There is a particular rhythm to Australian internet pricing. The real price sits at some quietly outrageous number, a promotional price appears for six months, and then you either forget to switch or you switch, and the whole cycle begins again with a different provider. It is, in its own mundane way, a kind of performance art.

The current one worth knowing about: Origin Energy is offering their 500Mbps NBN plan for $54 a month for the first six months. New activations need to be in before 30 June, which is very soon. After the discount period, it jumps back to the standard rate, which is where the story gets less interesting.

The End of Financial Year sales are upon us again, and retailers are already rolling out their deals. While my inbox is flooded with countless “unmissable offers,” I’ve learned over the years that not all EOFY deals are created equal. Some require the investigative skills of a detective to uncover the real value.

Take the current Optus iPhone deal that’s creating quite a buzz. At first glance, it sounds incredible - an iPhone 16 Pro for $400? However, diving into the details reveals a more complex story. The deal actually offers a $1,187 credit towards an iPhone 16, but it comes with strings attached: a 24-month plan commitment and potential cancellation fees. This perfectly illustrates why we need to read beyond the headlines when deal hunting.