The six highest average scoring electorates are all National: Rodney, North Shore, Selwyn, East Coast Bays, Pakuranga and Waimakariri. The three…
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Here at Credit Simple, we encourage you to check your credit score and keep tabs on your credit history. It doesn’t happen often, but if there’s a mistake on your file, you need to know about it and get it fixed. We’re happy to report that since we launched in September last year, almost 3,000 Kiwis have queried errors on their credit file. New Zealanders are making the most of free and instant access to their credit scores and credit files,…
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Living life large while on holiday doesn’t mean blowing your budget. It’s possible to enjoy every minute of your well-deserved break and possibly come home with cash to spare. Here are our tips to travelling well while spending less: 1. Package it up There was a time when the phrase ‘package deal’ made us think of budget airlines, cramped hotel rooms and noisy, sunburnt tourists. Now, thanks to companies like Luxury Escapes, it’s easy to nab a great deal to…
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Borrowing can actually help your credit score, as unintuitive as that might sound. Potential credit providers want to see that you’ve got a history of responsibly paying your bills, so borrowing a small amount and paying in full and on time will help to boost your credit score. Your credit file will also include publicly available information such as court judgements and bankruptcies. So anything out there online or in court databases about you will most likely also appear on…
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