Feeling the pinch? Cost of living

That's not just applicable to high income earners. Lots of people spend money on things they can't really afford to give a perception of being better off

Agreed but from what I have seen and the people I know the pressure be it real or imagined of keeping up appearance is greater with higher income or higher status jobs.

Its easier for a bus driver to have good money habits (ie save, invest and live humble) than a professional as the social pressure is not there.
 
Agreed but from what I have seen and the people I know the pressure be it real or imagined of keeping up appearance is greater with higher income or higher status jobs.

Its easier for a bus driver to have good money habits (ie save, invest and live humble) than a professional as the social pressure is not there.
Translated to frugal-ese:
It is easier for a bus driver to have good money habits (ie save invest and live humble) than a professional, because professionals are stupid​

:Live within your means, or you are stupid
 
Unfortunately for many the belief is "I earn a high income so therefore should drive this car, live in this suburb etc"

The appearance of status is there to keep high income earners on the consumption treadmill.

It's not a belief it is a job requirement. For a salesperson to look professional/successful etc they tend to drive a prestigious car - do they need it? Probably not. The reality is that if their employer encourages them to lease a car, buy into the lifestyle etc then the employee has to seek out deals to pay their way.

So to look successful they need the trimmings, once they have them they don't realize that they're trapped in an expensive lifestyle.
 
It's not a belief it is a job requirement. For a salesperson to look professional/successful etc they tend to drive a prestigious car - do they need it? Probably not. The reality is that if their employer encourages them to lease a car, buy into the lifestyle etc then the employee has to seek out deals to pay their way.
One of my mates gets a car allowance in his package.

Instead of buying a more modest car, and pocketing the rest towards say; investing...he spends every cent on a car to fill that budget.

Many would say; WHY NOT?
 
One of my mates gets a car allowance in his package.

Instead of buying a more modest car, and pocketing the rest towards say; investing...he spends every cent on a car to fill that budget.

Many would say; WHY NOT?

without trying to be rude for the sake of it,

but if you think $500 per year or whatever as a car allowance is different to $500 as a salary increase, then you are a financial idiot. so if they get a $100k car allowance on a $50k salary, they are going to go out and buy a ferrari because WHY NOT??? ludicrous

thats no different to people who think getting a $5000 credit card is FREE MONEY
 
Back to the article...

The Childcare rebate is capped at 7.5k per child so they are still spending about 45k on childcare per annum. And nannies are not eligible for the rebate. As for why she is working full time. I would assume from the info about the loan that she is the major wage earner. Also, a lot of women in the private sector cant take more than a year out because they are not entitled to or it would be bad for their careers. Working part time might also not be realistic. She might enjoy her work, want to contribute to her super, and keep her industry experience and skills current.

Anyway, i think this article and the quiz below it are sloppy and i wouldnt be surprised if it was all made up. In a few years their kids will be in school and the personal loan will be paid off and they will be rolling in it.
 
without trying to be rude for the sake of it,

but if you think $500 per year or whatever as a car allowance is different to $500 as a salary increase, then you are a financial idiot. so if they get a $100k car allowance on a $50k salary, they are going to go out and buy a ferrari because WHY NOT??? ludicrous

thats no different to people who think getting a $5000 credit card is FREE MONEY

i used to be a perm and the car allowance was around 20K a year for lease, fuel, service etc. It was part of the job to have the car. Unfortunately, there wasn't an option to just take cash for it. i had to use that amount and any extras if i chose a more expensive car would be paid by myself.
 
i used to be a perm and the car allowance was around 20K a year for lease, fuel, service etc. It was part of the job to have the car. Unfortunately, there wasn't an option to just take cash for it. i had to use that amount and any extras if i chose a more expensive car would be paid by myself.

well, thats obviously a different situation, if its the only way you could use the value, then go for it!!!
 
without trying to be rude for the sake of it,

but if you think $500 per year or whatever as a car allowance is different to $500 as a salary increase, then you are a financial idiot. so if they get a $100k car allowance on a $50k salary, they are going to go out and buy a ferrari because WHY NOT??? ludicrous

thats no different to people who think getting a $5000 credit card is FREE MONEY
A Ferrari would be extreme as you say...but some would do it. :eek:

I was merely passing on the info,

and posing the question that many would ask - and justify to themselves the spending level.

