Credit cards
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
Forum Description: For mums, dads, parents-to-be, grandparents, friends -- you name it! And you name the topic you want to chat about!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13350
Printed Date: 23 December 2025 at 12:07am
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Topic: Credit cards
Posted By: Rachael21
Subject: Credit cards
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 4:45pm
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Ok I need to get one because theres some things we want to buy off the net but need a credit card for. The thing is I have no idea where to start, so can anyone recommend the best one for me if I wouldn't use it much and want the lowest limit possible.
TIA |
Replies:
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 5:09pm
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If you're not planning to use it much, I would suggest going through your bank and using a direct debit to pay the full amount each month so you have no interest (that's what we've done, through National Bank, I think the annual fee is $20) -------------  |
Posted By: kezplanet
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 5:14pm
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you can also check with your bank, most are now doing visa debit cards - which means you can use it like a credit card but you only use the money you already have without going into debt & I don't think it incurrs a c/c fee I used one of these when I was in Australia and it was fantastic, no interest to pay only bought what we could afford ------------- Kerryn, Mum to Ashlyn(29/3/04), Anastasia(1/11/05) & Abigail (24/02/09) |
Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 5:25pm
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If you're with Westpac you can get their new Debit card it works like a credit card, you can use it to pay for things online etc. BUT it's not a credit card, you are using your own money... I got one and use it to buy concert tickets etc. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 5:45pm
| I'm not with westpac but can I just go in there an open an account just for the debit card? I was planning on transferring the money as I buy stuff anyway. How much is it to open a new account? |
Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 5:47pm
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Are you planning on buying stuff online regularly? If its for a one off purchase, you can go to the post office and buy a Pressie Card it works like a VISA card and you can put as much on as you want to spend. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 6:12pm
| Yeah thats what I just did for one thing but it costs $5 on top of what you put on it and you can't re-top it up so isn't really worth it for me. |
Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 6:18pm
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It doesn't cost anything to open up an account, WP normally require a $200 deposit/2 forms of id/proof of address. The account that I use it on is called an Encore Chq Account, it comes with a free $200 O/D, I don't have a cheque book with it though, just my debit card and normal eftpos card.
I hope all of the above is still correct I worked for WP for 4 years and that's what they used to require. You could call 0800400600 and speak to a CSR to confirm what is required to open an accout though. Oh and you can use the debit card as a zip zap card if you want to and you can get a pin loaded on to it. ------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3)
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 6:34pm
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We have a BNZ one as we have our banking through them. They have the Visa Lite that only has 12.95% interest which is very low. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Kelpa
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 6:39pm
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I want a debit card too.........Paid of my/our credit cards years ago. Hate them but would like to get things online..forever ringing up someone and using their card and transferring $!!! -------------  
 
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Posted By: MissCandice
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 6:55pm
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I have a WP debit card and i LOOOOVE it.. i buy online all the time.. proberly to much! Glad i dont have a credit card lol ------------- ~ Mummy to a beautiful girl ~ |
Posted By: kezplanet
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 7:07pm
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Rachael check with the bank you are with, the debit cards are fairly new to nz but I dont think it will take long befor most of the banks offer them ------------- Kerryn, Mum to Ashlyn(29/3/04), Anastasia(1/11/05) & Abigail (24/02/09) |
Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 7:19pm
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also depends what fees westpac charge for the account with the debt card - what you are paying in fees might be over and above what you would pay on annual fees for a CC. I know the BNZ with the lite visa is great for people who are looking for a low interest rate but the annual fee is slightly higher - BUT if you are going to pay it off at each statement then i suggest you get a CC that has rewards - once again bnz have flybuys attatched to their credit cards and Airpoints (global plus)
------------- Ann 
Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10) |
Posted By: Kels
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 7:57pm
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CREDIT CARDS ARE THE DEVIL!!!! GO for the debit card it wont get you into any trouble ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
Busy mum to Miss 15yrs, Miss 10yrs and Master 4yrs |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 9:44pm
I heart my debit card! And coz it's on my student acct I don't pay any fees  ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 10:34pm
omg that was going to be my EXACT wording aswell!! For the love of god DONT get one, I got one to "Just get a few things" and I went mental with it, and then extened the limit and then got into to the poo cos I couldnt pay it back! Its just spending money you dont have really. If you pay back the montly minimum your only paying off the the interest so really you need to pay off more than the minimum if you want to stay totally under control with it, I thought I could and I couldnt, I would put silly things on it and think "Oh i dont have to pay that till next month so its ok" but it never is! Its up to you but I really suggest not getting one, as kels said, they ARE the devil, disguised(sp?) in plasic  Go with the debit card, much better ------------- |
Kels wrote:Posted By: kezplanet
Date Posted: 03 January 2008 at 11:13pm
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any of the cc that have rewards usually cost more over the year and also have higher interest rates so if you havn't paid it off you get stung. The rewards are just gimmicks to get you to go with them. unless you NEED the credit to buy something then def go with a debit card
ANZ Everyday Visa Debit cardANZ Everyday Visa Debit card gives you worldwide acceptance of Visa while accessing your own money. You can make purchases online, over the phone and overseas at more than 24 million outlets around the world. ANZ Everyday Visa Debit card: No credit application necessary.With an ANZ Visa Debit Card you will also get
------------- Kerryn, Mum to Ashlyn(29/3/04), Anastasia(1/11/05) & Abigail (24/02/09) |
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Posted By: MyMinis
Date Posted: 04 January 2008 at 12:29am
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debit card is a prepaid credit card eh??
