Here’s the trap almost no one sees coming: you get a pay rise, and within a few months your spending has quietly expanded to swallow it. A nicer car. A bigger mortgage. More subscriptions. You earn more, yet you’re no closer to freedom. That’s lifestyle inflation, and it’s the single most common reason capable, high-earning Australians stay stuck.
Why it’s so dangerous
Every dollar of ongoing spending you add does double damage: it’s a dollar you’re not investing today, and it permanently raises the GLOW number you’re aiming at (because your number is your annual expenses × 25). Lifting your lifestyle by $10,000 a year adds $250,000 to your target.
The GLOW habit: redirect the difference
GLOW people don’t refuse to enjoy money — they refuse to let every raise disappear into their baseline. The rule is simple: when income goes up, send the difference to assets first, then decide what (if anything) to add to your lifestyle. A pay rise is a chance to buy freedom, not just a bigger life.
What to do with your next pay rise
Before it hits your everyday account, split it: lift your automated investing, top up super if it suits your situation, and consciously choose one small lifestyle upgrade you’ll actually feel. The rest keeps working for you.
Master this one behaviour and everything else in GLOW gets easier.
This article is general information only and does not take account of your personal circumstances. It is not financial advice.