What is a savings account?
A savings account is where you can deposit money and watch your balance grow. You can also earn interest on the amount you have in your account.
What are the benefits of a savings account?
- Higher interest rates: You can make the most of interest rates to help boost your savings. Interest is calculated each day based on the amount you have, which is paid at the end of the month.
- Easy access to your savings: This can be helpful if you need to withdraw money for an unplanned purchase.
- Bonus interest: Depending on which savings account you have, you might be able to earn bonus interest if you meet eligibility requirements such as putting a specific amount into your savings each month.
- Actively grow your savings: You can contribute as much as you want to your savings account whenever you like. Using clever banking features like The Boost can make it easier for you to grow your savings.
How does a savings account work?
Simply put, you (or anyone else) can transfer money into your account, which is usually linked to a transaction account. For example, you might get your salary paid into your transaction account, which you can then transfer into your savings.
You accrue interest on your savings account daily and the interest is based on your account’s end-of-day balance. All savings accounts offer a flat rate which the bank will pay at the end of the month. But there are some accounts that offer bonus interest if you meet certain criteria. For example, you might be required to grow your balance month-on-month to qualify.
So how can you see how much is in your savings account? Well, there are a few ways to do it, which include:
- Checking online banking.
- Checking mobile banking.
- Visiting your local branch in person.
What should you look for in a savings account?
- No fees: It shouldn’t cost you money to save. That means your savings account shouldn’t have any upfront or ongoing fees. Ours sure don’t!
- Simple to check and access your money: Your money should be easily accessible. Whether it’s transferring money on your bank’s app or checking your account statements online, it’s important to learn how you can check and access the money you’re saving – and if it’s easy to do.
- Competitive interest rates: Choose the savings account with the highest (and most competitive) interest rate. This can help you boost your savings and keep you on track to reach your goals.
- Saving features: Keep an eye out for any features your bank has that can help you save smarter. We have The Boost, which auto-transfers a set amount of money into your savings account whenever you use the Visa Debit card linked to your Everyday Edge Account. Saving while spending? That’s some forward-thinking banking.
- Helpful tools: Online saving tools, like calculators, are a great way to work out how much you’ll need to save up for a specific goal. Our savings calculator can show you how much you’ll need to save and how long it will take to reach your goal with our accounts.
What is a transaction account?
A transaction account is what you use to pay for things. Whether it’s a bill, loan repayment or something fun like movie tickets, you can guarantee it comes from your transaction account. You’ll also get a debit card when you open this type of account.
What are the benefits of a transaction account?
- Pay for what you want, how you want: Your transaction account will be your go-to when it comes to paying for anything. You can also pay for your purchases on your phone, smart watch, or Visa Debit card – plenty of choices.
- Set up auto-transactions: This can help you stay on top of regular repayments, such as monthly bills. And it’s a great way to grow your savings too. For example, you might set up weekly auto-payments to your savings account to increase your wealth without thinking twice.
- Streamlined transfers between accounts: Having a transaction account makes it easier to transfer money to your savings accounts and vice versa. You can easily transfer money to other accounts too, like paying back a friend, partner, or family member. And you can also make easy transfers with PayID – safe, simple and fast.
How does a transaction account work?
A transaction account is linked to a debit card or digital wallet that you use to pay in-person or online. If you earn a regular salary, you’ll most likely get paid into your transaction account. When you get paid, you might want to transfer some of your salary into your savings or use that money to cover monthly repayments, like bills.
There are multiple ways to spend your cash and see how much money is in your transaction account which include:
- Checking the balance via online or mobile banking.
- Paying for purchases through digital wallets on your smart phone or watch.
- Withdrawing cash from an ATM and checking the remaining balance.
What should you look for in a transaction account?
- No international withdrawal fees: You can shop overseas and online with your Everyday Edge Visa Debit card and we’ll refund the Great Southern Bank international card transaction and ATM fees.
- Convenient payment methods: You should look for an account that you can use (or tap) in many ways. Think a debit card, using your phone, or holding your smartwatch over an EFTPOS machine.
What is a term deposit?
A term deposit is an account where you can lock away a lump sum of money for an agreed length of time – called the ‘term’. The length of the term depends on your financial goals and can range from one month to five years.
For example, if you want short-term growth, a term that’s less than a year might be ideal. But if you want guaranteed long-term growth, a term of a year or more might be better.
With a term deposit, you generally can’t access your money until the end of the term. If you take out one of our term deposits, there are three situations where you can access your money:
- At the end of your term.
- If you provide 31 days’ notice.
- If you’re experiencing financial hardship.
What are the benefits of a term deposit?
- Certainty of rate: When it comes to term deposits, the interest rate you lock in will depend on how long your money will be in the account. This means you have certainty on how much interest you’ll earn. Over 55? Good news – some banks (like us) offer a better, competitive rate on your term deposit.
- Your savings are locked away: From time to time, there might be the temptation to dip into our savings. Opening a term deposit account means you usually can’t access your money straight away, unless it’s for an emergency.
How does a term deposit work?
Term deposits work by locking away a sum of money for a set period and watching it grow over time. You can’t add money to your term deposit like you would a regular savings account. But you can withdraw the money when the term has ended. Or, if you need the money sooner, you can provide 31 days’ notice and we can release the funds to you. You can also access your term deposit money earlier if you’re experiencing financial hardship.
If you ever need to check the balance of your term deposit, you can do so via our mobile app or by visiting one of our branches.
What should you look for in a term deposit?
- Competitive rates: Do your research to ensure you’re getting the best rate possible on your term deposit. Even the slightest increase in the interest rate can give your funds a boost.
- Length of term: Most banks will give you different term length options to choose from. When considering how long to store your money, consider your financial goals and whether a short or long term is preferable. If you want to see how much interest you can earn on your term deposit, then use our term deposit calculator.