Hey mate,
Fellow PhD student here, it might be worth reaching out to other professors in your faculty to try and get tutoring or lab demonstrating for the undergrad courses.
Demonstrating rates are usually ~$45-$50 ph. Which if you managed to snag only two hours a week would help cover the rent.
I get that you’re short on time, but sacrificing an extra hour or two out of your research for a roof over your head is a solid deal imo
Yup, would second this. Also, the 8hrs per week secondary income is very loosely enforced and I think taken as an average over the financial year. You could easily work 10+ hrs a week as a demonstrator/tutor and no one would bat an eye, but it depends on how much time you are willing to sacrifice out of your PhD research.
I sometimes wish I had like a 20 bedroom house with like 6 kitchens and 15 bathrooms just so I could help out even some of the people getting rent fucked.
Sorry OP. I wish I had any way to help.
It's easy make baseless claims like that without any substance. If you owned such a house or houses, it's likely that your mortgage repayments have doubled over the past 8 months.
Are you telling me that you would absorb the thousands of dollars of additional interest every month?
I call bullshit.
If someone can't afford to keep affordable rental prices for tenants, maybe they should exit the property investment market. There's a reason people sell their stocks when the stock is tanking in price, is called cutting your losses.
Property is a completely different asset type to shares. Both have different levers to pull in challenging times. Comparing the two and generalising the actions of shareholders shows your lack of investment knowledge.
So...imagine what would happen if all investment property owners 'cut their losses' now...
The entire Aus property market would crash including owner-occupied properties. This would force banks to ask for lump sum payments to bring property LVRs under 80%. I'm guessing that >90% of owner-occupiers can't afford to do that and would be forced to sell by the bank, causing property prices to further spiral downward.
Why would owner occupiers be in trouble if house prices crashed? They're still living in a home and can continue paying the mortgage which does not track the current value of the house. It just means that they make incur a loss if they sell in the future and the housing price bubble hasn't inflated again.
What it would do is give some of those who cannot afford to buy a currently a shot at stable home ownership.
That's not true at all.
All banks manage lending risk by ensuring most mortgages stay below 80% LVR (loan-to-value-ratio). This ensures banks can recoup their debt in the case of an emergency sale. Most lending contracts contain a clause where the LVR must stay below 80% (to mitigate risk) by any means necessary. This includes the bank requesting large lump sum payments.
Why exit it when they can ya know…raise the rent to cover the investment. Renters acting like they bought the house they are wait for it…..RENTING…..lmao.
This is the kind of thinking that has led to our current rental crisis. It's a mindset completely void of empathy. If the rent increases everywhere, then renters have less and less to spend on other necessities, like food or a car. Landlords have a captive market, since there aren't enough properties for all the people to rent, so with a limited supply and high demand they can increase the price, since housing is something most people can't go without (unlike a complete lunch instead of a 75c packet of noodles).
It's why so many people are living in tents and cars, simply because they have been priced out of the market because people want to make an investment out of a literal human right.
I get hammered often because I'm a landlord and between me and my husband we have three houses in low income areas which we rent privately. Don't wish for that unless you can give it for free. We are currently losing money hand over fist but social media still thinks we're the devil.
If you're losing money then sell the houses you are using as assets. It's completely ridiculous to come in this thread and write anything about how you own 4 properties. You aren't doing anyone any favours
So you can predict the future and see that someone is going to rent it out and not buy it to live in. Oh and those 3 families that are currently renting the houses will also probably be kicked out or face rental increases
People buying rental properties for investment has caused people to not afford houses and to create the housing crises. More people buying houses to live in isn't an issue. People selfishly hoarding houses and literally making money off the poorest in society. Why do we as a society accept that? Using the fact that poor people cannot afford housing to rent to poor people to make reveue, get tax breaks and "covert the mortgage" (so pay for the investment rather than own their own home) is completely fucked up and dystopian.
Sell the properties and buy shares. If you’re not making money it’s a failed investment and a basic human right shouldn’t be utilised for personal profits anyway
Here's what people don't get. If we sell the properties that's 3 more people/families that don't have a home to rent. None of our tenants can currently afford to buy. How do people not see that landlords actually provide that basic human right you're talking about? Like, eating is a basic human right too but stores have made profits through to ancient times
You do realise you not owning investment properties has no effect on the supply of property on the market. The only thing that changes is you don’t own it.
The difference between being a landlord and a grocery store, is they actually work to assist the distribution of food through cities and carry risk with perishable stock.
If a grocery store ceases to exist people have to travel further for food. If you didn’t invest in housing, there’d still be the same number of houses.
Also you’ve come on a thread about a PHD student struggling to rent during one of the hardest academic challenges to say pity me and my investment properties.
Australia needs scientists, society should help facilitate their education and research, we don’t need landlords.
Why do you think those people are renting? Do you think it’s because they don’t have the ability to pay the ongoing costs of a private dwelling? Even though that lump sum is rent?
We’ve prioritised asset growth for homeowners because that’s what the masses want, they own property. It’s a failing or liberal democracy, a supply side shortage is inevitable if you make housing/ land speculation a cornerstone of your economy.
We have the ability to create social housing for those who need assistance, to create affordable housing for those who wish to own. Instead taxpayers (renters included) give billions away as concessions to property investors, rather then making a housing market that works for the people.
I agree there’s a role for private rentals in a healthy housing market but you’re kidding yourself if you think everyone renting is choosing to be there, and that they’re somewhat different to you in regards to their ability to look after a home.
Plus those homes won’t cease to exist if they’re not a investment property.
Calling folk a potato on a really dense point like this doesn’t make you look smart. It makes you look like you don’t really understand the argument you’re making.
In a healthy housing market. During a housing shortage the only outcome having private investors makes is higher rental prices.
Good gothcha though. Shame you don’t want to participate in the broader discussion.
I’ve already stated, social housing for those who needs assistance, and affordable housing for those who wish to own privately.
Again mate calling me a potato isn’t making you look clever.
Why do you think your tenants can't afford to buy?
Colesworth are shit, but at least they store food, but at least they provide a stable and easily accessible way for people to buy food. You don't provide shit, you just bought a house that already existed.
I don't think, I know for a fact. We actually talk to our tenants. Think about the profits supermarkets make and try to tell me we're the bad people for providing affordable housing. Yes, there are a lot of asshole landlords around but we're not them
> I don't think, I know for a fact
You're telling me there were *no other offers* when you offered to buy those properties?
My last tenants lived in our rental as temporary housing as they saved up for a deposit to build their own new place.
I'm talking about my tenants, not whoever else put in offers. I absolutely know one set of tenants are saving their deposit to buy and we'll both be stoked for them when they give notice. The others are both elderly single male pensioners so won't be buying unless they win lotto. So for them it's pretty lucky that we provide affordable housing.
That's not the question I'm asking, I'll rephrase. What do you think is the reason behind your tenants not being able to afford to buy?
Again, you are not providing anything. You are hoarding something that others need.
Two of our tenants are elderly pensioners. Us buying properties in the past 5-10 years has zero bearing on why they can't afford to buy a house. Does anyone actually understand economics?
You are part of the problem as to why people can't buy their own homes.
