This has turned into a good thread.
Interesting to read about real people's financial situations - not headlines, or statistics, or anecdotes pushed by
vested interests.
Australia is stupidly expensive these days. Sure, we're very lucky to have the standard of living we have - health care, education, moderately clean environment, infrastructure, etc. - and that costs. But damn, it's still expensive
I spent 12 years living in the USA. Had a good career. Made good money. Had some sense to save and invest while the getting was good.
Been back in Oz for 4 years, and cannot find a suitable, permanent job. Many of the gigs I see advertised - including in Sydney and Melbourne - are offering 50-65K a year. I was making that much in Sydney 20 years ago. It's ridiculous.
Long story short. I'm leaving Oz to go and live in Asia again. I was married but don't have kids or debt. I have decent, but by no means comfortable savings and retirement investment. But buggered if i'm going to bash my financial head against a wall to stay barely afloat in Oz.
All of our situations and goals are different. Good luck to you all.
Select to expand quotebeebee said..
This has turned into a good thread.
Interesting to read about real people's financial situations - not headlines, or statistics, or anecdotes pushed by
vested interests.
Australia is stupidly expensive these days. Sure, we're very lucky to have the standard of living we have - health care, education, moderately clean environment, infrastructure, etc. - and that costs. But damn, it's still expensive
I spent 12 years living in the USA. Had a good career. Made good money. Had some sense to save and invest while the getting was good.
Been back in Oz for 4 years, and cannot find a suitable, permanent job. Many of the gigs I see advertised - including in Sydney and Melbourne - are offering 50-65K a year. I was making that much in Sydney 20 years ago. It's ridiculous.
Long story short. I'm leaving Oz to go and live in Asia again. I was married but don't have kids or debt. I have decent, but by no means comfortable savings and retirement investment. But buggered if i'm going to bash my financial head against a wall to stay barely afloat in Oz.
All of our situations and goals are different. Good luck to you all.
PS. My best mate from Uni had a good solution to financial stress - he married a British heiress.
Don't bother... I already asked him years ago if she has a sister. She doesn't.
Way back had normal same mortgage/ insurances/services providers etc But these days you need to milk it Offset bank account Creddit card with every cost go through that gives you Virgin points or others ( helps for holidays) Note has to be paid off end of each month .Looking each week Coles /Wool 1/2 price items and specials also Aldi Get petrol vouchers but only go to servos that are below normal price +4c petrol Check each year for best price Insurances / Service providers / Health Ins Etc ,Entertainment book for Takeout and dinner out Once a month which give you 20 to $30 off. My wife is checking all the time on web and stores to get best buy on clothes etc But also very lucky picks up on sale item $200 for $30 And bla bla it's full time job but worth it LOL
Some really good replies here. Great to hear peoples actual scenarios and not just some faux case studies from sorted.org.nz or whatever.
At my house we are just coming of a 10 month maternity leave for the wife so have been living off my teachers salary for that time, and were treading water for the first few months, then decided for some reason to give the bathroom a reno. So haven't felt that good about having a bigger mortgage as a result.
It's reassuring to know that it is normal for people to be battling on through, I got a bit disillusioned when a couple of buddies started businesses that have gone gangbusters and now they are all rolling in dough. That can't be the norm for a business though by the sounds of it. Every time I see a VW Amarok around I think it must be another millionaire, but sure that can't be the case.
Good money saving tips that work for us:
Buy clothes from websites surfstich.com.au or NZsale.com or lastseason.com and wait for the sales where you can get clothes for sometimes 80% off. Then buy up large when you chance upon it, and stock pile clothes/ shoes/ rashies when you can get them dirt cheap. Anybody got any other good sites for cheap clothes etc?
Use a credit card that is linked to AirNZ points for every purchase possible. All flights for the last few years have been on the house from this. We never pay any interest because our limit is low, so we are forced to transfer money across to it every week or so.
Get a revolving credit account with the bank (if you have a mortgage). We used it to draw down for bathroom, but you can also save as much money as you like in there and it automatically wipes off the interest from your home loan (eg if mortgage was 400K and you saved 50K in it, you would only pay interest on 350K of mortgage). Interest is the killer.
Trying to eat less meat, schit is expensive!
My car is 1993. I sometimes wish I had a ranger or something, but I could still sell that thing for the same or more than I paid for it in 2010. It cannot depreciate any further.
I'd be keen to hear of anybody else's money hacks!
**** this might just be the most interesting and honest thread yet.
My two cents worth is< Why marry and have kids. I am not knocking u blokes who have chosen this path. Just why?
Select to expand quote
froghoppa said..
