$90k and living on baked beans...

[Guest BurgessFamily]

This is a quote from the article....

Debby probably summed up the situation for most people with her comment: "This week our Electricity Bill is due ( almost $500) we are a family of 4, eastern suburbs, on a combined income of 90K, with 2 children at school. We are barely keeping our head abover water, and most weeks, we live on baked beans, and rice, as the Bills need to be paid more importantly... to hear of more price hikes upsets me and worries me greatly. I never thought I would have to sacrifice food to pay my bills as a community minded citizen and mortgate holder."

 

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/electricity-to-cost-another-10pc/story-e6frea83-1226062831787

[Guest guest4504]

Good read. Is Debby really like most people though ? 90K and struggling that bad, If they have a mortgage , how big is it ! And living on beans and rice, are they from Harrods ? For electricity bill off $500, is that a month / Q / 6 month ? Interesting to see how this thread pans out to see if its like that with many.

Wonder how bad it gets when the carbon tax kicks in, or any other ' One off's'.

[Guest Guest5035]

Well Debbies priorities are wrong then, i've got 2 children with alot bigger mouths than debbies, on one income, but i have baked beans with my steak. Wonder if she's got Foxtel, a couple of mobiles, a couple of cars, fast food regular, coffees etc etc. My leccy on average is around $250, so with that and my steak, guess i'm lucky.

 

Stevo

[Guest guest4504]

Well Debbies priorities are wrong then, i've got 2 children with alot bigger mouths than debbies, on one income, but i have baked beans with my steak. Wonder if she's got Foxtel, a couple of mobiles, a couple of cars, fast food regular, coffees etc etc. My leccy on average is around $250, so with that and my steak, guess i'm lucky.

 

Stevo

 

 

And rice with your pork ?

[Guest BurgessFamily]

I'd still rather struggle over there than over here. Best of luck with everything and I hope things improve for you soon.

 

Did you read the article? The quote was from the article.

 

Personally, I think $90k should allow for a reasonable standard of living, though I wouldn't be foolish enough to take out a grossly high mortgage! God help them when interest rates go up (another 1%+), water has gone up (>20%), electricity has gone up (30%), the carbon tax is in, petrol is over $3, LPG is taxed (from 2012), rate have gone up (6% from July)...

 

maybe they'll be just another statistic...

see mortgage defaults surge to record

[Guest guest4504]

I suppose renting could be the best option now for many with the rent assist in place, assuming the rent is lower than mortgage anyway. I thought having a 180-200K mortgage was pretty high what with rates now. Seems many have far higher than this, unsure how high rates could go though what with a slowdown looking. I wonder what effect this could have on rates ?

[Guest Guest75]

Looks like somebody has been doing their sums wrong if they cannot live reasonably on $90K.

 

I like Dave the Truckies comment

Straight and to the point.

[Guest Trakki]

I can't believe that on her income she is having to live on beans. We earn considerably less than that, have 5 children, 3 of which are at school and only occasionally have to live on beans. If her electricity bill is high and she can't pay why doesn't she simply phone the elec company and set up an installment plan, I do. My son plays club soccer, daughter club basketball and dances and my 2 little ones swim every week. We have 2 (all be it old) cars, not a cheap rental due to our large family, 2 mobiles, foxtel. We manage so why can't she. Wish we earnt $90 grand a year. Yes prices of things are going up but you just have to adapt your budget and get on with it.

[Rachiegarlo]

Baked beans are quite expensive you know.

[suzer]

Baked beans are quite expensive you know.

 

 

This is just an example of someone not living within their means - unfortunately, this seems to be the case quite a bit. I've said it before - hubs and I survive on $50 per week per person grocery bill, max, and I cook meals and bake desserts and he brings lunch to work...but I know plenty of people who spend 2 to 3 times that much. Some budgeting is in order...

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

This is what gives Adelaide a bad name...people living well above their means then blaming SA and saying its crap and very expensive....

 

HG

[Lol63]

$90k and livin on beans....wot a crock of ****e, we live on just over half of that and are not struggling. 2 kids in school, mortgage etc etc, we have weekends away most times the kids are on holiday and have regular days out. We did have beans last week but that was choice not necessity and they go quite well with corned beef hash.

[trevorpayne]

Glad most people disagree with the quote of 90K and living on beans, as I was starting to worry a tad.

I think we may be eating a lot of Argintinain steak corned beef to you and me.

[Testit]

My heart bleeds, its expensive keepin up with the Jones's eh

[jim and adel]

I've no idea of her circumstances - didn't bother reading the article so going off comments on this thread - but perhaps she's just above the threshold for getting any benefits etc. We don't qualify for benefits but know a few who do and what they get seems rather generous (albeit their salaries are lower). Just a thought!

 

Jim

[Guest BurgessFamily]

I've no idea of her circumstances - didn't bother reading the article so going off comments on this thread - but perhaps she's just above the threshold for getting any benefits etc. We don't qualify for benefits but know a few who do and what they get seems rather generous (albeit their salaries are lower). Just a thought!

 

Jim

 

you're probably right about the benefits, and i can only assume they've bought in the last coupe of years and taken a 'big' mortgage. we live in a nice 4 bed house (albeit damn cold at times ), but only pay $370/wk rent - wouldn't like to be paying more than that on a mortgage though.

[minty]

Its all down to budgeting and where you come from in the uk to where you want to settle in Adelaide.