they huge over here, i would recomend one of them as apose to a credit card. we are curently paying off alot of debt with a credit card (2 actually). we are looking into getting a prepaid credit card here for buying things online. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
http://tweetytweety85.bebo.com - bebo |
Posted By: kezplanet
Date Posted: 04 January 2008 at 1:32pm
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I went with St George Bank over there Mo, I always got the best service from them & they do a visa debit card also, just works off your existing accout with them so you are using yourown money rather than "booking" things up ------------- Kerryn, Mum to Ashlyn(29/3/04), Anastasia(1/11/05) & Abigail (24/02/09) |
Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 04 January 2008 at 1:56pm
| I opened a Westpac account just for the DebitPlus card - it's an Elect account. I don't pay any fees because I stopped the paper statements, and electronic transactions are free on that particular account. And when I want to buy something I just transfer the funds in and buy it. There's the $10 annual fee for the card, but that's fairly reasonable I think. |
Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 04 January 2008 at 4:31pm
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If you are disciplined wiht money then using a cc to live on is better banking than running a couple of accounts - you get up to 60 days interest free, so your real money can earn interest before you pay it off in full. You don't pay any fees and can use rewards to pay the CC fees so they are truely cost free.
BUT you MUST pay the balance in full each time to do this. If you can it is the best way to organise money. Check with your bank - many do a lower interest card these days, if the other options aren't going to work. -------------  
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Posted By: AnnC
Date Posted: 04 January 2008 at 6:25pm
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what you need to ask - are you disaplined and finacially secure enough not to run a huge creditcard bill. then i would go with the cc (might as well get rewards) but if you aren't so good with saving and not much money left over from week to week then the debt card is the better deal. Make sure you ask that the account does not go into OD (as you can get huge fees slapped on for doign that 'accidently') ------------- Ann
Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10) |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 04 January 2008 at 10:10pm
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Now I'm even more confused lol my mum works for ANZ but she said they didn't do an ANZ debit card so I might ask her. I know she will talk me out of a CC. I think it looks like I'll get a debit card rather than CC.
Just one last stupid question in that thing that Sheza (I think it was Sheza) put up it said you needed $200 to open the account, that just means you put $200 in but you can start spending it right away?? Not that the hold on to it for ages. |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 08 January 2008 at 7:59am
| be aware that many of the low interest cards actualy have a higher annual fee so depending on the limit, can work out more expensive. With my credit card I user it for EVERYTHING. i put all my money onto it, so I pay very little in the way of bank fees. BUT, very easy to overspend. i am extremely carfeul with my money. |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 08 January 2008 at 8:20am
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I'd definitely go with the debit card. It's just WAY too easy to overspend with a credit card (unless you are some kind of financial wonder woman like Liz! How DO you do it?!?)
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Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 08 January 2008 at 8:33am
| When I opened my Westpac account I didn't need $200 - I think I put $20 in (just a straight withdrawal from the ATM outside the branch) and that was all I needed. |
Posted By: kiwigal
Date Posted: 08 January 2008 at 8:37am
| I have a ASB mastercard and it has a $500 limit which is enough for me.I never get up to the amount at the most I spend $50-$200 some months and there is some things that Dh wants me to get. |
Posted By: baalamb
Date Posted: 08 January 2008 at 8:43am
We've just recently got an ASB mastercard also. It came with some ridiculous $2000 limit or something, but we'll definitely be reducing that. Even before we got the card and were looking at our options, I could feel myself starting to spend that money already!!!  it would be so, so easy to go out and have a big spend up, but I don't think I could actually bring myself to do it. DH is rather impulsive, whereas I like to just think on things a bit more and decide if we really need it, or just want it so I like to think that I have a bit of self control!
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Posted By: Jennz
Date Posted: 08 January 2008 at 9:47am
We do this but DH is an accountant and anal with money so we never 'slip up'. Works well for us but I would never ever do it if I was running the money! Those debit card things sound great Wonder if they'll get them over here before we leave lol  Our local store only just got chip and pin (UK version of EFTPOS) and it still takes 3 days for cash deposits to clear  Its like banking in the 80s------------- Jen, Charlotte 7 & Kate 3 
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Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 09 January 2008 at 12:05am
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But you do have switch Jen, that is pretty much what the debit thing here is I reckon, I miss switch! -------------
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Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 09 January 2008 at 9:34am
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yeah Jen my dad said it is terrible over there he tried to get his bank to atomacally transfere his wages to an account here cause he was here on holiday by the time they had done that he would have been back in the UK before it ever made it here he was here for over 6 week's. Oh and just second everone else that said CC are evil. I got myself in sooo much trouble with mine before I meet Pete that I ended up having to use the court to get out of the trouble I was in. B oth me and DH are bad with money so we alway's robbing Pete to pay Paul. ------------- Deborah Mum to:   
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 09 January 2008 at 9:40am
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I haven't read the other responses.. but this is what we do and why..
We have a BNZ global plus visa. We use this for our day to day spending. I check every couple of days whats on the credit card and pay it off weekly so that it helps us keep track of our spending. And that way we don't end up being pinged by interest. We do it this way to avoid transation fees but mostly because of airpoints. We collect tons of airpoints using this. We used airpoints for most of our honeymoon flights to raro in 2006, the only flight we had to pay for was for one of us to get to auckland, allt he rest was essentially free. When we go to aussie later this year most of our flights will be free again thanks to airpoints 
It does mean you have to be disiplined with your spending but I don't see that as a bad thing. |