It's a pinch we've all been feeling for some time, and now the numbers have made it official: the cost of living is up.
Way, way up, and there's nothing like an election campaign to throw this fact into stark relief.
Three weeks into the election campaign, and the proverbial hip pocket is finally in the spotlight. And, surprise surprise, voters are suddenly paying attention.
Food, fuel, power and housing - all topics that are guaranteed to get people listening.
It's amazing that it's taken this long to get to the top of the agenda, especially when house prices - and their shocking, uncontrollable rise - have been one of the dominant themes of the past two years.
It's true, though, that there's only so much a government can do to influence these things, especially when there are a number of factors that have influenced the trend in price rises.
A war in Europe, severe regional flooding and an ongoing global pandemic - all with lasting and far-reaching effects no one could have foreseen when, say, watching disturbing footage from Ukraine months ago.
And it goes back even earlier; ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods Associate Professor Ben Phillips confirmed last week the central cause in cost of living rises had been petrol hikes way back at the start of the year.
But while the high cost of living is now firmly in the election spotlight, we are yet to see a meaningful plan to address the real elephant in the room - wages.
On Wednesday, ABS data showed headline annual inflation had jumped to 5.1 per cent, spurred on by supply chain disruptions and spooked oil markets in wake of the Ukrainian conflict.
But keeping inflation down won't help a person whose wages are stagnant; you're still going backwards, in real terms, in what you can afford.
It's clear that the side that has something concrete to offer on how it will get wages moving might find a more willing engaged public.
It's good news for Labor; shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers put the cost of living on the table as an election issue as far back as November.
"I would be absolutely delighted to have an election about the cost of living, and real wages going backwards," he said back then.
That day has now come; inflation levels like this have not been seen in 22 years.
And while both sides are now playing the blame game - over factors that, mind you, are clearly beyond either party's control - there's nothing like some tangible, concrete, in-your-face issues to get people listening.
Groceries. Childcare. Petrol. Getting to work, keeping kids looked after and food on the table. These are the issues many people care more about than the specific economic knowledge of the Opposition Leader on day one.
But beyond perhaps trumpeting previous successes that have led to a strong economy and jobs growth, neither side is yet to present a compelling case to voters on how they will get long-stagnant wages moving, while also getting productivity back on the national agenda.
No one is pretending these issues are easy to solve, but that's what election campaigns are for, presenting your ideas. Voters are paying attention and waiting.
