Tuesday 27 February 2007

Zero Balance Transfer CC Arbitrage Update

HSBC sent my new CC yesterday. When I checked my everyday CC account the $13,500 balance transfer had already gone through into the account on the 19th, so I withdrew $10K and deposited it into my Credit Union account where I can leave it in the high interest account until the 0% balance transfer period ends on 1 October. As part of the balance transfer was used up on the current months accumulated charges on my everyday CC, I'll deposit the remaining $3,500 into the Credit Union account next month instead of having to make a CC payment.

I should earn around $480 interest on the $13,500 "free" loan from HSBC by 1 October, and the only cost was a $10 cash withdrawal fee from my everyday CC account and about 10 minutes work all up to apply for the card and shift the $10K cash from one bank to another.

I'll just have to remember to cancel this HSBC CC once I've repaid the balance transfer amount in October, otherwise they'll start charging an annual card fee next year (this particular card only waived the annual fee for the first year).

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