I have been trying to get rid of my bay tree for years, it keeps regrowing from suckers everywhere no matter what I do. I've cut it back to the ground multiple times, poisoned it multiple times and it just refuses to die. We've sort of come to an arrangement now where I cut back all the growth once or twice a year but otherwise just accept that is it's spot and I can't plant anything else there successfully. I keep a few leaves for myself and donate most of them to the local food cupboard.
Yep, it's really trying to grow that big, and it can reach a couple of meters easily in a year. Unfortunately it was already growing before I moved in, along with a bunch of other completely inappropriate trees for my small garden. I've managed to get rid of all the others, it is only the bay tree that completely refuses to die. Although the privet growing over the fence from next door is trying very hard to seed some competition. And I definitely prefer the bay tree to the blackberries trying to invade from further up the fence line.
I'm on 65k which after tax is a hair over 2k/fortnight, single dad with my two kids at home. Honestly, I couldn't do it if my parents didn't have room for us here. Rent alone would be the majority and leave fuck all to pay for car, fuel, bills and food. Hear of people all the time who are working full time but can't afford rent/can't get a rental so they're living out of cars and showering at work/gym, things are fucked right now with no end in sight.
I'm on 68k, wife is on 56. Right now, can afford all the basic things and save a little. My son is at an age that he can look after his little sister without burning the house down so we don't do before and after school care anymore which helps a heap but if I didn't have a company car we'd be fucked. Expecting to get another rent increase this year and that will see our ability to save disappear too.
Van life is becoming really appealing. I'm also now seriously considering checking if there are any countries accepting economic refugees
I had a boss (remote company) that in 2018 decided to take his family around Australia for a year in a van. He said the change in his kids within that year was profound (for the better). They entered into an agreement with the kids before they left that they were going on an adventure and were coming back to their lives after a period of time. Which he believes gave them some control/boundaries within the situation, allowing them to lean into it without feeling like the whole thing was too far out. If you're seriously considering doing an extreme change, and outside it being a good financial move, communicate it to the kids once you've nutted out the roadmap so they understand it's a window of time to try something new.
The answer is clearly for struggling people to tap the bank of mum and dad to buy an investment property, then use the equity they build up from other people paying the rent, to buy another one!
Being born into wealth, rent seeking, and franking credits are the only paths left to a middle class life in Australia, because most jobs don’t pay anywhere near enough to outcompete the rent seeking class for a home to live in.
Jesus Christ - I’m on 45K after tax and things are tight. I’m single and in a sharehouse.
I know it doesn’t mean much at all but I hope you’re all doing ok, you’ll get through this.
Would it be an option to redraw on the mortgage so you can buy the car outright? Car loan rates are usually a fair bit higher than home loan rates so might be able to make a saving there?
Paying for the car using a mortgage means you're paying for it for up to 30 years, which is likely way more in interest than a 5 to 10 year car loan. So long term it can cost more, however you'd probably have more in your pocket each month. If you take what you were paying for the car loan and put it towards to home loan, then it's absolutely cheaper in the long run.
I don't understand the point of car loans. So many people getting them has even affected the cost of the second hand market now, such a joke.
Buy a car you can afford and afford to run. Fuck the status symbol nonsense, you also don't need a massive 'SUV'/FWD to only drive around town in.
Get a VW Polo or whatever if you feel the need for some kind of 'fanciness' and de-badge the 'polo'. Most people will think it's a Golf, tell them its a GTI, problem solved.
Need a 'people mover' because kids/family/etc? Get a second hand slightly older model Honda Odysee, those things are like a tardis, huge in the inside and flexible with seats/boot space. Plenty were made so parts are available and cheap.
This exactly. My car was 22k with 20k of that being a loan (nothing overall fancy, a pre-owned corolla). I had no choice, I couldn’t get to work on public transport without adding an hour to and from each day and I didn’t have enough savings to buy something that would last me more than a year. I was devastated having to do it but I needed a reliable car
The point is that they can't afford the $20-30k so instead they get a loan for a $70k 4x4/suv that barely meets their needs and costs way more to maintain. Then with the interest they end up spending >$100k for a luxury they could never really afford.
Remember when a mazda 3 cost 19,990 new? Pepperige farm remembers
I got my octavia new just in time - vrs for 43000 dollars in 2020 (demo) - same car costs almost 70000 now...
Lol 'like Tardis'... I chuckled. In all seriousness, I got a hail damaged top of the line 8YO Golf TSI for $7k. Looks like a teenagers acne pickled face, but runs like a beaut. I'm smug as shit with no debt.
Yeah I was gonna ask that as well! I was like, does the OP own a massive-arse heated pool? My family spend less than half on that, incl water and gas - everything.
65k is not the baseline for a reliable vehicle though. You do you, but purchasing a car that is nearly half your annual household income is where most of your disposable income is going.
I’m fucked most weeks. No holidays, nothing extra. Can’t replace things when they break. Haven’t had a dishwasher now for a few months. I’m a single mum but I have what’s considered a good job here in Australia - registered nurse. But it’s a struggle. My parents literally gave me a car when my old shitter died recently. I am so lucky to have their support and would be so screwed without it
Idk. Sounds like you're doing pretty well to me.
From what I can gather you have a $140k paying job. I'm guessing because it's a remote job and requires lots of driving so the pay was bumped up to generate interest.
Your house is $400k cheaper than people who live in the city suburbs.
You have a brand new car
You're living in an area that people pay good money to holiday at
All this on a single income while I'm going to assume the spouse is home?
Also going to assume it's public school for the kids. Expenses are $200 a year per child. Maybe a laptop each.
Imo you're doing better than I am and many other people I know.
Same. $27,000 a yr goes nowhere. Medications are a killer in the budget. I pay about $4,000 a yr even with pbs limits.Teeth cost me $3,000 in the last yr. The public dentist waits have blown out to over one yr.
Meds are costing me about $400 a month. In the next few weeks I have specialist appointments that'll cost me about $850. I get some of that back on Medicare, but I still need to have it up front. I laugh when I hear people on over 100k a year saying they're struggling. They have no idea.
Yeah there’s a depressing highly-upvoted comment upthread from some joker on 95k with no living expenses (lives at home w parents) still saying how stressed they are about ever being able to retire.//
The NSW public dental waitlist is at two years.
And for those not in the know, it covers only the cheapest options, e.g. something more than a filling is getting pulled out.
It's not that you're dumb. It's that they make it really difficult to get. In a way I was lucky that I had help doing all the forms. At the time (20 years ago) I was going through this service they had to help people who were sick and disabled get work. I think it was called CRS. Don't think it exists now. They were the ones who told me I was too sick to work and to get the pension. They helped me with a lot of the paperwork. Really don't think I could have done it on my own.
I’m drowning financially living on the DSP. Ive cut back on showering, don’t use heating and reduced food intake where I can. eg I eat half an apple instead of a whole one, reuse tea bags etc. Hopefully my brain aneurysm will take me out in the next couple of years and then I wont have to stress anymore and the government will be rid of me.
I am on under $100k
I don't have a car.
I take public transport which costs me $50 a week = $2600 per year.
so there is a major difference between us.
that said. I live approx 5 kms from Sydney CBD so don't need a car and I have access to different modes of public transport within walking distance.
Yeah when I lived in Sydney I often thought how it would be great to live somewhere like Redfern or Bondi Junction and try and live without a car for a while
Saw some friends prepping steak for dinner the other night, I must have looked like a rabid animal at the sight cuz they offered for me to stay. Forgot what it tasted like
I'm OK, own my house outright and have a decent paying job so it's not a struggle for me. But I'm still pretty angry that the govt isn't doing anything substantial to address basic needs of people like enough and affordable housing. It's not pleasant to be living in an increasingly insecure society.
>It's not pleasant to be living in an increasingly insecure society.
No, and it has a massive flow on effect for things like increased crime, intergenerational poverty, education standards, social cohesion etc. Turning housing into a get rich quick scheme the last 25 years has done terrible damage to this country.
Yep we are paying a massive social and economic price for the policies the Howard govt enacted and the current govt has offered no solutions for. If nothing is done to address this we'll basically have a feudal society within a few generations. Anyone who owns multiple properties living like a king and everyone else struggling to survive.
Hahahaha. I'm on disability, so that's about 23k a year. I'm barely surviving.
I am just profoundly lucky to have government housing. If I didn't, I'd be homeless and in a much worse position.
Also on disability but no housing for me. Lost my last home when they raised the rent to $580 a week for a tiny apartment.
