For Avelima’s family, every RBA rate hike means more shifts, a stretched budget – and less time together
News Source
•Tue, 03 Nov 2026 14:00:44 GMT
📰 What Happened
Sydney mother Avelima Satiu and her husband each work two jobs to pay their mortgage. Their home in Gregory Hills has a loan of about $850,000, with repayments near $1,350 a week.
When the Reserve Bank lifted rates on Tuesday from 4.6% to 4.85%, the family reviewed their budget again. Satiu says an extra $100 or $200 a month usually covers a hike, so they pick up more shifts.
Satiu, 36, works in finance and does social media on the side. Her husband works in insurance and does disability support on weekends. Each works 50 to 60 hours a week.
🔍 The Backstory
The cash rate is now at its highest level since 2008. It was the fifth rise this year, and millions of households with mortgages are feeling it. A rise of 0.25 points adds roughly $100 a month to a loan of $850,000.
Satiu grew up in public housing and is a second-generation Samoan Australian. She says it feels like the goalposts keep moving. Another family in the story, in Nowra, has cut its spending to the bare minimum.
🎯 Why It Matters
Every rate rise reaches household budgets within weeks. For families already working long hours, the extra cost comes out of time together.
Sydney mother Avelima Satiu and her husband each work two jobs to pay their mortgage. Their home in Gregory Hills has a loan of about $850,000, with repayments near $1,350 a week.
When the Reserve Bank lifted rates on Tuesday from 4.6% to 4.85%, the family reviewed their budget again. Satiu says an extra $100 or $200 a month usually covers a hike, so they pick up more shifts.
Satiu, 36, works in finance and does social media on the side. Her husband works in insurance and does disability support on weekends. Each works 50 to 60 hours a week.
The cash rate is now at its highest level since 2008. It was the fifth rise this year, and millions of households with mortgages are feeling it. A rise of 0.25 points adds roughly $100 a month to a loan of $850,000.
Satiu grew up in public housing and is a second-generation Samoan Australian. She says it feels like the goalposts keep moving. Another family in the story, in Nowra, has cut its spending to the bare minimum.
Every rate rise reaches household budgets within weeks. For families already working long hours, the extra cost comes out of time together.