Help & support
Your first “real” job may not pay as much as you first thought, especially after taking into consideration tax, super and that daily caffeine fix. Take time before you start your new job to make sure you understand exactly how much you will be paid and how often. It’s also a good idea to confirm this after you receive your first pay and make any alterations to your previous calculations.
Once you know exactly what you’ll earn, having a budget will help you manage your everyday spending and plan for the future. Get started by mapping out how much you spend each month on things like:
Then work out where you can make changes to ensure you’re adding to your savings. A good rule of thumb for budgeting your salary is the 50-30-20 rule which helps you plan to pay bills (50%), add to savings (20%), and have money to spend on fun (30%).
Once you’ve got your budget in place you can start saving for the next big thing. Set yourself a weekly or monthly savings goal that’s achievable and make sure you don’t dip into it when you feel like indulging. It’s also a good idea to split your savings into different buckets, one for saving for the future and one for emergency savings in case the unexpected happens, like a broken washing machine or burst water pipe.
Get help to set and reach your goals with Goal Tracker.
Money Plan in the CommBank app has a range of tools to help you get control of your finances. With Money Plan, you can:
Even though it may seem like retirement is a way off, putting some work into your super now may save you time and earn you money over the next few decades.
When you start a new job, you don’t have to agree to join the super fund that your employer chooses. Simply complete a Super Choice form and hand it to your new employer.
In your teen years you may have worked a couple of different jobs and had super paid into different accounts. Consider bringing them all together into one so you may avoid paying multiple sets of fees.
CommBank has worked with Colonial First State to bring you Essential Super, a super fund which offers choice in what you invest your money in, like the Thrive+ Sustainable Growth option. Plus you can track your superannuation in NetBank or the CommBank app.
Essential Super
SUPERANNUATION
Set up your pathway to a comfortable future with Essential Super. Choose how you invest your money and watch it grow via your CommBank app.
StepPay
BUY NOW PAY LATER
A new way to buy now, pay later.
CommSec Pocket
INVESTING
Start investing in your financial future with as little as $50 by opening a CommSec Pocket account.
Savings account
Save
Putting money away into a savings account helps stop the temptation to spend it. You can still get quick access to your savings with the CommBank app if you need it. Plus, you can make the most of:
You can also set and track your savings goals with Goal Tracker in the CommBank app.
Everyday Account Smart Access
Bank
Get paid into this account from your employer and manage your day-to-day finances.
Credit card
CONVENIENCE
Whether it's for everyday convenience, to be rewarded, or for extra flexibility, our credit cards have a range of features and benefits for your needs, like:
1 With fees 15% lower than the super funds average, including industry funds, Essential Super helps grow your super faster. Fee comparison is for MySuper products. Fees are compared on the Lifestage 1965-69 option for a member balance of $50,000 and may vary for different age cohorts. The Chant West Super Fund Fee Survey compares the Lifestage option that is closest to 73% growth assets, which is consistent with the average risk and return profile of most non-lifecycle products. Total fees and costs include administration fees and costs, investment fees and costs and net transaction costs on a gross of tax basis. Industry averages are calculated on a weighted average basis. This comparison has been prepared by CFS using data sourced from the Chant West Super Fund Fee Survey, effective 31 December 2023 and is based on information provided to Chant West by third parties, that is believed accurate at the time of publication. Fees may change in the future which may affect the outcome of the comparison. Chant West may make adjustments to fees and costs for comparison purposes and therefore data may vary to other published materials. Additional fees may apply. Refer to the PDS and Fees and Investments Reference Guide to find out more.
2 The CommBank Yello Cashback Offers program (‘CommBank Yello Cashback Offers’) rewards you with cashback after you activate (where required) an offer presented to you via the CommBank app and you make a purchase in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of that offer. Cashback is typically received within 14 business days of a qualifying purchase, but in some cases may take longer. If you are not already enrolled, you can enrol if you are at least 18 years old, hold an eligible CommBank credit Mastercard or debit Mastercard, Business credit Mastercard or StepPay digital card, and meet the ‘Base eligibility criteria’ in the ‘CommBank Yello Terms and Conditions’ (latest version available on our website at commbank.com.au) (‘CommBank Yello’). Your participation in CommBank Yello Cashback Offers is governed by the full Terms and Conditions available in the CommBank app.
3 The earning and redemption of CommBank Awards points are subject to the CommBank Awards Program Terms & Conditions (PDF). Points are earned on eligible transactions (excludes for example BPAY transactions, cash advances, balance transfers and payments to the Australian Taxation Office unless made using a Business Awards card) and are subject to points capping. Awards and the number of points required for Awards are subject to change at any time without notice.
