There’s something quietly Australian about how we talk (or don’t talk) about money stress. Latest forecasts show inflation sticking around 3–3.5 % next year—enough to keep mortgages tight, regional supermarkets expensive, and young renters on the edge. It’s not dramatic, it’s just life for many right now. The hedges the experts mention—diversified shares, a bit of gold, infrastructure funds—only help if you have spare cash to start with. For the rest of us, the real inflation hedge is still each other: bulk-buying groups, community fridges, checking in on the neighbour doing it tough. Same as always.