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<strong>December</strong> <strong>2011</strong>, Edition 43 Page 8<br />
Keep Safe When Christmas<br />
Shopping Online<br />
Queensland Country Credit Union is urging<br />
Queensland consumers to keep safe when<br />
Christmas shopping online this festive season.<br />
“Christmas shopping online is easy to do and<br />
a great convenience,” said CEO Aileen Cull.<br />
“But it’s important to remember to take steps<br />
to ensure you are protecting your personal<br />
information, and not allowing yourself to be<br />
vulnerable to fraud or online criminals. When<br />
you shop online, make sure you are smart<br />
about the whole purchasing process: know<br />
who you are dealing with, what you are<br />
buying, be confident you will get what you<br />
have paid for, and ensure that your account<br />
and credit card details are being dealt with<br />
safely,” she explained.<br />
Most shoppers know the warning signs to look<br />
for when buying something in a shop - and the<br />
same applies to shopping online. Be wary if:<br />
• The website looks suspicious or<br />
unprofessional;<br />
• The website is offering bargains which<br />
look too good to be true; or<br />
• If you are not confident about the use of<br />
your information or that you will get what<br />
you pay for.<br />
Remember, when making a payment online:<br />
• Only pay via a secure web page (one that<br />
has a valid digital certificate) - look for the<br />
https at the beginning of the address bar<br />
and a locked padlock in the browser;<br />
• Use a secure payment method such as<br />
PayPal, BPAY or your credit card (avoid<br />
money transfers and direct debit, as these<br />
can be open to abuse);<br />
• Never send your bank or credit card<br />
details via email - only via a secure web<br />
page; and<br />
• Always print and keep a copy of the<br />
transaction.<br />
For more information, hints and tips on internet<br />
safety go to www.staysmartonline.gov.au - an<br />
Australian Government initiative from the<br />
Department of Broadband, Communications<br />
and the Digital Economy.<br />
For more information, contact Marketing and<br />
PR Manager, Sarah Standen on 0437828087.<br />
Death and taxes – the two certainties in life.<br />
Another thing we can be sure of is that we’ll have bills to pay.<br />
With the recent federal government announcement regarding<br />
carbon tax and Christmas making a dent in our wallets,<br />
people are even more conscious about the increasing costs of<br />
goods and services.<br />
Few things come for free, however, one tool you can access<br />
to help manage your finances are budgeting calculators. Most<br />
Credit Unions and Banks offer these tools on their websites.<br />
All you need to do is itemise your bills into monthly amounts.<br />
This might include regular expenses as well as those less<br />
frequent bills.<br />
Once you have calculated your total expenses, you can<br />
compare your total income and total budgeted expenses for<br />
each month and make relevant adjustments.<br />
The next step is making sure you pay each of these bills on<br />
time and within budget. At Queensland Country, a Billpaying<br />
Account is a great way to manage all of your bills. We help<br />
you with the whole process, from your budget right through to<br />
paying your bills. This account allows your bills to be spread<br />
out across 12 months, so you don’t have to stress about<br />
having enough money or paying your bills on time, we’ll<br />
handle that for you.<br />
Contact Hayley at Queensland Country to see what she can<br />
do to help you manage your money better. Ph: 4958 9533
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