Credit Smart Solutions

7 Mistakes to Avoid When Paying Off Debt Trying to get out of debt? Great! But beware — even with the best intentions, many Australians fall into traps that slow their progress or make things worse. Here are seven mistakes you should avoid when paying off debt in 2025. 1. Paying Only the Minimum Paying just the minimum amount on your credit card will barely reduce your balance. You’ll end up paying more interest and staying in debt longer. 2. Ignoring Your Interest Rates Focus on paying off debts with the highest interest first — not the smallest balances. This method is called the “avalanche” strategy and it saves you the most money. 3. Taking on New Debt Using a personal loan or balance transfer card wisely can help — but taking on new, unnecessary debt while trying to pay off old ones is a big red flag. 4. Not Having a Budget Without a plan, your money disappears. A budget helps you track spending and ensure your debt repayments are consistent and realistic. 5. Closi...

The 5 Habits Every Case Had in Common Across all the stories we’ve shared in Season 2 — from Jake’s credit comeback to Lara’s freelancer success — five key habits kept showing up again and again. Whether the goal was paying off debt, improving credit, or saving for a wedding, these behaviors made the difference. 1. 💡 Visibility Over Guesswork Every person who succeeded made their finances visible — using apps, spreadsheets, or visual trackers. Guessing led to overspending; seeing led to action. 2. 📅 Consistency > Intensity They didn’t try to fix everything overnight. Instead, they took steady actions — weekly check-ins, monthly reviews, auto-transfers. It wasn’t dramatic, but it was effective. 3. 🛠️ Use of Financial Tools From Frollo to WeMoney , or banking with Up , every story included one or more digital tools. These tools made decisions easier and progress measurable. 4. 💳 Credit Awareness Even when not borrowing, they kept tabs on credit scores, avoide...

Credit Cards vs Buy Now Pay Later: Which Is Better? Australians now have more choices than ever when it comes to flexible payments. Whether it's using a traditional credit card or a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) service like Afterpay or ZipPay, both offer convenience—but which one is better? How They Work Credit Cards Pay with borrowed money, then repay monthly Interest applies if you don’t repay the full amount May offer rewards or cashback Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Split purchase into interest-free instalments (usually 4) Must link to debit/credit card for automatic deductions No interest, but late fees apply Pros & Cons Feature Credit Card BNPL Interest Yes (15–20% p.a.) No interest Late Fees Yes Yes Credit Score Impact Yes Varies (usually no unless defaulted) Rewards Points, cashback, insurance Usually none Flexibility High (lar...