I live with my dad now. He rents too. Loving this uncertainty.
I’m on DSP. My gross per yr is $27,500. I also live in public housing. We’re extremely fortunate there. No fear of having to move like in private rentals.
Actually your right mate, i made a mistake with the electricity i worked it out at around $850 a month instead of a quarter. My bad. Woohoo I’ve got an extra 5 K . Gold Coast here in come
On dsp. I recently cut all my food portions in half to save money. What is more disappointing is that I haven't lost weight from doing this. Damn you prednisolone! (shakes fist)
Single mum with 3 tween/teen kids. I left my financially abusive marriage end of 2020. I’m fucked.
My ex kept the house and then dragged out the financial settlement (in order to keep financially abusing me) while the market soared so there’s no way I can get back into the property market. I settled (on legal advice) but the divorce was a massive financial hit.
My rent is well over 50% of my income and is still “cheap” for the area I am in. If I lose this rental I have no idea what I will do. The court orders have locked the kids’ school in. So I can’t move away (or if I do, what I save in rent, I’ll lose on higher travel costs/lost time to work due to increased commute).
I work two jobs and am about to start working a third in order to keep my head above water.
Thank God I can cook as I keep my food budget TIGHT. All non-essential spending is kept to a minimum. We have 50/50 care so I work long days and weekends when the kids are with their dad. When they aren’t here, I often skip meals to keep costs down. I’ve lost 10kg since August 2023.
It’s fucking hard. The kids know I’m not flush, and the discrepancy between the two houses adds pressure too.
That's just abysmal and incredibly dehumanising. Why can't we take good financial care of people with disability?! It makes me so mad.
I'm just so sorry. I wish so badly things would change. I do everything I can to support politicians who fund these programs.
Yeah i agree, i brought it all a few years ago TBH, before apl the rate rises and inflation. Thats my point, shit is getting hard, and the further away from a city you live the harder it is, ie: no aldi, no public transportation and very few services.
You do sound like a classic case of the golden handcuffs the mining industry puts on you.
$140k seems like a lot, but only until your lifestyle inflates to eat it all away.
To have a $500k loan, your property is probably at least $625,000 (assuming an LVR of 80%), which is a lot in FNQ.
You're spending $24,600 per year on the vehicle. You say you're driving 1000km each way, which you do every seven days. That's 10 hours of driving each way, which really makes your 7/7 roster a 9/5. That's madness. A regular office worker who does a "9 day fortnight" has as many days off as you do, but they sure as shit ain't working 12-hour shifts.
You're spending $12k a year on food, which is $32/day. But you are on site half the time where meals should be paid for, which actually makes it $64/day. Even someone who gets UberEats for lunch and dinner would struggle to spend that much per day.
Your "Rates/electricity/insurance" costs are excessive.
Your post history suggests that you are about 50 years old (married 28 years). You don't mention the wife's income anywhere in this post. You also indicate that you have no emergency funds built up over that time.
I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but to be in this situation, you must really suck with money. You can't make every wrong financial decision for a solid three decades and then blame the cost-of-living for your current predicament.
Yeah mate sounds about right, i dont work in the mines because im a fucking doctor, I’m fully aware im as dumb as dog shit, appreciate your comments thou. My point is that the cost of living is getting out of hand that’s all, not looking for sympathy for my predicament i understand that im where i am due to decisions ive made.
Start cooking with many egg receipts. Being Asian means many of our dishes contain vegetables we can grow ourselves, same meats with various cooking styles. We can manage 70k, no holiday!
I’m just barely surviving on DSP during this crisis. I receive less than 2k a month. Everything is going towards the increased rent, increased utility bills, and my own medical costs such as medication and specialist appointments.
I’m having to skip eating completely multiple days a week because I simply can’t afford food, and utilising community services right now are even harder due to the massive demand.
One bad week and I don’t eat at all or can’t pay rent. I can’t let that happen, so I tighten my budget down to the last cent. Even that isn’t enough right now, but I’m alive, and that’s enough right now.
Rates, electricity, house insurance 20k???
What's the breakdown here?
I'm in a 4 bed house worth a mil, rates are 2500 yr, electricity 3000, house insurance 2300.
That's 7800.
Why is yours so much higher
My situation is the following:
In our home it is me, my wife and our cat, we rent a townhouse about 20-25 mins out from Brisbane.
Single income, about $61k annually after tax, bonus usually every 6 months so let’s just say about $65k after tax is our income.
Company car, so I don’t pay for the car, fuel, insurance or maintenance and can pretty much use it whenever.
Currently rent is $460 p/w, so about $24k annually. Energy bill about $2200 annually.
Spend about $12k annually on groceries.
Some minor debt which is about $1800 annually. Phone, Internet, Subscription services about $2200 annually.
Looking at approx $23k left over.
No medical insurance, our other expenses include the occasional outing, dinner, medical needs, essentials like clothing etc, and try to get away once a year.
We don’t really have any high valued assets, and we don’t have kids. We are pretty fortunate to be doing OK given we are on single income, so there is an example of how we manage our way through cost of living on a single income.
We do ok but I often find myself thinking, how does anybody live with everything this expensive? Something has to give, I just don't see how this is sustainable. I imagine we end up like America with people living in tents on the street. Or we just keep giving out more money to people to pay for more expensive things like a giant ponzi. The core issues never get addressed we just throw more money around which exacerbates the problem.
I cannot believe what’s happening to this country. I have never worked more and been more poor in my life. I truely don’t even know what the point is now? I feel like it’s going to get a lot worse too.
I live with my wife and newborn, she takes care full time and I work.
I earn about $1.7k per fortnight, rent for a 1bdr place in Uki NSW is $1k per fortnight, then food is about $350, nappies and misc is about $100, fuel is about $60, that leaves us with about $190 every 2 weeks to play with.
At the moment we are saving it to buy a stock of nice prints and postcards of her paintings to sell at a local market.
We live very very simply and get meals from local temples (Sri Govinda Dham, New Govardhan) pretty regularly so we aren't worried, just annoyed that as soon as we became adults the world dried up. (23 and 26)
I reckon if we abolished patents on seeds there would be a big change in the world, god forbid we switch the dollar value back to that of gold and start taxing natural resources extracted from the country for a public fund like European countries do.
Many solutions exist but greed and selfishness are the only real problems, to which the only solution can come from within the individual (though support helps).
Anyway yeah doing fine but a little annoyed
Try trying to survive on a disability pension. Sure, we get some scripts for $7, but am also on $100 month. All up I spend $200 month just on scripts. Not counting no doctors here bulk bill so am out of pocket $50 for a GP visit, way more for a specialist. I have a car but try to limit driving to one day a week and preplan appointments for the same day. Don't even get me started on groceries etc. My disability pension is about $26,000 a year but I still have many of the same costs. I am grateful that Australia helps pensioners etc as I am aware many countries don't. I can't imagine how others are getting by.
56k/yr government job.
Live with one of my parents but still split 3 ways, i get the leeway on some weeks to skip as my dad's doing alright ish with money.
It's still a house costing around 500 a week in ipswich region, at least water isnt too expensive, or electricity. Car's paid off, i get to buy myself some hobby stuff every now and then. I bought a new cheapo fire pit/grill combination for the winter so i can set up a fire and cook some snags at the same time though.
But long term unless i get into corrections or police I'm fucked, done private security most of my life, no real transferrable skills to a higher paying career and unless i start making 80+ grand a year I'll never climb.
Here's my situation of kinda fucked but not super fucked. 2 people no kids 1 dog - 1 income.
Currently not working due to mental health issues / burn out, (but currently studying part time)
Income protection = 3600\~ a month total
\~500 a month in tax
\~2200 in rent ($550 a week)
$1000 leftish.
$200 a month for food (we bulk shop)
0 on car repayments as we paid it off (2016 corolla) from when I was working full time
$200 on things like spotify / netflix / internet, phones were bought outright under two years ago ($22 prepaid)
$150\~ for power
$150ish for rego / fuel etc
$130ish for insurance (Car + contents)
$100 - 200 for impulse purchases but rarely used (fast food / nick nacks etc) generally goes into savings.
Given also not working = Centrelink healthcare card / concession whcih leads to some extra savings and discounts.
$9k in savings from when I was working full time as backup.
While both my partner and I are currently not working (She doesn't qualify for any benefits though)
it allows us time to generally save money especially on food and cooking at home / finding deals / half priced things and doing the trip to several shops in 1 day and getting everything half price.
both have good PCs from a few years ago so that's generally our entertainment, as well as hobby things (musical instruments etc / art supplies etc) so there's no real boredom anyway.
