60k a year or less, What Do You Go without?

nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 11:55
Last edited 19/08/2015 - 12:55

As a high income earner, I consider my lifestyle average but I'd like to get the point of view of people that might think what I have isn't average but actually a little lavish. what do you go without?

To start, maybe a list of my standard costs of living

  • mortgage
  • refresh wardrobe once a year average spend $3k
  • average $20 a day on lunch, work days
  • cleaner once every 3-4 weeks
  • new iPhone every year
  • new laptop every couple years
  • one major technology buy a year (Apple Watch this year)
  • a couple domestic trips per year
  • ultimate fuel for my car, I don't know why, just feels better
  • 2 meals out both Saturday Sunday, every weekend
  • $4 coffee a day sometimes 2

Feel free to ask questions.. I want to find - are lower income earners actually very good with the money they earn? Do they go into debt? what can we learn from each other

Poll Options

  • 133
    I have everything I want
  • 28
    I want a fancy car and a big house
  • 69
    I can afford my mortgage and I'm fine
  • 223
    I can't save enough for a house
  • 24
    I still haven't got a car
  • 18
    What's a smart phone?
  • 22
    Other
Financial

Comments

        • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 17:33
          +1

          I can't play an adventure game after legend of Zelda ocarina of time ruined my childhood with its anti climatic ending

        • Adz81 on 19/08/2015 - 17:41

          That's almost FREE entertainment :D

        • johnno07 on 19/08/2015 - 20:29

          @clickship: What part of racing after the princess through the collapsing castle, making it out just in time to face the beastly reincarnated Ganon was anticlimactic?

        • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 20:43
          +2

          @johnno07: the game was over, I turned off the tv and stopped living in hyrule. The game length needed to span my entire childhood with increasing difficulty.

        • johnno07 on 20/08/2015 - 00:48

          @clickship: Bloody oath. I still replay it start to finish about once every year or so. All time greatest game.

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 07:56

          @johnno07: that would be Fifa followed by super mario follow by mario kart followed by golden eye

    • strikerzebra on 19/08/2015 - 16:44
      +4

      or when you go to a bar and a scotch and coke is $10 and you think I have to work like 30 minutes to drink this one drink. .

      • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 16:58

        It is very rare that I will go out these days but also, I could make 20 of these drinks for about $40

        • strikerzebra on 19/08/2015 - 17:22
          +2

          That's why I probably drink more than I should before I go out .. much easier to buy a bottle of scotch and a bottle of coke for the price for 5 drinks when you are out . .

        • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 17:28
          +1

          @strikerzebra: on the rarity that I go out now, I won't have more than 2 drinks so I'll just cop it

        • strikerzebra on 20/08/2015 - 09:22

          @clickship:

          Cheaper alternative, buy a bottle and have your friends around to your house, or go to theirs

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 09:40

          @strikerzebra: i think that takes away from catching up - I think going out is important when it's drinks and not meals

        • strikerzebra on 20/08/2015 - 09:51

          @clickship:

          Yeh it's good to get out of the house and see your friends but if you are tight on cash you can still invite them over and have a few casual drinks, I imagine it will be harder when you have a family though . .

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 09:57
          +1

          @strikerzebra: yeah, we have people over with partners for lunch occasionally. When I go out for a couple drinks, it's usually the local after work with a couple colleagues

  • pernunz on 19/08/2015 - 16:16

    With your lack of willingness to bring your own lunch to work and prepare it beforehand, especially given the amount of meals you eat out, one thing screams out to me.

    Do you enjoy cooking? It sounds like you don't enjoy cooking. Cooking can be fun! You just need some basic recipes, some know how, and some experience, and it can become a great source of daily enjoyment.

    Not only will you save money, but you'll pay more attention to the food you consume. You'll eat healthier if you prepare the food yourself (and don't eat Nando's everyday)

    • scrimshaw on 19/08/2015 - 16:23
      +3

      I enjoy cooking but I don't enjoy cleaning. I think the same applies for a lot of cookers out there :)

      I'm the type of messy cooker that can spend 20 mins cooking but have to spend 30 mins cleaning….

      • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 16:48
        +1

        I'm the same but I don't even mind cleaning because I do it that rarely. It's really just decision making that's the problem for me

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 16:46

      I actually love cooking but can never decide what to cook. That's always my problem, if I could decide on like 5 set things, I would cook but it's the decision making that's too hard not the cooking…

      Also we have like 3 bookcases of cookbooks, there are way too many options.

  • Aceboy884 on 19/08/2015 - 16:17
    -2

    If you live in Sydney or Melbourne $60K a year is not considered high income.

    Thought you were joking when i read the title..

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 16:20

      No 60k is definitely not considered high, I don't get your comment

    • tomleonhart on 19/08/2015 - 16:25

      He's saying he's a high income earner and wondering what people with 60k income spend on. He earns in the top tax bracket.

  • Skinnerr on 19/08/2015 - 16:35
    +2

    ultimate fuel for my car, I don't know why, just feels better

    lol. why waste money?

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 16:38
      +1

      I guess same reason people buy Coke over LA ICE

      • Skinnerr on 19/08/2015 - 16:45
        +2

        Not the same as they are actually different. Like saying evian bottled water makes you feel better than mount franklin. Not even gonna explain as neo already has previously. Pure waste of money unless your car actually needs it.

        • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 16:49

          Okay it's like tap water vs bottled water.

    • Knightelf on 19/08/2015 - 22:59

      Depends what car you drive. I would never sully my car with anything less than 98 RON.

      • Skinnerr on 20/08/2015 - 09:42

        Read what neo said on the previous page. It has nothing to do with 'sullying' anything.

        • Knightelf on 20/08/2015 - 13:27

          I lose power if I use less than 98. In fact I run a mixture of E85 and 98 to push the octane even higher. I run a custom map. As I said it depends on what car you drive and I would never put 95 in mine because the loss in power is obvious. 98 is also the recommended fuel for my car, the stealership will blame things on using 95 fuel if anything goes wrong and even if it is totally unrelated (this actually happened to a mate).

  • FisSort on 19/08/2015 - 16:47

    How about Savings, how much of your earnings do you save as a percentage? This is before you allocate it for spending.

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 16:55

      That's a good question, well the tax man takes the nicest slice of the pie.
      I manage to save about 70% after expenses before spending

  • dasher86 on 19/08/2015 - 16:53
    +2

    mortgage
    refresh wardrobe when required - average $600 per year
    Lunch approx 3 times a week - $50 pw
    cleaner DIY
    New Android Phone every 2 years
    New laptop when old one dies / becomes unbearably slow.
    an international trip per year $2-3k
    Petrol for my car $30 pw
    Eating out approx 3 times pw - $60
    capsule coffee

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 16:56

      Do you travel to a set place or all over? Internationally

      • dasher86 on 19/08/2015 - 17:00

        Recently it's been Cambodia.
        Previously Thailand.
        When I did a working holiday in the UK i went all over.
        to be fair $2-3k is quite steep as i mainly back pack. half of it goes towards peak period flights…

        • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 17:02
          +3

          It costs me $3k to take the family interstate for a less than a week. Enjoy it while it lasts

        • sparkles on 19/08/2015 - 19:14
          +1

          Those working holidays in the UK can really help that put a dent in that Europe bucket list when flights are 5 pounds, not $2,500.

          I'm also a backpacker, I've never stayed in a plush hotel ever.

  • lord henry on 19/08/2015 - 17:04
    +6

    I'm personally having trouble with the figures people have of $600 - $1500 a year in wardrobe refreshes.
    $600 is one cheap(ish) suit.

    That said, I would probably have a heart attack if I saw how much I spent on clothing in the last 12 months.

