Could you live on $35/day? Jenny Macklin, the Families Minister, says she could

L-.- on 02/01/2013 - 19:55

WELL since the media's gone all berserk on Jenny Macklin's comments, I thought maybe as OzBargainers we could have a little discussion. (This article might be of interest: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/macklin-make-the-most…)

Sure $35 isn't a lot, but if you took in some of the OzBargainer spirit, I'm sure you could make ends meet.

SO, if you had $35 a day what would you allocate it to?

Food:
Rent:
Fuel:
Clothing:
Utilities:
Services (Internet, TV, Telephone, Mobile):
Entertainment/Leisure:
Kids? (If you have any):
Savings:

Fill in the blanks. The more detail the better; it'll be interesting to see what people come up with!

General Discussion

Comments

[Deactivated] on 11/01/2013 - 12:26

+3

Lot of uninformed crud in this thread - too much to respond to individually.

The short answer is probably yes, but not for everyone - depends on their circumstances. If you're young, healthy, sociable, connected, childless etc - then you can do the whole share thing probably quite successfully. For the others, they're in trouble.

Something people seem to have missed is that it costs money to look for a job. Subsistence living is one thing - getting out of the hole is quite another. The jobs are not necessarily where it's cheap to live.

And for the hardcore, think of this. You can eliminate unemployment tomorrow simply by cutting all welfare payments. But think of the consequences - if i suddenly had no money, but had to survive, i'd be knocking your place off, and you too if you get in my way, pretty damn quickly. You want survival of the fittest? - don't assume you'll be one of the ones to survive (i've got my Darth Vader voice on with that one).
- leiiv on 11/01/2013 - 16:57
  
  +3
  
  Even if we cut all welfare payments, unemployment rate will never drop to 0. Unless the government can somehow provide a guaranteed employment (for whatever job it is) using the same budget.
  
  And I also think that welfare system makes a country relatively safer (lower crime rate).
  - tsunamisurfer on 13/01/2013 - 23:49
    
    -1
    
    I ABSOLUTELY HATE the threat of crime being used as a reason to feed the country's less fortunate.
    
    This is then an indirect frm of extortion.
    
    Welfare is to help someone in need pick until they can supoort themselves, not as 'protection money'.
    - BinaryPirate on 16/01/2013 - 06:10
      
      It's not a threat. It's a reality. Take a look at world around you. Go live in a neighbourhood predominantly made up of people struggling to survive and see how long all your toys remain in your possession
[Deactivated] on 11/01/2013 - 13:48

+2

Just read another article on this after Rudd opened his mouth.

I'm with Jennifer Westacott from the BCA:

entrenching people into poverty by expecting them to live on $35 a day is not a pathway back into employment.
_Bruce_ on 11/01/2013 - 17:01

+2

Macklin has apologised:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-11/macklin-apologises-for…
- tonyjzx on 12/01/2013 - 17:19
  
  her comments may have a ring of truth but at the end of the day its always a bit specious when a pollie on $250k a year asks people to live on $35 a day…
  
  she's on $15k a month?
  
  that's $500 a day?
  
  sure everyone cant be a high paying politician but it does smack of the big pigs in orwell's animal farm, some being more equal than others
  - tsunamisurfer on 13/01/2013 - 23:47
    
    Well the fact of the matter is, she (the Jenny Macklin on $250k) was asked whether she could do it.
    
    She can't very well say, well…putting myself in a position of a junkie with 5 children to 6 fathers, needing medication for my kids because I smoked, drank and had some 'lines' during my pregnancies….can handle welfare no problem.
Cheeper on 14/01/2013 - 00:42

A politician runs off at the mouth with a silly statment?? What is new about that.
Politicians have no idea of what the average person does to get by.

Just think …. if the dole was sufficient to live on comfortably… who would want to work??

The dole is "govt assistance" for those looking for work. It is not intended to be a substitute for working income.

Australias welfare mentality is a worry…. govt should focus on creating employment opportunities as the benefits greatly outweigh any generous welfare system.

The current shopfront employment agencies are a farce and the payments they receive from the govt are a joke.
jsjslim on 17/01/2013 - 01:51

+2
$35/day? Pfft!!! No sweat!!!

Cost per day breakdown:

(Shared) Rent = $585 per month / 30 days = $19.5

(Shared) Gas + Electricity = (Recent bill) $200 per-2-month / 60 days = $3.35

Food : $11.99 per week / 7 days = $1.75

Internet + phone (iinet Home2) : $79.90 per month / 30 days = $2.70

2-way bus fare to work (SmartRider) = $2.03 per trip * 2 = $4.06

Living cost per day: $31.36 (assuming I take the bus on weekends)

From $35:
Savings per week: $3.64 per day * 7 days = $25.48

Which I may then spend on:

1 McValue meal treat per week.

Or 1 trip to the salad bar at Sizzlers per week.

