Why you could take home less money from next week

Why you need to check your next pay slip, Aldi groceries named the cheapest, and the backyard pool tops the list of our home turn-offs. Here are five things you may have missed this week.

Will the 0.5% rise in super contributions leave you with less pay?

From Tuesday July 1, employer-paid super contributions will rise by 0.5%, from 11.5% to 12%.

Mary Delahunty, CEO of industry body ASFA, is hailing the increase as "a major milestone in Australia's retirement system".

She says the uptick is expected to add an extra $20,000 to the retirement savings of today's 30-year-olds.

Even so, CPA Australia, is urging workers to check if their employer is making the extra contribution, or if it comes out of their total remuneration package.

CPA Australia's Richard Webb, explains, "For those on award or enterprise agreements, your pay agreement is more likely to be a salary, which means the change will not affect your take-home pay."

However, he adds, "If your employment contract includes a total remuneration package including super, this could mean less take-home pay at the end of the month."

Webb says it's a good idea to check with your employer to see how they view the changes and what it means for you.

"Otherwise, you might get a shock if your take-home pay is a little less than expected," notes Webb.

Australians rank second wealthiest in the world

You may not feel rich but when it comes to personal wealth, Australia is punching above its weight on the global stage.

The 2025 UBS Global Wealth Report shows Australia ranked second with median wealth per adult of $US268,424 ($412,000), just behind Luxembourg ($US395,340).

When it comes to average wealth, which can be skewed by a small number of extremely wealthy people, Australia ranks fifth ($US516,640).

Switzerland took out the top spot with average wealth per adult of $US687,166.

UBS says Australia stands out from other wealthy nations in one key respect.

Real estate assets accounts for more than half (53%) our personal wealth, ahead of the United Kingdom (42%) and far ahead of the other markets. In the United States, the proportion is 30%.

Australians hold just 10% of their wealth in cash and deposits, only half as much as in Switzerland, Singapore and the UK.

Keep an eye on your share portfolio

Shares are often regarded as a 'set and forget' investment. But it still pays to check your share portfolio regularly.

ASIC reports a seven-fold increase in the number of fraudulent share sales over the past four years.

ASIC commissioner Simone Constant says, "Share sale fraud can happen to anyone, at any time, with unsuspecting investors having their accounts hacked, and their shares sold or transferred to others."

She adds, "There are terrible stories out there, where in some cases entire investment portfolios are lost, and millions of dollars are involved."

ASIC is calling on online brokers to lift their game on fraud prevention and detection measures.

However, investors can take steps of their own to help protect their shareholdings.

"Investors should review their share portfolios regularly, be alert to suspicious transaction activity, turn on multi-factor authentication, and use passphrases, not passwords for logins,' says Constant.

She also suggests keeping your letterbox locked to prevent mail theft.

Aldi still cheapest but the gap is closing

Inflation may have fallen to 2.1% in May, but food and non-alcoholic drinks were the biggest  contributor to the annual rise, so it's still essential to hunt for value at the supermarket.

On this score, consumer group CHOICE says Aldi continues to come up trumps.

"Aldi had the best deal for shoppers looking to keep cosy this winter, with a full basket of 14 items without specials costing $55.35," says Ashley de Silva, CHOICE CEO.

The same basket cost only a few bucks more at Woolworths ($58.92) and Coles ($59.22).

The same IGA basket cost $69.74.

However, the price gap has narrowed considerably over the past 12 months.

Back in June 2024, CHOICE reported that Aldi was 25% cheaper than either Coles or Woolworths.

While this is good news for shoppers, de Silva points to other ways to save on the weekly grocery shop.

"Checking the unit pricing, keeping an eye on specials, shopping around, and trying out house brand products can all add up to significant savings," she says.

Aussies reveal their biggest home turn-offs

Research by Compare the Market has lifted the lid on Australians' biggest home turn-offs - and most of them relate to outdoor areas.

Backyard pools top the list - by a long margin - with 43.1% of respondents saying this was the least desirable home feature.

That's followed by balconies (26.6%) and car ports (25.4%).

Aussies clearly place a high value on comfort inside the home, with multiple bedrooms being the most popular home attribute (39%) followed by air conditioning/heating (37.0%).

Compare the Market's Stephen Zeller, says, the research sends a cautionary note to home buyers.

"A house with a lot of desirable attributes may cost more," notes Zeller. "Therefore, it's important for people to find out what their 'must-haves' are and what their budget is. The perfect dream home won't exist - or will be very expensive."

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