There’s something deeply satisfying about getting money back on purchases you were going to make anyway. It’s like finding a twenty-dollar note in an old jacket pocket, except you can orchestrate it to happen regularly. I’ve been thinking about this lately, particularly as I’ve watched the cashback scene evolve over the past few years.

The basic concept is brilliantly simple: shop through a cashback platform, and you get a percentage of your purchase returned to your account. It’s not revolutionary – it’s essentially commission-sharing – but it works. The retailer pays the platform for sending customers their way, and the platform shares part of that commission with you. Everyone wins, which is rare enough in modern commerce to be worth celebrating.

Something’s been bothering me lately about the state of salary packaging services in Australia, and a recent online discussion really struck a chord. It’s concerning to see how these financial intermediaries, meant to make our lives easier, can sometimes cause significant stress and hardship.

The story that caught my attention involved someone who had $2000 unexpectedly taken from their pay by their salary packaging provider, with only a fraction returned through the normal fortnightly payment. The timing couldn’t have been worse - they’d just started a new job and were running low on funds. What makes it more frustrating is that when they tried to resolve the issue, they couldn’t even get through to customer service before closing time.

Something’s been bothering me lately, and it’s those sneaky little surcharges that keep popping up on bank statements but are nowhere to be found on receipts. The other day, while grabbing a ridiculously overpriced $7 croissant at a local café, I noticed my bank statement showed $14.61 when my receipt clearly stated $14.50.

Sure, it’s just 11 cents, but it’s the principle that matters. This kind of discrepancy isn’t just annoying - it’s potentially illegal. Tax invoices are supposed to reflect the exact amount paid, including any surcharges. That’s not just my opinion; it’s what the ATO requires.