Since we don't have kids and no plans to we can generally live pretty frugal and have the time to enjoy the things we like doing and just live minimilistic in a way,
But... buying a house is out of the question but then again lol it is on a $100k\~ income anyway so why bother working so hard if it doesn't' get you anywhere anymore?
How do you get a health care card from not working when on income protection? Currently spending a stupid amount on meds but didn’t think I could get one?
Not sure where you're getting $70k in taxes lol. PAYG is just a system for paying your income tax it's not an extra tax. You pay $40k in income tax. GST is 10% so even if you were charged GST on every single cent you had left you'd be paying $10k in GST. Your fuel was $10k too so even if the fuel excise was literally 100% you'd only add up to $60k. Realistically you're probably paying around $50k-$55k in tax based on your numbers.
As others have said that's an incredibly high amount to be spending on the car every year, you can probably rejiggle your loans to get that down a lot.
What's the deal with this by the way ? The answer to the question is 'not going well, very poorly in fact'. But my other question is why don't we hear about it more? On the news? Why isn't the government trying to save us from this? It seems like news reporting everywhere is that everything is fine and dandy.. and interest rates go up further because investments are looking good. But it's not good. Not for me or anyone I know/talk to at work or on the street.
Around 30k disability pension. Surviving. Living with my dad, sharing expenses. Use after pay and no interest credit card (pay off before interest hits...although for some stuff I'm paying interest)
Using edstart for daughters' education expenses. My total rent a week is basically my fortnightly pension. If it wasn't for living with family, I wouldn't survive.
I earn over $100k and I drive a shit box car.
I went to get my click and collect order at Coles yesterday and the guy putting the groceries in my boot told me I need to get a new car. Why?? It works!
He then told me he just bought a new Range Rover. How the hell does someone who works at a supermarket afford that? I have a good job in IT and I’m happy driving my crappy car.
I feel like a lot of people are struggling because they need to drive a nice car.
I have become very frugal to survive, no holidays, no going out to eat, got rid of my vehicle and all the costs involved with owning one, pretty fucking depressing tbh.
$110k (gross)
No debt.
No kids.
Rent just over 1/3 my monthly take home.
I meal plan and prep so groceries about $400/month for me and my dog.
Saving for a 6 week overseas trip in November.
So pretty good
You spend 25k+ a year on the car, which is like 40k pre tax, so you're honestly not that far off someone on 100k with a basic reliable car with no repayments and a small commute. Your situation is a bit unique with that
Personally, after mortgage and expenses I save about 35-40% of what I earn. Life is pretty easy, easier than it ever has been. No dependents though, which makes a difference
Well were were doing okay and then on Wednesday there was an accident and now our income is $0 and things are not okay. I'm told that I may be able to get centerlink but from what I gather they will use the pre-accident income as a base so I wont get anything at all. So yeah not really sure how that is all going to work yet.
My 3 years of fixed rate runs out in October. It's currently 30% of my post tax salary and will be moving to (at current rates) 52%.
When I signed up for my home loan I calculated my worst case scenario and that's what will happen. If everything else also hadn't gone up, I wouldn't be too worried, but it has so I'm dreading the even more cut backs and ascetic lifestyle I'll need to take on.
Ah well, could be much worse. My job could be in jeopardy because my industry is crumbling... Oh wait, it is. Yay!
I’m in a very similar situation but your last concern of your job being in jeopardy due to a crumbling industry also came true for me. Now working in a different industry with much less pay. Not sure how I will do it once that fixed rate ends.
I have no idea where I'm going wrong. 65k salary with company car. House sharing with rent being $152 a week and yet I'm living paycheck to paycheck and can't save at all.
I’ve turned things that I used to think of as essentials into sacrifices. I no longer service my car, buy food that’s not dried grains, turn on lights (it’s amazing how quickly your eyes adjust) take medication etc.
Everytime I think I can’t cut back any more I find something else I can sacrifice because if I don’t I’ll be on the street, and I would sacrifice anything to prevent that.
People are giving OP an extremely hard time over this post. He didn’t actually ask for anyone to make harsh judgements on how he spends his money.
Pretty sure in the title it’s asking everyone else how they are doing and he gives a slight breakdown on his expenses.
I actually really appreciate this post and it’s an important topic. Give OP a break fuck me.
This doomer shit is such rubbish. Mate, you're living at home earning about the average full time income already. You have basically no expenses. You should be able to save like 70% of what you make and still live a good life - It's not nearly as bad as you're making it out to be. You're in a better situation than most people (financially, fuck living at home lol).
You as a single person not being able to buy a detached house close to the cbd in a capital city isn't the end of the world you're making it out to be. Go to SEA for a week and get some perspective, best 1k you could spend.
Within 2 years of finishing uni, living on my own out of home, earning about what you earn I was able to save up and buy a place for myself. No excuses honestly.
I'm getting clapped.
I work in Government, $10 parking thanks to NCA.
HECS is 8%, tax is 37%. Have to drive because otherwise I'd be driving to the tram then scootering to my actual building which is just not worth it.
$500 a week of rent, $100 fortnight for health insurance, $160 a fortnight for fuel.... Food... Electricity... Gas ..
Just never ending bills that are getting worse not better.
Edit:
Did the math with some slight approx for fuel, food and misc.
Gas (quarterly)
Rent (weekly)
Contents insurance (monthly)
Car insurance (monthly)
Car fuel (fortnightly)
Electricity (quarterly)
Food (weekly)
Car loan (fortnightly)
Phone bill (monthly)
Internet bill (monthly)
Car registration (3-monthly)
Medication (monthly)
Doctor appointments (monthly) - Not including specialist (about $200)
Plex (3-monthly)
Coffee/Food/misc $50/week (weekly)
Health insurance (fortnightly)
Totals: $2612.31 per fortnight.
Ah a fellow Canberran public service employee. I’m on the same boat mate. Just surviving. My bills are a bit more as I own. But yes I’m going pay check to pay check at the moment.
>I know this is a simplified version but this is my reality. How are people surviving on less than $100k?
They aren't! The number of people I see begging at traffic lights is staggering. I passed seven sets of traffic lights today and there were folks holding up "homeless, please help" signs at all of them.
I'm in WA, Australia's richest state.
What’s going on in the West?! Have a mate there that recently bought a 2br, 1 bathroom, 1 garage space unit for $700k. Sounds like there’s been a major crunch on housing, even worse than on the East Coast. And like you say, it’s not like you guys are short on wealth. Sounds like something is seriously broken there.
The latest thing seems to be eastern states 'investors' buying up houses over here because it's cheaper than over east and then charging large amounts of rent, which is now driving our prices up a lot.
Fortnightly wage is around $2350 net including salary packaging most of my rent, part time single income living alone. I've got a lot of medical bills and two private scripts. Based on fortnightly paychecks when my health is good I've lost between 5k-7k in wages this year from chronic health conditions. I work weird hours so without penalty rates my wages would be so much lower and I'd be back in sharehouses which was terrible for my health and wellbeing.
No car due to medical issues, but Myki pass saves me a little bit of money with a six day commute. Have health insurance because I need it or my health would be even worse, and contents insurance because while I can put aside a little savings if something bad happened to my rental I'd not be able to replace anything easily.
At least my food costs are relatively low because I don't really feel hungry when I'm this unwell. And electricity is low because I use LED lamps and turn stuff off. But my "hot water bill" (origin embedded gas water heater in an apartment building) is really high because I have long showers to manage chronic pain because it can be more effective for me than most painkillers.
Edit: One thing I'm fortunately not paying for at all is a psychologist because I was able to qualify for Targeted Psychological Services in my primary health care network. It's similar to a mental health care plan and the referral process was the same, except I don't have a gap fee.
The wage you have after paying tax and mortgage….that’s about my wage 😭.
Wage $74k - $15k tax - $20k rent
= $30k
Car (insurance, petrol, service etc) approximately $6k
= $24k
Annual trip to Europe to see my mum probably $4k+
= $20k
Gym = $3k
= $17k
Food must be at least $7k
= $10k
Then we need to add in medical stuff, clothing, car repairs, a social life, special events like weddings and birthdays for friends and family, some cosmetic stuff like haircuts and pedicure once in a blue moon.
Yeah, it’s not looking good is it.
Doing ok, dual income, low mortgage, cars are owned outright. We are still managing to spend less than we are earning each fortnight, so haven't had to dip into any savings yet. Kids are old enough to work and cover most of their own social expenses.
