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Welcome to FY26/27, where 50% of us are already racing to lodge our tax returns, and the rest of us are counting down to the deadline.

July 1 also marks the start of Payday Super, something the Super Members Council say almost half of Australians aren’t yet aware of. From this week, employers have to pay your super contributions at the same time they put your wages into your bank account, instead of just four times a year, which was the old rule.

Getting your super earlier means that money starts investing sooner, giving your retirement nest egg a nice compound interest boost. More importantly, it makes it easier to check you’re getting the right amount (it’s a minimum of 12% of your pre-tax wage) and keep an eye on the overall total. It’s the perfect prompt to download your super fund’s app and stick it right next to your banking one so you can toggle between the two on payday.

July has also brought a handy new tool for anyone who has ever wondered if their mobile provider’s coverage claims match reality. Reading maps isn’t exactly a favourite pastime of mine but the new mobile phone ones from the big three telcos are a fascinating read. As of this week, they have to publish comprehensive coverage maps, including any black spots you always suspected existed but never quite had the proof.

These maps are worth checking out, alongside our 2026 mobile phone awards, with customers rating Aussie Broadband, Aldi and Vodafone (yes, a big three provider) among the winners.

Rewards cards can save you money — but only if they suit your spending habits. Find out if one could pay off for you.

Aussies have spoken and named the best-rated mobile and internet providers for 2026. See which providers came out on top.

We recently got to chatting in the Canstar office about how easy it is to let unused subscriptions slip under the radar. Yes, even we financial pedants aren’t immune! We discovered at least three of us on the Editorial team have been paying for services we don't need, mostly due to procrastination about cancelling.

So how much are those unused subscriptions actually costing us? Two editors were paying for streaming services they never watched: one dropping $20.75 per month, the other $15.99. I confessed to years of spending $40 each month on a donation I've never once claimed on tax and that no longer fits the budget now I have two young kids and a mortgage.

Small monthly payments add up fast, especially when you're paying for something you never use. Combined, the three of us were bleeding more than $920 a year on absolutely nothing. Our challenge this week? Cancel those subscriptions and turn the wallet waste into a wallet win.

Meagan Lawrence
Consumer Editor

Bad news for your morning routine: Woolworths is pulling the plug on its Metro cafes. If you were in the habit of spending $30 to grab a free barista-made coffee, it’s time to find a new caffeine fix (Canstar’s Editor-in-Chief, Nina, is devastated). Woolies is blaming the closures on a "limited uptake" of the offer, with a spokesperson confirming less than 4% of vouchers were redeemed. Sadly, June 21 was your last chance to accumulate vouchers, but you have until August 21 to use any you still have saved up. Some Metro cafes have already closed their doors, though, so get in quickly.

Very few of us actually want to do our taxes (no judgement if that’s how you get your thrills), but the ATO has cautioned Aussies against getting them in too quickly. You might assume doing your taxes ASAP means a faster refund. However, lodging before your pre-fill info is finalised can lead to incomplete and inaccurate returns—cue delays, paperwork and headaches. So when’s a good time to lodge? The ATO says that most pre-fill info is available by late July. Just don’t forget to do your taxes by the October 31 deadline (unless you’re filing with a registered tax agent).

Future you will thank you. Instead of scrambling through faded receipts next June, start organising now. Free tools like the ATO's myDeductions app, Frollo and even your banking app can do much of the heavy lifting. Westpac's Tax organiser, CommBank's spend tracker and NAB's spending tool all help categorise transactions throughout the year, making tax time far less stressful. And while the ATO is increasing the no-receipt limit for work-related expense claims from $300 to $1,000 this financial year, keeping good records is the easiest way to maximise your deductions. A few minutes each month could save hours at EOFY.