G'Day

Thanks for a very good, clear post on a very important subject. As the female part of an once-upon-a-time one-income family, who has been on a fairly tight budget at times, I can understand your comments about what to "give Sam". There are some things that just MUST get paid and then, what's over has to be carefully doled out amongst the various partners in the relationship. If everyone just took what they wanted all would be chaos.

I am currently working and so is my partner, but even now there's no my money and his money, just ours. If I need something I do not simply "take" is, nor does he, we discuss it, debate it and debate it some more if needs be, before funds for the item is allocated to our various accounts. It's a bit like the senate in our household, everyone has the right to veto and unless all parties are in agreement, it ain't happening.

worzel

That will work. NOT!!! 3 months and all our savings would be "invested" on clothes that she will never wear.

leezo

Would that be the clothes that have been hidden in the back of the wardrobe to be taken out & worn & you are told that she has had them for ages? I have clothes like that!

Mrs Leezo

worzel

We have tried that in the past and it didn't work. As an accountant I am totally in control, I know how much I have left over after bills and amounts I have to put aside for Xmas etc and then only spend the rest or part of it. Sam, on the other hand, spends it if she has it. No problem if there are no bills or events but when the car insurance is due or presents need buying she doesn't have anything to use. So it was HER request to do it this way. (Thanks for the support Rooksie, BTW, but I don't mind offering my views and being shot down for them - after 12 months on here I am quite used to it Seriously though, having got so much out of this site I am quite happy to give something back and tell it like it is for us in the hope it helps others come prepared.)

I was hoping that we were spending much more here because we are still stocking up etc but I think you may be right. In the UK we typically spent 80GBP but we are easily spending $200 on the big shop then another $30 midweek. It has got so bad that we went over to Wanneroo Markets on Saturday to buy veggies but that is a real hassle and you still need to go to the shopping centre afterwards. I think next week we will try and get meat and veg from the small specialist shops in the shopping centre and then try Woolworths (rather than Coles) for the rest.

As an example, Sam picked up 3 chicken breasts in Coles. They were $15 dollars I think. When I said that was expensive she put them back and got them from the butchers for $8. And given that Sam gets to keep anything she saves the way we have set things up (above) then she is VERY keen to do this!!!

worzel

It is interesting that all of my accountant friends look after the home finances but for everybody else it is always the woman who does it.

worzel

Agreed. We can manage just fine on what I am likely to earn but just need to cut our cloth to suit. The lifestyle more than makes up for it.

worzel

I KNEW she did that!!! She denies it of course but I can tell she is lying (because her lips move ) We are unpacking our possessions at the moment and the boxes of clothes from the spare room (ie ones we never wear) include stuff with the label still on. The hardest thing to understand is when she says they don't fit now but I will slim into them. Yeah, right!

leezo

Oh my god, have you been into my house? I have that same box!

binbird

Hi Worzel

I read your first entry on this thread and thought "sounds familiar". I too would spend whatever was available (and the rest) and am therefore very grateful to have an accountant husband who keeps our finances in check! Particularly important at the moment as we have no income - neither of us are in too much of a rush to find employment! But, it will have to happen soon enough or the three little ones might complain of too many beans on toast!

Binbird

ABCDiamond

Doing it like that we keep our weekly shopping down to about $125 for a family of 3. And live on one salary of about the average wage


An old thread worth reading:

The Price of Food in Australia - http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278297


My wife works, and I do the finances, it gives me something to do in all my spare time And yes, I was an accountant

woodyinoz

Since moving to Australia the spending money has been very easy to share

THERE IS NONE :scared:

All wages go into one account and the bills go out. Then at the end of the month after food, fuel etc has gone out we can go wild on the $5 that may be left

Soon looking forward to having a real wage where ever that may be

DianneH68

I think it depends what you generally spend your money on in the UK.
Most of my money back home goes on eating out, going to the pub and clothes - and all those things are far cheaper here so generally I don't spend anywhere near as much as I do in the UK.
I actually find that I eat out more here because it's cheaper than doing a weekly shop at Coles.
As I'm here on my own, if I buy too much fresh stuff a lot of it goes off before I have time to eat it, so I'm wasting food and then having to go shopping again to replace it
At the food courts here you can get a great meal for around $5 or $6, so I usually do that for lunch and then just have a sandwich or something in the evenings.
I guess I spend around $40 to $50 a week on food doing it that way, whereas the last time I did a Coles shop I spend about $80
And going to the pub is SOOOOOO much cheaper

webgum

Interesting thread, Worzel. I admit it got my hackles (sp?) up at first. We are a one income family here (my husband works) coming from 1 and 1/2 incomes in UK. If Ed offered me money to do housekeeping stuff etc I would probably punch his lights out!!..... but that's because I do the money, pay bills, and tell him how much he can spend in a week - I don't physically hand it over though, I think he'd find that a tad patronising!

We are still adjusting to living on less money, it has been longer than I can remember since the time our account was down to single digits at the end of each month (probably student days) but here it is a monthly occurrence. I'm not sure that Ed feels our quality of life is any better yet, as he is working dog hard and hasn't got enough money to 'play' with!

Our shopping bills were horrendous at first, but have got cheaper month on month as I learn where the best places to shop are etc.

I think 'start up' costs have been more than we predicted. Each month brings another one off payment we did not expect.

Anyway, apologies for my negative thoughts when I first read your post, and if you could post a budget planner for those of us lesser mortals (non-accountants) whose monthly budgeting leaves something to be desired it would be hugely appreciate !!

BadgeIsBack

I have also done a recent budget and yet again find that the cost of living is broadly similar to the UK, but it depends on who you are and what your circumstances are. It is not dirt cheap here, nor is it like Switzerland(!) Many British migrants subsidise their housing costs which mitigates the things in Australia that do cost more. Namely:

-groceries (but that might be partly because of a one shop stop shopping method).
-white goods
-luxury goods

Basically the sort of things that you buy once in a blue moon.
Fuel (yes even in real terms) and rates are cheaper.

Many other things are a lifestyle choice. If you like it, and have to have it, and buy it, then of course it'll hurt the wallet.

Up to a point, it is meaningless to compare because the UK is also very expensive to buy housing in. Expats tend to have higher incomes back home so feel the pinch more over here as they have not established earning capacity - intially.

After housing, fuel is the biggest monthly spend - AUS400. 2 cars, 1 used daily in the commute. Then food - AUS400. This is not just 'food' - its also 'household'. ABC - will have to focus more on looking around. AUS125 for a family of 3

Everything else is a similar cost, phone, mobile = AUS100-150, insurances.

My mortgage is 1/4 of my (one) income, and my expenditure on fixed outgoings is approx 60pc. My disposable income is 40pc. We split this in to 3; one pot goes to my wife - or at least she 'controls' it - invariably she puts it to saving for flights, one pot goes to me (invariably I use it to overpay the mortgage as my material needs are low) and the other third is a shared pot which we use for everything else - car needing fixing, or that big hit. We can always rob Peter to pay Paul of course, its not set in stone.

I save my rates, utils, car rego and car insurance pro rataed every month in to the mortgage where it goes to work to reduce my interest. When I get a util bill(every 3months) or a car bill (rego and insurance - twice a year) I just draw it back out without worrying about cash flow.

cheers

BadgeIsBack

[QUOTE=webgum]Interesting thread, Worzel. I admit it got my hackles (sp?) up at first. We are a one income family here (my husband works) coming from 1 and 1/2 incomes in UK. If Ed offered me money to do housekeeping stuff etc I would probably punch his lights out!!.....
[QUOTE]

So you have the same system....?