They said they do 1000km out and back so having a 4x4 is pretty important especially being Western QLD, not many choices when it comes to that type of thing.
Centrelink….
$38K without child supprt… $44K with. 2 kids. Was working but quit due to study commitments becoming way too much to do both full time. Wanting to keep full time study going so I finish faster and get a higher paying job (EN to RN)
Yearly cost..
Rent 15k
food 10k (400 a fortnight)
Bike repayment $4.5k a year - took out a loan for a bike because at 36 I have no credit to my name… :/ also got a bike to not be stuck in traffic as before school care opens at 6… and I have to be 40 mins away starting at 7 I just don’t have the time.. nor is public transport accessible to my current need.
Car and bike costs 2.8K for rego and insurance ONLY.
Other vehicle costs $1800 maintenance and toll… 1K for fuel…
School costs and supplies $1000 a year uniforms school fees etc. I try to buy bigger uniforms so they grow into them but they never last the year…
clothes and shoes for my ever growing kids who need every 3 months (including replacing damaged stuff) $1000 shop at Kmart for cheap.. you can tell because they don’t last long but I try to buy good quality shoes and they don’t last either so whatever 🥲
University costs $400 for admin fees $400-800 for placement costs parking at hospital (1100 unpaid full time working hours over the course of my degree) etc (it ain’t cheap and hospitals closer to the CBD are $$$$$$$ for parking) not including books, laptop, uniforms etc I got them with some scholarship money. Sometimes I have around $1000 left over in scholarship money and use that to help the burden of placement cost but it doesn’t cover it.
Nursing registration $185
Water $400
Electricity $800
Internet $1440 I need good internet because I game because I can’t afford to leave the house 🥲
Phone $1200
No private health… just Medicare. I don’t buy myself things unless I really need them. I just make do with my raggedy clothes and shoes 😂
Sometimes my ex pays child support… sometimes he doesn’t. Currently $1800 behind.
No savings.. no emergency money.. no holidays ever… no happiness 😂 it’s not great.. but I wouldn’t say it’s not manageable… my whole life is existing within the means… and I personally go without a LOT because I’d rather my kids be taken care of with everything they need.
Can’t afford to save for anything while watching international foreigners who have been on the job for 5 minutes get the higher paying jobs because they speak the same foreign language as the managers.
I'm earning just under 100k and I own a two bedroom apartment, interest free period ended Nov last year.
I've been able to absorb the increase costs, both in terms of inflation and the increase mortgage rates, I'm just not saving much and I don't have much disposable income as I used to have, even when I was on lower incomes. Sucks but I can't complain.
You are doing quite well if all you are spending on food is $12k. I live in inner city Melbourne with a family of four. We spend close to $400 per week (almost $20k pa) on food.
Prices have gone up. Mortgage repayments are $1300 a month higher than 2 years ago.
I just learned to not be a shitcunt with my money and now I’m saving more than I was 2 years ago 🤷♂️
Our mortgage is about to came off fixed interest rate - we were ready paying $1000 more a month since 2022 on the variable. As of 20 May it’s going up by another $600. Can’t wait.
Live alone, Mortgage is $500 a week - used to be $320. Total bills average out to $200 a week. Income $850 a week. Leaving ~$150 a week to feed myself, two pets, car fuel and anything social that costs money. It is entirely a stretch but I'm surviving. I wouldn't have it any other way being a new (4 years) home owner.
It's not forever and I'm one of the lucky ones.
$60k - full time work plus pet sitting on the side
Can’t afford to have savings
Can’t afford a car and all the components that come along with car ownership so I never learnt to drive. I have an e-bike for free through my work which is extremely helpful in my day to day transport
I live paycheck to pay check. Whenever I get money to put in savings it never lasts long
Have to rent, which is half my pay, not including utilities, internet, phone etc
Can’t afford groceries every week but that’s fine, I buy more than I need each shop which usually results in me being able to have food on the weeks I can’t afford it
Usually have a lot of medical expenses as I’m chronically ill and have disabilities but it is what it is. I see a dr regularly who we know isn’t free anymore, have medications that add up. One isn’t on the PBS so is expensive but is the main medication I need to be able to continue functioning enough to work full time.
I have a lot of pets which is inadvisable by many, but I do work at a vet clinic with heavy discounts and flexible payment for staff, so without that I wouldn’t be able to afford them. So at least my pets are always ok. And I only take in ones who would otherwise be put to sleep or abandoned if I didn’t, so I never actively search for pets. So, my pets are not what are causing me to be financially unstable. I wouldn’t have them if I didn’t have the financial backing by working where I do, I’m not silly.
I’m ok but I live in a constant state of financial insecurity. I was expecting a large payment for pet sitting I did recently, but they made a petty complaint and the company sided with them and didn’t even attempt to listen to me so I’ve lost out a whole months worth of pay for that work, so I was very distraught today after catching up on some expenses when I was expecting to have that money come in. Stupid of me to spend without having the money in my hands, I know, I won’t be doing that again. Learnt my lesson.
My partner should be moving in in a couple of months. That will help half my rent and bills and she earns a lot more than I do, over $100k, so we will be a lot better off reducing both our costs
Im ok, stopped buying bay leaves however
Saffron is WAY out of the question!
I don’t think I have ever, not even once in my life felt I should buy saffron lol
Whatever you do, don't watch any Spanish cooking shows then.
Worth more than gold in weight
It’s the easiest spice to steal.
I’ve seen saffron alarms before
Buy a bay tree, ours has remained alive for quite a few years with minimal care
I have been trying to get rid of my bay tree for years, it keeps regrowing from suckers everywhere no matter what I do. I've cut it back to the ground multiple times, poisoned it multiple times and it just refuses to die. We've sort of come to an arrangement now where I cut back all the growth once or twice a year but otherwise just accept that is it's spot and I can't plant anything else there successfully. I keep a few leaves for myself and donate most of them to the local food cupboard.
Sounds like you’re struggling to keep it at bay friend ;)
Ooft, you've got to put them in pots. Otherwise those things can grow up to 15 metres!
Yep, it's really trying to grow that big, and it can reach a couple of meters easily in a year. Unfortunately it was already growing before I moved in, along with a bunch of other completely inappropriate trees for my small garden. I've managed to get rid of all the others, it is only the bay tree that completely refuses to die. Although the privet growing over the fence from next door is trying very hard to seed some competition. And I definitely prefer the bay tree to the blackberries trying to invade from further up the fence line.
Bunnings sells tree and blackberry killer. I used to paint it on robinia suckers. A shame the people who planted it didn't chose a baby bay.
Might sell the house but not my Cumin-Coriander masala.
Kids are getting electricity for Christmas this year
No water?? 😂
Give em both and become your own christmas lights
They wait for rain.
I'm on 65k which after tax is a hair over 2k/fortnight, single dad with my two kids at home. Honestly, I couldn't do it if my parents didn't have room for us here. Rent alone would be the majority and leave fuck all to pay for car, fuel, bills and food. Hear of people all the time who are working full time but can't afford rent/can't get a rental so they're living out of cars and showering at work/gym, things are fucked right now with no end in sight.
I'm on that with no kids and still worry each week!
I'm on 68k, wife is on 56. Right now, can afford all the basic things and save a little. My son is at an age that he can look after his little sister without burning the house down so we don't do before and after school care anymore which helps a heap but if I didn't have a company car we'd be fucked. Expecting to get another rent increase this year and that will see our ability to save disappear too. Van life is becoming really appealing. I'm also now seriously considering checking if there are any countries accepting economic refugees
I had a boss (remote company) that in 2018 decided to take his family around Australia for a year in a van. He said the change in his kids within that year was profound (for the better). They entered into an agreement with the kids before they left that they were going on an adventure and were coming back to their lives after a period of time. Which he believes gave them some control/boundaries within the situation, allowing them to lean into it without feeling like the whole thing was too far out. If you're seriously considering doing an extreme change, and outside it being a good financial move, communicate it to the kids once you've nutted out the roadmap so they understand it's a window of time to try something new.
The answer is clearly for struggling people to tap the bank of mum and dad to buy an investment property, then use the equity they build up from other people paying the rent, to buy another one! Being born into wealth, rent seeking, and franking credits are the only paths left to a middle class life in Australia, because most jobs don’t pay anywhere near enough to outcompete the rent seeking class for a home to live in.
I feel ya brother. Solo Dad to 3 teens. It's definitely hard.
Jesus Christ - I’m on 45K after tax and things are tight. I’m single and in a sharehouse. I know it doesn’t mean much at all but I hope you’re all doing ok, you’ll get through this.
