How Australians can make more cash this Christmas

With cost of living continuing to bite Aussies in the lead up to Christmas, see how you can beat the financial grinch and bank more savings this festive season.

Jessica Cham and Hayley Goddard

6 min read

December 13, 2023 - 4:00AM

News Corp Australia Network

National

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Tis the season to be saving, after a tough year of rate rises and inflationary pressures.

Our economy slowed 1.2 per cent, 3.7 million Aussie households went without food and nearly half of us struggled to make educational, health and housing payments on time.

But there are ways to beat the financial grinch this Christmas.

Sydney father of three Darian Clark recently refinanced his home loan — not only receiving a cheaper interest rate but $3000 in cash back rewards from his new lender.

“I’ve done two refinances in the past two years. It involved a bit of work but definitely worth the effort. There are some deals out there but it’s not for everyone and there are some costs involved but we still came out in front,” he said.

“I got $5000 cash back in 2021 and then $3000 last month from refinancing.”

Darian Clark and wife Renee Dodds have recently switched lender and health insurance providers saving them thousands of dollars ahead of Christmas. They are pictured here with children Terran, 12, Elliot, 8, and Raphael, 6, of Sydney's south. Picture: Supplied

Mr Clark also scored himself six weeks of free health insurance by switching providers.

And he is a OnePass member, which earns him five times points on purchases at Wesfarmers brands, including Kmart, Bunnings and Officeworks – and gets free delivery.

JESSICA CHAM and HAYLEY GODDARD explore the other ways to bank household savings this festive period.

Price Matching and Price Beating

Many retailers will match a competitor’s price to gain brand trust and customer loyalty.

Some also offer price beating, of up to 10 per cent, which makes the products even cheaper. You just need to bring the discounted goods to the store’s attention.

Here are the Aussie companies offering to price match or price beat:

Bunnings Warehouse – 10 per cent price beat

Officeworks – 5 per cent price beat

The Good Guys – price beat within 30 days of purchase

JB Hi-Fi – price match

Harvey Norman – price match

Savvy Aussies can save money in the lead up to Christmas with price matching at a range of outlets, including Kmart. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dean Martin

Kmart – price match

Target – price match

Dan Murphy’s – price beat

Chemist Warehouse – 10 per cent price beat

Anaconda – 10 per cent price beat

BabyBunting – price match

Jetstar – 10 per cent price beat

Myer – price match

Rebel Sport – price match at their discretion

eBay Australia – 10 per cent price beat within 48 hours of purchase

Strategic Shopping

Little Birdie is a platform comparing shopping deals at Australian department stores.

The iOS- and android-compatible app offers 90-day tracking of the product of interest.

“(You can) investigate the price history of the product you’re interested in to confirm if it’s a good time to buy,” Little Birdie shopping expert David Jennings said.

“Little Birdie’s browser extension can show you the historical prices for items across various websites, to help you determine if the deal is genuinely a discount.”

Also, shoppers should keep an eye out for duplications of the same product.

This year, Aldi stock a $149 Christmas tree that is almost identical to one David Jones is selling for $400.

Bulk Buying

Buying in bulk can deliver big savings — if you have the storage space.

Costco offers deals on food, leisure and clothing brands for a yearly membership fee of $40. You also get a 2 per cent annual reward.

There’s also catch.com.au — and aside from significant savings, you can rack up Flybuys points.

Rewards points programs can help Aussies stretch their budget this festive season.

Rewards Points

Used in supermarkets, retail stores, or even banks, Flybuys and Everyday Rewards point schemes are free and deliver decent savings.

There are weekly discounts and boosters for members, as well as points rewards when you hit certain targets.

Some shoppers even transfer their Everyday Rewards points to Frequent Flyer points, which can make travel cheaper.

Free Delivery

Despite the convenience of online shopping, delivery fees can add up.

So, consider paid memberships, such as Woolworths’ Everyday Xtra or OnePass, which for a small fee give customers free delivery at stores including Kmart, Target and Bunnings.

OnePass and Flybuys has a special promo on at the moment where members go into a draw to win a share of 20 million Flybuys Points, worth $50,000 Flybuys Dollars, by linking their two accounts together. There are other prizes up for grabs too.

Amazon Prime also offers free delivery for members, as well as access to its video streaming service.

Members also get discounts, early access to sales, and ‘Prime day’ deals on set products.

