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Opinion

Victoria Devine Money columnist October 5, 2025 — 5.09am

For most of us, the past few years have been nothing short of a wild ride. After making it through the worst of COVID-19 lockdowns and the financial uncertainty associated with it, we’ve battled inflation in all its forms, from all-time high housing and mortgage costs to increases in grocery and utility prices.

While many believe the worst of the cost-of-living crisis is beginning to ease, in part thanks to measures like recent interest rate cuts, this blessing also risks becoming a curse. I’m talking about lifestyle creep.

Similar to its better-known cousin bracket creep, lifestyle creep occurs when you suddenly find yourself with a bit more money to play with. Usually, it’s

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