Suncorp Clear Options Standard Credit Card

• The 12.74% p.a. ongoing interest rate applied to purchases is economical.
• 0% p.a. interest for up to 20 months on balance transfers, returning to the 21.99% p.a. cash advance rate.
• $0 for the first year annual fee, $55 afterward.

Let’s face it, nobody likes paying credit card interest, but sometimes it’s just unavoidable. Anyone with regular experience of being unable to clear their card balance will see the value of the Suncorp Clear Options Standard Credit Card straight away. It has no interest-free days on purchases but a very low interest rate — for a credit card.

What is the point of a card with interest-free purchase days that you will never be able to take advantage of because you are always carrying a balance, especially if the downside is an interest rate of 20% p.a. or more?

On the other hand, fortunate people with a substantial guaranteed income may never consider a credit card like this because they expect to pay off their card balance in full each month and can use a card's interest-free days. They may, however, be making a mistake if they dismiss it out of hand.

Interest-free balance transfers for 20 months

You can transfer your balance, without any transfer fee, from your current card to your new Suncorp card and pay no interest at all for 20 months.

How much will you save? Heaps, if you are paying interest of around 20% p.a. on your card now. If you were approved for a limit of $5,000, you would be able to transfer as much as $4,000 (80% of the approved credit limit) from your old card and save $800 in interest charges. A word of warning, though. The revert rate is the 21.99% p.a. cash advance rate, not the low 12.74% p.a. purchases rate. So if you can’t clear your transferred balance at the end of 20 months, you will pay a very high interest rate on whatever debt remains.

And for those just keeping their new card for emergencies, why not transfer a balance anyway? It won’t cost you a cent because there is no balance transfer fee (except minimum repayments) as long as you have the cash ready to clear the remaining balance when the interest-free period expires.

Visa Entertainment

This may be a very basic card, but you’ll still feel special if you take advantage of your entitlement, as a Visa cardholder, to pre-sale tickets, offers and competitions from top entertainment providers. You can sign up for e-mail alerts to get news about the latest deals.

Convenience and security

Once again, there’s no skimping on card facilities, even though it’s not a blue-ribbon card with a matching top price. You’ll still get the protection of FRAUDSHIELD® protection to monitor transactions and protect you from bogus charges. And when you’re in a hurry, you’ll appreciate the ease and speed of Visa payWave for purchases under $100.

Some fees are a bit over the top

You’ll want to avoid the higher-than-average $40 fee for exceeding your credit limit. Apply in advance for a credit limit increase if you think you’re going to max out your card.

The 3.4% fee charged on foreign transactions (including online shopping sites based overseas, even if they charge in Australian dollars) is also somewhat excessive.

Get a head start by saving $55 with Suncorp's no annual fee offer in the first year. Following that, enjoy a very reasonable annual fee of $55, aligning perfectly with a straightforward, no-frills card. Plus, you can add up to four extra cardholders at no extra charge.

Why choose the Suncorp Clear Options Standard Credit Card?

There are two distinct profiles for the ideal user of this card.

• Someone who expects to carry an unpaid credit card balance for most, if not all, of the time and whose focus is, therefore, on the interest rate. Interest-free days on purchases have no appeal whatsoever and will not be missed, but the long, zero-interest balance transfer offer could be a lifesaver; or
• Someone who makes full use of the interest-free days on their current card by paying off the balance in full, always. They would, however, like to keep a cheap, low-interest card in their wallet for emergencies.