How to find unclaimed money and rewards

When every dollar counts, imagine discovering a hidden stash of cash you never knew existed, or unlocking a treasure trove of discounts and freebies simply by being an everyday consumer.

From forgotten superannuation to unclaimed bank funds and even surprising bank account perks, a little digging could lead to significant windfalls.

Lost and unclaimed money

According to the Australian Tax Office (ATO), there’s over seven million ‘forgotten’ or unclaimed superannuation accounts, amounting to over $17B in unclaimed funds. The real kicker? Any potential superannuation you might have in a forgotten account could be eaten up by fees and charges. Eventually, what’s left of your hard-earned money may be transferred to the ATO, which will hold onto it until claimed.

So, it really does pay to find your super and consolidate to a fund of your choice. To find any lost super can be remarkably easy: by linking your MyGov account to the ATO, you should be able to view any lost or unclaimed super the ATO is holding for you, as well any super accounts under your name. From here, it’s simply a matter of consolidating your super by requesting your money be transferred into a single super fund. This gives you just one account to keep track of and just one set of fees and charges to pay.

Beyond super, you may also be missing money from lost shares, bank accounts and life insurance policies. A simple search of your own name with MoneySmart’s Find Unclaimed Money service can help reconnect you with your rightful assets.

Additionally, your state or territory government may be hanging onto unclaimed money from dividends from shares, trust accounts and even long-lost refunds. Consider contacting the revenue office in your state or territory for more information:

• Western Australia
• Northern Territory
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Australian Capital Territory
• Victoria
• Queensland
• New South Wales

Unlock state government rebates and vouchers

Australia’s state and territory governments offer a range of rebates and vouchers that often go unclaimed, simply because people are unaware they exist.

For example, sports and creative kids vouchers can provide financial relief for families with children. Examples of these vouchers can be found in:

• South Australia: up to $200
• Tasmania: up to $200
• Western Australia: up to $500,
• New South Wales: up to $50 twice a year for lower income families
• Queensland: New rounds of vouchers may be released in the future

Sydney drivers might also be missing out on significant savings through the toll rebate scheme, which can add up to $340 per week for those consistently spending between $60-$400 a week on tolls.

Hidden perks in your bank account

Your bank account might offer you more than just a place to park your money. Many financial institutions have surprising perks and discounts for their customers. 

For example:

• ANZ: Offers movie tickets from $12
• NAB: Provides movie tickets from $13.50
• ING: Runs referral programs offering $100 for you and a friend when they open an Orange Everyday account, deposit $1,000, make five or more purchases and open a savings maximiser account
• Macquarie and CBA: Offer discounts on gift cards and at popular retailers.

Loyalty programs

Loyalty programs can also be an untapped source of freebies and discounts—provided they don’t entice you to spend more than you normally would.

Some retailers offer free gifts and discounts to encourage customers to sign up to mailing lists or loyalty programs. For example, Guzman y Gomez offers a free burrito for signing up, while Bonds offers a $5 discount.  

Birthday freebies can be a particular highlight, though you’ll typically need to sign up for emails for the rest of the year to get:

• Hungry Jacks: A free Whopper on your birthday
• Boost Juice: A free juice or smoothie on your birthday or within two days either side
• Myer: $10 to $30 voucher depending on your membership level.

It’s also worth keeping track of your loyalty perks and points in case they expire. For example, Qantas points can expire after 18 months if you don’t earn or use your points within that time period. 

Hidden health benefits

Many Australians are missing out on unclaimed health care benefits because they haven’t provided Medicare with their bank account details. Medicare can offer rebates on GP and specialist appointments, certain medications, preventative cancer screenings, eye tests and more. As long as your bank account is linked to your Medicare account, you can receive a rebate for eligible services and treatments.   

Other health programs you could benefit from include:

• Free Flu Shots: Available for children, seniors, pregnant women, and individuals with certain medical conditions under the National Immunisation Program. and accessible through GPs, community health centres and pharmacies
• Mental Health Plans: If diagnosed with a mental health condition like anxiety or depression, mental health plans can help cover the cost of seeing a specialist, allowing for reduced fees on up to 10 individual and 10 group sessions per calendar year
• Health Fund Discounts: Many health funds also offer various discounts that are worth exploring, such as reduced costs on other types of insurance, cashback rewards and gift card offers. Contact your private health insurance provider to learn more about what you may be eligible for.

Free entertainment, education and events

Your local community may be filled with free or discounted services you can use to your advantage. 

For example, local councils can be a fantastic resource for free community activities, including:

• Movie nights
• Toddler playgroups and activities
• Buy, sell, swap days
• Workshops for learning new skills
• Open mic nights

Make sure to sign up for the What’s On section of your local council website to stay informed.

Food freebies and discounts

With the cost of groceries and dining out so high, finding savings at the checkout is undeniably helpful for the weekly budget. Even small discounts or half-price specials can quickly add up, making a noticeable difference to household spending over time.

Get a free hot chicken at Coles

If there are no hot chickens available to purchase at Coles during the hours stipulated in the deli area, the supermarket will gift you a voucher to pick one up for free that week. It’s part of Coles’ Hot Chicken Promise, aimed at keeping customers satisfied and coming back for more.

Try new products for free at Woolworths

If you join Woolworths’ Teambunch program, you can try free samples of new Woolworths products at home. Samples include everything from new ice cream flavours, meat, fresh produce, frozen foods, drinks and more. In exchange, Woolworths asks for your honest feedback to help improve and promote future products.

Use apps like Too Good Too Go

The Too Good To Go app lets users snap up discounted ‘surprise bags’ of surplus food from local cafes, bakeries and supermarkets that would otherwise go to waste. After reserving and paying through the app, customers pick up their order during a set time window. It’s a win-win for bargain hunters and those who don’t want to see perfectly good food go to waste.

The final word

Saving money doesn’t always mean cutting back—it can also mean uncovering value in the things you’re already doing. From tapping into rewards programs to claiming forgotten funds and making the most of everyday savings hacks, there are plenty of ways to stretch your budget without feeling the pinch. With a few smart moves, you might just find your finances working a little harder for you.

Cover image source: Doidam10/Shutterstock.com