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If you bank with Westpac and buy crypto, there is a change coming that is worth knowing about before it catches you out. From December 1, Westpac may limit the money you send to cryptocurrency exchanges to $10,000 in a calendar month. There are no exemptions, and you cannot ask for a higher limit. Quick answer: From December 1, 2026, Westpac may reject payments it identifies as going to a cryptocurrency exchange once you have…
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If you have ever applied for a credit card, a car loan or a home loan, you have probably heard the term credit score. But what does that number actually mean, and where does it come from? In short, your credit score is a single number that sums up how you have handled borrowed money in the past, and lenders use it to judge how risky it would be to lend to you. For a…
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People often use the terms credit score and credit report as if they mean the same thing. They don’t. They are closely related, but they do different jobs, and knowing the difference can save you a nasty surprise when you apply for a loan, a credit card, or even a phone plan. Here is the short version: your credit report is the full story, and your credit score is a single number that sums that…
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Checking your credit score used to mean paying for a report or waiting weeks for paperwork. These days, several free apps will show you your score in a few minutes, and checking your own score never hurts it. The catch is that no two apps show exactly the same number, because each one draws on a different credit reporting bureau. In this guide, we compare the best free credit score apps available to local readers,…
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No, you do not need a credit card to build a credit score. A credit card is one way to build a credit history, but it is far from the only way. Any consumer credit in your name that you repay on time — such as a personal loan, a car loan, or a home loan — can build your history too. What matters most is not the type of card or loan you hold,…