This week's top reads

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Let’s be clear, my colleague Mark wasn’t exactly enamoured with the $2,000+ spike to his home and contents insurance. But instead of hitting that ‘auto-renew’ button, he got switching and saved, not $2,000 but almost $4,000 🤩, complete with a bundle discount.

Just know, bundling doesn’t always equal genuine savings. Take Zip’s announcement it’s launching mobile phone plans from as little as $10 a month. Say WHAT? Show me where to sign! The catch? It’s a biggie: you have to be an existing customer, which, considering it offers personal loans that can result in fees and decent wads of debt, is something you’d want to weigh up first.

Finally, it’s the ultimate plot twist: in a digital-first world, cash is making a comeback. Aussies are falling back in love with the stuff that folds, with new RBA data showing cash use has jumped for the first time in the history of the central bank’s two-decade-long research.

Whether it’s ‘cash stuffing’ to keep the budget in check or having an emergency stash for when the digital grid goes down, 15 per cent of us are now opting for physical notes proving that while cash may no longer be king, it’s certainly not ready to abdicate.

The catch? Access is plummeting. Bank ATMs have basically halved in five years, while branches have dropped by 33 per cent, so while notes and coins might be making a revival, it’s now a game of Where’s Wally to find it.

Shoppers can win daily vouchers worth $10, $15 or $20 until the end of the month with Coles’ new Footy Flips game. Best of all, you don’t need to make a purchase to enter.

Zip has entered the mobile market with ZMobile, offering plans from $10 a month. However, watch out, as some of the best offers may be limited to existing customers.

If your receipts go AWOL come tax-time, here’s some news that might clear up this annual nightmare. The government has released draft legislation that, if passed, will let people claim up to $1,000 of work-related expenses without receipts, an increase from the current limit of $300, effective from next tax year. Be warned, however, this won’t mean an extra grand in your pocket. The $1,000 gets taken off your taxable income, so the savings will depend on how much tax you pay, with the government estimating the average saving to be $205. If you’ve spent more than $1,000, don’t do away with your receipts. Too disorganised to save them? There are plenty of apps that can do it for you, to save tax time headaches.

The ACCC’s Federal Court proceedings against Woolworths began this week, with the corporate watchdog alleging Woolworths hiked prices on hundreds of items, from Oreos to dishwashing liquid, for a few weeks before dropping them to a price that was actually higher than the original long-term cost. Similar legal proceedings are afoot with Coles and both are vigorously defending the claims, however, the cases serve as a major wake-up call for budget-conscious Australians: don’t let red, white, yellow, or any coloured stickers do the thinking for you. Always check the unit price. It’s the easiest, most accurate way to compare different brands, sizes and specials.

This year’s Federal Budget is going to be one of cost savings–for the budget bottom line that is–and included on the chopping block is the older Australians’ private health insurance rebate, which currently extends up to 32 per cent for those aged 70 and above. Instead, the government is dropping the maximum rebate down to 24 per cent, regardless of how old you are–a change that could add an estimated $411 to the annual cost of an average-priced gold hospital policy for a 70-year-old.. Will it drive older Australians out of private health insurance at a time they need it most? Hopefully not, especially if people shop around, but it will make keeping the lights on that little bit harder.