could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
Feb 28th 2008, 5:36 pm
#16
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
Why go to large cities. or expensive cities at that? Why not try Hobart, Launceston, regional Qld, or regional NSW? Your money will go further in those locations.
Feb 28th 2008, 6:00 pm
#17
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Feb 28th 2008, 6:18 pm
#18
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
To answer Mattmc, I spend on average $250 - $300 per fortnight to feed 2 adults and two kids - I shop mostly at woolworths.[/QUOTE]
Blimey Wendy how do you manage that ?????? If memory serves me right your in Adelaide the same as me.............and can my wife also come along when you shop !!!!
Blimey Wendy how do you manage that ?????? If memory serves me right your in Adelaide the same as me.............and can my wife also come along when you shop !!!!
Feb 28th 2008, 8:56 pm
#19
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
It's easy to keep bills cheap like that - cut out crap. All of it. Biscuits, puddings.....(!) It's amazing how much people spend on packaged or food they really don't need.
When Mrs B goes overseas, I save a couple of hundred of dollars a month on food and not just because I'm feeding less people - I don't buy some extras she might buy or the variety. eg. my salad might have 1 type of lettuce- hers would have 2 or 3.
Feb 28th 2008, 9:19 pm
#20
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
When Mrs B goes overseas, I save a couple of hundred of dollars a month on food and not just because I'm feeding less people - I don't buy some extras she might buy or the variety. eg. my salad might have 1 type of lettuce- hers would have 2 or 3.[/QUOTE]
We find it is the other way round. It is expensive to eat lots of fruit and veg. It was the same in England but we don't buy as much now.
Believe me my kids go through so much fruit we have to ration them some days. We also buy the lean meat that is also more expensive than the fatty stuff. I will not compromise on those items. The stock items we buy the home brand. Still cannot get it under $250/week.
I think Wendy has got a special formula she must share...
Feb 28th 2008, 9:22 pm
#21
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
The first 4 months we were here we managed on less than that and we are a family of 6 ...
It took more money to 'set up' than we thought ....and vehicles (second hand) were just gobsmacking.... but you cut your coat according to your cloth... alot of 'living costs' are cheaper... car insurance.. electricity/gas bills... water .. no TV licence... we rent so we don;t have poll tax... or whatever it is they have here.... because we don't pay it I haven't bothered to find out what its called..
I doubt we spend $250 per week on food shopping.... most of the time its too hot to eat We don't have to spend much on going out either... we couls walk to the beach/shops/bus station.... I can train into work in South Perth
However I do spend more on Pizza than we ever did in uk... we NEVER had Pizza in England because it was too expensive.... here they have on average once a fortnight... They can be as little as $5.75 each with a discouunt voucher... and those are branded pizzas... and you don't have to switch the oven on... which when you don't have air con is a total Godsend
It took more money to 'set up' than we thought ....and vehicles (second hand) were just gobsmacking.... but you cut your coat according to your cloth... alot of 'living costs' are cheaper... car insurance.. electricity/gas bills... water .. no TV licence... we rent so we don;t have poll tax... or whatever it is they have here.... because we don't pay it I haven't bothered to find out what its called..
I doubt we spend $250 per week on food shopping.... most of the time its too hot to eat
We don't have to spend much on going out either... we couls walk to the beach/shops/bus station.... I can train into work in South PerthHowever I do spend more on Pizza than we ever did in uk... we NEVER had Pizza in England because it was too expensive.... here they have on average once a fortnight... They can be as little as $5.75 each with a discouunt voucher... and those are branded pizzas... and you don't have to switch the oven on... which when you don't have air con is a total Godsend
Feb 28th 2008, 9:29 pm
#22
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
When Mrs B goes overseas, I save a couple of hundred of dollars a month on food and not just because I'm feeding less people - I don't buy some extras she might buy or the variety. eg. my salad might have 1 type of lettuce- hers would have 2 or 3.[/QUOTE]
Take a list to the shops.
PS Wendy see if you can notice something?
Feb 29th 2008, 8:30 am
#23
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
We find it is the other way round. It is expensive to eat lots of fruit and veg. It was the same in England but we don't buy as much now.
Believe me my kids go through so much fruit we have to ration them some days. We also buy the lean meat that is also more expensive than the fatty stuff. I will not compromise on those items. The stock items we buy the home brand. Still cannot get it under $250/week.
I think Wendy has got a special formula she must share...
Believe me my kids go through so much fruit we have to ration them some days. We also buy the lean meat that is also more expensive than the fatty stuff. I will not compromise on those items. The stock items we buy the home brand. Still cannot get it under $250/week.
