> Six steps to debt freedom

> Brighten their future

> Gold fever: here to stay?

> Nedbank goes green

> Evaluating performance

> Gold hits 18-month high

> Pay less estate duty

> Why lending will resume

> Positive platinum demand

> Breaking the habit

Today, 22 November 2009

› SACP attacks Malema

› JZ hails Miss World effect

Yesterday, 21 November 2009

› SACP attacks Malema

› Match-fixing stuns Europe

› JZ hails Miss World effect

› Henry offers replay

› No armchair ride for Boks

South Africa’s improving economy has meant that consumers have access to far more financial packages than ever before. It's common to have a variety of debit, credit and retail cards in the wallet, along with a mixture of loan accounts.

Nevertheless, Gail Roberts, CEO of the One Account from First National Bank, suggests that consumers investigate and compare the charges for using these facilities and choose those which meet your particular needs.

"As consumers, we are being inundated with offers of credit facilities, with many promising attractive rewards. Although these may seem appealing, further investigation often reveals that you would do better to stick to a facility which offers you a more favourable interest rate, thereby saving you money on any given purchase," she explains.

Few of us are fully aware of the interest rates for each of our accounts, and although the consistent lowering of the interest rate over the past few years has benefited us financially, it has made it more difficult to keep track of the charges on various accounts.

"Fortunately it is easy to figure out what you are paying on each account as these charges and the relevant interest rates must be reflected on your statements. And doing a comparison will quickly show you which is the most beneficial option for you," says Roberts.