Doing what you love vs what makes alot of money?

[shikashika]

Yes most people in Australia live very well. We are an extremely fortunate country. Most of us probably don't realise it as shown by the people who won't think that $35,000 per annum is enough to live well.

 

People who do not work full time will live off $18,000 pa comfortably. I worked weekends, shared with friends and played world of warcraft all week. Living fine off not more than 350 per week.

 

 

so how much do you pay for rent? bills,? education?... if you are only making $1400 per month, unless you have really cheap rent somewhere...

 

Yes, many Australians live well, but not those who make under 35 000.

[Batya33]

I was under the impression that is what you were doing when you first mentioned those large salaries, knowing I would oppose them.

 

Detracting from the point I was making that he might not be so financially worse off moving from IT or finance to policing as those industries tend to be volatile especially if he enjoys policing.

 

No you misunderstand - nothing to oppose it's just fact and I was pointing out that your blanket statement about "no one" was wrong. You can "oppose" large salaries if you like or the goal of most people to do more than be the working poor but that doesn't motivate me to post what I do - don't you worry ;-)

[CaptainPlanet]

Australians living away from home under the age of 21 will earn much less than $35,000. As will people who do not work fulltime. Not uncommon in hospitality or retail.

 

When sharing with people rent will come to around $120 per week and that is a high estimate for a lot places unless you want to live in a trendy area. Most cities are centralised so there really is not a need it really depends on how you want to live and what you call decent. Depends how you were raised I suppose.

 

I maintain that in Australia a single person will live well on $35,000. The suggestion that you cannot I find ludicrous to tell you the truth.

[shikashika]

Australians living away from home under the age of 21 will earn much less than $35,000. As will people who do not work fulltime. Not uncommon in hospitality or retail.

 

When sharing with people rent will come to around $120 per week and that is a high estimate for a lot places unless you want to live in a trendy area. Most cities are centralised so there really is not a need it really depends on how you want to live and what you call decent. Depends how you were raised I suppose.

 

I maintain that in Australia a single person will live well on $35,000. The

 

well, when I lived there i lived pretty basically in a house where the floorboards were falling apart.. I had three other housemates and didn't have a car... had to buy food once in a while. i think I bought a pair of shoes in the year i was there too

 

i lived in Sydney, and it was pretty hard to find a place for under $120 per week... not living in the nicest of areas, nor the most super nice house.

 

so, you say you make 1400 per month.

 

and you say your rent is 120 per week.

 

so you pay 480$ per month for rent?

 

or do you live at home?

[Batya33]

I have $17,000 dollars put away in a savings account. My employer puts 9% of my salary into something we have similar to 401k (only better) and we call it superannuation. We have free healthcare so if I get sick it is not an issue.

 

I will hopefully move onto better things eventually so i do not intend to be on $35,000 forever.

 

Well that's sure confusing. Why in the world would you need to "move onto better things" if you are so adamant that you can live well on $35,000?

[CaptainPlanet]

I recently moved back in with my parents.

 

Lots of people will make between $35,000-$40,000. If you're a professional you will almost certainly make more. That irked me a little bit almost sounds like you don't include skilless people as people.

 

My Dad gets paid about $17 an hour to drive a truck that is around $35,000 per annum.

 

Depends where you live if you get a place in the outer burbs it is really not expensive. If you want to live in inner sydney that is your own choice. Those areas are not designed for people on a budget.

[CaptainPlanet]

Well that's sure confusing. Why in the world would you need to "move onto better things" if you are so adamant that you can live well on $35,000?

 

Because not everything is about money and things will change, the supply siders will have their way with out great country eventually.

[Batya33]

Oh, so your statement that you can live well on 35k only applies to right now and to people - unlike you - willing to risk the inevitable change you referred to (not that your references were at all clear -- or that I agree with the general point - just that you were referring to some change that would render your 35k salary insufficient to live well as you described). Good luck with that!

 

I don't think it is particularly good advice to tell someone that they can live well on 35k when for yourself you've decided that you can live well only for the very near future and must find a way to make more money. Very interesting!

 

I lived quite well on under 25k when I lived at home with my parents, too. Whole different ball game when you have to pay rent, utilities and you can't grab dinner that mom or dad makes or the leftovers.

[shikashika]

I recently moved back in with my parents.