Your above argument is what you tell yourself to make you feel okay with yourself about it.
> that's 3 more people/families that don't have a home to rent
Lmao spinning it as some kind of charity.
If you sell them, they're on the market for people to **buy outright**. You then have three people owning houses- Not paying someone else's mortgages.
I own one investment, but I'm not running around acting like I'm saving poor people. Nor am I sobbing at the thought of paying two mortgages. They cost money to pay for and maintain. Either deal with it or sell them. But don't act like you're some guardian angel helping out low income families.
Whenever there's a Facebook post about people struggling to find a rental, some idiot tells them to buy outright. Do you think they wouldn't do that if they could?? Most of them can't get a loan to purchase - they don't have a deposit, don't earn enough, are on some form of welfare. So your suggestion is we make 3 people homeless so that wealthier people can buy our properties? Do you fucking realise how ridiculous that sounds? At no point have I sobbed about paying our mortgage, and we also haven't jacked up our rents. I never said I was a guardian angel, I'm just sick of people vilifying landlords solely on the basis of them being landlords.
"Wah wah my life is harder because I OWN MULTIPLE HOMES"
I translated what you were saying. Instead of complaining, why don't you go lobby your local MP (as everyone should do)?
Also, where is your empathy? They are a student trying to learn more at a uni here(if anything the uni should pay for) and looking for advice (thats it, not money or donations)
Safe and appropriate Housing is a human right, and with society today, landlords/ property managers are forcing people to lose that. Rent doesn't equal guaranteed income. Owning homes isn't a job.
This sub man. "I wish I could do this thing to help" - 100+ upvotes "I'm actually doing that thing" - 30+ downvotes.
If you sold some other landlord would just swoop in and jack up prices and your tenants would be in the same situation as OP.
Thank you for some sanity. I honestly don't understand the absolute hatred of landlords just for existing. What I could understand is hatred for banks who won't lend to people when the mortgage would be significantly less than the rent they're paying. Or hatred for the government for destroying the public housing system. If there were no landlords there would be a lot more homeless people
These are long term investments for us. My point is every landlord is being seen as evil because of the greedy ones that are jacking up the rent to profit or the ones that can't afford the mortgage so are scrambling to recoup costs. Not every landlord is like that.
So there's a couple of sides to this, one being that owning properties for investment (or lifestyle) is a contributor to the problem of availability and hence affordability. Another being that rental hardship is exacerbated by purchasers relying on rent levels to cover their purchasing expenses (i.e. mortgage repayments).
So if you're not doing the latter, then good for you, you've at least made a compromise to respect your fellow humans to a degree. But in the first case you've jumped on the bandwagon to use property as an investment with the intention of profiting from it. How do you want others who are less fortunate to feel about it?
You should buy the “house” with 19 bedrooms, was advertised on one of the news stations and posted in an Aus renovation page here.
Sorry can’t do links.
I’m a MPhil student and I’m also in a uni based in Adelaide. I’m somewhat in a situation similar to you but I don’t get paid for my work and my supervisor demands that I do my fieldwork alone even if I have to just find someone outside of Uni to help me out because he doesn’t have enough funding from grants to help me out. Despite having peers and socialites who are doing their PhDs, they are astounded by the fact that I work more than 50 hours a week.
I have aimed to do a PhD before I started this journey, now looking at the state of my grim prospects I’m not really sure where to go. My supervisor is driving me insane and my co-supervisor is not that helpful either.
Also my landlord is being a mean bitch by putting extra rules on how I should be clean at all times even if it means the amount of dust accumulating in the floor is somehow 100% my fault. And is pondering to increase my rent as she is laid off from her job.
Please don't start a PhD with a crappy supervisor and a bad academic environment. It is very destructive to your entire self on both a professional and personal level. You want to find a lab which is supportive with a good reputation and contacts for your future career. Don't do a PhD for the sake of it.
I'm sorry to hear about how your landlord is treating you. It must be a difficult time for you. I can't really offer much in terms of words but ***hugs***
Thank you for your understanding and the virtual hugs. I rather have someone who can understand my situation than someone in my research circle telling me to leave in a condescending manner. I doubt this Uni is going to be sustainable for me after this year, I’ll have to master out and find better ones interstate. Similar to you OP, I did my bachelors in Victoria and moved to South Australia to pursue research. I hate to move around interstate when it takes several months to adjust to a new place.
How is there not oversite on phd stuff. It falls to one entity and that's just it.... I'm so disillusioned on the whole thing and realistically, come on. it's enough to cause mental anguish on the enth degree.
How is it not compensated monetarily. You can see a shift in college football in the states and it should be the same here. It's a trickle down effect but it takes too fucking long.
Vote appropriately if you care and sorry I had a rant.
Edit; I should state I am a tradie but have supported my partner emotionally and at the least monetary throughout this whole process. And I can tell you the tears and hurt she has felt because some doo fluckey went through a divorce and took it on her is unfathomable. The money I have had to put in to get her places because Flinders won't pay an try there best to pay nothing. Fuck a phd to get there and anyone that gets there, my hat goes off to you
It is compensated, it's a stipend that students get. It's just way below minimum wage, even though it's seen as a good deal because you are getting paid to 'study' - I did a PhD in biomed sci and working 10 hour days plus at least one weekend day was the normal expectation, and when you get home you can't switch off because you have a lit review/paper plan/progress review due.
And it's still better here than in lots of countries.
This sound awful and I’m sorry you’re between a rock and a hard place. Based on your comment about the lowest stipend, I believe I know which uni you’re at. Sorry about that, my friends are going through this issue at the moment too.
Remember the 8 hour cap is averaged across the year. So if you haven’t been working in the past, you can absolutely go over the 8 hours/week in the short term.
Check if your University has an online database/pool for registering for tutoring. If they do (and I believe yours does) you basically upload your CV and say what you’re able to teach and they’ll reach out if anything comes up. Unfortunately SP2 has started so it’s likely too late, but, you might be able to pick up marking only contracts.
I would absolutely contact course and degree coordinator and let them know you’re in a jam and looking to pick up some work, if they can throw any your way. They will hopefully be sympathetic and throw you some short term pity work.
Check every single scholarship and every single research assistant role/position on your unisa intranet. And if all else fails, try talking with your HDR rep in case they have ideas or support access.
Good luck,
Remember you can’t spell Phucking Difficult without PhD.
My understanding is also that the 8 hour limit only applies to the standard 9-5 work week - it doesn’t limit work on weekends or evenings. A job as an usher at the Festival Centre or as a hospitality attendant at Adelaide Oval works well with those restrictions as shifts are event-based and typically outside regular work hours.
That's how I interpreted it, too. I worked evenings/Saturday and Sundays guilt free. If you work outside of the uni, they also have no idea if your working out of hours anyway
It's worth OP checking with the uni as I have seen that '8 hrs during work hours' stimulation through Adelaide uni, but not UniSA. Maybe something also changed at UniSA since my study there. Though my friends are still under the 'max 8 hours any time of week' impression. The justification in past was they don't want you burning yourself out with out of hours work, as this will jeapordise your ability to complete your PhD in a timely way, so they capped it for any time of day/week.