 

If you do your reasearch you shoude be able to find out if its viable to move.

 

Some poeple just live outside of there means and then blame everything and everyone when it all goes wrong.

[The Monaghans]

It saddens me to say this but I think a lot of these replies are both quite harsh and more than a little thoughtless. I can tell you that an awful lot of people in Australia are struggling now, not just in SA but all over the country. I work for one of the big banks, my job is issuing mortgage defaults on those borrowers who have fallen behind on their home loans and I can tell you that my job is getting busier and busier every month. Interest rates have risen steeply over the last 12-18 months and bills are increasing all the time. Both Richie and I work but yes, we find it hard sometimes. For those of you who are struggling, you have my sympathy. For those of you who are managing nicely, good for you. But please don't be smug about your good fortune and spare a thought for those who struggle to keep a roof over their heads, feed their children and pay their ever increasing bills.

[Guest guest3462]

It saddens me to say this but I think a lot of these replies are both quite harsh and more than a little thoughtless. I can tell you that an awful lot of people in Australia are struggling now, not just in SA but all over the country. I work for one of the big banks, my job is issuing mortgage defaults on those borrowers who have fallen behind on their home loans and I can tell you that my job is getting busier and busier every month. Interest rates have risen steeply over the last 12-18 months and bills are increasing all the time. Both Richie and I work but yes, we find it hard sometimes. For those of you who are struggling, you have my sympathy. For those of you who are managing nicely, good for you. But please don't be smug about your good fortune and spare a thought for those who struggle to keep a roof over their heads, feed their children and pay their ever increasing bills.

 

 

I agree Liz, we are a "high income" family, but up til very recently we were really struggling to keep our heads above water, we dont qualify for any benefits and without sparing any details we were in the s**t financially almost to the point of asking our parents tp pay our mortgage for a few months and for plane tickets back to the UK.

Yes we have 2 nice cars and a lovely home, but it doesnt mean we have money to burn , we work long and hard to get where we are at and hopefully now things are finally beginning to look up.

What I guess im trying to say is, is that even though a salary bracket is high, it doesnt mean you are necessarily financiallly wealthy, we dont know the full extent of their finacial background nor do i want to but just my views.........

As for eating beans - I find them too expensive a big bag of pasta is much better value for money and more filling for hungry kids!!!

[Diane]

As for eating beans - I find them too expensive a big bag of pasta is much better value for money and more filling for hungry kids!!!

 

Hear hear, we only have baked beans as a special treat! Pumpkin soup is my budget standby though when the housekeeping is running out...

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

We have left over dinners in the freezer just in case..but thankfully we have not had to succumb to that yet..used to take them to work for lunch...but no work now so maybe we could be eating them soon....

 

HG

[jim and adel]

It saddens me to say this but I think a lot of these replies are both quite harsh and more than a little thoughtless. I can tell you that an awful lot of people in Australia are struggling now, not just in SA but all over the country. I work for one of the big banks, my job is issuing mortgage defaults on those borrowers who have fallen behind on their home loans and I can tell you that my job is getting busier and busier every month. Interest rates have risen steeply over the last 12-18 months and bills are increasing all the time. Both Richie and I work but yes, we find it hard sometimes. For those of you who are struggling, you have my sympathy. For those of you who are managing nicely, good for you. But please don't be smug about your good fortune and spare a thought for those who struggle to keep a roof over their heads, feed their children and pay their ever increasing bills.

 

Yeah, we're struggling a bit, more so in recent weeks because Adel's work has been cut to two part-time days per week. We're above the benefits threshold but certainly don't have more money coming in that we need to keep going on a week by week basis. I keep wondering when we'll get a week without a bill arriving ...

 

Jim

[Guest SA Great]

I agree Liz, we are a "high income" family, but up til very recently we were really struggling to keep our heads above water, we dont qualify for any benefits and without sparing any details we were in the s**t financially almost to the point of asking our parents tp pay our mortgage for a few months and for plane tickets back to the UK.

Yes we have 2 nice cars and a lovely home, but it doesnt mean we have money to burn , we work long and hard to get where we are at and hopefully now things are finally beginning to look up.

What I guess im trying to say is, is that even though a salary bracket is high, it doesnt mean you are necessarily financiallly wealthy, we dont know the full extent of their finacial background nor do i want to but just my views.........

As for eating beans - I find them too expensive a big bag of pasta is much better value for money and more filling for hungry kids!!!

 

I know I will get shot down for this but not everyone has the luxury of being able to fall back on their parents to help them out. I certainly dont. If I get in the **** then I end up in the gutter!!

[Guest BurgessFamily]

If this is how it is when things are going good, full employment, booming economy, low interest rates.... I wonder what it looks like after the minerals tax, carbon tax, no more BER, LPG tax, electricity has doubled, gas has doubled, water rates have doubled, 4 more rate hikes, a few more levies, land rates have jumped... and the government coffers are empty?

[Guest Nick11]

South Australia has the highest utility bills in the whole of australia and the lowest wages.

To anybody thinking of coming over here..bear this in mind.

Personally we find finances over here much more of a struggle than we did in the uk. Off the top of my head..the only things that I find cheaper are our council rates and petrol. Car taxes are an absolute rip off .$750 a year and on the up!!!! Crazy!!!!

And don't even get me started on grocery shopping!!!!

Couple this with the very poor exchange rate..I don't think I would be in a hurry to get over here!!!