Personally; I would have spent half his allowance on a car, and the other half on savings for an IP deposit. ;)

His allowance was $950 p/m.
 
A Ferrari would be extreme as you say...but some would do it. :eek:

I was merely passing on the info,

and posing the question that many would ask - and justify to themselves the spending level.

Personally; I would have spent half his allowance on a car, and the other half on savings for an IP deposit. ;)

His allowance was $950 p/m.

For that kind of amount I would simply put it into offset and pretend it never existed, and live life normally
 
Sigh...life; here in the fishbowl...

"Hello; earth to Somersoft!?"

Ok - so following this I thought I would research my own assumptions to see if I am in actual fact on cloud 9, completely out of touch and have no idea whats going on in the real world...

Turns out... I am!!

So BV - you are correct.

According to this report from the ABS a household disposable income of $150,000 ($12,500/month as per the article), puts the household in the top 10% of Australia, and puts them off the chart on the 'distributed household income' graph.

A household income of $245,000 puts them in the top couple of % of earners in Australia and it is not "not unusual". In fact it is really quite exceptional.

Im off to eat my humble pie.

Blacky
 
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Ok - so following this I thought I would research my own assumptions to see if I am in actual fact on cloud 9, completely out of touch and have no idea whats going on in the real world...

Turns out... I am!!

So BV - you are correct.

According to this report from the ABS a household disposable income of $150,000 ($12,500/month as per the article), puts the household in the top 10% of Australia, and puts them off the chart on the 'distributed household income' graph.

A household income of $245,000 puts them in the top couple of % of earners in Australia and it is not "not unusual". In fact it is really quite exceptional.

Im off to eat my humble pie.

Blacky

A researched opinion, and humility? Not sure you belong here :p:D
 
For that kind of amount I would simply put it into offset and pretend it never existed, and live life normally
Aaah; yes - but you are not the normal "battler" who can never makes ends meet due to financial illiteracy TMNT.

Proof of that is the fact that you are here on SS - this is not the hangout for the blind consumer.

Congratulations on being different from the herd!! ;)
 
Aaah; yes - but you are not the normal "battler" who can never makes ends meet due to financial illiteracy TMNT.

Proof of that is the fact that you are here on SS - this is not the hangout for the blind consumer.

Congratulations on being different from the herd!! ;)

agree! you wont find many jonesys on Somersoft,
the fact that you even googled Somersoft or property forum, puts you in the upper % of the population

the number of IPs/Portfolio values that some people have on here, most average aussies, simply wouldnt believe you or assume you are related to the packers
 
agree! you wont find many jonesys on Somersoft,
the fact that you even googled Somersoft or property forum, puts you in the upper % of the population
I disagree; I think you'll find the Jonesey mindset alive and well even here....you only have to note things such as the cars driven by many here - as one example.

I agree about the upper % of the population - not in wealth but in the "most likely to succeed" category due to their mindset and general attitude..

Two of my best friends would fit in here in terms of wealth and mindset - very driven and ambitious etc, but they are both veracious "Jonesies". Quite funny to watch them go at it.
 
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I disagree; I think you'll find the Jonesey mindset alive and well even here....you only have to note things such as the cars driven by many here - as one example.

Yes, 2003 toyota corolla here. Thinking of upgrading in the next few years to 2009 corolla.
 
?I think the cost of living will go up. I originally thought it was going to come down because the government said it would from the carbon tax ending but I haven?t seen it and don?t believe it will down the line.?

LOL! I'm surprised anybody actually believed that.

"$800 to his car loan" and "regular small holidays to Melbourne or the Gold Coast".
Why can't he just buy a cheap 2nd hand car and than he wouldn't need to take out a loan. Or sacrfice a few 'small holidays' and use that money as extra repayments on his car to get rid of the debt.

"After the cost of rent, loan repayments and childcare, the family of four is left with $2500 a month to cover everything else.":mad:

Prime cases of financial mismanagement.
These people need to learn how to budget, save and most importantly live within their means.
 
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