Income before Coming on OzBargain and Best OzBargain Learnings

Goldsmen on 01/10/2024 - 22:33

This is a genuine question because I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. I don’t usually comment, post much, or even log in often, as I’m pretty reserved. But I do read a lot of comments, forums, and threads, and I’ve learned so much from them.

So, I was logging into myGov the other day, just checking my tax returns for FY2024, and I realised my income has gone up quite a bit over the last 10 years. I attribute it to being a bit like “Skippy the Bush Kangaroo,” chopping and changing jobs every 12-18 months. This shouldn’t be a surprise to any of us, seeing our income increase each year. But what’s interesting is how I discovered OzBargain.

I first learned about it when I started my career at IRESS in Xplan, where the legend of Scotty and how he started OzBargain was often talked about in the office. Never met the guy though, but that’s how I got onto OzBargain.

Do I attribute my income increase to OzBargain? Yes, . Because it helped me get diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago. (Btw I didn’t pay to get the diagnosis I put my name down on a waiting list at all the unis for the intake and got an appointment in 6 months, it’s absurd to pay $3,000 for adult adhd testing.)

Some of my highlights from OzBargain learning:

  1. Early days Dominos pizza coupons for $5.95!
  2. Realising I had ADHD from so many random impulse purchases over the years, which led me to get tested and diagnosed a few years ago.
  3. Booking business class flights for the family by churning credit cards, thanks to Qantas points. The first time we went was unreal.
  4. Churning home loans for cashback deals.
  5. Furnishing the house with Samsung appliances thanks to Samsung Education (got UNiDAYS access through a free UNI TAS course).
  6. $20 a month AFR subscription with UNiDAYS.

Curious to hear what others’ income was like before discovering OzBargain. Surely, not everyone was on $250k when they found it and What’s your best OzBargain learning?

Poll Options

  • 23
    $0-50k
  • 38
    $50-80k
  • 7
    $80-120k
  • 5
    $120-180k
  • 5
    $180-250k
  • 97
    $250k+
Education & Work

Comments

  • AustriaBargain on 01/10/2024 - 22:51
    +9

    If OZB is increasing your income, and not decreasing it through spending, then you're doing it wrong. And anyone who doesn't pick $250k+ is doing this poll wrong too.

    • Krankite on 02/10/2024 - 08:48
      +5

      Anyone who selects lest than $250k+ is obviously forgetting about including the income from high yield investments

    • neoleo on 02/10/2024 - 22:09

      You forget sim cards profit, PureVPN profit, etc. thanks to cashback companies ;-)

  • Gervais fanboy on 01/10/2024 - 22:52
    +9

    Too many posts lately trying to ascertain other people’s income.

    • apsilon on 02/10/2024 - 06:52
      +4

      No one answers honestly so it's probably the worst possible way to determine someone's income.

    • foursaken on 02/10/2024 - 10:55

      There's TONS of completely sus posts here. No one seems to pay any attention.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 01/10/2024 - 23:01
    +41

    Learnings:
    1. Don't buy a Land Rover with an oil leak. If it hasn't got an oil leak, check that there is oil in the sump.(Thanks pegasx)
    2. Every insurance/accident question requires an MS Paint diagram. (For reference, see MS Paint's posts)
    3. The only car to buy is a high value asset. (Thanks Westpac Graduate Programme entrant.)
    4. A post is improved with the use of bold. (Thanks jv).
    5. Always buy five of the incorrectly priced, high value items, before posting the bargain. (Thanks Broden).
    6. Asking for a friend. It's always the O.P.

    • moar bargains on 02/10/2024 - 12:38
      +13

      You forgot:

      • Bikies are a solution to every problem
      • Cooking all your food on the local park BBQs is either brilliant or frowned upon, depending on your viewpoint/ethics.
      • Making innuendos in the comments of condom deals
  • cashless on 01/10/2024 - 23:23
    +3

    ATO. Caught you at it again

    • USER DC on 02/10/2024 - 02:03

      Yeah I make $9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999 a second ATO LoL. Get RBA organization act together first though.

      Edit- currency is not in Australian dollar rather some random imaginary virtual dollar.

  • Gunnar on 02/10/2024 - 00:31
    +3

    Since joining, High yield investment vehicles changed my income from Uber delivery driver to $400k per year

    • AustriaBargain on 02/10/2024 - 02:49

      must be driving a Bentley or summat

      • pegaxs on 02/10/2024 - 08:08
        +3

        Mercedes Benz AMG A200 with all the bells and whistles…

        • MS Paint on 02/10/2024 - 08:38
          +3

          I was looking at getting one of those at my local dealership the other day.