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 17:08

      That's that I was thinking and clothes wear out so how are people wearing the same limited number of items for 10 years unless they already have an amazing wardrobe with years of overspending?

      I thought my expenses were modest.

      • dp1 on 20/08/2015 - 11:52
        +1

        Some clothes just never die. I have a pair of jeans from 1996 and a cocktail dress (admittedly worn very little) from 1992. One suit for interviews bought in 2001. Lots of my clothes were good quality brands from TKMaxx in the UK. Everything I bought in Australia has dissolved after a couple of years.

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 13:01
          +1

          i pretty much buy everything in the US now, quality there seems miles above here at least

    • ilsan0 on 19/08/2015 - 17:29

      I got about 3 suits from Europe (Poland to be precise) last year.
      I paid about $300 per suit.

      The quality is much superior to what you pay even for a $1k Suit here.

      Also made in Poland and not China :)

      • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 17:32

        Yeah I like Tommy Hilfiger suits from the US. Perfect size, super 120 $300 jacket, $100 pants on sale which it is every year in January when I'm there

    • sparkles on 19/08/2015 - 19:20
      +3

      I'd struggle with those lower figures on clothes and I even buy some stuff secondhand. Shoes wear out, garments "die". Corporate jobs are an absolute drainer on a clothes budget.

      • fillit on 20/08/2015 - 11:10

        My thoughts exactly!

        I don't even purchase bespoked stuff.. Normally Van Heusen or Pierre Cardin shirts when they are on sale. Luckily their euro cuts fit me quite well.

        Generally purchase my suits from Roger David as again it fits quite well and only need to have sleeves taken in ($40 a suit) sometimes I may splurge a little and purchase a Rhodes and Beckett suit when it's on sale, however I cannot really justify the price as it doesn't fit as well. Quality is definitely higher though.

        At the moment I would have around around 7 suits and maybe 15 - 20 shirts, I would turnover around 2 suits and 5 shirts a year.

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 13:05

          I seem to go through 2 pants a year, maybe 3. Suit jackets seem to last. Shirts have all lasted since I switched to Rhodes and Beckett but I enjoy having fresh variety of 5-6 a year.

        • fillit on 20/08/2015 - 13:29

          @clickship: I find Rhodes and Beckett shirts to be too tight, the cost of having to tailor them makes it not worthwhile. I've ordered a shirt or two from Marcella and they were fully bespoked for between $60 - 80, works out better than buying Rhodes and Beckett + tailoring. With that being said, I usually only pay between $30 - $40 for off the rack shirts when on sale.

          The problem I have with suits are that they go shiny and colour starts to fluctuate after about 2 years of use, may have to do with the quality, but I would rather get two new suits a year than spend big bucks for a really good quality one. Can get two last season style suits for $400 at Roger David DFO, for a throw around work suit, doesn't get much better than that.

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 13:44

          @fillit: I get my tommy suits for $400 a set in the US. Plan a trip!
          The r&b fit me perfect off the rack, out of curiosity, are you buying slim or regular?

        • fillit on 20/08/2015 - 13:53

          @clickship: When I go to the US it will definitely be on my list, unfortunately currency at the moment isn't favourable either.

          I buy slim/euro cut.

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 13:57

          @fillit: have you tried a small size standard cut on for size?

  • kkmenon1156 on 19/08/2015 - 17:33
    +4

    I make around 50k / year. I consider my lifestyle as very comfortable. I guess that's because I am single. I hang out with my mates and try out new restaurants. I manage to save $1000 a month and buy shares. I am hoping to have a portfolio of $100,000 in the next 5-7 years. I am content and never really wanted flashy cars or lavish lifestyle.

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 17:44

      That's great direction and financial planning. I'm sure you'll smash it.

      I never got the fancy cars thing either, I can rent one for a weekend for $3000 and thrash it if I want and be done, why do I need to maintain and worry etc.. About its ownership - not worth it imo

    • scrimshaw on 19/08/2015 - 17:50

      it's good to invest early on, don't just splurge for the sake of enjoyment now because the economic climate of Australia may worsen.

