Bright ideas and useful money tips

We teamed up with some well-known Aussies to bring you an 8-part series, where we explore the brighter side of money and life, including plenty of practical tips and tricks.

Catch up on all episodes on 10 Play or our YouTube channel.

You can also follow our Instagram page for highlights of the show.

 

Bright ideas and useful money tips

We teamed up with some well-known Aussies to bring you an 8-part series, where we explore the brighter side of money and life, including plenty of practical tips and tricks.

Catch up on all episodes on 10 Play or our YouTube channel.

You can also follow our Instagram page for highlights of the show.

 

About the show

The Brighter Side is an 8-part series, where we explore useful ways you can make money go a little further today and help plan for a better tomorrow.

We meet Australians from all over the country, who share bright ideas and practical tips for living well. From clever side hustles, meal-time ideas and money-saving tips, The Brighter Side will help you make the most of your money.

Tips, stories & inspiration

Taste Test

A low-cost dinner party menu by Adam Liaw

Yes, you can have friends over for dinner without breaking the bank. Adam Liaw shows you how with his budget-friendly, three-course dinner party menu.
Money Talks

Couple goals: getting ahead with different spending styles

It’s normal for couples to have different money styles – often one person is a spender and the other more of a saver. The key is aligning on your f...
My Two Cents

Georgie Tunny and Rob Mills share their top money tips

They may not have started their relationship with the same views on money, but Georgie Tunny and Rob Mills have found their different savings style...
House Proud

How to save money with a vegetable garden

Connie Cao’s family eats garden-to-table, skipping the supermarket checkouts for the abundance of fresh produce she grows at home.
Grow

Boost your financial health: expert tips from Evan Lucas

Behavioural economist Evan Lucas outlines behaviours that can prevent us from growing wealth – and how to shift our mindset for healthier finances.
Quick Wins

Make life more affordable with these simple money hacks

Practical tips to save money and maximise your resources: From selling unused items to lowering your bills.
Side Hustle

Practical tips on how to build your own brand

Jen Nguyen started personalised-robe company MyCloudy during the pandemic lockdowns. Learn how she pivoted to customer demand and built a loyal com...
Taste Test

Try this budget-friendly, plant-based meal by Adam Liaw

Adam Liaw makes veggies the star of this weeknight meal for a dish that’s easy on your budget and tastes great, too.
Money Talks

Is it better to buy a home or an investment property?

Struggling with property decisions? CommBank’s personal finance expert Jess Irvine provides some strategies for finding your way forward.
My Two Cents

Professional surfer Joel Parkinson shares his journey

Explore world champion surfer Joel Parkinson’s remarkable journey and how his passion for the waves shaped his life and career.
Taste Test

French onion meatloaf recipe: cheap, easy and flavour-packed

Add even more flavour to a classic dinner favourite with Adam Liaw’s French onion meatloaf recipe – it’s cheap, quick, easy and tastes delicious.
Money Talks

Turning a side hustle into a full-time small business

Hear from a weekend event planner who is getting ready to go all in on her dream, plus get expert tips on how to take your side-hustle full-time.
House Proud

How to live on the road and earn remotely

Annette and Kevin Jones travel Australia in a caravan, generating income from a travel website, rental property and remote work.
Taste Test

Chicken cacciatore recipe on a budget for your next dinner party

Adam Liaw’s chicken cacciatore recipe uses a cheaper – but just as tasty – cut of meat and offers easy ways to pack in loads of flavour on a budget.
Save

You can save with solar panels and boost your home’s energy efficiency

Your key questions about solar panels answered, plus tips for improving your home’s energy efficiency from a personal finance expert.
Mind Over Money

How to stop spending money

Get expert tips from a behavioural economist on how to resist sales and discounts, and stay focused on your long-term savings goals.
My Two Cents

Daniel Campbell of the CommBank Pararoos talks money

Daniel Campbell, a CommBank Pararoos star, shares his journey of financial discipline and how his determination and adaptability have shaped his ca...
Side Hustle

Tips on how to start your own business

Lawyer-turned-perfumer Craig Andrade shares practical advice on how to start a business and grow it into a brand.
Money Talks

Tips for avoiding online scams

This couple was scammed online and lost 12 months of savings in a rental scam. Here's what they wish they'd known to avoid getting scammed.
My Two Cents

How Thread Together gets unwanted new clothes to vulnerable Australians

A former management consultant transformed his career into helping vulnerable Australians access much needed new clothing.
House Proud