    • Do I NeedThis on 03/10/2024 - 23:18

      would you mind telling us how ? please

  • onetwothreefour on 02/10/2024 - 07:01
    +8

    Has my income increased since I joined ozbargain 13 years ago? Yes
    Did it increase because I joined ozbargain? No
    What's my best ozbargain learning? Always click the most extreme option in polls

  • djsweet on 02/10/2024 - 07:36

    Surely we are all well aware of the income bracket of all ozbargainers by now…

  • altomic on 02/10/2024 - 07:51
    +3

    it’s absurd to pay $3,000 for adult adhd testing

    use coupon code "TESTME" to get 95% off

  • ihbh on 02/10/2024 - 07:52
    +3

    I was earning 0 conventional income when I found out about OZB when it was a blog and am earning 0 conventional income now. Where is the no change option?

    Such is life.

  • ihbh on 02/10/2024 - 07:53
    +1

    Some of my highlights from OzBargain learning: Early days Dominos pizza coupons for $5.95!

    If you learn to eat processed free/cheap food that gets posted a lot, you will have a very short life full of savings.

  • Ryanek on 02/10/2024 - 08:07
    +2

    I'm going to need a negative range on that poll

  • Payne on 02/10/2024 - 08:12
    +3

    Something is only a bargain if you need it. If you buy all the landfill, it just eats into the money you saved on the good stuff.

    (I know, it's not the OzBargain way!)

  • Danstar on 02/10/2024 - 08:14
    +3

    Realising I had ADHD from so many random impulse purchases over the years

    This can't be seriously how you were diagnosed with ADHD ? LOL

    • coffeeinmyveins on 02/10/2024 - 09:43
      +1

      yeah this sounds like a low effort post to just ….. i don't even know. Brag that they worked at IRESS? lol

      • Some Human on 02/10/2024 - 11:09
        +2

        I thought it was to brag about having ADHD because having it seems to be the in thing right now.

      • fredblogs on 02/10/2024 - 13:31
        +1

        is that a brag?

    • mitty on 03/10/2024 - 21:41

      I learnt I had ADHD because what's that new exciting shiny thing? Wow! Okay, bored now. Ohh! What's that new exciting shiny thing? and so it goes.

  • joka on 02/10/2024 - 08:51

    I have made more than double the $250k since I learnt about ozbargains over ten years ago.

  • scotty on 02/10/2024 - 09:50
    +3

    I first learned about it when I started my career at IRESS in Xplan

    Shoutout to many great friends that I've met through iress, and many who are still working there.

  • ForkSnorter on 02/10/2024 - 11:53
    +2

    Realising I had ADHD from so many random impulse purchases over the years

    No, that's not how illnesses work. You don't "realise" you've got it. A medical specialist examines you, and then you find out you've got an illness.

    which led me to get tested and diagnosed a few years ago.
    Btw I didn’t pay to get the diagnosis I put my name down on a waiting list at all the unis for the intake and got an appointment in 6 months, it’s absurd to pay $3,000 for adult adhd testing.

    Sounds like you convinced yourself you've got it, then convinced the doctor you've got it so you can get some legal stimulants forever. By the way, ADHD criteria are fairly subjective. It's difficult to diagnose it objectively. This doesn't mean people don't have it. But it does mean that an adult who suddenly "realises" they've got it and then spends 6 months looking for the cheapest way to get diagnosed probably doesn't have it.

    • Aldonis on 02/10/2024 - 15:47

      ADHD diagnosis $0 (RRP $3,000) @ UNSW

  • Nillionaire on 02/10/2024 - 12:08
    +5

    I joined OzBargain when I was 15 and earning $0. I am now 25 and earning $250K+. Subscribe to my course to find out how you too could earn that much!

    • MinifiguresAU on 04/10/2024 - 00:25

      You've waited 10 years for a forum topic to finally come along, that allows you to reveal the origins of your username. Kudos to you for playing the long game.

  • askbargain on 02/10/2024 - 13:29
    +2

    I don't like that I am in the same bucket as someone earning low 250.

  • miwahni on 02/10/2024 - 22:36
    +2

    My learnings: (that word makes me shudder)

    • Boiling water is your best defence
    • Always check if your car can be fitted with kayak racks before purchase
    • ACL and warranty rights - prior to OzB I had believed that if a large expensive item expired two days after the one-year warranty died, it was bad luck. I honestly had no idea that you could challenge that, under ACL, based on the value and expected lifespan of the item. Thanks, general OzB brains.
  • jason101 on 03/10/2024 - 20:42

    You know you are an Ozbargain OG when you are missing the recommendation; "Falcon on gas"

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