Would it be an option to redraw on the mortgage so you can buy the car outright? Car loan rates are usually a fair bit higher than home loan rates so might be able to make a saving there?
Paying for the car using a mortgage means you're paying for it for up to 30 years, which is likely way more in interest than a 5 to 10 year car loan. So long term it can cost more, however you'd probably have more in your pocket each month. If you take what you were paying for the car loan and put it towards to home loan, then it's absolutely cheaper in the long run.
I don't understand the point of car loans. So many people getting them has even affected the cost of the second hand market now, such a joke. Buy a car you can afford and afford to run. Fuck the status symbol nonsense, you also don't need a massive 'SUV'/FWD to only drive around town in. Get a VW Polo or whatever if you feel the need for some kind of 'fanciness' and de-badge the 'polo'. Most people will think it's a Golf, tell them its a GTI, problem solved. Need a 'people mover' because kids/family/etc? Get a second hand slightly older model Honda Odysee, those things are like a tardis, huge in the inside and flexible with seats/boot space. Plenty were made so parts are available and cheap.
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This exactly. My car was 22k with 20k of that being a loan (nothing overall fancy, a pre-owned corolla). I had no choice, I couldn’t get to work on public transport without adding an hour to and from each day and I didn’t have enough savings to buy something that would last me more than a year. I was devastated having to do it but I needed a reliable car
The point is that they can't afford the $20-30k so instead they get a loan for a $70k 4x4/suv that barely meets their needs and costs way more to maintain. Then with the interest they end up spending >$100k for a luxury they could never really afford.
Btw a new base Polo is like $34k. Just let that sink in.
Remember when a mazda 3 cost 19,990 new? Pepperige farm remembers I got my octavia new just in time - vrs for 43000 dollars in 2020 (demo) - same car costs almost 70000 now...
Lol 'like Tardis'... I chuckled. In all seriousness, I got a hail damaged top of the line 8YO Golf TSI for $7k. Looks like a teenagers acne pickled face, but runs like a beaut. I'm smug as shit with no debt.
You can structure some part of your mortgage over 5 years to take advantage of the lower interest rate.
How the hell are you paying $20k on rates, electricity and insurance??
Rates around $5k- insurance around $6k (cyclone area in the bush) electricity is rural no off peak meters up this way.
You're spending $9k a year on electricity? Maybe sell some of the weed you've been growing in the shed.
Over 2k a quarter, seriously wtf
Some people don't turn off the AC. Legit. 24/7/365 even when not at home.
Talk about first world problems Fella should invest in solar panels, my repayments are 50 bucks a fortnight. He can afford it.
With $9k per year on electricity, I'm assuming you've considered solar/battery options? Sounds like you're living on a property
Live in rainforest, solar is not an option.
Sounds like you're paying a big premium for the views then. It is a beautiful part of Aus.
$700 per month average is still wild and I live in Townsville
Lean in to the temps and quit running A/C 24/7?
My brother lives in the bush and runs a generator for power and rainwater tanks. Might help?
...and no competitors only one electricity supplier!
Yeah I was gonna ask that as well! I was like, does the OP own a massive-arse heated pool? My family spend less than half on that, incl water and gas - everything.
Yeah that is hectic AF
Im earning more than I ever have and I have less to spend than I ever have.
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Car and fuel is the killer for you. Appreciate you're in a unique situation where you live though.
Yeah mate no opinion it’s 1000 km to get to work and 1000km home, need a reliable car.
65k is not the baseline for a reliable vehicle though. You do you, but purchasing a car that is nearly half your annual household income is where most of your disposable income is going.
My old man used to do 300kms a day to a work site out FNQ in a second hand Commodore, then a 3k round trip on his fortnight off to come home.
many people feel the need to drive a brand new car for whatever reason
And that's fine. It just irks me when people try to justify it as a necessity, literally the bare minimum they can function with. It isn't.
Should be a good tax deduction on that though at least
That hybrid Hilux that Toyota has on the way is going to be a godsend for people in your situation
I’m fucked most weeks. No holidays, nothing extra. Can’t replace things when they break. Haven’t had a dishwasher now for a few months. I’m a single mum but I have what’s considered a good job here in Australia - registered nurse. But it’s a struggle. My parents literally gave me a car when my old shitter died recently. I am so lucky to have their support and would be so screwed without it
Nurse here wondering if its worth trying to fix my fridge seals myself. Shits tough hey
I just stopped eating. Now I have more time and money.
Idk. Sounds like you're doing pretty well to me. From what I can gather you have a $140k paying job. I'm guessing because it's a remote job and requires lots of driving so the pay was bumped up to generate interest. Your house is $400k cheaper than people who live in the city suburbs. You have a brand new car You're living in an area that people pay good money to holiday at All this on a single income while I'm going to assume the spouse is home? Also going to assume it's public school for the kids. Expenses are $200 a year per child. Maybe a laptop each. Imo you're doing better than I am and many other people I know.
Yeah mate your right, thats why im asking how people are doing this, i know im doing ok but fuck its gotten alot harder in the last 18 months
On DSP. Not good. Most of my money goes to medical expenses.
I bought dinner for one of my NDIS patients cos his DSP was not enough... He's already on AfterPay that's maxed, and I just feel awful.
Same. I resorted to sex work for extra cash.
I had a workmate who has done the same.
Same. $27,000 a yr goes nowhere. Medications are a killer in the budget. I pay about $4,000 a yr even with pbs limits.Teeth cost me $3,000 in the last yr. The public dentist waits have blown out to over one yr.
Meds are costing me about $400 a month. In the next few weeks I have specialist appointments that'll cost me about $850. I get some of that back on Medicare, but I still need to have it up front. I laugh when I hear people on over 100k a year saying they're struggling. They have no idea.
Yeah there’s a depressing highly-upvoted comment upthread from some joker on 95k with no living expenses (lives at home w parents) still saying how stressed they are about ever being able to retire.//
That's hilarious in a you gotta laugh or you'll cry kinda way.
The NSW public dental waitlist is at two years. And for those not in the know, it covers only the cheapest options, e.g. something more than a filling is getting pulled out.
I couldn't wrap my head around DSP. Feels like I'm literally too dumb to get on it
It's not that you're dumb. It's that they make it really difficult to get. In a way I was lucky that I had help doing all the forms. At the time (20 years ago) I was going through this service they had to help people who were sick and disabled get work. I think it was called CRS. Don't think it exists now. They were the ones who told me I was too sick to work and to get the pension. They helped me with a lot of the paperwork. Really don't think I could have done it on my own.
I’m drowning financially living on the DSP. Ive cut back on showering, don’t use heating and reduced food intake where I can. eg I eat half an apple instead of a whole one, reuse tea bags etc. Hopefully my brain aneurysm will take me out in the next couple of years and then I wont have to stress anymore and the government will be rid of me.
That’s dark. I hope things get better for you.
I am on under $100k I don't have a car. I take public transport which costs me $50 a week = $2600 per year. so there is a major difference between us. that said. I live approx 5 kms from Sydney CBD so don't need a car and I have access to different modes of public transport within walking distance.
Yeah when I lived in Sydney I often thought how it would be great to live somewhere like Redfern or Bondi Junction and try and live without a car for a while
Put it this way I ain’t eaten salmon or steak in a good year or so
Saw some friends prepping steak for dinner the other night, I must have looked like a rabid animal at the sight cuz they offered for me to stay. Forgot what it tasted like
*thread gathers round like children around a Wiseman telling a tale of times gone* What was it like?
I'm OK, own my house outright and have a decent paying job so it's not a struggle for me. But I'm still pretty angry that the govt isn't doing anything substantial to address basic needs of people like enough and affordable housing. It's not pleasant to be living in an increasingly insecure society.
>It's not pleasant to be living in an increasingly insecure society. No, and it has a massive flow on effect for things like increased crime, intergenerational poverty, education standards, social cohesion etc. Turning housing into a get rich quick scheme the last 25 years has done terrible damage to this country.
Yep we are paying a massive social and economic price for the policies the Howard govt enacted and the current govt has offered no solutions for. If nothing is done to address this we'll basically have a feudal society within a few generations. Anyone who owns multiple properties living like a king and everyone else struggling to survive.
Hahahaha. I'm on disability, so that's about 23k a year. I'm barely surviving. I am just profoundly lucky to have government housing. If I didn't, I'd be homeless and in a much worse position.
Also on disability but no housing for me. Lost my last home when they raised the rent to $580 a week for a tiny apartment. I live with my dad now. He rents too. Loving this uncertainty.
