cheapest way to borrow

25 November 2008 - 02:00
By unknown

Drawing money from an ATM on a credit card is a bad option because you will be charged interest from the day you withdraw the money. Some providers charge more for cash withdrawals than for normal purchases.

Drawing money from an ATM on a credit card is a bad option because you will be charged interest from the day you withdraw the money. Some providers charge more for cash withdrawals than for normal purchases.

On top of this, you will pay ATM withdrawal fees, which increase with the amount that you draw.

You will pay around R75 to draw R 5000 from an ATM as well as the interest charges on seven days of about R24, a total of R5099,24.

You are better off swiping your credit card at the till. Make sure you pay as soon as you can.

So what's the best option? Justmoney.co.za says it all depends on how much you need and how soon you are going to pay. If you need cash for a week or so, then a credit card is the best option. If you pay the entire balance by the due date, it will only cost R5000. But if you don't pay the R5000 on the due date, the interest for the month will be R104,17.

An amount of R5000 on an overdraft for 30 days will only cost you R87,80, including the service fee. It could even be less with certain banks.

Withdrawing cash on a credit card is a bad idea. For seven days, it will cost you almost R100, whereas borrowing it over 30 days will be more like R180.