4 Travel insurance included on your credit card provides cover for you, your spouse and your accompanied children for return trips from Australia, up to a set period. You will need to activate your travel insurance for each trip in order to have a comprehensive level of cover. To activate your cover, register on NetBank, the CommBank app or call Cover-More on 1300 467 951 before you travel. If you don't activate, you'll receive Base medical which includes personal liability cover and unlimited overseas emergency medical assistance and hospital expenses only. Restrictions, exclusions (including for pre-existing medical conditions and persons aged 80 years or over), limits, sub-limits and excesses apply. Before making a decision, refer to the Credit Card Insurances Product Disclosure Statement and Information Booklet for full conditions. Insurance issued and administered by Cover-More Insurance Services Pty Ltd (AFSL 241713, ABN 95 003 114 145) on behalf of the insurer Zurich Australian Insurance Limited (AFSL 232507, ABN 13 000 296 640) for Commonwealth Bank of Australia. If you purchase an Upgrade Policy, we receive a commission which is a percentage of your premium - ask us for more details before we provide you with any services on this product (including for pre-existing medical conditions and persons aged 80 years or over), limits and excesses may apply to all insurances. More information can be found in the relevant Credit Card Insurances Product Disclosure Statement and Information Booklet (PDF).
5 You won't be able to apply for an instalment plan if you don't meet our criteria (e.g. if you have exceeded your limit or if you are in default). Instalment plans are not available on CommBank Neo cards, non-Awards Business Cards, corporate cards or balance transfers. The terms of the Credit Card Conditions of Use (PDF) relating to instalment plans (section 5) will apply. While you have an instalment plan, we apply your credit card payments first to your current monthly instalments. This will apply even when you have other card balances with a higher interest rate, such as cash advances and purchases not on a plan. Any interest-free period on purchases will no longer apply once the purchase is put on a plan. You can cancel your instalment plan at any time. When a cancellation is processed, the outstanding instalment balance will be transferred to your purchases balance (or cash advance balance for cancelled cash advance plans) and accrue interest from the transfer date at the standard purchase or cash interest rate applicable on your account. If you miss a monthly payment your plan won’t be cancelled and you can continue to make any remaining monthly payments due up to the end of your chosen term. However, if you miss an instalment payment, the unpaid amount will be transferred to your purchases balance (or cash advances balance if the instalment plan was a cash advance plan). It will then accrue interest at the purchases (or cash advance) rate.
6 Note that some types of transactions made via CommBank branches, telephone, online or mobile banking such as transfers to other accounts, bill payments, assisted cash withdrawals and transactions flagged as recurring (for example, direct debits) or that are not sent to us for authorisation won't be declined. For full terms and conditions of the spending cap, visit NetBank or the CommBank app. Other conditions apply.
Avanteos Investments Limited ABN 20 096 259 979, AFSL 245531 (referred to as Colonial First State, CFS, ‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’) is the Trustee of Essential Super ABN 56 601 925 435 and the issuer of interests in Essential Super. Essential Super is distributed by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124, AFSL 234945 (the Bank). The CFS Group consists of Superannuation and Investments HoldCo Pty Limited ABN 64 644 660 882 (HoldCo) and its subsidiaries, which includes CFS. The Bank holds an interest in the CFS Group through its significant minority interest in HoldCo.
This information is issued by CFS and may include general financial product advice but does not consider your individual objectives, financial situation, needs or tax circumstances, and so you should consider the appropriateness of the advice having regard to your circumstances before acting on it. The Target Market Determination (TMD) for Essential Super can be found at cfs.com.au/tmd and includes a description of who the financial product is appropriate for and any conditions on how the product can be distributed to customers. You should read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and the Reference Guides for Essential Super carefully and consider whether the information is appropriate for you before making any decision regarding this product. Download the PDS and Reference Guides at commbank.com.au/essentialsuper-documents or call us on 13 4074 for a copy.
None of the Bank, HoldCo, CFS, nor any of their respective subsidiaries guarantee the performance of Essential Super or the repayment of capital by Essential Super. An investment in this product is subject to risk, loss of income and capital invested. An investment in Essential Super is via a superannuation trust and is therefore not an investment in, deposit with or other liability of the Bank or its subsidiaries.
The insurance provider is AIA Australia Limited ABN 79 004 837 861, AFSL 230043 (AIA Australia). AIA Australia is not part of the Commonwealth Bank Group or CFS. Insurance cover is provided to eligible members of Essential Super under policies issued to CFS.
CommSec Pocket is free to download however your mobile network provider may charge you for accessing data on your phone. CommSec Pocket terms and conditions are available on the app. CommSec Pocket is available for compatible iOS (iOS version 11+) and Android (operating system 5+) devices.
Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814 (CommSec) is a wholly owned but non-guaranteed subsidiary of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 AFSL 234945 and a market participant of ASX Limited and Cboe Australia Pty Limited (formerly Chi-X Australia Pty Ltd), a clearing participant of ASX Clear Pty Limited and a settlement participant of ASX Settlement Pty Limited.
Applications for credit cards are subject to credit approval. Full terms and conditions will be included in our Letter of Offer. Bank fees and charges apply. Please read our CommBank Credit Card Conditions of Use.
The target market for these products will be found within the product’s Target Market Determination, available here.
Full terms and conditions of the CommBank app are available on the app. The CommBank app is free to download however your mobile network provider charges you for accessing data on your phone. Find out about the minimum operating system requirements on the CommBank app page. NetBank access with NetCode SMS is required.
The information on this website has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of that, you should, before acting on this information, consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. Please view our Financial Services Guide. Full terms and conditions for the transaction and savings accounts mentioned and Electronic Banking are available here or from any branch of the Commonwealth Bank.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 and Australian credit licence 234945.
