WEEKLY WALLET WINS

Super vs pension: Get the most from both

How I cut my energy bill by $200

Score $150 gift card before Christmas

New telco hack! How to protect your data

Where did all the ATMs go?

Top-rated pillows for a good night's sleep

My colleague Belinda puts her pillow in the freezer. Not because she’s got a ridiculously hot head, but because it apparently kills the germs. Who knew?! But also, what most people in the office wanted to know was, how she had space in her freezer to fit it.

But it got me thinking about the importance of a good pillow. For many of us, it’s the one thing we spend the most time with, or at least wish we spent the most time with, which is why buying the right pillow is crucial. According to our recent awards, the pillow with the most satisfied customers is from Koala. So if you’re in need of a good night’s sleep it could be worth testing out because it gives you a 120-night window to try it, and then return it if you’re not satisfied.

On the energy front, the rebate might be wrapping up but our colleague Kevin hasn’t taken this news lying down. He estimates he knocked $200 off his annual electricity bill in two minutes just by switching to a cheaper plan with the exact same provider.

And finally, if you think bank ATMs are disappearing before your eyes, it’s not your eyes playing tricks on you. The latest APRA data shows that bank-branded machines (you know, the free ones that don’t sting you with a $2 or $3 fee to access your own cash) have almost halved in five years. There are still ways to dodge those third-party ATM fees: you can take out cash at the supermarket checkout, visit Australia Post, or, if you’re a Macquarie Bank customer, take advantage of their policy of refunding ATM fees.

Got a wallet win or burning question? Send it my way at sally@canstar.com.au

Discover the quick and easy hack that could shave hundreds off your annual electricity bill.

Savings hack ►

The growing threat of SIM swap scams and steps you can take to protect your data. 

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Supermarket price gouging laws: Have your say!

The Australian Treasury has released draft legislation aimed at making supermarket price gouging illegal. The proposal seeks to ban the big supermarket chains from charging excessive prices on groceries, in a new regime to be policed by the ACCC. According to the government, this could see supermarkets that break the new laws face fines that could run into the millions. The government is calling for public submissions on the draft legislation and consultation is open until November 3, so if you’re inclined to have your say, visit the Treasury webpage.

Watch out, Aldi? Albo invites hypermarket to Australia 

The Australian grocery landscape could be in for further shake-up if the Prime Minister gets his way, with Anthony Albanese personally inviting the Middle Eastern retail goliath Lulu Hypermarket to set up shop in Australia. However, the path for LuLu would not be an easy one. For starters, real estate in many big cities doesn’t come cheap, nor do coveted spots come up for grabs regularly. While Australia’s supermarket landscape is dominated by Coles and Woolies, with Aldi hot on their heels, LuLu could entice customers with its hypermarket model. As well as stocking groceries, it also sells appliances, luggage, furniture, toys and a whole lot more, which might just be enough to get Aussies through the door. 

Westpac hits the market with new lowest variable rate 

Australia’s second-largest lender, Westpac, did something noteworthy this month. It cut its lowest variable rate to a highly competitive 5.24 per cent (comparison rate of 5.25%*), making it the lowest rate lender out of the big four banks, in both fixed and variable rates. Now there’s plenty of caveats that come with this rate. It’s for refinancers only. You’ll need to own at least 30 per cent of your property’s value. You need to apply online and no, this loan doesn’t come with an offset account, but if you have a mortgage with Westpac, this could be the bargaining chip you’ve been looking for to get yourself a lower rate. Might be time to pick up the phone and start negotiating.