How to save money and live sustainably and save money at the same time

Discover how Kirsten Junor, CEO of Reverse Garbage, saved big on her Sydney renovation by making smart, energy-efficient home design choices and re...
My Two Cents

3 money tips Meg Lanning wishes she’d known sooner

Discover three invaluable money tips Meg Lanning wishes she’d known sooner as she shares her post-cricket insights on life, finance, and career les...
Taste Test

Cheesy Tuna Bake recipe

A quick, delicious, and easy Tuna Bake recipe by Adam Liaw that uses budget ingredients from his pantry. Plus, a secret ingredient that you can’t g...
Money Talks

How to boost your kids’ financial literacy

How to talk about saving, budgeting, pocket money and other foundational financial literacy topics with your kids. Plus, four tips from CommBank’s ...
Side Hustle

Transforming a passion for ice baths into business success

A search for treatments to help his own medical issues sparked Jono James’ interest in ice baths – a passion project that’s transformed into a succ...
The Brighter Side

How to spot red flags to help stop impulse buying

Behavioural economist Evan Lucas shares tips on how to spot red flags that may drive you to impulse buy and spend more money.
Money Talks

Smart ways to spend and save your first full-time salary

Transitioning from student life to a full-time salary can be daunting. Gain insights from a new full time worker's money mantras and expert budgeti...
Taste Test

Delicious and easy spaghetti recipe on a budget

Adam Liaw’s three-step sausage and broccoli spaghetti recipe can be on the table in 30 minutes and uses great-value ingredients that tastes good, too.
My Two Cents

Neil Perry’s tips for how to handle business challenges

Chef Neil Perry shares his insights on tackling business challenges, financial planning and diversifying income streams. Learn from his experiences...
House Proud

Your guide to granny flats

Granny flats are gaining popularity as affordable housing or passive income. If you’re thinking of building your own – here are questions and consi...
Quick Wins

6 easy ways to save money right now

If you’re looking for easy ways to save money for a big goal or looking to pay off debts while money is tight, here are some simple steps you can t...
My Two Cents

Money talk with the CommBank Matildas’ players

We ask the CommBank Matildas' players Tameka Yallop, Amy Sayer and Sophie Harding about the matters of money and living in the moment.
Side Hustle

Miimi & Jiinda: From side hustle to a successful small business

Melissa Greenwood, founder of Miimi & Jiinda, a successful small business, shares six lessons of starting and scaling up a side hustle.
Money Talks

How to budget for your family and save more every day

Simple saving tips from CommBank personal finance expert Jess Irvine that have helped this family-of-five budget to help ease cost-of-living pressu...
Taste Test

Go “fakeaway” with this quick and easy butter chicken recipe

It’s easy to save on takeaway when you know how to make “fakeaway” at home. Adam Liaw shows you how with his express butter chicken recipe.
My Two Cents

Georgie Tunny on financial wellbeing

As host of The Brighter Side, a new show with cost-of-living tips from everyday Australians, Georgie Tunny is getting a boost to her own financial ...
Grow

10 ways to make your home more energy efficient

Save money and help the planet? Experts share steps you can take to reduce costs and your impact. True story.
Taste Test

Easy fritters recipe you can make with leftovers

Don’t throw those leftovers in the bin – get creative and transform them with Adam Liaw’s budget-friendly fridge fritters recipe instead.
Taste Test

3 Adam Liaw recipes for a veggie boost

Flavour, health and budget — you can have it all. Here are three healthy veggie recipes from Adam Liaw that will fill you up but won’t make your wa...
Side Hustle

Six Aussies reveal how they’re boosting their budgets with passive income

You don’t need much time or money to start earning passive income. What you do need is a good idea and a lot of passion.
Save

Grow your savings with the no-spend challenge

There’s a reason why no-spend challenges are growing in popularity. They can rewire the way you approach spending and bulk up your savings, too.
Money Talks

Jess Irvine’s five steps to financial empowerment

CommBank personal finance expert Jess Irvine shares the steps you can take now to get in control of your finances.

See more from The Brighter Side TV series

Our segments

My Two Cents

Georgie Tunny chats with well-known Aussies, finding out what makes them tick when it comes to financial wellbeing and how they approach money. 

See My Two Cents

Money Talks

CommBank personal finance expert, Jess Irvine, meets Australians who are trying to get ahead, offering them some different ways of thinking.

Explore Jess's tips

Side Hustle

Ever thought about starting a side hustle? We talk to Australians who are making an extra income work for them. 