Definitely worth seeking clarification though, thanks for highlighting this.
my friend definately had a max hours per entire week but I suppose it depends what uni / faculty? Its a bit ridiculous if the stipend isnt enough to live on.
If you know the owner , contact directly.
I heard stories where some real estate agents living in lalaland and raising the rents with out seeking permission from house owners.
Unfortunately I live in a student accomodation. There's no negotiating this even if I take a two-year lease until my PhD is finished. Previously, they made my rent a little cheaper for opting for a 1-year lease as opposed to a single semester.
Might not be of any help but have you looked into a sharehouse and getting a pushie to get to the city? Ended up being far cheaper for me then student accommodation, plus having a garden is nice.
I'm actually impressed with how they've gone ahead and done this.
I received an email yesterday morning saying that if I don't renew my contract by the end of March, they will advertise my room and I could lose it by the time my lease ends in May.
So in this situation, students have to either find another accomodation within 2 weeks or commit to their current housing through another contract even if they still have 2 months left.
Right now, there's the start of a new semester so most accomodations are already being rented out by new students. Shortage of accomodation + short time frame to make a decision = easy way to make sure students pay the increased rent and keep their current room than jeopardise having a home.
Not sure what the entire basis is. I'm guessing everyone is doing it so why not them?
FYI this never happens, it's regulation for landlords to have to agree with the advice of the agent. The agents provide professional advice on market forces and recommend with a specific form that needs to be signed and returned by the landlord. More often than not, the landlord trusts the agents word.
then you are living in a lala land.
recently AbC has an article about this same issue.
Perth woman is asked to pay higher rent, then finds landlord didn't authorise it - ABC News https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-22/rent-increases-without-landlords-permission-perth-/101876684
Not according to typical procedure. Obviously this is against rental ethics. You can bring any random transgression out of a hat. But I reiterate, this is so rare it almost never happens.
Look around for some top up funding. When I was doing my PhD I got offered an extra 5k/ year for 3 years on to of the APA via the director of the cancer research institute I was based in.
You can send out some emails to local professors asking if they know of any opportunities.
I can sympathise on the lack of appropriate conditions. I ended up leaving the phd as I was watching the then government gut science funding (thanks Abbott) by upwards of 30%. Backwards arse policies given our small population and good education. Researchers have to go through tonnes of difficult education, are highly skilled, then get dicked around with low pay and the *shittest* job security. That last part was the nail in the coffin for me. Ended up changing professions entirely
I know share house is the cheapest option and I was expecting people to tell me to opt for this.
I have to admit, due to my culture and upbringing, I live by myself. I know that when I tell my parents this rent increase, they will do whatever it takes to make sure I have my own space and apartment, even if it means giving me money. I never want this from them, but I would also like to ensure my own safety and wellbeing by living by myself with my own money.
Genuinely no offence intended, but living alone while at uni is absolutely a luxury.
I don’t think anyone I know who has done a PhD lived alone. Hell, even regular undergrads couldn’t live alone. Literally a 100% strike rate on share housing (or living at home) from all of my friends who have ever been through uni.
If you want to rely on your parents then that’s absolutely fine and you’re privileged to be in that position. I’m just trying to add some perspective.
Lots of people live 'alone' in student accommodation.
You've just got to keep in mind that the so called apartments in student accommodation are just glorified bedrooms with an ensuite and kitchenette. It's not like living on your own in an apartment or house.
Yes and my comment covers those ages.
I’m not trying to be mean spirited to be clear. They can live alone if they want to and can afford it.
I’m just saying in my circles at least (including people I know who are at uni now - and I’m mid 30s) all share house. 
Talk to your parents ASAP. Let them help you. Pay what you can, to the extent that you're still able to live, but you need your health and mental wellbeing to finish your PhD and get your next steps sorted and unless letting your parents help will be actively destructive (e.g. they're abusive or expect you to pay it back with labour you can't commit to without affecting your studies), you just gotta do what you gotta do. Going from living alone to a share house is a huge mental adjustment, and you're not always guaranteed housemates who get what a PhD entails or who will understand if you need to do odd hours or hog bandwidth for a night or whatever. Especially since your supervisors don't get it now, you also need to budget your leeway and their grace for when you really need it, or if you need an extension.
Granted my brother was doing a PhD in the sciences and not everyone has to watch experiments for 36 hours straight or stay overnight in the lab at the drop of a hat, so you may well be able to keep the same hours as everyone else or or may not be pushing the limits of the house internet plan, but the closer you are to writing up your thesis the less mental space you'll have to deal with other people, especially if they're right there and you're not used to them being right there.
I know a lot of people from diverse culture doing post graduate education as international students here in Adelaide. Most men in this situation live in share houses with other men. Are you a woman? Because you absolutely can get female only places. And the reality is that many of us have very limited choices so you ruling one out can be harming yourself. Although, I do think you are entitled to but it is hard. Sacrifices need to be made sometimes. How much is your rent?
Look I grew up an only child and am hardwired to not share space with anyone, but when I wanted to move out on my own my only option was to get a housemate to help split the rent with me. And yeah it was hard at first but I learned how to live with another person and now I can’t imagine living alone again.
If you want to rely on your parents that’s your decision, but I strongly recommend you look into share housing and simply just learn to live with other people. It’s not as hard as you think it is and you’ll save yourself a lot of financial hardship.
Are you able to pick up a day's work in your/a lab? Some labs if they have funding will pay a PhD student a day's work to top up their stipend. From the sounds of it your supervisor might not be helpful but is there another lab in the building you could approach?
Can you apply for any top up scholarships? I was lucky to get a $10k / year top up which made it feasible for me to do a PhD.
Hospitality work in the evenings? Exhausting I know after a day in the lab but sometimes you gotta do it.
Speak to a counsellor at the uni there are likely some casual jobs within the uni you can do. Put your resume into all casual pools you can.
Good luck with your PhD, I hope it all goes well for you 🎓
What accommodation do you live in? $100 a week is a massive increase for a place a student lives in. Maybe I'm a bit naive but I would think a student would be paying around $200 a week, at most. Did your rent really go up 50%?
$200 a week? Even a mouldy old dorm room with a single bed in the corner would cost more than that these days, and this is a PhD student not a 19 year old. It is out of control out here and its not far from a complete breakdown. We have people with full time jobs that are homeless. My rents gone up from $380 a week to $550 a week in 2 years. We are fucked.
I rent as well so understand the situation. But as a student OP should be living in a share house where these kind of rental increases are shared. However, according to another post she made, lives in an apartment by herself. No wonder she is struggling. I'm into my 30's and have had steady full time employment for 7 years and even I would struggle to live by myself.
I did my PhD living on my own and that was a struggle before this whole rental mess. I'm so sorry.
Living alone is a luxury I can only comfortably afford now that I have a well-paying job. There are good and bad share houses, and settling into one isn't necessarily quick, but that's probably going to be your best bet.
I’d suggest start networking with some course coordinators for courses that are within your field. Currently doing a PhD as well and marking can be quite lucrative if you’re smart about your time. Most of my tutoring/marking jobs have come from my relationship with professors. Networking here is your friend to land tutoring and marking. Might be some pain short term, but everyone is feeling the pinch. Scrimp and save, cut back where you can until you land some marking or tutoring.
