2 ASX dividend shares to boost your income stream // Motley Fool Australia

Let’s get real here.

If you’re hoping for more income in the year ahead by securing a pay rise, you’ll likely be disappointed.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the seasonally adjusted Wage Price Index (WPI) climbed a paltry 0.1% in the September quarter. Year-to-date, the average Australian’s wage has grown by just 1.4%. And that comes as unemployment has snaked up to 6.9%.

But meagre as the wage growth figures are, they don’t tell the whole story. That’s because these are nominal figures, not real. Meaning they don’t take inflation into account.

Excluding volatile items, the annual inflation rate comes in at 1.6%. Meaning real wages are actually going backwards.

So banking on a hefty pay rise…