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Cost of living

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Becky Lois said early intervention and social housing was key in helping her, her eight-year-old son, and dog Coconut to avoid homelessness.

Becky was priced out of a home. This is how she got one

Even working full-time wouldn’t have been enough to manage, but now she has a smart apartment and much less stress.

  • Jim Malo

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Home prices usually rise as interest rates fall.

How far property prices rose last time interest rates fell

Lower rates pushed up home prices in five out of the last seven easing cycles, but the gains vary widely, and this time could be different.

  • Elizabeth Redman
Productivity Commission head Danielle Wood.

Workers facing $14,000-a-year penalty if Australia can’t find its mojo

Business, university, technology and farming groups have combined to propose a raft of solutions to Australia’s growth malaise.

  • Shane Wright and Jessica McSweeney
Justin Flowers, a 52-year-old Maribyrnong local who runs his own graphic design business, cannot get a bank loan to buy an appropriate house for his family due to his age, but his savings prevent him from accessing other government assistance.

Justin has $300,000 in the bank but can’t get a home loan

He’s among many Australians getting closer to retirement who are trying to solve the puzzle of owning a home that suits their life.

  • Caroline Zielinski
Ashleigh and Wyatt Galea say they would have had four kids if they could afford it.

Ashleigh and Wyatt could help end the ‘baby recession’. They have to win the lotto first

The Galea family are among the Australians putting a hold on the number of kids they have as cost-of-living pressures continue to hamstring the country’s fertility rate.

  • Millie Muroi and Shane Wright
Joanna Penty , from the south-west, says sharing a larger home with a garden has saved her money, but also cost her time.

‘Race for affordability’: The Sydney suburbs where rents jumped most

Sydney is ground zero for the country’s housing crisis, an expert warns, as one suburb rose as much as 41 per cent in a year.

  • Alice Uribe
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Reserve Bank of Australia governor Michele Bullock after the RBA board decided to keep rates on hold.

Split Reserve Bank shocks economists, banks and households by holding rates steady

For the first time in its history, the RBA board has openly split over the direction of interest rates.

  • Shane Wright
5/07/2025 Allan Lancaster pictured with Haidyn Boothey from 1KOMMA5° at his home in Truganina where he’s having a solar battery installed. Photo: Aaron Francis / The Age NEWS

Battery boom: Australians charge into next phase of solar revolution

A national rebate scheme for solar households has kicked off, but experts have urged battery customers to think before they buy.

  • Mike Foley
Some July 1 changes will see happier hip pockets, while others won’t. It depends on what stage of life you’re in, and where you live.

All the changes coming into effect from today – and it is not all good news

Who won when the clock struck midnight? It depends on what stage of life you’re in … and where you live.

  • Bronte Gossling
Even a relatively cheap hobby like swimming will set you back.

All year, I’ve tried to find a new hobby. One major problem is crushing my efforts

All I wanted was an activity that I could do regularly, that was distinct from work and make me sound a bit more interesting. Then I started doing the maths.

  • Shona Hendley

Original URL: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/topic/cost-of-living-jfq