      As the population increases in Australia certain things you take for granted, such as free healthcare and pensions etc. need to be cut as they become unsustainable. Retirement age will increase again I think, depending on who wins the election.

      So always have some sort of investment so that you can retire in peace and not have to worry about running out of funds.

      • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 18:07
        +1

        i love Australia and it's the best country in the world - really- I've seen a lot of it but I could write novels on how bad the future looks based on the way the country is governed

        If global warming heats up Canada, I'll make the jump up north.

    • strikerzebra on 20/08/2015 - 09:26

      Are you living at home or still with your parents? Yep if you have a partner it will definitely be harder to save, she'll want to travel, you have to buy birthday gifts, anniversary gifts, go to dinner more often . . .

  • narbe on 19/08/2015 - 18:02

    Seems like a interesting topic I'll chime in.

    Won't disclose what I earn but I save 50-65% of my income after spend & expenses.
    Curious what OP savings are áfter ëxpenses and spend.

    No mortgage and renting.
    Refresh wardrobe every 2-3 years $1k max
    Take leftovers to work. 1-2 bought lunches a week as a group-work thing.
    No cleaner consider this way too luxurious especially since I don't have kids.
    Not a apple fanboi , android every 2-3years depending on how quick it dies
    1 overseas trip every 2-3years depending on my job situation.
    1 Main PC every 3-5years.
    Fuel I just get 91-98 depending on price and mood.
    Spend about $5000 per year on eating out. Bit of a foodie.
    Coffee i bought a nice automatic at home. Occasionally buy if i require a 2nd or 3rd hit.

    Trying to save up to build a share portfolio as well.

    Hoping to achieve a fixed dividend income of $20-30k after my 10th year of work and maintain that momentum every decade worth of work. example 30 years of work - $60-90k from dividend.

    Hoping to buy my house soon in 2-3 years no mortgage just outright.

    So far so good , such a 1st world problem topic isn't it lol

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 18:15
      +1

      That's a big dividend target!

      interest rates are so low right now, it's not worth waiting to buy outright if you can already avoid LMI.

      Interest rates are 5% so if you staying out, you'll want to make sure your net return from investments are greater than that + house price increases in the area you want to buy

      *this is not financial advice, just IMO

      After spending it's hard to say, probably around the 50-60% mark measured annually.

  • Ekliptix on 19/08/2015 - 18:13
    +3

    OP, how old are you out of interest?

    I think you should read 'The Millionaire Next Door', it might change your perspective or give you some different aspects to consider. Your expenses seem high for meals especially.

    I am not in the top tax bracket but still earn well over 100k. I am the sole breadwinner and we have one child. I still pack a lunch each day and only have one meal out a week.

    Have a mortgage and live in Sydney so housing is costly. Hope to have the house paid off in about 4 years.

    I only refresh my wardrobe items when something is needed and on sale. I consider each puchase closely before going ahead with it.

    I get an iPhone and laptop for work, have a desktop at home which is nearly 3 years old. Still plays all the latest games fine and will wait till it is too slow to change it.

    We only have one car (4wd) that is 5 years old. I do like having my own performance car but am doing without for now as I catch public transport for work.

    We have taken a cruise holiday for about $2k the last two years but again only purchase if there is a significant sale.

    I am concentrating on investing in property and shares at the moment to hopefully have more fun later in retirement or retire early.

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 18:18

      I'll look into that!
      Hey, you'll appreciate this.
      How bs are the tax laws in Australia.
      If a couple earn $160k (80k each) they pay less tax than if you earn $160k as breadwinner for your household.
      Not really fair or incentive for mother or father to stay at home with the youngin

      • Ekliptix on 19/08/2015 - 18:23
        +1

        Yeah I agree 100%. Two people earning less than half my wage will end up better off each year than me. It can be somewhat frustrating.

