Spending

[9.3x64]

I live in an average area in Brisbane. I drive a bus everyday and talk all the time to people from all walks of life. I have a lot of friends. My friends range from boiler makers to nurses, teachers, you name it a big cross section of working class people.
Something that has been on my mind for many years now, which I just don’t understand.
Not f***ing one of them is struggling financially big time. They all have multiple late model cars, go out for dinner regularly, holidays very frequently. The kids have all the latest gadgets. I don’t get it? I drive to the city last Monday and even with this fuel crisis the traffic is horrendous, and most cars only have one passenger. Yet all public transport is capped at 50 cents in Queensland.
Now last night the wife and I go out to dinner for a treat. We drove past four different major venues in our area, pubs, RSL, restaurants, all of them absolutely heaving. Two of them didn’t have any more capacity to squeeze us in. I just don’t get it. This is not a wealthy area, it’s a very ordinary average area.
So yesterday morning I go to ARB in my area, guess what? I cannot park, I cannot park anywhere near it. I park down the street and walk to the ARB shop, guess what? It’s flat out with blokes everywhere buying expensive crap half of them will probably never use. I don’t get it?
Every commercial business in my area was busy, you name it, they were busy.
Now let me be clear, I am sure many people are genuinely struggling, there always are.
But FMD people are still spending a s**t load of money everywhere I look. Yes I know everyone will have stories about how tough people are doing it in their area, but why is there still so much money being spent on luxury items. It’s $15 a pint for a beer in many places now, and they don’t have any trouble selling them. I spent a couple of nights in Crows Nest visiting family a few weeks ago. We went to the pub on Saturday night and it was packed. There is now even a flash new French restaurant in the town. Way way too expensive for me, many meals near $50 each. Guess what, the place was full. I chatted to a waiter outside for a while and he said that they are doing really well and are mostly very busy. We had breakfast at a cafe on our way home between Crows Nest and Toowoomba on a Sunday morning, and again the place was busy. We waited for ages just for a coffee.. I don’t get it..

If house rentals, house prices , and mortgages are so high, shouldn’t people be saving money to try and get ahead?
I smell a rat, something doesn’t add up to me.

[bigrich]

I live in an average area in Brisbane. I drive a bus everyday and talk all the time to people from all walks of life. I have a lot of friends. My friends range from boiler makers to nurses, teachers, you name it a big cross section of working class people.
Something that has been on my mind for many years now, which I just don’t understand.
Not f***ing one of them is struggling financially big time. They all have multiple late model cars, go out for dinner regularly, holidays very frequently. The kids have all the latest gadgets. I don’t get it? I drive to the city last Monday and even with this fuel crisis the traffic is horrendous, and most cars only have one passenger. Yet all public transport is capped at 50 cents in Queensland.
Now last night the wife and I go out to dinner for a treat. We drove past four different major venues in our area, pubs, RSL, restaurants, all of them absolutely heaving. Two of them didn’t have any more capacity to squeeze us in. I just don’t get it. This is not a wealthy area, it’s a very ordinary average area.
So yesterday morning I go to ARB in my area, guess what? I cannot park, I cannot park anywhere near it. I park down the street and walk to the ARB shop, guess what? It’s flat out with blokes everywhere buying expensive crap half of them will probably never use. I don’t get it?
Every commercial business in my area was busy, you name it, they were busy.
Now let me be clear, I am sure many people are genuinely struggling, there always are.
But FMD people are still spending a s**t load of money everywhere I look. Yes I know everyone will have stories about how tough people are doing it in their area, but why is there still so much money being spent on luxury items. It’s $15 a pint for a beer in many places now, and they don’t have any trouble selling them. I spent a couple of nights in Crows Nest visiting family a few weeks ago. We went to the pub on Saturday night and it was packed. There is now even a flash new French restaurant in the town. Way way too expensive for me, many meals near $50 each. Guess what, the place was full. I chatted to a waiter outside for a while and he said that they are doing really well and are mostly very busy. We had breakfast at a cafe on our way home between Crows Nest and Toowoomba on a Sunday morning, and again the place was busy. We waited for ages just for a coffee.. I don’t get it..