CASHBACK DEALS

* Shopping

Sites like Cashrewards, ShopBack and Kickback give Australians a certain percentage of the money they spend back to them via PayPal or a designated bank account.

Banks, including the Commonwealth and ANZ, also offer cashbacks through affiliated partners.

“Check if your bank offers cashback or rewards programs for specific retailers,” Mr Jennings said.

“Take advantage of these banking rewards to maximise your savings during the Christmas shopping period.”

* Home Loans

Mortgage holders can get up to $3000 for switching their loan to another lender, or refinancing an existing one. The best deals going right now are:

ANZ: $2000 cashback for refinancing a loan

Bank of Melbourne: $2000 cashback for refinancing a loan

HSBC: $3288 for refinancing a loan

Bank of Queensland: $2000 for refinancing a loan

Bank SA: $2000 for refinancing a loan

IMB: $2500 on loans of $250,000 or more

St George: $2000 cashback for refinancing a loan

Newcastle Permanent: $2000 on loans of $250,000 or more

ME Bank: $2000 for loans above $400,000 and $3000 for loans above $700,000

GRANTS AND REBATES

Healthcare, education, utilities, sports, transport and housing rebates are available from state and territory governments: VIC, QLD, NSW, SA, TAS, NT.

For more details, here’s how:

* Housing

If you are a resident of New South Wales, rental payments or rate concessions may be accessed through the NSW Government of Communities and Justice.

Some low income earners in Victoria can get a discount of up to 50 per cent on council rates. Eligible Victorian homebuyers may also be able to get a full, or partial exemption on stamp duty.

Tasmanians can receive a 50 per cent discount on transfer fees if the property they are purchasing is worth less than $600,000 — and the one they are selling. Some Tasmanian homeowners may be eligible to receive a 30 per cent discount on council rates.

* Education

Australian students can get support for schooling and sporting programs.

* Utilities

Australians may be eligible to access government support to help cover the cost of energy and water bills.

* Energy Deals

With energy prices soaring, many Aussies have turned to solar power and the federal subsidy on offer.

DRIVA’s Consumer Report revealed that a 6.6 kW solar panel system in Australia generates around 25 kWh of electricity each day. This could lead to an annual saving of around $1000.

Aussies can score a better deal on their electricity bills by shopping around - and also tapping into government rebates, if eligible.

* Health

Rebates are available to cover the costs of running medical equipment, such as oxygen and blood pressure monitors.

Australians who live in rural areas are able to access financial support for their medical travel and accommodation.

* Transport

Drivers may be eligible for discounts on the cost of licence fees, vehicle registrations and stamp duty.

Discounted taxi-type programs are available for those who live remotely or are medically unable to drive.

* Fuel

Websites that compare local prices such as PetrolSpy Australia and Motor Mouth are worth checking for savings.

7-Eleven offers customers a “lock” in price for local advertised fuel, allowing drivers to use the deal at a time that best suits them.

There are apps that can help Aussies locate the cheapest fuel price for their local area. Picture: AFP

* Unclaimed Super

Australians have a collective $16 billion in lost and unclaimed super, according to the Australian Taxation Office.

By accessing your MyGov account or super account, you can check if any of that belongs to you.

FAST WAYS TO MAKE CASH

Side hustles have never been more popular as cost of living pressures bite — and there are plenty available.

* AirBNB

Whether its short term or long term homestays or experiences, AirBNB enables customers to rent out their property while earning an income.

* Uber Carshare

Drivers can make extra cash when their car is not in use by signing up to Uber Carshare.

The average car owner on the share site makes up to $3500 a year.

* Camplify

Similar to Uber Carshare, Camplify allows van owners to rent out their motorhomes, campers and caravans.

The average Australian van owner uses their vehicle around four times a year, so sharing it on Camplify is an easy and efficient way of making some extra cash.

Some Aussies can earn up to $9000 a year as a side hustle by renting out their caravans through Camplify. Picture: Supplied

Camplify revealed Aussie could earn up to $9000 a year, depending on the type of van they had available to rent and where they were based.

Julia Leicht, in Melbourne's north, has been on the platform since August this year and in that time made $15,000 for hiring out her modern four-bed Leader caravan that has solar panels and batteries.

* Uber Driving

Uber drivers can set their own schedule, and earnings are deposited into their bank account weekly.