**** this might just be the most interesting and honest thread yet.
My two cents worth is< Why marry and have kids. I am not knocking u blokes who have chosen this path. Just why?
Peer pressure...
And biological success.
Needed to ensure my advantageous alleles were passed onto the gene pool, to improve the overall health of the species. I did the mating dance real good
Select to expand quotefroghoppa said..
**** this might just be the most interesting and honest thread yet.
My two cents worth is< Why marry and have kids. I am not knocking u blokes who have chosen this path. Just why?
Of all the things I have done in my life, achievements etc, money, academic, career they are a piece of paper at the end of the day, if there was one worthwhile thing I have done that would be to raise happy healthy well-balanced kids. I could not imagine life without my own family.
Yeah you have to give up a lot of things, but kids also put you on the right path in life. You have a mortgage, stay in the same house for years, work the same job etc feel like you are not going anywhere, but they grow up so quick when you look back you go shiz where has the time gone.
As for money hacks, got heaps. Our annual family holiday is usually Byron in the middle of winter, mostly done with FF points as I max my card out and pay it off every month, drive older but reliable cars, or avoid driving if possible. Ride a bike to work to avoid petrol/parking or public transport. Bring my lunch in everyday or buy from supermarket, rarely buy take away coffees ($1000 per year if everyday), use a phone 3-4 generations old (just bought a near new 6s for $230), never go to restaurants (except for special occasions), don't drink alcohol, don't gamble, avoid expensive entertainment, shop at Aldi mostly, stick to a budget, the list goes on, but still live the best life ever eat well stay healthy especially if I can get on the water regularly for a kite.
One of Buddha's disciples came to him and said "I want to be happy"
The boods replied "easy, take away 'I want"
Select to expand quotequikdrawMcgraw said..
One of Buddha's disciples came to him and said "I want to be happy"
The boods replied "easy, take away 'I want"
Could you explain what that means to dumbos like me?
Select to expand quotefroghoppa said..
My two cents worth is< Why marry and have kids. I am not knocking u blokes who have chosen this path. Just why?
I was similar to you. Now best thing ever is shared water time with my lids. Gives life a meaning.
Sounds like lots of family dudes are in a similar boat eeking out a living trying to fund a modest life for themselves and their families.
More ideas to save cash?
When i dropped $30k/year i did a full review of our expenses,
Man we burnt cash of groceries. $360/week, We managed to chop that back to $220 by buying budget brand stuff, veggies, fruit and meat only on special. That's $7500 per year! Do you really need the $5/kg apple when there's another type for $3/kg.
Theres also a number of public fruit and nut frees around town thats fair game. For the last 8 weeks i've been dining on apples, pears, peaches, grapes foraged from round town. Ok they may not be the nicest looking fruit, but i recon i'm saving $20/week on foraged fruit. Plus its a good outing for the family cruising around picking fruit.
Select to expand quotePlummet said..
Sounds like lots of family dudes are in a similar boat eeking out a living trying to fund a modest life for themselves and their families.
Man we burnt cash of groceries. $360/week, We managed to chop that back to $220 by buying budget brand stuff, veggies, fruit and meat only on special. That's $7500 per year! Do you really need the $5/kg apple when there's another type for $3/kg.
yeah if only I could tell my wife that's an easy saving, gluten free, organic, semi vegan blessed by himalayan monks, food in little packages like friggin squeeze yoghurt, easily adds up over $350pw, especially with 3-4 shopping trips in a week. I justify it to myself by saying it's $10 per person per day (family of 5), which doesn't seem much but hey she knows better.
Select to expand quotePeahi said..Plummet said..
Sounds like lots of family dudes are in a similar boat eeking out a living trying to fund a modest life for themselves and their families.
Man we burnt cash of groceries. $360/week, We managed to chop that back to $220 by buying budget brand stuff, veggies, fruit and meat only on special. That's $7500 per year! Do you really need the $5/kg apple when there's another type for $3/kg.
yeah if only I could tell my wife that's an easy saving, gluten free, organic, semi vegan blessed by himalayan monks, food in little packages like friggin squeeze yoghurt, easily adds up over $350pw, especially with 3-4 shopping trips in a week. I justify it to myself by saying it's $10 per person per day (family of 5), which doesn't seem much but hey she knows better.
Yeah, I had similar battles. Put in context of one year savings. $7k man, That's a family holiday, a new car, several kites or 2.5 years knocked off the mortgage.
Those stupid expensive squeeze yoghurt packets a bad for the environment aswell. Buy 1kg of yoghurt and put it in a washable container.