 

Lots of people will make between $35,000-$40,000. If you're a professional you will almost certainly make more. That irked me a little bit almost sounds like you don't include skilless people as people.

 

My Dad gets paid about $17 an hour to drive a truck that is around $35,000 per annum.

 

Depends where you live if you get a place in the outer burbs it is really not expensive. If you want to live in inner sydney that is your own choice. Those areas are not designed for people on a budget.

 

nothing wrong with living with your parents...but unless you are completely supporting yourself, I don't think its fair to talk about supporting yourself on that type of wage. In other posts you talk about how your parents, although they work hard never had the resources to have connections with friends, which according to you, got them ahead in life.

 

 

You say you want to move on and do better for yourself... so why say 35 000 is 'good enough'. When I was 16 and at school and living with my parents and working at Wendy's for $5.00 per hour it was fine at the time, but i wanted to do better.

[CaptainPlanet]

I have lived on my own for years I moved out of home when I was 19.

 

Yes my first job paid $4.20 an hour too, whats your point ?

 

Actually I lie, my first ever job paid $45 an hour.

[shikashika]

I have lived on my own for years I moved out of home when I was 19.

 

Yes my first job paid $4.20 an hour too, whats your point ?

 

Actually I lie, my first ever job paid $45 an hour.

 

so you lived away for a few years... i thought you were only 24?

 

so what.

 

Do you beleieve if you asked everyone in Australia that if they were happy with 35000 per year, they would say yes?

 

I see so many posts from you worried about your career and direction, that it seems a bit of a contradictions to say you are happy with your current salary.

 

it seems that you have the capacity to learn and want to improve your life, education and careers.

 

i didn't meet every single person when I lived in Australia, but i know a lot of people there, and i worked there... and still keep up on news there, and i doubt i could find anyone who is happy on 35000 and has no desire to get any higher.

 

Especially when call centre pays $25 per hour.

[Batya33]

He said that he hopes to make more in the near future because inevitably 35k will not be enough to be comfortable on. So in addition to the inconsistencies you pointed out, there is that inconsistency as well as far as the advice he originally gave.

 

I think it's a case of having taken too strong a stand and being unwilling to concede a bit when faced with the inconsistencies/lack of a real basis.

[CaptainPlanet]

The point I was making was not that a person is happy to be earning $35,000 per year, but that they can live comfortably on it.

 

People are naturally competitive and wealth is relative. If everyone else were making $500,000 per year the person making $200,000 per year would not be happy with his or her position, but would still be living well.

 

I am not happy with my position, but I realise I am very fortunate and that it could be a lot worse. I happily say that I live well, as should any other single person earning my wage.

[Batya33]

Yes but what you wrote was that you wanted to make more because of some

"supply side" issue you saw coming which would make your 35k not enough to live on. Or, are you going back on that statement as well?

[CaptainPlanet]

Call centres can pay $25 an hour but the rarely do. The staple is around $17 per hour which is still very good in my book.

[CaptainPlanet]

No wait ok I lie.

 

$35,000 per annum really is a pittance when you think about all the things you have to buy.

 

Australians earning $35,000 per annum with free healthcare really are unfortunate individuals.

 

I don't know how on earth the manage with only $597 dollars per week.

 

The poor souls.

[glegend]

You should ALWAYS ALWAYS do what you love. If it means that have to sacrifice a huge pay cheque to make you happy then do it. If making a lot of money is what you want but it means that you will go to a job that you hate every date, then you could do that to. In the end its what really makes you happy. Now if you could find a job that can do both, make you happy and a lot of money then thats the best job for you. You always want to get a job in the field that is going to make you happy.

[shikashika]

Call centres can pay $25 an hour but the rarely do. The staple is around $17 per hour which is still very good in my book.

hmn... well it was more than that when i did my 3 week stint there 4 years ago.. not that good in my books, when you are living in Sydney.

 

Yes, i could have lived out in the burbs and spent over an hour commuting and spending money on transport.

 

And, even people who live out of the city centre, still pay more than 120per week. i still check rent prices..link removed link removed... oh yeah... and i know from what i paid 4 years ago.. and its only gotten more expensive since then... and i know what my friends pay who live there now. none of them are rich millionaires.

[shikashika]

No wait ok I lie.

 

$35,000 per annum really is a pittance when you think about all the things you have to buy.

 

Australians earning $35,000 per annum with free healthcare really are unfortunate individuals.