If house rentals, house prices , and mortgages are so high, shouldn’t people be saving money to try and get ahead?
I smell a rat, something doesn’t add up to me.

interesting perspective, i think costs have gone way up , but people are not willing to sacrifice lifestyle regardless of cost . i earn $65,000 a year as a sheetmetal tradie , own my own house . i've got less money to spend than i had 3 years ago after paying bills, diesel , essential stuff like tyres and a service on my toyotas gearbox recently . i'm not spending anywhere near what i used to spend on guns/shooting gear . as a "luxury item" for suburban/city dwellers , a lot of gun shops are suffering. except for maybe cleavers , as more flock to it to save money rather than go to their local gun shop . i dunno who all these people your seeing are , but labourers and tradies i work with are really struggling , young fella at work can't financially survive without overtime . rent and food costs were bad enough , fuel costs are about to push it all past breaking point . crows nest is a lovely town too

[Damo300]

Debt is king.
The new way of life is to live in the negatives.
Sure, if it a turns to crap, you'll lose, but is it going too?
Life's a gamble every day.
Some just pay attention to the upper echelons of society.

Those that have been watching our public servants behaviour behind the scenes, have noticed their ever increasing interest in real estate over the last 20 odd years.

This interest in real estate can almost guarantee a safety net investment plan.
They're never going to sacrifice their investments, so realestate is the big one for the turn of the century. I'm sure everyone has noticed by now.

So you're seeing the fruits of all those that took notice, and maybe got good advice along the ways as well.

They can spend 1k a month on entertainment because their investments went up 10k, each, in that month.
Their tax is minimised due to the investments, and they're receiving healthy donations every week through the form of rent.

These folk are scared of cash.
If they have cash, it goes somewhere where it can be borrowed against, and used again, to purchase realestate.

I know plenty doing it, but you've got to be willing to increase rents and boot families from homes.
I will not do that. I'm happy just the way I am. You've got to sleep at night.

[bigrich]

Debt is king.
The new way of life is to live in the negatives.
Sure, if it a turns to crap, you'll lose, but is it going too?
Life's a gamble every day.
Some just pay attention to the upper echelons of society.

Those that have been watching our public servants behaviour behind the scenes, have noticed their ever increasing interest in real estate over the last 20 odd years.

This interest in real estate can almost guarantee a safety net investment plan.
They're never going to sacrifice their investments, so realestate is the big one for the turn of the century. I'm sure everyone has noticed by now.

So you're seeing the fruits of all those that took notice, and maybe got good advice along the ways as well.

They can spend 1k a month on entertainment because their investments went up 10k, each, in that month.
Their tax is minimised due to the investments, and they're receiving healthy donations every week through the form of rent.

These folk are scared of cash.
If they have cash, it goes somewhere where it can be borrowed against, and used again, to purchase realestate.

I know plenty doing it, but you've got to be willing to increase rents and boot families from homes.
I will not do that. I'm happy just the way I am. You've got to sleep at night.

good insight damo , thanks for posting

[Jorlcrin]

Sadly ironic, that where I'm living, availability is governing our spending, rather than price...

High prices hasnt been anything new for rural Australia at least, but seeing big holes in the availability of items(and fuel) locally, makes it a lot more real..

And we havent even begun to crest the wave of pain, yet..

I remember being in a local supermarket some 6-7 years back, and I was stopped by a terrorist couple, whom were asking if there were any other supermarkets in town?
The lady further supplied that the prices for tomatoes in this supermarket were horrendous, compared to her fruit shop in Sydney.
I blinked at her and said "They've got tomatoes in??".
She seemed confused at my excitement; it had been over a week since there's been any tomatoes available..

[Bugman]

I have been retired for a few years now. Own my own home, have no debts apart from regular running costs, live on a modest income and watch my pennies and spending, yet I too see heaps of people at restaurants and cafes, driving as if there is no fuel problem.
Buggered if I can understand that logic, but I am a person who survived home loan interest rates that hit 18%, raised a number of kids along with my wife but never went down that path of living a lifestyle that I would have liked but couldn't afford.
Times and social attitudes and expectations have certainly changed. I am glad I am what I am and where I am. Like most people of my age etc, I worked bloody hard to get here. Trying to get younger folk, my middle age kids included, to save for a rainy day and by all means spoil yourselves now and again but live within your means.

[straightshooter]

9.3x64
Frugality and forgoing of needless luxuries was the mindset that once allowed people of modest income to acquire the wealth they appear to have today.
That mindset no longer exists.
The widespread mindset today is I see it, I want it and I want it now whatever it costs, therefore the 'boomers' owning all that 'wealth' are the problem.