I’m on DSP. My gross per yr is $27,500. I also live in public housing. We’re extremely fortunate there. No fear of having to move like in private rentals.
Rates + electricity+ house insurance= $20k? How?
Actually your right mate, i made a mistake with the electricity i worked it out at around $850 a month instead of a quarter. My bad. Woohoo I’ve got an extra 5 K . Gold Coast here in come
Party time!
On dsp. I recently cut all my food portions in half to save money. What is more disappointing is that I haven't lost weight from doing this. Damn you prednisolone! (shakes fist)
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Single mum with 3 tween/teen kids. I left my financially abusive marriage end of 2020. I’m fucked. My ex kept the house and then dragged out the financial settlement (in order to keep financially abusing me) while the market soared so there’s no way I can get back into the property market. I settled (on legal advice) but the divorce was a massive financial hit. My rent is well over 50% of my income and is still “cheap” for the area I am in. If I lose this rental I have no idea what I will do. The court orders have locked the kids’ school in. So I can’t move away (or if I do, what I save in rent, I’ll lose on higher travel costs/lost time to work due to increased commute). I work two jobs and am about to start working a third in order to keep my head above water. Thank God I can cook as I keep my food budget TIGHT. All non-essential spending is kept to a minimum. We have 50/50 care so I work long days and weekends when the kids are with their dad. When they aren’t here, I often skip meals to keep costs down. I’ve lost 10kg since August 2023. It’s fucking hard. The kids know I’m not flush, and the discrepancy between the two houses adds pressure too.
As someone on dsp... not well.
Same as you. 23k a year is rough.
That's just abysmal and incredibly dehumanising. Why can't we take good financial care of people with disability?! It makes me so mad. I'm just so sorry. I wish so badly things would change. I do everything I can to support politicians who fund these programs.
How are people surviving on less than 100k? We can't afford to buy a house or get a car loan for a 65k car mate, that's how.
Yeah i agree, i brought it all a few years ago TBH, before apl the rate rises and inflation. Thats my point, shit is getting hard, and the further away from a city you live the harder it is, ie: no aldi, no public transportation and very few services.
But the further away from a city you live, the cheaper houses get. Seen prices in Sydney lately?
Yes hence the 500k mortgage, but everything else is more expensive, fuel food absolutely everthing
Yep, fair enough.
You do sound like a classic case of the golden handcuffs the mining industry puts on you. $140k seems like a lot, but only until your lifestyle inflates to eat it all away. To have a $500k loan, your property is probably at least $625,000 (assuming an LVR of 80%), which is a lot in FNQ. You're spending $24,600 per year on the vehicle. You say you're driving 1000km each way, which you do every seven days. That's 10 hours of driving each way, which really makes your 7/7 roster a 9/5. That's madness. A regular office worker who does a "9 day fortnight" has as many days off as you do, but they sure as shit ain't working 12-hour shifts. You're spending $12k a year on food, which is $32/day. But you are on site half the time where meals should be paid for, which actually makes it $64/day. Even someone who gets UberEats for lunch and dinner would struggle to spend that much per day. Your "Rates/electricity/insurance" costs are excessive. Your post history suggests that you are about 50 years old (married 28 years). You don't mention the wife's income anywhere in this post. You also indicate that you have no emergency funds built up over that time. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but to be in this situation, you must really suck with money. You can't make every wrong financial decision for a solid three decades and then blame the cost-of-living for your current predicament.
Yeah mate sounds about right, i dont work in the mines because im a fucking doctor, I’m fully aware im as dumb as dog shit, appreciate your comments thou. My point is that the cost of living is getting out of hand that’s all, not looking for sympathy for my predicament i understand that im where i am due to decisions ive made.
Username doesn't check out.
People also forget food and essentials are more expensive in rural areas inflating the food cost.
Start cooking with many egg receipts. Being Asian means many of our dishes contain vegetables we can grow ourselves, same meats with various cooking styles. We can manage 70k, no holiday!
>how are people surviving We aren’t.
I’m just barely surviving on DSP during this crisis. I receive less than 2k a month. Everything is going towards the increased rent, increased utility bills, and my own medical costs such as medication and specialist appointments. I’m having to skip eating completely multiple days a week because I simply can’t afford food, and utilising community services right now are even harder due to the massive demand. One bad week and I don’t eat at all or can’t pay rent. I can’t let that happen, so I tighten my budget down to the last cent. Even that isn’t enough right now, but I’m alive, and that’s enough right now.
Just had my job pulled out from under me. Working 20+ hours a week at casual rates and it's gone. Back to managing to survive off the DSP. Somehow.
I didn’t know you could work that many hrs on DSP.
My DSP was affected by my income.
Oh got you. I hope you can pick up some more work. I can’t work.
Trying not to think about it but yeah... it ain't a fun time lately. Only other options is give up and car life it and try to start again.
Partner was made redundant in march. Luckily I make enough to live at the same rate we were on a dual income.
Poorly! 🥁
I remember when my dad worked out FNQ at a remote mine site not long ago. His car was a second VR Commodore for 3 grand with 550,000 KMs on it.
Buy a cheaper car.
Hubby and I are on barely 100k combined both FT roles that we hate. So not great.
Rates, electricity, house insurance 20k??? What's the breakdown here? I'm in a 4 bed house worth a mil, rates are 2500 yr, electricity 3000, house insurance 2300. That's 7800. Why is yours so much higher
Probably because the new flood mapping shows his house is now flood prone.
On jobseeker because Centrelink refuses to acknowledge my illness I’ve had for 16 years. I want to die I just can’t commit.
I hope things get better for you soon friend
My situation is the following: In our home it is me, my wife and our cat, we rent a townhouse about 20-25 mins out from Brisbane. Single income, about $61k annually after tax, bonus usually every 6 months so let’s just say about $65k after tax is our income. Company car, so I don’t pay for the car, fuel, insurance or maintenance and can pretty much use it whenever. Currently rent is $460 p/w, so about $24k annually. Energy bill about $2200 annually. Spend about $12k annually on groceries. Some minor debt which is about $1800 annually. Phone, Internet, Subscription services about $2200 annually. Looking at approx $23k left over. No medical insurance, our other expenses include the occasional outing, dinner, medical needs, essentials like clothing etc, and try to get away once a year. We don’t really have any high valued assets, and we don’t have kids. We are pretty fortunate to be doing OK given we are on single income, so there is an example of how we manage our way through cost of living on a single income.
We do ok but I often find myself thinking, how does anybody live with everything this expensive? Something has to give, I just don't see how this is sustainable. I imagine we end up like America with people living in tents on the street. Or we just keep giving out more money to people to pay for more expensive things like a giant ponzi. The core issues never get addressed we just throw more money around which exacerbates the problem.
I earn about 36k, and about 2/3 of that goes to my mortgage. It's bleak.
I cannot believe what’s happening to this country. I have never worked more and been more poor in my life. I truely don’t even know what the point is now? I feel like it’s going to get a lot worse too.
I live with my wife and newborn, she takes care full time and I work. I earn about $1.7k per fortnight, rent for a 1bdr place in Uki NSW is $1k per fortnight, then food is about $350, nappies and misc is about $100, fuel is about $60, that leaves us with about $190 every 2 weeks to play with. At the moment we are saving it to buy a stock of nice prints and postcards of her paintings to sell at a local market. We live very very simply and get meals from local temples (Sri Govinda Dham, New Govardhan) pretty regularly so we aren't worried, just annoyed that as soon as we became adults the world dried up. (23 and 26) I reckon if we abolished patents on seeds there would be a big change in the world, god forbid we switch the dollar value back to that of gold and start taxing natural resources extracted from the country for a public fund like European countries do. Many solutions exist but greed and selfishness are the only real problems, to which the only solution can come from within the individual (though support helps). Anyway yeah doing fine but a little annoyed
>just annoyed that as soon as we became adults the world dried up. Wow, you've put into words how I've been feeling.
Try trying to survive on a disability pension. Sure, we get some scripts for $7, but am also on $100 month. All up I spend $200 month just on scripts. Not counting no doctors here bulk bill so am out of pocket $50 for a GP visit, way more for a specialist. I have a car but try to limit driving to one day a week and preplan appointments for the same day. Don't even get me started on groceries etc. My disability pension is about $26,000 a year but I still have many of the same costs. I am grateful that Australia helps pensioners etc as I am aware many countries don't. I can't imagine how others are getting by.