Learn more

House Proud

We go inside the homes of the Australians who are making their houses work harder for them.

Read the tips

Mind Over Money

From savings obstacles to spending triggers, economic behaviourist and author Evan Lucas shares how we're influenced to spend and can hack our mindset to save. 

Learn more

Taste Test

Delicious, affordable meals from Adam Liaw, who knows a thing or two about making food dollars go further. 

Read the recipes

Quick Wins

Discover quick and easy ways to save on everything from food to entertainment. Remember, every little bit counts.

Start now

The Brighter Side hosts

Georgie Tunny

The Brighter Side host, Georgie Tunny, is an Australian broadcaster, writer, and presenter. Perhaps best known as a co-host of Network 10's The Project, Georgie covers topics ranging from arts and culture to current affairs and social issues. She’s passionate about telling genuine stories and engaging thought-provoking discussions. 

Narelda Jacobs

Narelda Jacobs OAM is a Whadjuk Noongar journalist, newsreader and television presenter. She’s a dynamic voice in journalism, bringing stories to life with her keen insights and warm approach. On The Brighter Side, Narelda travels all over the country and discovers the resilience and creativity of Australians who are launching side hustles, running small businesses and using their homes to make money. 

Jess Irvine

CommBank’s personal finance expert is known for her relatable approach to helping Australians boost their financial literacy, embrace budgeting and feel more confident handling their finances. She is a trusted source of guidance for those who have read her books (like Money with Jess), been inspired by her editorial columns and now, watched her meet everyday Australians on The Brighter Side.

Adam Liaw

If anyone can take the stress out of making your food budget stretch further, it’s Australian chef and TV presenter Adam Liaw. His approach to cooking delicious, no-fuss meals – with diverse culinary influences – has made him someone we all trust in the kitchen. Follow Adam on The Brighter Side, as he shares his weekday meals that let you eat well and take a bit of pressure off your rising grocery bill, too. 

Evan Lucas

No-one knows better than author and market strategist Evan Lucas that our behaviour around money can impact the health of our finances. He literally wrote the book on it (it’s a great read called Mind Over Money). On The Brighter Side, Evan points out the ways we can shift our money mindset and even avoid mindless spending. With easy-to-action tips and surprising insights, Evan shares ways we can all feel a little more in control of our money. 

Frequently asked questions

The Brighter Side’ is the name of an 8-part TV series, created by CommBank with the aim to support Australians with useful and practical ways to make the most of their money. 

Each episode meets Australians from all over the country. The show is hosted by The Project’s Georgie Tunny who chats with well-known Aussies, including the CommBank Matildas and Neil Perry, about their money habits and some of the most important lessons they’ve learned. 

Also on the show: We see renowned journalist, Narelda Jacobs, visit people with cleverly designed homes and explore side-hustles that help the hip-pocket; Australian Chef, Adam Liaw, who cooks up budget-friendly meal ideas and CommBank Personal Finance expert, Jess Irvine, who visits Aussies to help boost their financial literacy.

We believe all Australians have the right to a better standard of living. As Australia’s largest bank, we see it as part of our role to support Australians with access to financial education and information to help make money go a little further today - and help plan for a better tomorrow.

We’re always seeking new and practical ways to deliver meaningful content to Australians. This is just another way we hope to share useful information, in another media channel of choice.

Financial wellbeing is a particularly important focus in the context of the cost-of-living challenges currently impacting Australians and ‘The Brighter Side’ is one way we’re showing up to support. 

The program is produced by CommBank in collaboration with Channel 10 (Paramount) and is supported by a media partnership across the 10 Network and into the Australian talk show, The Project. The series has now concluded and can be watched on 10 Play and on our official YouTube channel.

The show was on-air for 8 weeks on Channel 10, from 11 May to 6 July, with a 1-week break off-air on 25 May. 

You can stream all the episodes on 10 Play until 1 May 2025 and on our official YouTube channel. The content can also be found on CommBank website, search CommBank Brighter to discover more. 

Things you should know

  • This page provides general information of an educational nature only. It does not have regard to the financial situation or needs of any reader and must not be relied upon as personal financial product advice. The views expressed by contributors are their own and don’t necessarily reflect the views of CBA. As the information has been provided without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should, before acting on this information, consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and Terms and Conditions, and whether the product is appropriate to your circumstances. You should also consider whether seeking independent professional legal, tax and financial advice is necessary. Every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication, but it may be subject to change. No part of the editorial contents may be reproduced or copied in any form without the prior permission and acknowledgement of CBA.