Northern Inland Credit Union Visa Classic Credit Card

Pauline Hatch

Pauline is a personal finance expert at CreditCard.com.au, with 8 years in money, budgeting and property reporting under her belt Ask Pauline a Question about this card.

The Northern Inland Credit Union Visa Classic Credit Card

Providing new cardholders with an appealing way to save on interest, the Northern Inland Credit Union Visa Classic Credit Card is currently offering 8.99% p.a. on purchases for the first six months. From there, the card offers a low ongoing purchase rate and a low annual fee, with up to 55 days interest free on purchases and a discounted rate for home loan customers also available.

What we love...

The Northern Inland Credit Union Visa Classic Credit Card is currently offering 8.99% p.a. on purchases for the first six months. Appealing to cardholders who want to reduce the amount of interest they pay on their balance, this offer could work well for cardholders who carry a balance month to month, or those who want to buy a big ticket item and save on interest as they pay it off.

After the initial six month introductory period, the card reverts to a low ongoing purchase rate. Again, this may work well for cardholders who tend to carry a balance, as it allows them to pay less in interest than if they were spending on a card with a higher interest rate.

Cardholders who manage to pay off their balance each month can also enjoy savings thanks to the card’s interest free feature. Like many cards of its ilk, this card offers up to 55 days interest free on purchases. So as long as they clear their balance – and avoid cash advances – cardholders using this feature can keep their interest costs at zero.

Another nice feature on this card offers NICU home loan customers a low ongoing purchase rate until their home loan is paid off. Bringing the card’s standard purchase rate way down, this offer could be a great money-saver. Bear in mind though that the intro offer providing 8.99% p.a. on purchases for six months does not apply to cardholders eligible for the Home Loan Rewards Rate.

Last on the list of things to love about this card is its annual fee. As you might expect from a mutual, Northern Inland Credit Union works to keep costs down not just with its interest rates, but also with its annual fees. So, as a cardholder, you will pay a lovely low annual fee ongoing, allowing you to put that money to much better use.

What’s not so great...

When you compare the options, you may find cards with intro purchase offers offering a lower rate. You may also find cards with a lower ongoing purchase rate. It’s a good idea to work out how much value this card offers you, taking into account your spending habits, whether you carry a balance, and how much you would expect to pay in annual fees for a card like this.

Why should you choose this card?

The Northern Inland Credit Union Visa Classic Credit Card is Northern Inland Credit Union’s classic card offering, rated a step up from its low rate option. It could be a worthy choice if you are looking for a money saver, perhaps if you occasionally carry a balance, but most of the time pay your balance off to take advantage of the card’s interest free feature.

Like its low rate cousin, this card is a basic one. That means no features or rewards to entice you –but that may be what attracts you to this card. Some folks dislike complex cards with features that need a stack of small print to comprehend. This card offers standard extras like Visa Entertainment and Visa payWave, which are certainly handy, but not essential to understand if you’re not keen on using them.

Overall Rating

Offering a simple, low cost option, the Northern Inland Credit Union Visa Classic Credit Card provides a low annual fee and low ongoing purchase rate, with up to 55 days interest free on purchases and an intro offer of 8.99% p.a. on purchases for six months.