Or 25 Continental soup packs ($0.99 sale) per week.

Or 1-2 indie game on Steam during their Weekend sale (if they're 50%-75% off) per week.

Or 1 full-priced game on Steam (~$89) per month.

Or 1 500 GB WD MyPassport (undiscounted from JB) per week.

Or 1 $15 shirt at Kmart per week.

Or 1 $15 shorts/pants + $9 belt at Kmart per week.

Or 1 faux-leather shoe at Kmart per week.

Or 1 stylish men's hair cut per week.

Or 1 $99 business suit at ManToMan per month

And before anyone claim that I couldn't possibly live for a week with $12-worth of food, here's proof that I have and still am:

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/5995/20130116220101.jpg
- cwongtech on 17/01/2013 - 09:03
  
  +2
  
  Nice Migoreng. I'm so jelly :P
  Are you a uni student?
  Should probably get a body checkup when you become a highroller :p
- [Deactivated] on 17/01/2013 - 16:46
  
  +1
  
  And before anyone claim that I couldn't possibly live for a week with $12-worth of food
  
  Eating nothing but what's in your image will eventually impact brain function. Perhaps it's already started. Your approach to food is in any case expensive as you're eating processed foods (processing costs money). To come on here and suggest that this is appropriate for all people is ludicrous.
  
  You also appears that any illness you may suffer doesn't cost you - for example no allowance for prescription drugs. Not allowing for that could lead to a lot of sweat, i'd say.
  - jsjslim on 22/01/2013 - 11:05
    
    I know this thread is old now, but for completeness sake:
    
    Eating nothing but what's in your image will eventually impact brain function
    
    No, it will not impact brain function.
    It will, however, impact blood pressure, cholesterol and the gastric system.
    
    To come on here and suggest that this is appropriate for all people is ludicrous.
    
    No where in my post did I suggest it is appropriate for anyone, let alone all people
    In fact, in my entire post, I use "I", not "You" or "Everyone".
    
    no allowance for prescription drugs
    
    Assuming I do not buy anything with with my weekly savings, and who in their bloody right mind will spend all their money every week anyway, I can afford to see a GP once a month with a $35/day allowance.
    
    I can afford to buy 4 boxes of antibiotics once a week (market price as of last week: $19), with some leftover to buy a box of Rapid Panadols.
    
    And for those wanting a "healthier" option:
    Coles crunchy salad kit: $4 (or $3 during sale)
    Canned tuna 4-pack: $6 (or $0.99 per can during sale)
    
    I AM living off many (not all) of those numbers, and not something I made up.
    
    ie. My Internet expense. That could easily be a whole magnitude lower, but since that's what I'm currently using, hence, that's what I've put on there.
    
    However, it is important to note that I am NOT living off $35/day.
    This does not include my other expenses, such as my mobile subscription plan, my health insurance, gym membership, etc.
    This was a post about me doing an expense-check to determine if I can live off of such an allowance.
    
    And the reality is, if I cut out my expense down to my bare minimum with the occasional splurge/luxury, I reckon I just might.
- scotty on 18/01/2013 - 13:17
  
  +1
  
  If you posted that photo in our last year's "Being OzBargainer" photo comp, you might have won something :)
- grasstown on 19/01/2013 - 01:26
  
  Jenny Macklin needs to see this!
  - Commonwealth Pig on 19/01/2013 - 19:36
    
    Jenny Macklin would have no use for bargains with her enormous income hence is quite unlikely to look at this site.
tonyjzx on 19/01/2013 - 02:01

let me add one thing about trying to run a car cheaply

just say you own the car outright

in NSW, you are looking at:

$35 for a pink slip inspection
$500-$700 for compulsory greenslip (medical cover)
$329 rego for a medium sized car (under 1,500kg - can be $430 for a 1.5 ton plus car)

insurance is at least $500 for comprehensive if you have a good record and have a common car… around half that for 3rd party property

thats $1,356 just to get the car on the road with comprehensive assuming you've chosen a common car that has good insurance records

then budget at least 10 litres per 100km so lets say $15.00 per 100km

then servicing every 10,000km so for me its oil + filter + labour say $100, probably more if you dont know a good mechanics

assuming there's no repairs, add in tyres etc.

it gets quite expensive no?

its untenable on the dole
- leiiv on 19/01/2013 - 02:34
  
  So how much roughly do you think in average per year?
  - tonyjzx on 19/01/2013 - 19:53
    
    if you do 10,000km a year which half the avg. its obviously $1,500 in petrol
    
    add stuff like tyres, batteries and maybe NRMA etc…
  - gilbarc on 20/01/2013 - 10:12
    
    According to the ABS, the average is 13,200 km for a passenger vehicle.
    
    The same study also lists the average fuel consumption, which is 11.3 litres per 100 km.
    