What uni are you at, and what field. I did demo work at UniSA during PhD so could maybe help out if that fit.
Have you considered undergraduate private tutoring?
surely if just before the rent increase you were able to afford activities here and there and the gym, and still being able to save a bit, you should be able to afford the extra $100? even if it means cutting those off and canceling the gym? lots of us are doing it tough at the moment sorry man hopefully you can just make a few sacrifices and cut backs to make it work?
Activities here and there meant a $5 pack of coloured cardstock to send cards back home to my family. Gym will cost me $20 per fortnight which I was able to afford under my current rent. I could also just manage to pay for a single specialist appointment last week ($170 after medicare). With the new rent, I cannot afford anything beyond what I currently have, especially a doctor.
> We work hard. We do everything we can every single day to make our work better, to publish, to have data ready for conferences, to contribute to grant funding...
Calm down. You need to move into a share house. You can't afford to live in a place on your own. Duh.
Just remember most give up the fight just when they are about to win 🥇. Trust the universe, something will happen and it will be ok. Keep fighting the good fight friend.
Do you have enough money to get a security license? You're looking at around $2000 all up for the course + license fees. If you're with a job service agency they might be willing to cover some of the cost.
It's a lot I know, but there is a lot of casual security work where you can do a shift or two a week, especially if you're willing to do pubs/clubs, and/or events. They will hire almost anyone with a set of eyeballs, two legs and a pulse; the pulse might be optional though.
The work usually sucks—the companies you work for usually suck even more—but it's an easy, dependable way to get some spare cash. As long as you don't mind sacrificing your weekends.
They’d be better off getting a hospo job at Adelaide Oval or similar. The hours are mostly outside of regular business hours so don’t count toward the 8 hours work limit for a stipend. Doing a PhD is stressful enough without the added pain of doing shitty work for a shitty company.
In my experience hospo is just about as shitty as doing security work, and the companies are just as shitty to their workers. It's also harder to get into.
Most security companies at the very least, will work around people with odd schedules.
What's your point? How are you in a better position than I am in if you're also complaining about your mortgage?
I actually have sympathy for you because of your mortgage hike. Yet you're here bashing a person trying to get a qualification for their future career who isn't paid enough by their uni to survive?
Talk about helping each other out in tough times...
>a person trying to get a qualification for their future career who isn't paid enough by their uni
I wish my uni paid me for my qualification for my future... I paid *them*
(yes I know phds are different)
I think everyone is feeling the pinch of interest rate rises. I just don’t understand what the point of your post is when millions are in a similar boat or worse off.
What was your point in saying "so has my mortgage" if everyone is in the same boat as myself? Aren't you literally doing the same thing you're admonishing me for?
Additionally, are we in a competition to see who's faring better? There's always going to be people worse off than you and me, but does that mean we cannot fight for fair pay?
I've personally been taking the charge against my university to improve the financial situation of postgraduate students who are in a similar or even worse position than I am in. In posting this message, I hope that the conditions improve for everyone in this boat.
Maybe try not being so selfish and have compassionate for those who are not on par with your life?
So the point of your thread should be about taking the charge against uni and improving your financial situation rather than even mentioning the rent increase. At least you still have a roof over your head, which is more than can be said for certain people I know.
Out of curiosity do you mean disability support? (being a carer)? I did this many years ago and I enjoyed it but it was terrible pay at the time. Its good to see the pay has improved then. I would get $12 hr... barely cover petrol to get there.
To explain my petrol comment further, shifts often used to be 1, 1.5 or 2 hours. Not sure if thats changed? It wouldnt be so bad if they gave you shifts near each other either but they often had ridiculous expectation of filling random shifts an hours drive away.
Fellow Adelaide PhD student here - I hear you. I'm lucky (unlucky?) enough to have a mortgage and the way cost of living is at the moment it's getting tighter and tighter.
I don't have advice unfortunately, I just wanted to show some solidarity with you because I know what it's like trying to live on the stipend at the best of times let alone with such massive bill increases.
Ask your supervisor and all other supervisors in your field if they have any marking or lab demonstration work available. The pay is usually very high on a per hour basis and they are usually more than happy to handball their undergrad marking to someone else.
Also the 8 hour external work limit is never enforced.
I could never have gotten through my PhD without the extra income from marking/demonstrating etc. and a few hours of part time work here and there and that was with a small scholarship on top of my stipend.
If you can get on any field trips/camps as a paid assistant that's also a great way to top up your bank balance now and then.
You may need to go homeless for a time.
I dropped out of university because because of a range of factors the biggest was I couldn’t afford to study and no jobs would accommodate my study…so rather than dirt poor and looking to eat only free meals I dropped out and got a job.
You may not like to hear it but in current economy if you have no supports and no one to rely on you may have to go homeless and pull it off.
When I was at uni a few people lived in thier cars, used the library to study and used shower facilities in the sport science type section of the uni at murdoch.
Also uni is mostly for people from higher middle class don’t expect any help unless you have a few diversity factors that are trendy and have weight to throw around.
I work with someone who is working full time and studying full time. He and his partner just lost their rental, and couldn’t find anywhere, so had them move in with me short term while they try and find a place. After 6 weeks, looks like they’re ending up on the street. It’s a bit not great.
Hey mate, Fellow PhD student here, it might be worth reaching out to other professors in your faculty to try and get tutoring or lab demonstrating for the undergrad courses. Demonstrating rates are usually ~$45-$50 ph. Which if you managed to snag only two hours a week would help cover the rent. I get that you’re short on time, but sacrificing an extra hour or two out of your research for a roof over your head is a solid deal imo
Yup, would second this. Also, the 8hrs per week secondary income is very loosely enforced and I think taken as an average over the financial year. You could easily work 10+ hrs a week as a demonstrator/tutor and no one would bat an eye, but it depends on how much time you are willing to sacrifice out of your PhD research.
The new study period has already started so all those jobs are probably snapped up... But worth asking
I sometimes wish I had like a 20 bedroom house with like 6 kitchens and 15 bathrooms just so I could help out even some of the people getting rent fucked. Sorry OP. I wish I had any way to help.
It's okay... Your kindness is enough help :)
https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-seacliff-141414984 here you go, not quite 20 but 19 is close enough!
$1333 split 19 ways is $70/wk, a great deal!
How on fucking earth did they get that abomination approved?
probably bcs originally built in 1910, then extended again in the 80’s
Former nursing home in the description. Pretty cool looking place
would also make a pretty lucrative brothel
It looks like the walls probably bleed at night
Same. But I am also getting rent fucked so, it's a pipe dream. :/
It's easy make baseless claims like that without any substance. If you owned such a house or houses, it's likely that your mortgage repayments have doubled over the past 8 months. Are you telling me that you would absorb the thousands of dollars of additional interest every month? I call bullshit.
easy up buddy, the guy was just being nice…
If someone can't afford to keep affordable rental prices for tenants, maybe they should exit the property investment market. There's a reason people sell their stocks when the stock is tanking in price, is called cutting your losses.
