“The companies are charging too much already,” they said.

But we were slowly getting used to the idea and bracing for impact as July 1 rolled around, thinking that was the last of us.

Wrong.

More fool us for thinking that another big company was not going to stick us with more charges.

This time it’s the Reserve Bank of Australia and the little gem they dropped this week about increasing interest rates.

But a house, they said.

Live the Australian dream, they said.

You scrimp and save and look for houses, settle on your favourite one just to sign the contract and enter 30 years of debt.

You are lulled with facts and figures into purchasing this home only to have said home take all your cash.

And it’s made to look so appealing.

No landlords to tell you what to do, renovate any time you like.

It’s your own little slice of real estate heaven.

But then come the bills, the mortgages, the land rates and you start to wonder if it will ever stop.

Banks sit and spell out your best options for finances – fixed or variable rates – and you choose whatever suits your budget.

Interest rates are expected to rise to 7.5 per cent, the highest we have seen in years.

It could cost those with a $300,000 mortgage an extra $5000 a year.

That’s almost $100 extra a week.

Where are we meant to find that money?

Cutting down on the daily latte, making more meals at home or saving all your coins in a money box for banking will only save so much. 

Plenty of us are already used to living on pretty strict budgets and the increase in yet another cost of living is just added to the pile.

But already struggling families will be hard-pressed to save further to compensate for yet another price increase.

How do you save more off a budget that’s already pushed to the limit?

There is assistance available in the city for those who are fearful of this increase.

Perhaps it’s time to reassess your home loan.

But really, those with a mortgage know this is probably only just the beginning anyway.