Having a credit card can help smooth your cash flow and take advantage of features like Awards points. To be sure you’re making the most of your credit card, it’s important to understand the components that make up your balance.
Purchases
On your credit card statement, you’ll see your purchases for that statement period. All CommBank credit cards (aside from the Business Low Rate) come with an interest-free period of up to 55 days on purchases. This is the time in which no interest is charged on a new purchase, provided you pay your closing balance in full by the due date each month. If you don’t, you’ll be charged interest at the purchase rate.
Cash advances
If you use your credit card to make a cash withdrawal, transfer funds from your credit card or make a cash equivalent transaction (such as using your card for gambling, buying lotto tickets or foreign currency), you’ll be charged interest on the funds used at the cash advance rate. There’s no interest-free period on cash advances so the interest begins to accrue immediately, and you’ll also be charged a cash advance fee.
Balance transfers
A balance transfer is when you transfer a balance owing on a personal credit issued by another bank or a store card to your CommBank credit card. With CommBank there’s no fee charged to make the transfer and a special interest rate may apply from the date the transfer is made for an introductory period. After this introductory period ends, any amount still owing is then charged at the cash advance rate.
Instalment plans
An instalment plan is a feature to help you repay all or part of your credit card balance in regular monthly repayments over a set term. Interest is charged on the portion of your balance that you enrol into an instalment plan, for a set period of time. When you apply to set up a plan, we’ll quote you an interest rate that is fixed for the term of the plan.
Fees
Examples of fees include an annual fee, late payment fee or international transaction fees. Check out this list of standard fees and charges for personal CommBank credit cards.
