@miss_clueless How much did you pay a decade ago?
I don't feel Poor, but I am?
- Thread starter melekmikayel
- Start date
@melekmikayel Happiness is a state of mind; and so is the feeling of poverty. And sensible living.
I used to be a live-in housekeeper and nanny. The first family I looked after was beyond the scale we talk about here.
Father was a bank director. He got paid (circa 2017) a million dollars a year. That’s just the cash. I know because I overheard a convo.
Mother was an entrepreneur. No idea what she brought in, if any. I had a feeling he was bankrolling the business, but I could be wrong.
We, I say we because I lived with them, were living in a three-storey penthouse in the city with views of the Sydney opera house. It was leased. Back then rent was $20,000 a month.
They had five kids, all were going to private schools.
Boss told me one day, “We live paycheque to paycheque.”
Hahaha
I used to be a live-in housekeeper and nanny. The first family I looked after was beyond the scale we talk about here.
Father was a bank director. He got paid (circa 2017) a million dollars a year. That’s just the cash. I know because I overheard a convo.
Mother was an entrepreneur. No idea what she brought in, if any. I had a feeling he was bankrolling the business, but I could be wrong.
We, I say we because I lived with them, were living in a three-storey penthouse in the city with views of the Sydney opera house. It was leased. Back then rent was $20,000 a month.
They had five kids, all were going to private schools.
Boss told me one day, “We live paycheque to paycheque.”
Hahaha
@derekc11 I cam understand how they would spend their whole paycheck.
After taxes, a quarter of a million in rent, 5x private school fees, your salary, and bills and groceries for at least 8 people - not to mention health insurance, doctors apts, after-school activities x5, clothing and what ever else kids need.. that is a lot of money going straight back out.
After taxes, a quarter of a million in rent, 5x private school fees, your salary, and bills and groceries for at least 8 people - not to mention health insurance, doctors apts, after-school activities x5, clothing and what ever else kids need.. that is a lot of money going straight back out.
@badams429 I was the least of their expenses. 
chaseajackson
New member
@badams429 A long period of time because I had re-invented my life many times.
In between, after leaving banking, I worked in childcare and became a kitchen hand at a five-star hotel. Those roles prepared me to become an executive housekeeper and nanny.
But what propelled me to pack up my own house was when my youngest left to live independently. What was I going to do with a house by myself?
I was almost 60 when this change happened.
Now, I only work casually in customer service out of choice.
In between, after leaving banking, I worked in childcare and became a kitchen hand at a five-star hotel. Those roles prepared me to become an executive housekeeper and nanny.
But what propelled me to pack up my own house was when my youngest left to live independently. What was I going to do with a house by myself?
I was almost 60 when this change happened.
Now, I only work casually in customer service out of choice.
@melekmikayel This post once again stands to show how having a home is literally all you need to survive in modern Australia. I cannot even imagine having pets, let alone kids at that wage point, and here's this man with 3 kids and a house.
FYI I'm in Allied Health, and I'm on approximately 100k before tax in my 4th year out. Work 9-5. Work stops the moment I leave the door. Plenty of time to do other things outside of work. 4 years of Uni then straight into clinical work. Rough to get in but easy on the way out. We are still short across the board.
Also, you never really mentioned what your real spending is in concrete terms. From what I can see so far, the only real way you can set the kids up is cut any frivolous expenses, your charities, and anything else and dump it into either a High Interest Savings or an ETF. You should also look at options for your retirement, as you already said you don't have much super.
FYI I'm in Allied Health, and I'm on approximately 100k before tax in my 4th year out. Work 9-5. Work stops the moment I leave the door. Plenty of time to do other things outside of work. 4 years of Uni then straight into clinical work. Rough to get in but easy on the way out. We are still short across the board.
Also, you never really mentioned what your real spending is in concrete terms. From what I can see so far, the only real way you can set the kids up is cut any frivolous expenses, your charities, and anything else and dump it into either a High Interest Savings or an ETF. You should also look at options for your retirement, as you already said you don't have much super.
chaseajackson
New member
@metronome I’ll add one thing from an Islamic pov and life pov. You never get poor from charity 
melekmikayel
New member
@chaseajackson Ramadan Kareem.
@melekmikayel If you dont feel poor, then you're not. In fact, most people in australia are not "poor" by absolute standards. They only feel poor when they're comparing themselves to someone richer they see on social media, or friends/aquaintances etc.
If you're poor, you'd know it. Think about how poor you'd be if you're in haiti for example.
Now by no means you'd call yourself rich. And there's always plenty of room to higher income - and in any sort of fierce financial competition, you're going to probably not win much (such as auction for highly desirable property). But do you also consider yourself a slow runner, when all you see is people running in the olympics?
If you're poor, you'd know it. Think about how poor you'd be if you're in haiti for example.
Now by no means you'd call yourself rich. And there's always plenty of room to higher income - and in any sort of fierce financial competition, you're going to probably not win much (such as auction for highly desirable property). But do you also consider yourself a slow runner, when all you see is people running in the olympics?
melekmikayel
New member
@relicuk I definetly know what poor feels like, so does my wife, but in different ways - me serviving off mei goreng and white bread and plain rice and the occasional takeaway through most of my late teens and early 20's.
And I am very grateful to not be there any more, before this cost of living increase I actually felt 'rich' in some ways, you know like actually being able to spend 300-400 groceries and not wondering if that meant I'd not be able to pay my next bill.
And I am very grateful to not be there any more, before this cost of living increase I actually felt 'rich' in some ways, you know like actually being able to spend 300-400 groceries and not wondering if that meant I'd not be able to pay my next bill.
guitarofgod
New member
@melekmikayel Hey Im in my 40s and still eat mei goreng and white bread.....because its delicious.
melekmikayel
New member
@guitarofgod Well okay maybe I still buy the occasional 5 pack , that flavour, the memories.