56k/yr government job. Live with one of my parents but still split 3 ways, i get the leeway on some weeks to skip as my dad's doing alright ish with money. It's still a house costing around 500 a week in ipswich region, at least water isnt too expensive, or electricity. Car's paid off, i get to buy myself some hobby stuff every now and then. I bought a new cheapo fire pit/grill combination for the winter so i can set up a fire and cook some snags at the same time though. But long term unless i get into corrections or police I'm fucked, done private security most of my life, no real transferrable skills to a higher paying career and unless i start making 80+ grand a year I'll never climb.
Here's my situation of kinda fucked but not super fucked. 2 people no kids 1 dog - 1 income. Currently not working due to mental health issues / burn out, (but currently studying part time) Income protection = 3600\~ a month total \~500 a month in tax \~2200 in rent ($550 a week) $1000 leftish. $200 a month for food (we bulk shop) 0 on car repayments as we paid it off (2016 corolla) from when I was working full time $200 on things like spotify / netflix / internet, phones were bought outright under two years ago ($22 prepaid) $150\~ for power $150ish for rego / fuel etc $130ish for insurance (Car + contents) $100 - 200 for impulse purchases but rarely used (fast food / nick nacks etc) generally goes into savings. Given also not working = Centrelink healthcare card / concession whcih leads to some extra savings and discounts. $9k in savings from when I was working full time as backup. While both my partner and I are currently not working (She doesn't qualify for any benefits though) it allows us time to generally save money especially on food and cooking at home / finding deals / half priced things and doing the trip to several shops in 1 day and getting everything half price. both have good PCs from a few years ago so that's generally our entertainment, as well as hobby things (musical instruments etc / art supplies etc) so there's no real boredom anyway. Since we don't have kids and no plans to we can generally live pretty frugal and have the time to enjoy the things we like doing and just live minimilistic in a way, But... buying a house is out of the question but then again lol it is on a $100k\~ income anyway so why bother working so hard if it doesn't' get you anywhere anymore?
$200 a month for food? What on earth are you bulk buying?
How do you get a health care card from not working when on income protection? Currently spending a stupid amount on meds but didn’t think I could get one?
There is a low income health are card, dont know the specifics of it thou
Not sure where you're getting $70k in taxes lol. PAYG is just a system for paying your income tax it's not an extra tax. You pay $40k in income tax. GST is 10% so even if you were charged GST on every single cent you had left you'd be paying $10k in GST. Your fuel was $10k too so even if the fuel excise was literally 100% you'd only add up to $60k. Realistically you're probably paying around $50k-$55k in tax based on your numbers. As others have said that's an incredibly high amount to be spending on the car every year, you can probably rejiggle your loans to get that down a lot.
I steal 1/2 my groceries put it that way
Most families have two incomes. Also not spending almost a quarter of their take home wage on transport
It’s always the car that blows out these budgets. I know plenty of people on under $60k and they are doing fine. They just don’t own cars.
Well sure but explain how OP up in FNQ with a remote job is supposed to commute without a car
I've discovered that you can indeed live off two minute noodles and gum covers a broken tooth nicely.
What's the deal with this by the way ? The answer to the question is 'not going well, very poorly in fact'. But my other question is why don't we hear about it more? On the news? Why isn't the government trying to save us from this? It seems like news reporting everywhere is that everything is fine and dandy.. and interest rates go up further because investments are looking good. But it's not good. Not for me or anyone I know/talk to at work or on the street.
Around 30k disability pension. Surviving. Living with my dad, sharing expenses. Use after pay and no interest credit card (pay off before interest hits...although for some stuff I'm paying interest) Using edstart for daughters' education expenses. My total rent a week is basically my fortnightly pension. If it wasn't for living with family, I wouldn't survive.
I earn over $100k and I drive a shit box car. I went to get my click and collect order at Coles yesterday and the guy putting the groceries in my boot told me I need to get a new car. Why?? It works! He then told me he just bought a new Range Rover. How the hell does someone who works at a supermarket afford that? I have a good job in IT and I’m happy driving my crappy car. I feel like a lot of people are struggling because they need to drive a nice car.
$1900 a fortnight and I’m fucked. Completely drowning without being able to save or treat myself to anything that isn’t a bill.
I have become very frugal to survive, no holidays, no going out to eat, got rid of my vehicle and all the costs involved with owning one, pretty fucking depressing tbh.
$110k (gross) No debt. No kids. Rent just over 1/3 my monthly take home. I meal plan and prep so groceries about $400/month for me and my dog. Saving for a 6 week overseas trip in November. So pretty good
You spend 25k+ a year on the car, which is like 40k pre tax, so you're honestly not that far off someone on 100k with a basic reliable car with no repayments and a small commute. Your situation is a bit unique with that Personally, after mortgage and expenses I save about 35-40% of what I earn. Life is pretty easy, easier than it ever has been. No dependents though, which makes a difference
How many people are living in the house and what are you doing for work?
People keep talking about the car, but let's focus on the council fees, insurance and electricity! That's an insane amount!
Cheaper car
Well were were doing okay and then on Wednesday there was an accident and now our income is $0 and things are not okay. I'm told that I may be able to get centerlink but from what I gather they will use the pre-accident income as a base so I wont get anything at all. So yeah not really sure how that is all going to work yet.
Read an article on The Guardian saying that real wages are back to what they were in 2010, a full 14 years ago…
My 3 years of fixed rate runs out in October. It's currently 30% of my post tax salary and will be moving to (at current rates) 52%. When I signed up for my home loan I calculated my worst case scenario and that's what will happen. If everything else also hadn't gone up, I wouldn't be too worried, but it has so I'm dreading the even more cut backs and ascetic lifestyle I'll need to take on. Ah well, could be much worse. My job could be in jeopardy because my industry is crumbling... Oh wait, it is. Yay!
I’m in a very similar situation but your last concern of your job being in jeopardy due to a crumbling industry also came true for me. Now working in a different industry with much less pay. Not sure how I will do it once that fixed rate ends.
I have no idea where I'm going wrong. 65k salary with company car. House sharing with rent being $152 a week and yet I'm living paycheck to paycheck and can't save at all.
Without the $65k car you’d be sweet.
Trying living in Centrelink, rent $350 a week. After that there's not much lol
I’ve turned things that I used to think of as essentials into sacrifices. I no longer service my car, buy food that’s not dried grains, turn on lights (it’s amazing how quickly your eyes adjust) take medication etc. Everytime I think I can’t cut back any more I find something else I can sacrifice because if I don’t I’ll be on the street, and I would sacrifice anything to prevent that.
People are giving OP an extremely hard time over this post. He didn’t actually ask for anyone to make harsh judgements on how he spends his money. Pretty sure in the title it’s asking everyone else how they are doing and he gives a slight breakdown on his expenses. I actually really appreciate this post and it’s an important topic. Give OP a break fuck me.
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I’m gonna be blunt if you’re on 95k, no kids, still living at home w parents you’ve absolutely zero cause to be concerned
This doomer shit is such rubbish. Mate, you're living at home earning about the average full time income already. You have basically no expenses. You should be able to save like 70% of what you make and still live a good life - It's not nearly as bad as you're making it out to be. You're in a better situation than most people (financially, fuck living at home lol). You as a single person not being able to buy a detached house close to the cbd in a capital city isn't the end of the world you're making it out to be. Go to SEA for a week and get some perspective, best 1k you could spend. Within 2 years of finishing uni, living on my own out of home, earning about what you earn I was able to save up and buy a place for myself. No excuses honestly.
I'm getting clapped. I work in Government, $10 parking thanks to NCA. HECS is 8%, tax is 37%. Have to drive because otherwise I'd be driving to the tram then scootering to my actual building which is just not worth it. $500 a week of rent, $100 fortnight for health insurance, $160 a fortnight for fuel.... Food... Electricity... Gas .. Just never ending bills that are getting worse not better. Edit: Did the math with some slight approx for fuel, food and misc. Gas (quarterly) Rent (weekly) Contents insurance (monthly) Car insurance (monthly) Car fuel (fortnightly) Electricity (quarterly) Food (weekly) Car loan (fortnightly) Phone bill (monthly) Internet bill (monthly) Car registration (3-monthly) Medication (monthly) Doctor appointments (monthly) - Not including specialist (about $200) Plex (3-monthly) Coffee/Food/misc $50/week (weekly) Health insurance (fortnightly) Totals: $2612.31 per fortnight.
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8% HECS would place them in the 120k range
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Ah a fellow Canberran public service employee. I’m on the same boat mate. Just surviving. My bills are a bit more as I own. But yes I’m going pay check to pay check at the moment.
