Every type of savings account has different features and variables that are important to weigh up. Some of these include:
Base interest rate
Everyday savings accounts come with different base variable rates. These rates will change in line with inflation and if the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) tinkers with the cash rate but comparing with Savvy can help you find the highest interest rate on offer right now. You can use our savings calculator to work out how much you can earn on your money at different rates.
Introductory offers
Some financial institutions offer introductory rate offers on new everyday savings accounts. If you open an account, you get a window of about three to six months where you can earn a high interest rate. After this, your rates revert to a much lower standard variable percentage. Keep an eye on the base rate, as this is the percentage you’ll earn interest on once your honeymoon period ends.
Access to money
The ways you can withdraw money vary depending on the institution with whom you open an account. Some everyday savers allow you to tap into your money with a debit card, while others require you to set up a linked transaction account. Finding an account with the right level of access for you will save you from being caught short if you need funds.
Account requirements
These accounts don’t usually come with minimum deposits or balances or set the benchmarks very low. Some accounts may only make your minimum account balance $1. Even still, it’s important to cross-check this when comparing with Savvy. If you need a hand working out how much to deposit to reach your savings target, you can use Savvy’s online goal calculator.
Fees
These are typically fee-free accounts. You won’t have to pay monthly account keeping fees on these funds, saving you up to $5 every month. However, some accounts will charge you $5 per month for use of a debit card attached to your account. Weighing up fees will ensure you can find the cheapest option on the market.
Online access
You want to be able to tap into your funds fast with online or smartphone access at any point. Make sure you choose an account which is accessible with internet banking so you can make fuss-free transactions.