 

I don't know how on earth the manage with only $597 dollars per week.

 

The poor souls.

 

 

do you think Australians are the only ones with free healthcare?

[Batya33]

You should ALWAYS ALWAYS do what you love. If it means that have to sacrifice a huge pay cheque to make you happy then do it. If making a lot of money is what you want but it means that you will go to a job that you hate every date, then you could do that to. In the end its what really makes you happy. Now if you could find a job that can do both, make you happy and a lot of money then thats the best job for you. You always want to get a job in the field that is going to make you happy.

 

Really? Even if you have a family or parents you need to care for? A close friend of mine does what he loves and sacrifices higher pay for it. I admire that he does that, I am inspired by how passionate he is about his work, but even he would have drawn the line at taking a larger pay cut than he has even though he "loved" what he does. Not everyone has to "love" what they do for a job - there are other things to do that you love - like volunteer work, or an active hobby or being a writer or artist on the side, etc.

[Siriana]

Now I will ask once again, since I find it hard to believe - in case you have 35000 per year and you have a partner that earns the same amount of money and you live together, share costs....and have a child together - are you telling me it's impossible to live like that?

That you're unable to:

- buy your own cheaper place

- drive your own car

- have a kid

- and save a little.

 

If you can do that, than I'm for working what I like kind of job.

 

Or is it a problem in States if you work on a job you love but can't have a vacation in Europe.

[CaptainPlanet]

Now I will ask once again, since I find it hard to believe - in case you have 35000 per year and you have a partner that earns the same amount of money and you live together, share costs....and have a child together - are you telling me it's impossible to live like that?

That you're unable to:

- buy your own cheaper place

- drive your own car

- have a kid

- and save a little.

 

If you can do that, than I'm for working what I like kind of job.

 

Or is it a problem in States if you work on a job you love but can't have a vacation in Europe.

 

Yes you can Siriana my parents combined income was less than $70,000 by two and we lived just fine.

 

Though it does depend, upper class people will want to do more expensive things and will shop at more expensive places, live in expensive areas and drive new cars. The costs add up, if you want to live like that you really need to be making six figues and preferably have a second income in excess of $55,000 per year if you have two children.

 

Then you can live a very lavish and privilleged life style. These people live in luxury, I go to their houses I see their things, if you want to live like that you need to have a lot of money. They send their kids to $10,000 per year schools pay their University fees upfront. If that is the life style you need then you have to have a lot more than $35,000.

 

Otherwise two incomes of $35,000 you can live a very comfortable simple life in Australia. Especially if you are an older person and bought into the housing market back when things were cheap.

[shikashika]

I think you are right that two people *can* live on it.. My parents did... even less than that at many stages. Many times we only had one income coming in.

 

I don't think anyone on this thread is talking about living a lavish lifestyle.

 

I rent, I walk to work.

 

One point you made though that i bolded is true anywhere. Fact is, most of us on here are not older people who bought houses 30 years ago.

 

From your posts , I get the idea you think that people who think you need more than 35 000 are out there wanting lavish lifestyles!!

[shikashika]

Now I will ask once again, since I find it hard to believe - in case you have 35000 per year and you have a partner that earns the same amount of money and you live together, share costs....and have a child together - are you telling me it's impossible to live like that?

That you're unable to:

- buy your own cheaper place

- drive your own car

- have a kid

- and save a little.

 

If you can do that, than I'm for working what I like kind of job.

 

Or is it a problem in States if you work on a job you love but can't have a vacation in Europe.

 

 

I don't know about the States.. obviously Cp thinks in Oz it is different.

 

Where I live, where housing costs are high, compared to the much of the country... it depends.

 

Canadians don't have some expenses that Americans have, like health care, and our university education isn't as high (although most people still have student laons)... but we pay higher taxes. it depends if you are lviing in rural Manitoba or down on kits beach in Vancouver.

[CaptainPlanet]

Shikashika you are not that much older than me it is likely we are aged to have been in highschool at the same time.

 

There are many people on this board who are old enough to have experienced cheap housing. My parents bought our house when I was five for $70,000 house and land, that was only 19 years ago. Anyone forty or over would have had some sort of a decent look in at buying cheap property only in the last ten years has our house gone up a lot in value. I remember an offer to sell for $105,000 when I was in highschool, now you would be looking at $220,00 plus for my parents house and it is a small house.