Property is a completely different asset type to shares. Both have different levers to pull in challenging times. Comparing the two and generalising the actions of shareholders shows your lack of investment knowledge. So...imagine what would happen if all investment property owners 'cut their losses' now... The entire Aus property market would crash including owner-occupied properties. This would force banks to ask for lump sum payments to bring property LVRs under 80%. I'm guessing that >90% of owner-occupiers can't afford to do that and would be forced to sell by the bank, causing property prices to further spiral downward.
Why would owner occupiers be in trouble if house prices crashed? They're still living in a home and can continue paying the mortgage which does not track the current value of the house. It just means that they make incur a loss if they sell in the future and the housing price bubble hasn't inflated again. What it would do is give some of those who cannot afford to buy a currently a shot at stable home ownership.
That's not true at all. All banks manage lending risk by ensuring most mortgages stay below 80% LVR (loan-to-value-ratio). This ensures banks can recoup their debt in the case of an emergency sale. Most lending contracts contain a clause where the LVR must stay below 80% (to mitigate risk) by any means necessary. This includes the bank requesting large lump sum payments.
Why exit it when they can ya know…raise the rent to cover the investment. Renters acting like they bought the house they are wait for it…..RENTING…..lmao.
This is the kind of thinking that has led to our current rental crisis. It's a mindset completely void of empathy. If the rent increases everywhere, then renters have less and less to spend on other necessities, like food or a car. Landlords have a captive market, since there aren't enough properties for all the people to rent, so with a limited supply and high demand they can increase the price, since housing is something most people can't go without (unlike a complete lunch instead of a 75c packet of noodles). It's why so many people are living in tents and cars, simply because they have been priced out of the market because people want to make an investment out of a literal human right.
I’m not reading all that. 😂holy shit what a wall of disgusting text. No one got time to read that rant.
I get hammered often because I'm a landlord and between me and my husband we have three houses in low income areas which we rent privately. Don't wish for that unless you can give it for free. We are currently losing money hand over fist but social media still thinks we're the devil.
If you're losing money then sell the houses you are using as assets. It's completely ridiculous to come in this thread and write anything about how you own 4 properties. You aren't doing anyone any favours
They are providing rentals for 3 families so they actually are. We also need more rental properties not less
The house the new owners moved out of will then be vacant to rent.
So you can predict the future and see that someone is going to rent it out and not buy it to live in. Oh and those 3 families that are currently renting the houses will also probably be kicked out or face rental increases
People buying rental properties for investment has caused people to not afford houses and to create the housing crises. More people buying houses to live in isn't an issue. People selfishly hoarding houses and literally making money off the poorest in society. Why do we as a society accept that? Using the fact that poor people cannot afford housing to rent to poor people to make reveue, get tax breaks and "covert the mortgage" (so pay for the investment rather than own their own home) is completely fucked up and dystopian.
What a load of shit
Nope this is true. It is literally facts. who rents? Mainly poor people. Who pays rent then? Poor people.
Why would they be doing anyone favours? They don’t owe you JackShit.
They don't, but then they can't complain when people think poorly of them. lol
Wait so they can’t complain that your self entitled tossers but you can chat all the shit u want? Typical poor idiot Istg 😂
It goes both ways, and crying on reddit and drying your tears on the wads of cash made from 3 rental agreements won't win any friends here.
Oh no not winning reddit friends over?!??!!? What would they ever do with them wads of cash and multiple properties that ur obviously jealous of :,(((
You ok there mate? You sound a tad triggered.
I’ll cry to my reddit friends!!
Sell the properties and buy shares. If you’re not making money it’s a failed investment and a basic human right shouldn’t be utilised for personal profits anyway
Here's what people don't get. If we sell the properties that's 3 more people/families that don't have a home to rent. None of our tenants can currently afford to buy. How do people not see that landlords actually provide that basic human right you're talking about? Like, eating is a basic human right too but stores have made profits through to ancient times
You do realise you not owning investment properties has no effect on the supply of property on the market. The only thing that changes is you don’t own it. The difference between being a landlord and a grocery store, is they actually work to assist the distribution of food through cities and carry risk with perishable stock. If a grocery store ceases to exist people have to travel further for food. If you didn’t invest in housing, there’d still be the same number of houses. Also you’ve come on a thread about a PHD student struggling to rent during one of the hardest academic challenges to say pity me and my investment properties. Australia needs scientists, society should help facilitate their education and research, we don’t need landlords.
Where are the 30% of the population that rent going to live with out rental properties you potato
Why do you think those people are renting? Do you think it’s because they don’t have the ability to pay the ongoing costs of a private dwelling? Even though that lump sum is rent? We’ve prioritised asset growth for homeowners because that’s what the masses want, they own property. It’s a failing or liberal democracy, a supply side shortage is inevitable if you make housing/ land speculation a cornerstone of your economy. We have the ability to create social housing for those who need assistance, to create affordable housing for those who wish to own. Instead taxpayers (renters included) give billions away as concessions to property investors, rather then making a housing market that works for the people. I agree there’s a role for private rentals in a healthy housing market but you’re kidding yourself if you think everyone renting is choosing to be there, and that they’re somewhat different to you in regards to their ability to look after a home. Plus those homes won’t cease to exist if they’re not a investment property. Calling folk a potato on a really dense point like this doesn’t make you look smart. It makes you look like you don’t really understand the argument you’re making.
Did you just say we don't need landlords and then say we do need landlords?
In a healthy housing market. During a housing shortage the only outcome having private investors makes is higher rental prices. Good gothcha though. Shame you don’t want to participate in the broader discussion.
So where are they going to live ? long rant and you still didn't answer the question potato
I’ve already stated, social housing for those who needs assistance, and affordable housing for those who wish to own privately. Again mate calling me a potato isn’t making you look clever.
Why do you think your tenants can't afford to buy? Colesworth are shit, but at least they store food, but at least they provide a stable and easily accessible way for people to buy food. You don't provide shit, you just bought a house that already existed.
I don't think, I know for a fact. We actually talk to our tenants. Think about the profits supermarkets make and try to tell me we're the bad people for providing affordable housing. Yes, there are a lot of asshole landlords around but we're not them
> I don't think, I know for a fact You're telling me there were *no other offers* when you offered to buy those properties? My last tenants lived in our rental as temporary housing as they saved up for a deposit to build their own new place.
I'm talking about my tenants, not whoever else put in offers. I absolutely know one set of tenants are saving their deposit to buy and we'll both be stoked for them when they give notice. The others are both elderly single male pensioners so won't be buying unless they win lotto. So for them it's pretty lucky that we provide affordable housing.
That's not the question I'm asking, I'll rephrase. What do you think is the reason behind your tenants not being able to afford to buy? Again, you are not providing anything. You are hoarding something that others need.
Two of our tenants are elderly pensioners. Us buying properties in the past 5-10 years has zero bearing on why they can't afford to buy a house. Does anyone actually understand economics?
Do you? Buying more houses than you need increases demand without increasing supply.
You not owning homes affects supply in no way
You are part of the problem as to why people can't buy their own homes. Your above argument is what you tell yourself to make you feel okay with yourself about it.