    If we're assuming tonyjzx's fuel price of $1.50 per litre is roughly accurate (it seems reasonable enough looking at these charts for each capital city, and I couldn't be bothered working out the actual average for the past year), that's $2237.40 per year.
tonyjzx on 19/01/2013 - 02:17

another thing about eating cheap

i cant cook for shit so when i cook for myself i do it lazy style

which means i get common tomatos and lettuce

you can get them for $2 a kg and maybe $1 - $2 a head of lettuce

you can also buy canned tomato for under a buck if tomatos goes to $5+ as it has recently

$1.5 for a 750ml bottle of tomato paste/bolognese sauce

you can buy cheap aldis mince for about $12 for 2kg although I do like the better stuff at $7 a kg or so (wagyu, grass fed, etc.)

buy mince pork and lamb if you feel like it, its a little more expensive

you should have onions and herbs and garlic and sugar and the usual cooking crap already… i wouldnt pay more than $2 a kilo for onions

500g spaghetti, spirals, penne and whatever is like 79c from aldis

cheese is $4 for 500g shredded

$1 loaf of bread or $1 for lebanese bread your choice

ok/ brown the meat in the saucepan (you should use a pan but I'm lazy)

add onions garlic whatever

once the meat is browned, add the tomato paste

stir etc. whatever

add sugar and salt and vegeta and mie goreng msg packets to taste

add diced carrots and potato etc to fill it up (usually $1 a kilo)

i suggest you dont add cheese to the pot as it makes it hard to clean, sprinkle it on the plate or use parmesan

add it to spaghetti

eat it with your $1 bread to wipe up the sauce

i like tobascco but its $6 a bottle but it lasts forever i guess

if you feel really generous look out for cheap beer… i've been able to get a case for $25-$30 and although its not top stuff (ie. oettingers, XXXX, extra dry, tooheys blue) its drinkable and really… its enough to get you shitfaced on your crappy bolognese

i did this for quite a while and only broke it up with $2 hungry jacks coupons and $5 dominos pizza and $10 for a KFC box

you can make enough in one night to stretch over a few days and you can bring it to work

i would suggest you do a lot in one go so as not to use a shitload of power when you dont have to (I know the stove costs a lot to run)

yes i realise i'm gonna die early eating like this… deal with it

also i cant imagine doing this on public transport because theres some much crap to bring home

what i do it get to the shops just after work so you knock down the shopping in one drive… dont drive unnecesarily as petrol is expensive
baycie on 22/01/2013 - 21:32

+1

I know this thread is a tad old now, but I have finally read it all and I can't believe how much some of you spend on food a week! We are a family of 5, our food bill is under $100 per week & we eat pretty healthy. I study the catalogs each week & stock up on the specials. I spread my shopping over, Aldi, Woolworths, Coles, the local fruiterer and occasionally IGA. I buy Woolworths gift cards through the RACQ ($95 for $100 card with free shipping) which takes less than 2mins to do and saves us heaps every year. We buy what is on special and I don't normally spend more than $2 a kg for fruit & vegetables. It's really quite simple, if tomatoes are $8kg this week, we won't have tomatoes, but we will buy the zucchinis that are 99c a kilo. Fruiterers ALWAYS have something really cheap to get you into their stores, there is a place on the way to Bribie Island that quiet often has fruit and vege on special for 9c. Bread is $1 a loaf from most of the supermarkets, one of the fruit stores near us even gives you a free loaf of bread or a carton of eggs if you spend over $15. Tonight for dinner we had a T-bone steak, 4 other steaks, (meat cost $2.17 & $2.17 on clearance), a salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber & cheese (99c, 99c kg, 88c & $6.99kg) and a packet of bread rolls ($1.49), about $5 for 5 of us for dinner & it was delicious! No need to live off of noodles and tinned beans people, fresh food is not as expensive as they say.
- leiiv on 23/01/2013 - 01:29
  
  +1
  
  That requires one to shop smart, be flexible and have a bit of savings (and storage) to bulk buy. Not to mention more time is needed to shop around. It seems not many people can do that.
  Quite often in supermarket I see people choose a more expensive product even though there is another brand on special (much cheaper but with same or better quality) right under their nose!
ThadtheChad on 29/01/2013 - 17:32

+1

Been there, done that. International student in Melbourne. Survived on $1000/month as I wasn't working part time. I wasn't being lazy, I was doing a very intense course in advanced maths and cryptography at a Master's level. It's definitely not easy and you have to give up a lot (pretty hard if you're a technophile).

Definitely possible.
tsunamisurfer on 30/01/2013 - 16:41

It is always down to Welfare recipients' sense of entitlement.

Of course you can live on $35 / day….but they want what working people have sans the working.

It doesn't help when you have a government willing to throw money at them.

Could you live on $35/day? Jenny Macklin, the Families Minister, says she could

Comments

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