Gem Visa

Roland Bleyer

Credit Card Expert with over 15 years card experience and the founder of Creditcard.co.nz. Ask Roland a Question about this card.

The Gem Visa

As a shopper’s credit card, the Gem Visa from Latitude offers cardholders a number of ways to save on interest as they shop. Purchases under $250 can benefit from up to 55 days interest free, while purchases over $250 automatically receive an interest free period of six months. On top of that, cardholders can check out Gem Visa deals with partner retailers, where they can find a huge range of long term 0% interest deals.

What we love...

As a Visa card, Gem Visa can be used just like any other credit card at more than 40 million locations worldwide. And just like most credit cards, it offers an interest free period on purchases – of up to 55 days – allowing cardholders to manage their cash flow more effectively, accessing credit while keeping interest costs down.

(Note, to take advantage of this interest free period, you must pay the ‘Payment to reduce further interest’ amount shown in your monthly statement by the payment due date.)

However, the Gem Visa goes one step further with its interest free offering. While purchases under $250 can benefit from up to 55 days interest free, purchases over $250 will automatically receive an interest free period of six months. Used correctly, this can be an awesome tool, allowing you to buy larger items, to pay no interest as long as you pay them off within six months.

Want an even longer interest free deal? The Gem Visa has you covered. Teaming up with a great range of retailers, the Gem Visa allows you to benefit from interest-free shopping at partners such as Mitre 10 and Harvey Norman, Michael Hill and Noel Leeming, House of Travel and helloworld Travel.

All you need to do is show your Gem Visa or driver’s licence at any participating store to find out which interest free promotions are currently available. You can then purchase up to your available credit limit and then pay off what you owe, while paying zero interest on your purchase.

Anything else on offer? You can choose to add a Shopper’s Protection Policy to your Gem Visa, providing you with a range of handy credit card insurance covers. Balance Protection can cover sickness or injury, Price Protection can offer the difference back on a purchased item if it goes on sale within six months, and if your card is stolen, you’ll receive $200 for the inconvenience.

What’s not so great...

In terms of outgoings, you will have to pay a one-off establishment fee plus an annual account fee. While paying an annual account fee is standard in most credit cards, make sure the cost of both the establishment fee and account fee is less than the money you are saving in interest on your purchases to ensure the card offers value for you.

Talking of interest, the standard purchase rate on this card is high. While the card offers some great ways to save on interest on your purchases, you will need to make sure you pay them all off before they start accruing interest to avoid that high rate.

Why should you choose this card?

If you are looking for a card that can save you on interest over the longer term, the Gem Visa could be a excellent option. It could help you save on interest on smaller purchases over the short term, on larger purchases over a period of six months, and purchases with partner retailers over an extended period.

However, to make the most of those interest savings, you will need to be smart with your repayments, making sure your purchases are all paid off before interest starts accruing. This card has one of the highest purchase rates in the market, so it’s not one you want to carry a balance on while it is attracting interest.

Overall Rating

Offering some great ways to save on interest, the Gem Visa allows cardholders to save on purchases big and small, while also taking advantage of awesome interest-free deals from partner retailers.