        I do appreciate that it is somewhat of a luxury to earn enough in Sydney to allow my wife to stay at home and look after our son though. He goes to school nedt year so perhaps my wife will take on more work then (she has recently started her own business but no real earnings yet)

        • [Deactivated] on 21/08/2015 - 11:20

          you'd have to consider that a house with two people working full time and a child would need to pay for childcare. I think even with the tax hit, you're better off in the end. (Could be wrong though, just my 2c!)

  • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2015 - 18:15
    +7

    I'm a graduate, earning $42k in Sydney. OP, not sure if you're trolling, but if you are, FU.

    • no mortgage, 'wish' I had one…
    • buy clothes when I must (not refresh wardrobe once a year average spend $3k, are you joking…)
    • Make my own lunch.
    • Clean my own stuff
    • a good Android phone to last at least 2 years (Nexus 4 at the moment), an iPhone is silly.
    • new laptop when old one breaks, so every 5 years?
    • a cheap international holiday, if there's a OZBargain, hopefully. No domestics.

    • e15 fuel for my car

    • Stay at home, mostly, in the weekends… but can spend when I get the chance. I live a boring life…

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 18:20
      +1

      No troll - what did you graduate in?
      Don't worry, In less than 10 years - you won't even recognise your life right now. Trust me

    • Guilty Flamez on 19/08/2015 - 19:08
      +2

      That's pretty much my story too.

    • cannedhams on 19/08/2015 - 21:43
      +5

      Unfortunately, bragging about income is part and parcel of being a sales rep. Goes with the image I guess. Consider ozbargain as training for when you actually have to sit out a Christmas party with these people.

      I used to work for a corporate outfit, every so often the sales reps and the engineers would meet for product updates. Myself (lawyer) and the HR guy would normally just be there to stop the engineers from murdering the sales reps.

      One guy was just insufferable. Every single thing he wore was monogrammed (shirt, cufflinks, the lot). When iPads first came out, he used to walk around with one under his arm everywhere. Once he left it on the lunch table to go to the toilet and one of the engineers flopped his penis out on it and took a picture.

      Every single conversation with him was about the paleo diet or crossfit or how much money he made and what he spent it on. He eventually left and tried to shop our clients to a competitor. Normally it was my job to nail their arse to the wall when that happened, but actually very few clients left with him. It turns out that he could make sales, but that eventually the clients grew to hate him as much as we did.

      • strikerzebra on 20/08/2015 - 09:28

        Haha took a photo of his penis with the ipad lol

        • cannedhams on 20/08/2015 - 10:47
          +2

          People used to circulate emails about the guy (along the lines of the dos equis ad):-

          His toilet paper…is monogrammed.

          At dinner parties…people dream of killing him with their soup spoons.

          His own mother dreads conversations with him.

          He is…the most insufferable knob in the world.

        • strikerzebra on 20/08/2015 - 10:51

          @paizuri:

          I wish I could meet him to see how bad he was. .

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 11:15
          +3

          I'd say that takes balls but mostly it takes shaft.

        • cannedhams on 20/08/2015 - 12:51
          +1

          @strikerzebra: it was your classic situation where we had a company with a very good product, and we were up against a competitor who also had a very good product. There were advantages and disadvantages with both our product and theirs, but ultimately anyone who chose either one would have been very well served with their decision.

          There was no real difference in price, so basically a purchasing decision could easily come down to which sales rep the client preferred. It turned into an arms race with both firms throwing money at reps of every stripe, bombshell blondes with big tits, tosspots with wanky cars, and older, confessional types who preferred the soft sell/trusted adviser style.

          I felt for the engineers. It's pretty hard to hold a sales rep to a lengthy restraint period because sales reps aren't entrusted with any confidential information apart from margins and pricing, although I still had to make an example of one rep who was particularly obnoxious when he left. The engineers knew all the secrets and therefore would have been in big trouble had they tried to shop them to the other mob. They got less money and yet it was their know how and labour that had resulted in the product in the first place.