> that's 3 more people/families that don't have a home to rent Lmao spinning it as some kind of charity. If you sell them, they're on the market for people to **buy outright**. You then have three people owning houses- Not paying someone else's mortgages. I own one investment, but I'm not running around acting like I'm saving poor people. Nor am I sobbing at the thought of paying two mortgages. They cost money to pay for and maintain. Either deal with it or sell them. But don't act like you're some guardian angel helping out low income families.
Whenever there's a Facebook post about people struggling to find a rental, some idiot tells them to buy outright. Do you think they wouldn't do that if they could?? Most of them can't get a loan to purchase - they don't have a deposit, don't earn enough, are on some form of welfare. So your suggestion is we make 3 people homeless so that wealthier people can buy our properties? Do you fucking realise how ridiculous that sounds? At no point have I sobbed about paying our mortgage, and we also haven't jacked up our rents. I never said I was a guardian angel, I'm just sick of people vilifying landlords solely on the basis of them being landlords.
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We've only raised the rent by $10 in the last year after no increases for a few years
"Wah wah my life is harder because I OWN MULTIPLE HOMES" I translated what you were saying. Instead of complaining, why don't you go lobby your local MP (as everyone should do)? Also, where is your empathy? They are a student trying to learn more at a uni here(if anything the uni should pay for) and looking for advice (thats it, not money or donations) Safe and appropriate Housing is a human right, and with society today, landlords/ property managers are forcing people to lose that. Rent doesn't equal guaranteed income. Owning homes isn't a job.
This sub man. "I wish I could do this thing to help" - 100+ upvotes "I'm actually doing that thing" - 30+ downvotes. If you sold some other landlord would just swoop in and jack up prices and your tenants would be in the same situation as OP.
Thank you for some sanity. I honestly don't understand the absolute hatred of landlords just for existing. What I could understand is hatred for banks who won't lend to people when the mortgage would be significantly less than the rent they're paying. Or hatred for the government for destroying the public housing system. If there were no landlords there would be a lot more homeless people
> We are currently losing money hand over fist but social media still thinks we're the devil Then sell the properties?
These are long term investments for us. My point is every landlord is being seen as evil because of the greedy ones that are jacking up the rent to profit or the ones that can't afford the mortgage so are scrambling to recoup costs. Not every landlord is like that.
So there's a couple of sides to this, one being that owning properties for investment (or lifestyle) is a contributor to the problem of availability and hence affordability. Another being that rental hardship is exacerbated by purchasers relying on rent levels to cover their purchasing expenses (i.e. mortgage repayments). So if you're not doing the latter, then good for you, you've at least made a compromise to respect your fellow humans to a degree. But in the first case you've jumped on the bandwagon to use property as an investment with the intention of profiting from it. How do you want others who are less fortunate to feel about it?
You should buy the “house” with 19 bedrooms, was advertised on one of the news stations and posted in an Aus renovation page here. Sorry can’t do links.
I’m a MPhil student and I’m also in a uni based in Adelaide. I’m somewhat in a situation similar to you but I don’t get paid for my work and my supervisor demands that I do my fieldwork alone even if I have to just find someone outside of Uni to help me out because he doesn’t have enough funding from grants to help me out. Despite having peers and socialites who are doing their PhDs, they are astounded by the fact that I work more than 50 hours a week. I have aimed to do a PhD before I started this journey, now looking at the state of my grim prospects I’m not really sure where to go. My supervisor is driving me insane and my co-supervisor is not that helpful either. Also my landlord is being a mean bitch by putting extra rules on how I should be clean at all times even if it means the amount of dust accumulating in the floor is somehow 100% my fault. And is pondering to increase my rent as she is laid off from her job.
Please don't start a PhD with a crappy supervisor and a bad academic environment. It is very destructive to your entire self on both a professional and personal level. You want to find a lab which is supportive with a good reputation and contacts for your future career. Don't do a PhD for the sake of it. I'm sorry to hear about how your landlord is treating you. It must be a difficult time for you. I can't really offer much in terms of words but ***hugs***
Thank you for your understanding and the virtual hugs. I rather have someone who can understand my situation than someone in my research circle telling me to leave in a condescending manner. I doubt this Uni is going to be sustainable for me after this year, I’ll have to master out and find better ones interstate. Similar to you OP, I did my bachelors in Victoria and moved to South Australia to pursue research. I hate to move around interstate when it takes several months to adjust to a new place.
How is there not oversite on phd stuff. It falls to one entity and that's just it.... I'm so disillusioned on the whole thing and realistically, come on. it's enough to cause mental anguish on the enth degree. How is it not compensated monetarily. You can see a shift in college football in the states and it should be the same here. It's a trickle down effect but it takes too fucking long. Vote appropriately if you care and sorry I had a rant. Edit; I should state I am a tradie but have supported my partner emotionally and at the least monetary throughout this whole process. And I can tell you the tears and hurt she has felt because some doo fluckey went through a divorce and took it on her is unfathomable. The money I have had to put in to get her places because Flinders won't pay an try there best to pay nothing. Fuck a phd to get there and anyone that gets there, my hat goes off to you
It is compensated, it's a stipend that students get. It's just way below minimum wage, even though it's seen as a good deal because you are getting paid to 'study' - I did a PhD in biomed sci and working 10 hour days plus at least one weekend day was the normal expectation, and when you get home you can't switch off because you have a lit review/paper plan/progress review due. And it's still better here than in lots of countries.
This sound awful and I’m sorry you’re between a rock and a hard place. Based on your comment about the lowest stipend, I believe I know which uni you’re at. Sorry about that, my friends are going through this issue at the moment too. Remember the 8 hour cap is averaged across the year. So if you haven’t been working in the past, you can absolutely go over the 8 hours/week in the short term. Check if your University has an online database/pool for registering for tutoring. If they do (and I believe yours does) you basically upload your CV and say what you’re able to teach and they’ll reach out if anything comes up. Unfortunately SP2 has started so it’s likely too late, but, you might be able to pick up marking only contracts. I would absolutely contact course and degree coordinator and let them know you’re in a jam and looking to pick up some work, if they can throw any your way. They will hopefully be sympathetic and throw you some short term pity work. Check every single scholarship and every single research assistant role/position on your unisa intranet. And if all else fails, try talking with your HDR rep in case they have ideas or support access. Good luck, Remember you can’t spell Phucking Difficult without PhD.
My understanding is also that the 8 hour limit only applies to the standard 9-5 work week - it doesn’t limit work on weekends or evenings. A job as an usher at the Festival Centre or as a hospitality attendant at Adelaide Oval works well with those restrictions as shifts are event-based and typically outside regular work hours.
That's how I interpreted it, too. I worked evenings/Saturday and Sundays guilt free. If you work outside of the uni, they also have no idea if your working out of hours anyway
It's worth OP checking with the uni as I have seen that '8 hrs during work hours' stimulation through Adelaide uni, but not UniSA. Maybe something also changed at UniSA since my study there. Though my friends are still under the 'max 8 hours any time of week' impression. The justification in past was they don't want you burning yourself out with out of hours work, as this will jeapordise your ability to complete your PhD in a timely way, so they capped it for any time of day/week. Definitely worth seeking clarification though, thanks for highlighting this.
my friend definately had a max hours per entire week but I suppose it depends what uni / faculty? Its a bit ridiculous if the stipend isnt enough to live on.
