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So often life feels like it's on repeat, and so when I say Christmas AND rate hikes are coming, by all means, roll your eyes and groan.

It’s also important to do something about both.

Inflation is stickier than a kid in a candy store and the possibility of another cash rate hike before Christmas now sits at higher odds than Santa getting stuck in the chimney.

Just this morning we saw NAB and ANZ hike fixed rates – a clear sign they believe an RBA move is imminent. Now is the time to take stock of your mortgage. There are still 50 lenders on our database offering variable rates under 6 per cent which, as an owner-occupier, is where you want it to be.

Christmas itself is now just 99 days away. For fortnightly earners, that’s just seven paydays to go. To cover a $1,500 budget, you need to save $214 a fortnight, starting next pay. 

Want one of those instalments for free? Pausing your subscriptions might sound extreme, but pausing your Spotify, Netflix, Kayo and Audible for the next 90 days could put $228 back into the Christmas budget. That’s 23 kilos of ham right there.

Finally, Myer shoppers might want to check out its Christmas Club, where you deposit money into an account up to 18 October and Myer will pay it back to you in gift cards in November. The win? You get an extra $10 gift card for every $100 saved. The catch? You’re locked into spending it at Myer. Plus, the account forces you to set up a regular direct debit, so you have to remember to cancel it after the October cut-off date to avoid banking money for Christmas 2027.

Looking for luxury without paying the big bucks? Here are 7 ways to increase your odds of a business class bump.

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This week, Coles announced its new Collect for Christmas program. But how much will you need to spend to get the maximum reward?

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Shopping online and spotted a promo code box at checkout? Browser extensions like Honey, ShopBack, and Coupert automatically hunt down working discounts. You will need to download the site’s extension onto your internet browser, which gives it permission to track your shopping. When you reach checkout, an "apply coupon" button will pop up if savings are available. If tracking feels too invasive, try traditional channels: check the store’s social pages, scan Reddit forums, or sign up for email newsletters to snag a new-customer discount. Just be sure to watch out for minimum spend thresholds. 

NRMA offers a wealth of deals through its My NRMA rewards program, and you don’t need to be a Roadside Assistance member to take advantage. Right now, non-members can get a free month of My NRMA, followed by $5/month after that. You can enjoy discounts and two-for-one deals at hundreds of restaurants, up to 13c/l off fuel at Ampol Foodary and 4% off Woolworths eGift cards. There are also discounts at Event Cinemas, SIXT car rentals, Rydges, and more. You can definitely squeeze out more than $55 of value from this deal in 12 months — just don’t be tempted to overspend to score a discount. 

How often do you visit the deli at your supermarket? According to Canstar’s latest research, 22% of shoppers will visit it on every single grocery trip, spending an average of $21 each time. Over half (54%) say the appeal is being able to get the exact weight of what they want, while 44% reckon the deli offers better quality items than what they’d get packaged. Value for money is what keeps customers most satisfied, however, with shoppers rating IGA the top pick for supermarket delis.