Are you looking for a new bank account that you can use on an everyday basis? Do you tend to save a good bit each month beyond your expenses, and you’d like to earn interest on your account balance?

If those two things describe you, you should check out the Bankwest Hero Transaction Account with an optional MasterCard debit card. It’s a high interest account that’s ideal for savers, but it includes optional debit card and cheque access so you can use it as an everyday account too! read more..

Would you like to save money with a new bank account? If you’re willing to stick with online banking and phone customer service instead of local branch access, you can do that with an account from online bank, ING. Online banks can have lower overhead costs, and those savings are passed on to customers. That’s what you’ll get with this no monthly fee account and debit card (plus no balance requirements).

Find out more about ING Orange Everyday with Visa Debit below and apply for an account online if you think it will meet your needs. read more..

When it comes to holiday shopping, you have several payment options available to you. Two options are credit cards and cash. Each have their benefits and drawbacks (like the potential for debt with credit card purchases and the fact that cash limits your spending power). But there’s another option that offers some of the best of both worlds — debit cards.

Let’s take a look at how using debit cards for your holiday shopping can give you some of the benefits of both cash and credit card payments.

The Benefit of Buying With Cash

The biggest benefit of using cash to purchase gifts is the fact that you only spend money that you actually have. You won’t go into debt and have to pay for holiday purchases for months to come.

The same is true if you use a debit card like the St. George Visa debit card. Because a debit card is traditionally tied to your checking account, you can only spend money you already have available in that account. You don’t borrow anything. And you get to start the New Year without any new debt to worry about.

The Benefits of Using Credit Cards

On the other hand, credit cards offer several benefits that debit cards can share. For example, credit cards offer more security than cash. If your cash is stolen while you’re shopping, you’re out of luck. If your credit card is stolen, it can be replaced. So can a debit card.

Credit cards — and debit cards — also offer greater convenience. You don’t have to make sure you have the right amount of cash on you at each store, and you don’t have to carry a lot of cash at any given time. Carrying a single debit card gives you access to your bank account balance wherever you need it.

Then there’s the benefit of online shopping. Debit cards can be used to buy gifts online just like credit cards can. That’s another convenience cash just doesn’t offer.

That’s not to say that debit cards have every benefit of both cash and credit cards. For example, credit cards can let you earn rewards points or frequent flyer points (depending on the card). And a debit card won’t help you if you need access to financing beyond the cash you have in your account. But if you’re attracted to the debt-free nature of cash purchases and the convenience of credit cards, debit cards just might give you the best of both worlds.

You know that shopping around can score you a great deal on a new credit card, where you want to minimise interest and fees and maximise perks. But did you know you can also find a good deal on debit cards? While they can all seem similar at times, there are subtle differences that can help you save money.

Here are four things you might look for when trying to find a great deal on a new debit card. You might not find a bank account with a debit card that offers all of these things, so focus on the ones that matter most to you. read more..

What if you like the convenience credit cards offer but you don’t want the risk of debt tied to having a credit line? Do you have options? You do! Two of those options are debit cards, like the St. George Visa debit card, and prepaid credit cards.

On the surface, debit cards and prepaid credit cards can sound very similar. There is no line of credit extended to you (unless a debit card is tied to a bank line of credit which acts more like a typical credit card — for this article however we’re talking about traditional debit cards tied to your checking account). You’re limited by the actual funds tied to the card. While similar in that sense, there are some important differences you should keep in mind too. read more..