Estelle OzK

Australians keep hearing about inflation, interest rates and the cost of living. But there is one question that matters much more when you are standing at the supermarket checkout: why are everyday prices still so high? The latest numbers make that question even more relevant. Australia’s annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.0% in August 2026 , up from 3.5% in July. At the same time, the Reserve Bank of Australia has lifted the cash rate to 4.60% . To understand what is happening, it helps to separate two things that sound similar but are actually very different: inflation and the actual level of prices. Quick Answer Inflation measures how quickly prices are changing. A lower inflation rate does not normally mean groceries, rent or other everyday costs return to their old prices. It means prices are increasing more slowly. Right now, however, Australia’s headline inflation has risen again, which is one reason the RBA remains concerned abou...

Australia’s cash rate is now 4.60% , but for many households the more useful question is not simply how high the rate has gone. It is where the extra cost will begin showing up in the household budget from October . The Reserve Bank of Australia raised the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points at its September meeting, taking it from 4.35% to 4.60%. The new cash rate took effect on 30 September 2026. For mortgage holders, however, the impact does not necessarily begin on the same day as the RBA change. Australia’s Big Four banks have announced a 0.25 percentage point increase to variable home loan rates from 9 October 2026 . In this article Why Did Australia’s Cash Rate Rise to 4.6%? When Will the Latest Rate Rise Hit Home Loans? How Much Could a 0.25% Rate Rise Add to a Mortgage? Why Does 4.6% Feel Harder Than It Did in 2011? What About Renters and Households Without a Mortgage? What Should Australian Households Check Now? ...

Australian households are still spending, but the latest figures suggest that everyday costs are taking priority. CommBank reported that household spending increased by just 0.1% in August 2026, while Westpac's September consumer sentiment survey showed that Australians were feeling less confident about their finances and the economy. For people living in Australia, these figures raise a practical question: how can we understand the wider economic picture without losing sight of our own household budget? Contents 1. What Australia's spending figures show 2. Why essential spending matters 3. How to read the consumer sentiment index 4. What the numbers do—and do not—tell us 5. The Estelle OzK perspective 6. This week's practical takeaway What Australia's Spending Figures Show According to CommBank's Household Spending Insights, Australian household spending rose by 0.1% in August 2026 compared with ...

If your usual grocery shop feels more expensive lately, you may not be imagining it. New research from Australian consumer group CHOICE found that the price of its eight-item grocery basket rose at Aldi, Woolworths, Coles and IGA between March and June 2026. The results, published on 24 September, offer a useful snapshot of supermarket prices. But how much can a national basket comparison tell us about our own weekly grocery bill? Contents 1. What the latest supermarket survey found 2. How supermarket prices changed from March to June 3. Why a basket is not a weekly grocery bill 4. Why specials can change the comparison 5. A simple way to compare products 6. What Australian shoppers can take away What the Latest Supermarket Survey Found CHOICE sent mystery shoppers to 104 supermarkets in 27 locations across Australia in June 2026. Its research covered Aldi, Woolworths, Coles and IGA, with products selected to make th...

If your mortgage already feels expensive, hearing that Australian interest rates could rise again is probably not what you want to hear. But before worrying about another increase, it helps to understand why the Reserve Bank of Australia is still being cautious. The simple version is this: inflation is still higher than the RBA would like, and some of the pressures pushing prices up — including energy costs and strong demand in parts of the economy — have not disappeared yet. Here is what that means in everyday terms. Contents 1. Where interest rates stand now 2. Why rates could rise again 3. What fuel and groceries have to do with it 4. What it could mean for your mortgage 5. What households can do now 6. What to watch next Where Interest Rates Stand Now The RBA’s cash rate is currently 4.35% . That cash rate is not the same as the interest rate on your home loan, but it strongly influences the rates banks charge bo...

You order a coffee for $5.50, tap your card, and somehow the amount on the terminal is a little higher than the price you just saw. It is a small difference, but it is something Australians have become very familiar with. From 1 October 2026 , that everyday checkout experience is about to change. Contents 1. What changes on October 1? 2. Which cards are included? 3. Does this mean shopping will be cheaper? 4. Which surcharges can still remain? 5. Why is Australia changing the system? 6. What shoppers should remember 1. What changes on October 1? The Reserve Bank of Australia has completed a major review of card payment costs and surcharging. From 1 October 2026, eftpos, Mastercard and Visa will introduce rules preventing businesses from adding a separate surcharge simply because a customer pays with their cards. In practical terms, if an item is advertised at $10, you should no longer reach the card terminal and find a...

Living in Australia, grocery shopping has become one of those household expenses I pay much more attention to than I used to. I regularly shop at Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, and over time I’ve stopped asking one simple question: Which supermarket is the cheapest? Instead, I’ve found it more useful to ask: Which supermarket is better for what I need today? That small change has made grocery shopping more practical for me. Aldi can be excellent for everyday basics, while Coles and Woolworths often give me more choice when I’m looking for a particular brand, product or promotion. And with food prices still putting pressure on Australian households, comparing what we actually get for our money matters more than ever. Contents 1. Grocery Prices Are Still Rising 2. Is One Supermarket Really the Cheapest? 3. My Experience with Aldi Has Changed 4. Why I Still Use Coles and Woolworths 5. The Price I Check More Often Now 6. My Realistic Grocery Sho...