          At least the reps worked for their money, unlike our ceo and directors who were simply well connected wastes of space, and who contributed nothing of any value to the company as far as I could see.

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 13:15

          @paizuri: you must be low in your organisational structure of you don't see the value in upper management. Remember who makes the decision on what products to make, what research to fund. The engineers don't just get paid and make products - all their direction, funding comes from upper management decisions.

        • strikerzebra on 20/08/2015 - 13:15

          @paizuri:

          Sounds a lot more interesting environment to work than my processing role, are you still working for the same company?

        • cannedhams on 20/08/2015 - 18:01

          @clickship: most career CEOs do not make even a pretense of understanding the products that their companies were selling. The CEO that we had sat on three other boards at the same time. His desk was always spotlessly clean. He was not called upon to make any strategic decisions regarding the direction of the firm, which was a good thing because it would have been a disaster.

          He was well connected and could shoot the sh** with the institutional investors, which was basically his job.

          When 2008 hit the U.S. it was amazing that so many of these zeroes who thought that they were "worth" $1 million plus a year were actually worth very little and had to take bartending gigs.

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 18:14
          +1

          @paizuri: are you talking about your CEO or a board member? If this persons job was to build a business case to get investors and they did that well- it doesn't mean they didn't do a lot of work you didn't see

          I'll share with you a picture, hope this works, haven't tried it before
          https://www.pinterest.com/pin/352899320770893229/

        • mskeggs on 20/08/2015 - 18:59
          +4

          @paizuri:
          The C-level have been told so often in the media how important the titans of enterprise are, they believe it. I am relentlessly reminded how little part meritocracy plays in achievement, and how much is down to luck, privilege, connections and occasionally, dishonesty. But if you are in the big chair you can look around and think "I've had no gifts. I'm not a Packer or a Murdoch, I worked to get here." and believe it. When you believe you still would have made it without that paid-for education, or that promotion that happened because the boss left unexpectedly and they needed a warm body to fill the role today else lose the client, or that fortuitous investment at the right time in Sydney real estate, or the way you chopped and changed employer exaggerating your role each time.
          But someone with more talent and ability, and a harder work ethic can languish because they didn't leave to a new employer because they were loyal to the team who needed them, and they didn't have the money for that investment property because that was the year their spouse had major surgery, or they didn't know a stock broker at Macquarie because they went to Parramatta public, not Kings.

          shrug Would Gates or Jobs have done as well if they were born 10 years earlier? Would Abbot be Prime Minister if he was a she? Would Gina Reinhart be a billionaire if she was a Vietnamese boat person? Would Warren Buffet be wealthy if he was black?

          Of course!!!!! hahahaha it is their hard work that got them there, nothing else.

        • cannedhams on 20/08/2015 - 20:48

          @clickship: he was our ceo, and also sat on three boards of other, separate companies.

          If ordinary people knew the amount of c@ck in glove mutual backscratching these bstrds engage in there would be blood in the streets.

          This, for example, is how he got the remuneration report (aka pay rise) passed.

          Dials number of ceo of major financial firm and institutional investor

          Ring ring. Yeah

          G'day dave, how about that tee shot you made on the seventh hole you fluky bstrd?

          Blah blah blah

          Anyway seeing how's I am on the skin of my arse I reckon the boys and I need a pay rise. You in line for the remuneration report?

          Yeah I suppose Fred, seeing as you still won't be making half my wage ha ha ha. As long as you put in a good word for me with company x when it's my turn.

          Yeah I suppose I will dave, wouldn't want your dog to run short of pedigree chum. I hope you choke you dirty bstrd, etc etc.

          Then he bragged about it telling us what a top dog he was.

          Mind you I think I got a pay rise out of that.