The fair trade, vegan Himalayan monks will have to fend for themselves for a while.
Select to expand quoteDave Whettingsteel said..quikdrawMcgraw said..
One of Buddha's disciples came to him and said "I want to be happy"
The boods replied "easy, take away 'I want"
Could you explain what that means to dumbos like me?
Apparently he then sent his disciples of the get rid of all want. When they returned they said we have got rid of their wants.
He then said now get rid of the the want to get rid of all wants. 
Select to expand quoteDave Whettingsteel said..quikdrawMcgraw said..
One of Buddha's disciples came to him and said "I want to be happy"
The boods replied "easy, take away 'I want"
Could you explain what that means to dumbos like me?your not dumb if you don't understand it. It seems obvious but in the modern world it's not.
Select to expand quotebeebee said..beebee said..
This has turned into a good thread.
Interesting to read about real people's financial situations - not headlines, or statistics, or anecdotes pushed by
vested interests.
Australia is stupidly expensive these days. Sure, we're very lucky to have the standard of living we have - health care, education, moderately clean environment, infrastructure, etc. - and that costs. But damn, it's still expensive
I spent 12 years living in the USA. Had a good career. Made good money. Had some sense to save and invest while the getting was good.
Been back in Oz for 4 years, and cannot find a suitable, permanent job. Many of the gigs I see advertised - including in Sydney and Melbourne - are offering 50-65K a year. I was making that much in Sydney 20 years ago. It's ridiculous.
Long story short. I'm leaving Oz to go and live in Asia again. I was married but don't have kids or debt. I have decent, but by no means comfortable savings and retirement investment. But buggered if i'm going to bash my financial head against a wall to stay barely afloat in Oz.
All of our situations and goals are different. Good luck to you all.
PS. My best mate from Uni had a good solution to financial stress - he married a British heiress.
Don't bother... I already asked him years ago if she has a sister. She doesn't.
A brother maybe, apparently quite trendy in today's world
Select to expand quotePlummet said..Peahi said..Plummet said..
Sounds like lots of family dudes are in a similar boat eeking out a living trying to fund a modest life for themselves and their families.
Man we burnt cash of groceries. $360/week, We managed to chop that back to $220 by buying budget brand stuff, veggies, fruit and meat only on special. That's $7500 per year! Do you really need the $5/kg apple when there's another type for $3/kg.
yeah if only I could tell my wife that's an easy saving, gluten free, organic, semi vegan blessed by himalayan monks, food in little packages like friggin squeeze yoghurt, easily adds up over $350pw, especially with 3-4 shopping trips in a week. I justify it to myself by saying it's $10 per person per day (family of 5), which doesn't seem much but hey she knows better.
Yeah, I had similar battles. Put in context of one year savings. $7k man, That's a family holiday, a new car, several kites or 2.5 years knocked off the mortgage.
Those stupid expensive squeeze yoghurt packets a bad for the environment aswell. Buy 1kg of yoghurt and put it in a washable container.
The fair trade, vegan Himalayan monks will have to fend for themselves for a while.
RE: Yoghurt.
Better still, make your own. There's cheap kits out there. It's just a container.
So easy. All you need is a sachet to add to milk.
Add some warm water, leave overnight. A fresh, big tub of fresh yoghurt in the morning.
Lasts for a week or more in the fridge.
Minimal packaging, no additives or sugar if you choose sachet carefully, and waaaay cheaper over a short time.
The last couple of years have been a bit of a challenge. Because of health reasons the wife, who earned more than me had to stop working. Adjusting has been quite tough. Taking on as much overtime as I can to help make ends meet and and the stress of your partner not doing too well takes it's toll. One thing we did learn is that we wasted so much without realising it. So much unessasery crap. But I have to say that finally being able to kite again has reduced the stress so much. As long as I can get on the water every now and again keeps me sain
And I realize it's not all bad.
Select to expand quotemaxpower1 said..
The last couple of years have been a bit of a challenge. Because of health reasons the wife, who earned more than me had to stop working. Adjusting has been quite tough. Taking on as much overtime as I can to help make ends meet and and the stress of your partner not doing too well takes it's toll. One thing we did learn is that we wasted so much without realising it. So much unessasery crap. But I have to say that finally being able to kite again has reduced the stress so much. As long as I can get on the water every now and again keeps me sain
And I realize it's not all bad.
Doesn't matter how crap a day you've had
a kite session makes it all go away
Select to expand quotecauncy said..maxpower1 said..