I think Wendy has got a special formula she must share...
Feb 29th 2008, 8:39 am
#24
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
Originally Posted by mattmc
I think Wendy has got a special formula she must share...
Any leftovers are made into something for the next day or frozen for during the week. If we have a joint of meat on a Sunday, then what's left is used for sandwiches for the kids school lunches - or if we have chicken I make chicken and sweetcorn soup as the kids love that. I also NEVER go shopping if I'm hungry as I always buy things I don't really want because they look nice at the time.
We don't skimp really and my OH eats steak nearly every night
Feb 29th 2008, 8:42 am
#25
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
I could only just survive on my own at 60,000.
Mind you I did eat out every night.
Mind you I did eat out every night.
Feb 29th 2008, 8:54 am
#26
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
We're a family of 6 (4 kids under 10) and we spend about $300 a week on food. We don't drink much so I think that keeps the costs down. I'm a big fan of cleanskin wine. $6 a bottle for some of the best wine I've ever tasted.
Like the UK fresh fruit is expensive and we eat a lot but have to buy seasonally to keep the costs down. This is not such a bad thing as it gives us variety. I don't find the veg too expensive but again I usually buy seasonally.
I'm not looking forward to the time when they're all teenagers.
PS: I think you can survive on $60k per year but don't buy a huge house with a huge garden and a pool. If you can avoid high maintenance then you should be good.
Like the UK fresh fruit is expensive and we eat a lot but have to buy seasonally to keep the costs down. This is not such a bad thing as it gives us variety. I don't find the veg too expensive but again I usually buy seasonally.
I'm not looking forward to the time when they're all teenagers.
PS: I think you can survive on $60k per year but don't buy a huge house with a huge garden and a pool. If you can avoid high maintenance then you should be good.
Last edited by MartinLuther; Feb 29th 2008 at 8:57 am.
Feb 29th 2008, 9:08 am
#27
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
We're a family of 6 (4 kids under 10) and we spend about $300 a week on food. We don't drink much so I think that keeps the costs down. I'm a big fan of cleanskin wine. $6 a bottle for some of the best wine I've ever tasted.
Like the UK fresh fruit is expensive and we eat a lot but have to buy seasonally to keep the costs down. This is not such a bad thing as it gives us variety. I don't find the veg too expensive but again I usually buy seasonally.
I'm not looking forward to the time when they're all teenagers.
PS: I think you can survive on $60k per year but don't buy a huge house with a huge garden and a pool. If you can avoid high maintenance then you should be good.
Like the UK fresh fruit is expensive and we eat a lot but have to buy seasonally to keep the costs down. This is not such a bad thing as it gives us variety. I don't find the veg too expensive but again I usually buy seasonally.
I'm not looking forward to the time when they're all teenagers.
PS: I think you can survive on $60k per year but don't buy a huge house with a huge garden and a pool. If you can avoid high maintenance then you should be good.
Agree with the pool comments. We have one.... pain in the backside.
Feb 29th 2008, 9:33 am
#28
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
Although I might get neutered sometime this year 
And to add to it the public pools are cheap. Our local costs $12.50 for the whole family (without any sort of membership).
Feb 29th 2008, 1:35 pm
#29
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
Here's a snippet from the article I wrote for my blog:
We currently pay $270 (₤120) per week for a large four-bedroomed split-level house with garden and a separate mini-bungalow for guests/gym/rumpus etc, with the council tax included. In comparison, we paid ₤300 ($680) per week in Southall for a mid-terrace two-bedroomed house with a box room, no garden and extortionate council charges. Having said that, it is probably wrong to compare the two as the respective cost of living is different. This was one aspect that we researched but the more we researched the more opinion seemed split. Personally, I would say that it is slightly higher here in Australia than the UK but I can afford more meat which is also of a higher quality. Swings and roundabouts will adequately describe the cost of living with some items cheaper and others more expensive and at the end of the day, if you survived in the UK, you will manage here too.
Don't let me put you off. I'm actually attempting to encourage you. We manage but it's not easy. Not yet but with sacrifice and hard work, things will get better.
Good luck but don't let a few dollars influence your choice.
Feb 29th 2008, 1:48 pm
#30
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Re: could we survive on 60,000 dollars a year
Ditto. We could easily get the bill down if we wanted to eat pasta with tomato sauce every night or use a lot of non-perishables (not saying that's what Wendy does) but we like to eat fresh meat (non-fatty) and lots of veg/salads. Pricey (but then it probably is anywhere you go).