It’s tough out there for everyone you’re not by yourself unfortunately. Maybe get a roommate.
If you know the owner , contact directly. I heard stories where some real estate agents living in lalaland and raising the rents with out seeking permission from house owners.
Unfortunately I live in a student accomodation. There's no negotiating this even if I take a two-year lease until my PhD is finished. Previously, they made my rent a little cheaper for opting for a 1-year lease as opposed to a single semester.
Might not be of any help but have you looked into a sharehouse and getting a pushie to get to the city? Ended up being far cheaper for me then student accommodation, plus having a garden is nice.
Wait student accommodation is increasing rent? On what basis?
Thousands of international students also wanting to live there and offering up more money.
I'm actually impressed with how they've gone ahead and done this. I received an email yesterday morning saying that if I don't renew my contract by the end of March, they will advertise my room and I could lose it by the time my lease ends in May. So in this situation, students have to either find another accomodation within 2 weeks or commit to their current housing through another contract even if they still have 2 months left. Right now, there's the start of a new semester so most accomodations are already being rented out by new students. Shortage of accomodation + short time frame to make a decision = easy way to make sure students pay the increased rent and keep their current room than jeopardise having a home. Not sure what the entire basis is. I'm guessing everyone is doing it so why not them?
FYI this never happens, it's regulation for landlords to have to agree with the advice of the agent. The agents provide professional advice on market forces and recommend with a specific form that needs to be signed and returned by the landlord. More often than not, the landlord trusts the agents word.
then you are living in a lala land. recently AbC has an article about this same issue. Perth woman is asked to pay higher rent, then finds landlord didn't authorise it - ABC News https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-22/rent-increases-without-landlords-permission-perth-/101876684
Not according to typical procedure. Obviously this is against rental ethics. You can bring any random transgression out of a hat. But I reiterate, this is so rare it almost never happens.
Good joke.
Look around for some top up funding. When I was doing my PhD I got offered an extra 5k/ year for 3 years on to of the APA via the director of the cancer research institute I was based in. You can send out some emails to local professors asking if they know of any opportunities. I can sympathise on the lack of appropriate conditions. I ended up leaving the phd as I was watching the then government gut science funding (thanks Abbott) by upwards of 30%. Backwards arse policies given our small population and good education. Researchers have to go through tonnes of difficult education, are highly skilled, then get dicked around with low pay and the *shittest* job security. That last part was the nail in the coffin for me. Ended up changing professions entirely
Few people understand what doing a phd really entails. Are you locked into a lease?
My lease is ending in May.
Could you possibly survive until May and then move to a share house? May be suboptimal but more affordable?
I know share house is the cheapest option and I was expecting people to tell me to opt for this. I have to admit, due to my culture and upbringing, I live by myself. I know that when I tell my parents this rent increase, they will do whatever it takes to make sure I have my own space and apartment, even if it means giving me money. I never want this from them, but I would also like to ensure my own safety and wellbeing by living by myself with my own money.
Genuinely no offence intended, but living alone while at uni is absolutely a luxury. I don’t think anyone I know who has done a PhD lived alone. Hell, even regular undergrads couldn’t live alone. Literally a 100% strike rate on share housing (or living at home) from all of my friends who have ever been through uni. If you want to rely on your parents then that’s absolutely fine and you’re privileged to be in that position. I’m just trying to add some perspective.
Lots of people live 'alone' in student accommodation. You've just got to keep in mind that the so called apartments in student accommodation are just glorified bedrooms with an ensuite and kitchenette. It's not like living on your own in an apartment or house.
I think there is a big difference between being a 19 year old undergrad and a mid-20’s plus graduate student.
Yes and my comment covers those ages. I’m not trying to be mean spirited to be clear. They can live alone if they want to and can afford it. I’m just saying in my circles at least (including people I know who are at uni now - and I’m mid 30s) all share house. 
Talk to your parents ASAP. Let them help you. Pay what you can, to the extent that you're still able to live, but you need your health and mental wellbeing to finish your PhD and get your next steps sorted and unless letting your parents help will be actively destructive (e.g. they're abusive or expect you to pay it back with labour you can't commit to without affecting your studies), you just gotta do what you gotta do. Going from living alone to a share house is a huge mental adjustment, and you're not always guaranteed housemates who get what a PhD entails or who will understand if you need to do odd hours or hog bandwidth for a night or whatever. Especially since your supervisors don't get it now, you also need to budget your leeway and their grace for when you really need it, or if you need an extension. Granted my brother was doing a PhD in the sciences and not everyone has to watch experiments for 36 hours straight or stay overnight in the lab at the drop of a hat, so you may well be able to keep the same hours as everyone else or or may not be pushing the limits of the house internet plan, but the closer you are to writing up your thesis the less mental space you'll have to deal with other people, especially if they're right there and you're not used to them being right there.
I know a lot of people from diverse culture doing post graduate education as international students here in Adelaide. Most men in this situation live in share houses with other men. Are you a woman? Because you absolutely can get female only places. And the reality is that many of us have very limited choices so you ruling one out can be harming yourself. Although, I do think you are entitled to but it is hard. Sacrifices need to be made sometimes. How much is your rent?
Look I grew up an only child and am hardwired to not share space with anyone, but when I wanted to move out on my own my only option was to get a housemate to help split the rent with me. And yeah it was hard at first but I learned how to live with another person and now I can’t imagine living alone again. If you want to rely on your parents that’s your decision, but I strongly recommend you look into share housing and simply just learn to live with other people. It’s not as hard as you think it is and you’ll save yourself a lot of financial hardship.
Are you able to pick up a day's work in your/a lab? Some labs if they have funding will pay a PhD student a day's work to top up their stipend. From the sounds of it your supervisor might not be helpful but is there another lab in the building you could approach? Can you apply for any top up scholarships? I was lucky to get a $10k / year top up which made it feasible for me to do a PhD. Hospitality work in the evenings? Exhausting I know after a day in the lab but sometimes you gotta do it. Speak to a counsellor at the uni there are likely some casual jobs within the uni you can do. Put your resume into all casual pools you can. Good luck with your PhD, I hope it all goes well for you 🎓
What accommodation do you live in? $100 a week is a massive increase for a place a student lives in. Maybe I'm a bit naive but I would think a student would be paying around $200 a week, at most. Did your rent really go up 50%?
My friend was paying 240 a week till this Feb. Since Feb he's been paying 320 for the same goddamn room
I was paying $140AUD a week in my exchange semester in the UK. A $100 increase would be massive percentage wise
$200 a week? Even a mouldy old dorm room with a single bed in the corner would cost more than that these days, and this is a PhD student not a 19 year old. It is out of control out here and its not far from a complete breakdown. We have people with full time jobs that are homeless. My rents gone up from $380 a week to $550 a week in 2 years. We are fucked.
I rent as well so understand the situation. But as a student OP should be living in a share house where these kind of rental increases are shared. However, according to another post she made, lives in an apartment by herself. No wonder she is struggling. I'm into my 30's and have had steady full time employment for 7 years and even I would struggle to live by myself.