The last couple of years have been a bit of a challenge. Because of health reasons the wife, who earned more than me had to stop working. Adjusting has been quite tough. Taking on as much overtime as I can to help make ends meet and and the stress of your partner not doing too well takes it's toll. One thing we did learn is that we wasted so much without realising it. So much unessasery crap. But I have to say that finally being able to kite again has reduced the stress so much. As long as I can get on the water every now and again keeps me sain
And I realize it's not all bad.
Doesn't matter how crap a day you've had
a kite session makes it all go away
So long as you don't break your gear or something
Select to expand quoteKamikuza said..cauncy said..maxpower1 said..
The last couple of years have been a bit of a challenge. Because of health reasons the wife, who earned more than me had to stop working. Adjusting has been quite tough. Taking on as much overtime as I can to help make ends meet and and the stress of your partner not doing too well takes it's toll. One thing we did learn is that we wasted so much without realising it. So much unessasery crap. But I have to say that finally being able to kite again has reduced the stress so much. As long as I can get on the water every now and again keeps me sain
And I realize it's not all bad.
Doesn't matter how crap a day you've had
a kite session makes it all go away
So long as you don't break your gear or something
Even on those occasions ..... it is still a great distraction.
Select to expand quotebeebee said..Plummet said..
Yeah, I had similar battles. Put in context of one year savings. $7k man, That's a family holiday, a new car, several kites or 2.5 years knocked off the mortgage.
Those stupid expensive squeeze yoghurt packets a bad for the environment aswell. Buy 1kg of yoghurt and put it in a washable container.
The fair trade, vegan Himalayan monks will have to fend for themselves for a while.
RE: Yoghurt.
Better still, make your own. There's cheap kits out there. It's just a container.
So easy. All you need is a sachet to add to milk.
Add some warm water, leave overnight. A fresh, big tub of fresh yoghurt in the morning.
Lasts for a week or more in the fridge.
Minimal packaging, no additives or sugar if you choose sachet carefully, and waaaay cheaper over a short time.
We go through 2 x 1kg Jalna greek yoghurts a week, we re-use containers for food scraps, water for chickens but collect so many containers I eventually have to throw them out.
We used to make our own yoghurt, satchels not that much cheaper might try it again. Make our own kefir. Also make own kombucha about 100 times cheaper than bought.
Select to expand quotesir ROWDY said..
You can never leave.
"Welcome to the Hotel California.
You can checkout anytime you like, but ..."
Select to expand quotePeahi said..beebee said..Plummet said..
Yeah, I had similar battles. Put in context of one year savings. $7k man, That's a family holiday, a new car, several kites or 2.5 years knocked off the mortgage.
Those stupid expensive squeeze yoghurt packets a bad for the environment aswell. Buy 1kg of yoghurt and put it in a washable container.
The fair trade, vegan Himalayan monks will have to fend for themselves for a while.
RE: Yoghurt.
Better still, make your own. There's cheap kits out there. It's just a container.
So easy. All you need is a sachet to add to milk.
Add some warm water, leave overnight. A fresh, big tub of fresh yoghurt in the morning.
Lasts for a week or more in the fridge.
Minimal packaging, no additives or sugar if you choose sachet carefully, and waaaay cheaper over a short time.
We go through 2 x 1kg Jalna greek yoghurts a week, we re-use containers for food scraps, water for chickens but collect so many containers I eventually have to throw them out.
We used to make our own yoghurt, satchels not that much cheaper might try it again. Make our own kefir. Also make own kombucha about 100 times cheaper than bought.
My wife just uses a couple of spoons of her previous yogurt. No sachets used.
Clearly the windy season is over..
Select to expand quotebjw said..Peahi said..beebee said..Plummet said..
Yeah, I had similar battles. Put in context of one year savings. $7k man, That's a family holiday, a new car, several kites or 2.5 years knocked off the mortgage.
Those stupid expensive squeeze yoghurt packets a bad for the environment aswell. Buy 1kg of yoghurt and put it in a washable container.
The fair trade, vegan Himalayan monks will have to fend for themselves for a while.
RE: Yoghurt.
Better still, make your own. There's cheap kits out there. It's just a container.
So easy. All you need is a sachet to add to milk.
Add some warm water, leave overnight. A fresh, big tub of fresh yoghurt in the morning.
Lasts for a week or more in the fridge.
Minimal packaging, no additives or sugar if you choose sachet carefully, and waaaay cheaper over a short time.
We go through 2 x 1kg Jalna greek yoghurts a week, we re-use containers for food scraps, water for chickens but collect so many containers I eventually have to throw them out.
We used to make our own yoghurt, satchels not that much cheaper might try it again. Make our own kefir. Also make own kombucha about 100 times cheaper than bought.