        • cannedhams on 20/08/2015 - 21:11

          @mskeggs: It's even worse in banking. Believe me, there is nothing more boring and less demanding than what are termed "vanilla lending services" (ie savings and loans).

          Traditionally bankers were rightly regarded as being the uninspiring dullards that they actually are and were. The rule was 3-6-3, ie pay 3% interest on deposits, charge 6% on loans and be on the golf course by 3pm.

          Somehow these people have subsequently managed to hoodwink the media that they are geniuses and savants and perfectly deserving of their inflated pay packets. Most of them couldn't baffle a cockroach.

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 21:47

          @paizuri: I'll leave replying to a future forum because it's off topic and it'll run off course. But I disagree with your views generally speaking

        • cannedhams on 20/08/2015 - 22:17
          +1

          @strikerzebra: nah, actually quite dull. The products that they offered were semi obscure industrial applications, a bit of a snore.

          To be honest I leaned on my shovel for weeks at a time when nothing much was happening. Browsed heaps of Wikipedia articles mainly.

      • phoenixx on 20/08/2015 - 10:58
        +2

        Haha. That reminds me of a joke I heard not long ago: If you're a vegan who does crossfit - which thing do you tell people about first?

      • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 11:20

        Although you don't know the difference between talking and bragging - I found your story otherwise very amusing.

        • cannedhams on 20/08/2015 - 12:35

          No worries mate. Good luck with the crossfit.

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 12:44

          @paizuri: whatever that is, ok.

  • TerrySilver on 19/08/2015 - 18:24
    +2

    Im on around 50k a year. I am single, share with two mates, drive a 16yr old sports car (which runs on LPG) and update my phone/tablet/computer every three years. I dont drink coffee only green tea so no coffee expense at work for me, we still have the most expensive coffee in Australia over in the west (BTW $4+ for a cup of coffee even the delightful maccas coffee is a rip off)

    Hardly go out for dinner/pub on weekends would rather stay at home watching Footy/Cricket. I only buy a few clothes overseas or via Ozbargin deals as I am always either in my work uniform or my trackies. I have some physical investments, well hidden in case i need cash in the future.

    My main Vice is I spend for 4-6 weeks a year overseas which I budget 10-15k, of course I hunt for bonus FF points and Hotel points from Ozbargin Deals along with cheap flights.

    I probably would be better off if i didnt have to put up with the 10% WA Tax. I dont have the most financially responsible lifestyle but it suits me.

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 19:58

      Where have you visited overseas?

      • TerrySilver on 19/08/2015 - 21:08
        +5

        USA - Vegas Baby, Hong Kong/Macau, China, Singapore, Bali, Japan, Philippines, New Zealand, and Malaysia. So mainly Asia as you can see. Flights to US and Europe are killers from the West.

  • boonanza on 19/08/2015 - 18:39
    +4

    Your not really Bronwyn Bishop are you Clickship?

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 19:58

      I am……. Not
      Sorry

  • Guilty Flamez on 19/08/2015 - 19:05
    +4

    Income55k
    Here is my expenses against yours:

    mortgage
    refresh wardrobe once A year cost $400
    average $50 a week on lunch
    cleaner myself and hubby twice a week
    New phone once in 2 years
    New laptop once in 5 years
    no major technology buy
    a couple domestic trips and international trip per year
    95 unleaded fuel
    1 meals out once a month
    1 coffee a week for rest of the week instant coffee
    I would like to purchase lot of things but due to my income I am unable to buy but hopefully things will change soon I want to earn more so than I can afford the things that I really want.

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 19:59

      where do you travel?

      • Guilty Flamez on 20/08/2015 - 08:45

        I am originally from South Asia, I have all my family there so I visit them once a year along with my hubby which usually cost us 5k

        • nimnomnimy on 20/08/2015 - 09:37

          Do you end up with your family the whole time or do you break off to be a tourist as a part of that?

        • Guilty Flamez on 20/08/2015 - 10:03

          normally we stay with the family but go on to do our own things. Our presence is the country is enough for family, it gives us a break from work and household chores as our family spoils us rotten.