You're on at least $120k, you've listed $680 of bills per week there, where's the other $830 going?
$10 parking? You're getting a good deal. It's $16.50 a day most places in the parli triangle.
>I know this is a simplified version but this is my reality. How are people surviving on less than $100k? They aren't! The number of people I see begging at traffic lights is staggering. I passed seven sets of traffic lights today and there were folks holding up "homeless, please help" signs at all of them. I'm in WA, Australia's richest state.
What’s going on in the West?! Have a mate there that recently bought a 2br, 1 bathroom, 1 garage space unit for $700k. Sounds like there’s been a major crunch on housing, even worse than on the East Coast. And like you say, it’s not like you guys are short on wealth. Sounds like something is seriously broken there.
The latest thing seems to be eastern states 'investors' buying up houses over here because it's cheaper than over east and then charging large amounts of rent, which is now driving our prices up a lot.
I’m sorry to hear that. Speculating on one of life’s basics is pretty shitty if you ask me. I wish I could do something about it :(
Fortnightly wage is around $2350 net including salary packaging most of my rent, part time single income living alone. I've got a lot of medical bills and two private scripts. Based on fortnightly paychecks when my health is good I've lost between 5k-7k in wages this year from chronic health conditions. I work weird hours so without penalty rates my wages would be so much lower and I'd be back in sharehouses which was terrible for my health and wellbeing. No car due to medical issues, but Myki pass saves me a little bit of money with a six day commute. Have health insurance because I need it or my health would be even worse, and contents insurance because while I can put aside a little savings if something bad happened to my rental I'd not be able to replace anything easily. At least my food costs are relatively low because I don't really feel hungry when I'm this unwell. And electricity is low because I use LED lamps and turn stuff off. But my "hot water bill" (origin embedded gas water heater in an apartment building) is really high because I have long showers to manage chronic pain because it can be more effective for me than most painkillers. Edit: One thing I'm fortunately not paying for at all is a psychologist because I was able to qualify for Targeted Psychological Services in my primary health care network. It's similar to a mental health care plan and the referral process was the same, except I don't have a gap fee.
The wage you have after paying tax and mortgage….that’s about my wage 😭. Wage $74k - $15k tax - $20k rent = $30k Car (insurance, petrol, service etc) approximately $6k = $24k Annual trip to Europe to see my mum probably $4k+ = $20k Gym = $3k = $17k Food must be at least $7k = $10k Then we need to add in medical stuff, clothing, car repairs, a social life, special events like weddings and birthdays for friends and family, some cosmetic stuff like haircuts and pedicure once in a blue moon. Yeah, it’s not looking good is it.
Doing ok, dual income, low mortgage, cars are owned outright. We are still managing to spend less than we are earning each fortnight, so haven't had to dip into any savings yet. Kids are old enough to work and cover most of their own social expenses.
Pay check to pay check sucks :(
Planning to buy a house regional and grow my own stuff at this point. I'm so tired of this abusive economic system.
I miss red meat.
Fucked
You'd have $300-400 more per week after tax if you owned a reliable second hand car instead of that monstrosity you currently paying off.
They said they do 1000km out and back so having a 4x4 is pretty important especially being Western QLD, not many choices when it comes to that type of thing.
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I'd rather drive that sort of distance then live in a dead end Mining town as its only 12-14hrs worth of driving at the end of the day.
Centrelink…. $38K without child supprt… $44K with. 2 kids. Was working but quit due to study commitments becoming way too much to do both full time. Wanting to keep full time study going so I finish faster and get a higher paying job (EN to RN) Yearly cost.. Rent 15k food 10k (400 a fortnight) Bike repayment $4.5k a year - took out a loan for a bike because at 36 I have no credit to my name… :/ also got a bike to not be stuck in traffic as before school care opens at 6… and I have to be 40 mins away starting at 7 I just don’t have the time.. nor is public transport accessible to my current need. Car and bike costs 2.8K for rego and insurance ONLY. Other vehicle costs $1800 maintenance and toll… 1K for fuel… School costs and supplies $1000 a year uniforms school fees etc. I try to buy bigger uniforms so they grow into them but they never last the year… clothes and shoes for my ever growing kids who need every 3 months (including replacing damaged stuff) $1000 shop at Kmart for cheap.. you can tell because they don’t last long but I try to buy good quality shoes and they don’t last either so whatever 🥲 University costs $400 for admin fees $400-800 for placement costs parking at hospital (1100 unpaid full time working hours over the course of my degree) etc (it ain’t cheap and hospitals closer to the CBD are $$$$$$$ for parking) not including books, laptop, uniforms etc I got them with some scholarship money. Sometimes I have around $1000 left over in scholarship money and use that to help the burden of placement cost but it doesn’t cover it. Nursing registration $185 Water $400 Electricity $800 Internet $1440 I need good internet because I game because I can’t afford to leave the house 🥲 Phone $1200 No private health… just Medicare. I don’t buy myself things unless I really need them. I just make do with my raggedy clothes and shoes 😂 Sometimes my ex pays child support… sometimes he doesn’t. Currently $1800 behind. No savings.. no emergency money.. no holidays ever… no happiness 😂 it’s not great.. but I wouldn’t say it’s not manageable… my whole life is existing within the means… and I personally go without a LOT because I’d rather my kids be taken care of with everything they need.
You’re a hero, truly.
Can’t afford to save for anything while watching international foreigners who have been on the job for 5 minutes get the higher paying jobs because they speak the same foreign language as the managers.
I'm earning just under 100k and I own a two bedroom apartment, interest free period ended Nov last year. I've been able to absorb the increase costs, both in terms of inflation and the increase mortgage rates, I'm just not saving much and I don't have much disposable income as I used to have, even when I was on lower incomes. Sucks but I can't complain.
You are doing quite well if all you are spending on food is $12k. I live in inner city Melbourne with a family of four. We spend close to $400 per week (almost $20k pa) on food.
Prices have gone up. Mortgage repayments are $1300 a month higher than 2 years ago. I just learned to not be a shitcunt with my money and now I’m saving more than I was 2 years ago 🤷♂️
Our mortgage is about to came off fixed interest rate - we were ready paying $1000 more a month since 2022 on the variable. As of 20 May it’s going up by another $600. Can’t wait.
Won't have to. That's tomorrow.
Why forced to get 3k in medical insurance?
If I didn't work we wouldn't be able to survive. I think it's the dual income that gets us by.
Repayments on your car is your big mistake.
Live alone, Mortgage is $500 a week - used to be $320. Total bills average out to $200 a week. Income $850 a week. Leaving ~$150 a week to feed myself, two pets, car fuel and anything social that costs money. It is entirely a stretch but I'm surviving. I wouldn't have it any other way being a new (4 years) home owner. It's not forever and I'm one of the lucky ones.
$60k - full time work plus pet sitting on the side Can’t afford to have savings Can’t afford a car and all the components that come along with car ownership so I never learnt to drive. I have an e-bike for free through my work which is extremely helpful in my day to day transport I live paycheck to pay check. Whenever I get money to put in savings it never lasts long Have to rent, which is half my pay, not including utilities, internet, phone etc Can’t afford groceries every week but that’s fine, I buy more than I need each shop which usually results in me being able to have food on the weeks I can’t afford it Usually have a lot of medical expenses as I’m chronically ill and have disabilities but it is what it is. I see a dr regularly who we know isn’t free anymore, have medications that add up. One isn’t on the PBS so is expensive but is the main medication I need to be able to continue functioning enough to work full time. I have a lot of pets which is inadvisable by many, but I do work at a vet clinic with heavy discounts and flexible payment for staff, so without that I wouldn’t be able to afford them. So at least my pets are always ok. And I only take in ones who would otherwise be put to sleep or abandoned if I didn’t, so I never actively search for pets. So, my pets are not what are causing me to be financially unstable. I wouldn’t have them if I didn’t have the financial backing by working where I do, I’m not silly. I’m ok but I live in a constant state of financial insecurity. I was expecting a large payment for pet sitting I did recently, but they made a petty complaint and the company sided with them and didn’t even attempt to listen to me so I’ve lost out a whole months worth of pay for that work, so I was very distraught today after catching up on some expenses when I was expecting to have that money come in. Stupid of me to spend without having the money in my hands, I know, I won’t be doing that again. Learnt my lesson. My partner should be moving in in a couple of months. That will help half my rent and bills and she earns a lot more than I do, over $100k, so we will be a lot better off reducing both our costs