My wife just uses a couple of spoons of her previous yogurt. No sachets used.
Clearly the windy season is over..
I'll try that.
Yes, clearly the season is coming to an end.
Good thread though. ;-)
To add to the practical tips....As I eluded to before... The practical way we stalled / reduced discretionary spending was to allocate a fortnightly allowance.
This is taken out as cash.
This must cover ALL discretionary spending (which was modelled based on previous years spending habits)...going out, clothes, take-way...obviously she needs more for the kids - and having a fixed amount seems to curb her instinct to spend liberally on the kids for no apparent reason (to me anyway).
If it runs out during fortnight ya done. Handing over cash creates an interesting delay when purchasing something you don't really don't need but there exists the illusion of improving your existence.
Because our son has severe Ulcerative Colitis our food bill can be very expensive, as packaged, processed food is out of the question. We may save on the other hand by having to make everything from scratch with no sugar, dairy and anything with gluten in. Lots of vegetables etc and as most would attest, eating healthy cost more money than eating poorly...the rich and poor gap is not just increasing in money, health as well.
But I don't mind this, health is all whilst we roam about in these silly little bodies for a short time.
So for instance, let's say she's knackered and can't be bothered cooking (she works full time) we may decide to get dinner...but we need to contribute a certain amount each from our cash.
Makes ya think about it...and a lot of times I just say stuff it and bang up some omelettes or something or other...
...and yes Rowdy, you can check out but you can never leave...
Select to expand quotelaurie said..sir ROWDY said..
You can never leave.
"Welcome to the Hotel California.
You can checkout anytime you like, but ..."
unless you get suspended or expelled
Select to expand quoteeppo said..
To add to the practical tips....As I eluded to before... The practical way we stalled / reduced discretionary spending was to allocate a fortnightly allowance.
This is taken out as cash.
This must cover ALL discretionary spending (which was modelled based on previous years spending habits)...going out, clothes, take-way...obviously she needs more for the kids - and having a fixed amount seems to curb her instinct to spend liberally on the kids for no apparent reason (to me anyway).
If it runs out during fortnight ya done. Handing over cash creates an interesting delay when purchasing something you don't really don't need but there exists the illusion of improving your existence.
Because our son has severe Ulcerative Colitis our food bill can be very expensive, as packaged, processed food is out of the question. We may save on the other hand by having to make everything from scratch with no sugar, dairy and anything with gluten in. Lots of vegetables etc and as most would attest, eating healthy cost more money than eating poorly...the rich and poor gap is not just increasing in money, health as well.
But I don't mind this, health is all whilst we roam about in these silly little bodies for a short time.
So for instance, let's say she's knackered and can't be bothered cooking (she works full time) we may decide to get dinner...but we need to contribute a certain amount each from our cash.
Makes ya think about it...and a lot of times I just say stuff it and bang up some omelettes or something or other...
...and yes Rowdy, you can check out but you can never leave...
Does this mean waveslave is coming back................
Select to expand quotePeahi said..beebee said..Plummet said..
Yeah, I had similar battles. Put in context of one year savings. $7k man, That's a family holiday, a new car, several kites or 2.5 years knocked off the mortgage.
Those stupid expensive squeeze yoghurt packets a bad for the environment aswell. Buy 1kg of yoghurt and put it in a washable container.
The fair trade, vegan Himalayan monks will have to fend for themselves for a while.
RE: Yoghurt.
Better still, make your own. There's cheap kits out there. It's just a container.
So easy. All you need is a sachet to add to milk.
Add some warm water, leave overnight. A fresh, big tub of fresh yoghurt in the morning.
Lasts for a week or more in the fridge.
Minimal packaging, no additives or sugar if you choose sachet carefully, and waaaay cheaper over a short time.
We go through 2 x 1kg Jalna greek yoghurts a week, we re-use containers for food scraps, water for chickens but collect so many containers I eventually have to throw them out.
We used to make our own yoghurt, satchels not that much cheaper might try it again. Make our own kefir. Also make own kombucha about 100 times cheaper than bought.
Mmmm, cheap kombucha, we make our own too for a fraction of shop price.
Also, grow our own fruit & veggies & dry, freeze or pickle excess, (big saving when vegetarian), eggs from our chooks, cooking gas from our biogas digester, run some of our diesel vehicles on free used cooking oil from the local caf?, buy good used cars and trucks, do most of our own repairs & maintenance, do a bit of bartering, solar panels on the roof & solar hot water, let the kangaroos eat the lawn so it doesn't need mowing as much, only try and beat the jones's by having great kite & foil gear
Have fun & eat well, Dave