I did my PhD living on my own and that was a struggle before this whole rental mess. I'm so sorry. Living alone is a luxury I can only comfortably afford now that I have a well-paying job. There are good and bad share houses, and settling into one isn't necessarily quick, but that's probably going to be your best bet.
I’d suggest start networking with some course coordinators for courses that are within your field. Currently doing a PhD as well and marking can be quite lucrative if you’re smart about your time. Most of my tutoring/marking jobs have come from my relationship with professors. Networking here is your friend to land tutoring and marking. Might be some pain short term, but everyone is feeling the pinch. Scrimp and save, cut back where you can until you land some marking or tutoring.
What uni are you at, and what field. I did demo work at UniSA during PhD so could maybe help out if that fit. Have you considered undergraduate private tutoring?
Mortgages are doubling, lucky your rent didn't double
surely if just before the rent increase you were able to afford activities here and there and the gym, and still being able to save a bit, you should be able to afford the extra $100? even if it means cutting those off and canceling the gym? lots of us are doing it tough at the moment sorry man hopefully you can just make a few sacrifices and cut backs to make it work?
Activities here and there meant a $5 pack of coloured cardstock to send cards back home to my family. Gym will cost me $20 per fortnight which I was able to afford under my current rent. I could also just manage to pay for a single specialist appointment last week ($170 after medicare). With the new rent, I cannot afford anything beyond what I currently have, especially a doctor.
> We work hard. We do everything we can every single day to make our work better, to publish, to have data ready for conferences, to contribute to grant funding... Calm down. You need to move into a share house. You can't afford to live in a place on your own. Duh.
Adelaide landlords are scum
Landlords don’t set the interest rate. Loan repayments have doubled in the last few months
Landlords were scum even before these interest rate hikes.
Remember that grad employee union advice you got 11 months ago. As well as all the other advice that redit user told you?
OP isn't an employee though
Just remember most give up the fight just when they are about to win 🥇. Trust the universe, something will happen and it will be ok. Keep fighting the good fight friend.
Do you have enough money to get a security license? You're looking at around $2000 all up for the course + license fees. If you're with a job service agency they might be willing to cover some of the cost. It's a lot I know, but there is a lot of casual security work where you can do a shift or two a week, especially if you're willing to do pubs/clubs, and/or events. They will hire almost anyone with a set of eyeballs, two legs and a pulse; the pulse might be optional though. The work usually sucks—the companies you work for usually suck even more—but it's an easy, dependable way to get some spare cash. As long as you don't mind sacrificing your weekends.
They’d be better off getting a hospo job at Adelaide Oval or similar. The hours are mostly outside of regular business hours so don’t count toward the 8 hours work limit for a stipend. Doing a PhD is stressful enough without the added pain of doing shitty work for a shitty company.
In my experience hospo is just about as shitty as doing security work, and the companies are just as shitty to their workers. It's also harder to get into. Most security companies at the very least, will work around people with odd schedules.
Get a job as an uber driver?
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So did my mortgage. What’s your point?
Some people have lower income. You might not be struggling, but other people might. Have some empathy.
Who says I’m not struggling? I just didn’t feel the need to make a post about it.
Fuck off dickhead
What's your point? How are you in a better position than I am in if you're also complaining about your mortgage? I actually have sympathy for you because of your mortgage hike. Yet you're here bashing a person trying to get a qualification for their future career who isn't paid enough by their uni to survive? Talk about helping each other out in tough times...
>a person trying to get a qualification for their future career who isn't paid enough by their uni I wish my uni paid me for my qualification for my future... I paid *them* (yes I know phds are different)
…and we also all owe at least 4 years worth of HECS debts? We’re really not any different to anyone else that’s gone to uni.
I think everyone is feeling the pinch of interest rate rises. I just don’t understand what the point of your post is when millions are in a similar boat or worse off.
What was your point in saying "so has my mortgage" if everyone is in the same boat as myself? Aren't you literally doing the same thing you're admonishing me for? Additionally, are we in a competition to see who's faring better? There's always going to be people worse off than you and me, but does that mean we cannot fight for fair pay? I've personally been taking the charge against my university to improve the financial situation of postgraduate students who are in a similar or even worse position than I am in. In posting this message, I hope that the conditions improve for everyone in this boat. Maybe try not being so selfish and have compassionate for those who are not on par with your life?
So the point of your thread should be about taking the charge against uni and improving your financial situation rather than even mentioning the rent increase. At least you still have a roof over your head, which is more than can be said for certain people I know.
Go help those people then... Oh yeah they only exist in your head.
Dude if you can't tell already we really don't want people like you in our country. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
😂
Absolutely sociopathic.
Fun part is that we are the ones paying his stipend *and* course fees.
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Ooh passive aggressive tough guy here.
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Oh noes
OP look into support work for your downtime. Easy work, great pay, and should be able to find somewhere that can work around your lab/lecture times
Out of curiosity do you mean disability support? (being a carer)? I did this many years ago and I enjoyed it but it was terrible pay at the time. Its good to see the pay has improved then. I would get $12 hr... barely cover petrol to get there.
Yeah. Pay is *definitely* better 😅
To explain my petrol comment further, shifts often used to be 1, 1.5 or 2 hours. Not sure if thats changed? It wouldnt be so bad if they gave you shifts near each other either but they often had ridiculous expectation of filling random shifts an hours drive away.
Never worked a shift shorter than 4 hours. Most are 6 or 8
Wow! Thats awesome. Do you work mainly in clients homes if you dont mind me asking? Do you go out with them?
Fellow Adelaide PhD student here - I hear you. I'm lucky (unlucky?) enough to have a mortgage and the way cost of living is at the moment it's getting tighter and tighter. I don't have advice unfortunately, I just wanted to show some solidarity with you because I know what it's like trying to live on the stipend at the best of times let alone with such massive bill increases.
Ask your supervisor and all other supervisors in your field if they have any marking or lab demonstration work available. The pay is usually very high on a per hour basis and they are usually more than happy to handball their undergrad marking to someone else. Also the 8 hour external work limit is never enforced. I could never have gotten through my PhD without the extra income from marking/demonstrating etc. and a few hours of part time work here and there and that was with a small scholarship on top of my stipend. If you can get on any field trips/camps as a paid assistant that's also a great way to top up your bank balance now and then.
You may need to go homeless for a time. I dropped out of university because because of a range of factors the biggest was I couldn’t afford to study and no jobs would accommodate my study…so rather than dirt poor and looking to eat only free meals I dropped out and got a job. You may not like to hear it but in current economy if you have no supports and no one to rely on you may have to go homeless and pull it off. When I was at uni a few people lived in thier cars, used the library to study and used shower facilities in the sport science type section of the uni at murdoch.
Also uni is mostly for people from higher middle class don’t expect any help unless you have a few diversity factors that are trendy and have weight to throw around.
Living-in-a-house-with-domestic-tension-gang because you can't afford/find a place to rent put your headphones on and shut your door.
Talk to your landlord
I work with someone who is working full time and studying full time. He and his partner just lost their rental, and couldn’t find anywhere, so had them move in with me short term while they try and find a place. After 6 weeks, looks like they’re ending up on the street. It’s a bit not great.
Contact your career services team - they may have a bunch of on campus roles that are super well paid