Money Talk with Troy

Wanted: Persons 25-52y/o for the purpose of being unemployed, watching tv, drinking beer, must have own thongs, no experience necessary.

I get a lot of articles across my desk and with increasing regularity, they tend to be about the impending financial crisis. I try not to read them as they have become very much the same. “The world is going to end as we know it; brace yourself”.

You see, the thing about a broken clock is that it is right at least twice a day: if I tell you the economy is going to crash every week and one day it crashes, I was right, wasn’t I?

The article I read this morning was particularly entertaining given we have a shortage of steel, copper, concrete, timber, and aluminium. And people to do anything with said materials. We also have a shortage of housing.

Bear this and the fact the author of this article is an Australian economist in mind while I regale you with this genius’ take on the state of play.

Citing some very reputable sources, our intrepid elbow patch & turtleneck clad hero talks about “sticky inflation” from studies on inflation done in the US and how various factors the world over are driving this, and that interest rates seem to be having little effect on it.

There were lots of lovely graphs showing the suffering of crisis past and how we currently compare.

Here’s one that I guarantee you don’t understand.

He refers to the war in Ukraine, baby boomers retiring all at once and then comes to the startling conclusion that until unemployment increases, the spectre of inflation will be ever present.

This was a bridge too far for me, but please let me elucidate. Remember how I said we had a shortage of materials, people and housing?

Most business’ I speak to, and I see a lot, are around 30% understaffed.

At exactly what point do you think a small business owner is going to turn away business for the sole purpose of reducing his income to a level where laying off staff is a good idea.

What about Immigration you say? We need more people! Well no, because we have nowhere for them to live. For unemployment to rise and cure this malaise we find ourselves in, we each would have to take a person or persons into our homes for the purpose of having them watch tv, drink beer and play Xbox games all day.

Can you see how we are approaching peak stupid?

Reality? We have been through financial crisis before, and we will again.

Anytime before the next boom will be a good time to start anything, because that is what will create the next boom. Good times are borne of resilience, hard work and courage. Not stupid. Turn your phone off and get back to work.

Get in touch to discuss your budget and see what sort of projects you can be in the market to afford!