    • bb_hunter on 20/08/2015 - 08:45
      +2

      Same here 55k and have to support a family.

      Here is how I do it.

      mortgage
      refresh wardrobe once a year when Kmart or BigW on special cost $50
      bring my lunch almost everyday- love my wife's cooking
      cleaner myself, wife and the kids
      New phone when there is an Ebay rebate or OZB special. I got a Moto G 2nd Gen recently on Ebay special, cost $200 plus $50 Ebay voucher.
      Newish laptop when I can fix someone else's
      major technology buy- I wish
      a domestic trips very year
      E10 fuel with Woolies EDR card
      couple takeaway meals a month
      Free coffee at work otherwise 7-Eleven coffee
      I would like to purchase lot of things but always ask myself "do I really need it".

  • plentifoo on 19/08/2015 - 19:28

    ‘Lavish’ differs among individuals/families. Obviously with a bigger household, the income earner will spend less on their personal needs to accommodate kids and/or a housewife. I’m a single income earner with no dependants, so what I make I use for repayment/spending/saving. Also consider age group, the 20-30s are likely to eat out to socialise with friends as opposed to married folk with someone responsible for home-cooking meals.

    75k per annum, I live out on my own with a 440k mortgage . I get by with some savings, but I’m considering moving back in with the parentals and renting out my entire place to boost my disposable income.

    • Mortgage + Car repayment (takes nearly 50% of my net income)
    • refresh wardrobe once a year average spend $3k (possible as I purchase new shirts/pants and possibly a suit every 2 years)
    • average $20 a day on lunch, work days (just $10 instead)
    • new laptop every couple years (personally 3-5 years)
    • one major technology buy a year (I have other costly hobbies like cycling and prosumer coffee equipment so I would say I spend as much)
    • a couple domestic trips per year (I utilise the free Amex domestic flight I have annually but I do fly overseas at least once a year too)
    • ultimate fuel for my car, I don't know why, just feels better (50% of the time I pump unleaded, other 50% ultimate for cleaning agents)
    • 2 meals out both Saturday Sunday, every weekend (1-2 meals out Sat and Sun, usually just the 1)
    • $4 coffee a day sometimes 2
    All I can say with the ample savings I eke out, this lifestyle is rather luxurious. I live in my own home and occupy the master in a 4 by 2 house with no tenants. I had a couple boarders I earned rental income from when I first moved out, but my house became unrecognisable both in appearance and scent when I came home some evenings which made me decide to go without.
    At this rate, I’ll roughly save 4% of my annual income and will pay off my house in 25 years. Can’t see this as getting any better until I get married with an additional income stream or I get a big pay raise/strike the lottery.

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 20:05

      Not bad considering lifestyle blend at all I think it great.
      I wonder if it's cheaper to be single or a couple, long term single has to win I think

  • ols108 on 19/08/2015 - 19:53

    I have a work phone, so never have a bill for that
    and save lots of money cause I don't have a single cent of debt ( I rent)
    my wife and my kids have everything they want, Ipads, phones, clothes etc within reason.
    we both drive pretty cheap cars that we paid cash for but we spend $22-30k a year on an overseas holidays.
    No regrets

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 20:06

      Nice, where do you like to travel to?

  • HoneyComb on 19/08/2015 - 20:09

    $4 coffee a day sometimes 2??
    $20 lunches????

    Didn't think anyone on Ozbargain would do these 2 things.
    where is the $1 coffees from 7/11 on your list?? lol

    • nimnomnimy on 19/08/2015 - 20:13
      +1

      To be honest, I'm not even a coffee person- it just started trending as a group activity with colleagues and now I enjoy the social

      • [Deactivated] on 20/08/2015 - 12:21

        same

  • outofdateyesterday on 19/08/2015 - 21:25
    +3

    I never skimp on quality porn.

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