[9.3x64]

I have been retired for a few years now. Own my own home, have no debts apart from regular running costs, live on a modest income and watch my pennies and spending, yet I too see heaps of people at restaurants and cafes, driving as if there is no fuel problem.
Buggered if I can understand that logic, but I am a person who survived home loan interest rates that hit 18%, raised a number of kids along with my wife but never went down that path of living a lifestyle that I would have liked but couldn't afford.
Times and social attitudes and expectations have certainly changed. I am glad I am what I am and where I am. Like most people of my age etc, I worked bloody hard to get here. Trying to get younger folk, my middle age kids included, to save for a rainy day and by all means spoil yourselves now and again but live within your means.

You have hit the knail right on the head.
I grew up in a housing commission home. I am proud of my upbringing. I learned a lot from those days. I had wonderful parents who taught me the value of money, and how not to spend it wastefully.
I always dreamt of owning my own home. In 1993 I finally bought my first home. The next year my father dies, 10 days later my mother died. As a result I had to raise my 13 year old brother.
Then the big kicker, interest rates soared to 18% and I was struggling big time. I was that close to going under it wasn’t funny.
I got a second job bouncing and told my brother to get a job after school and weekends just to pay the mortgage. I remember dropping him at school at 5am in winter and he waited every day until school started. I had no choice, I had to get to work for 6am at a factory labouring.
He never ever once complained and together we paid that f***ing mortgage.
But I tell you what, my brother doesn’t waste money nowadays, and he now owns his own home at Sandgate by the water. I am so proud of him, he has worked like a dog all his life and deserves it.

[9.3x64]

9.3x64
Frugality and forgoing of needless luxuries was the mindset that once allowed people of modest income to acquire the wealth they appear to have today.
That mindset no longer exists.
The widespread mindset today is I see it, I want it and I want it now whatever it costs, therefore the 'boomers' owning all that 'wealth' are the problem.

Exactly, so so true..

[bladeracer]

I probably don't see a wide swathe of the community like you do, but there has been noticeably less traffic on the roads this past week. I don't go to pubs, or movies or cafes, don't go to restaurants or eat fast food, I don't often do any shopping as Rose does that when she's in town anyway. I haven't used public transport since I was studying in the eighties and had to bus it occasionally because of broken bones. We did catch a coach up to Melbourne maybe ten years ago to see something at the theatre, and I've been on a train twice and a tram once. But the people I do know, the farmers around me, the people I regularly shoot with, conservation volunteers, friends and colleagues, most are not rolling in spending money. I know people that haven't been coming to the shoots because of the fuel prices. I know people that have to lay-buy stuff because they have very limited income. Rose's mum turned 92 three days ago and is still working three days a week at the op shop helping people that have almost no income.

I've been doing okay myself, I've had zero debts for 25 years, I only buy vehicles I can actually afford to buy, I haven't used alcohol or tea or coffee since I was a kid, I only drink water, never smoked or used drugs, don't go to pubs, restaurants or movies, my car gets 22kpl, and my daughter lives 2000km away and doing very well so I'm not spending on her. But the costs are creeping up on us and I can see that very soon I'm going to need to find a paying job to keep enjoying the things I do. With nearly one-fifth of our working population being paid out of $250 billion of our tax money I don't see it improving anytime soon. Every working Aussie is paying over $15,000 a year in tax to employ some public servant or bureaucrat to make our lives more difficult every day.

The amount of shooting I'm doing is becoming very, very expensive. I have to pick up 3kg of blackpowder next week, at $240/kg(!). I need to order more bullets, another $750. I want to restock primers as well, another $1000. Through early April to early June I'm doing shoots at Nowra, Adelaide, Wodonga, Little River, Warragul, and Bathurst, 7000km of driving - about $1000 in fuel at today's prices. In the middle of that, during May, my brother and a mate want to do a ride to Alice Springs, another 8000km over two weeks. With the prices just now I'm thinking we should hold off that trip until September, but we might not all be available then, and fuel might be even dearer. If I can get all my gear on the bike I can save a couple thousand klicks of fuel and two days of driving by tying the trip into my shoots and not having to come home in between to get the bike.

I live in an average area in Brisbane. I drive a bus everyday and talk all the time to people from all walks of life. I have a lot of friends. My friends range from boiler makers to nurses, teachers, you name it a big cross section of working class people.
Something that has been on my mind for many years now, which I just don’t understand.
Not f***ing one of them is struggling financially big time. They all have multiple late model cars, go out for dinner regularly, holidays very frequently. The kids have all the latest gadgets. I don’t get it? I drive to the city last Monday and even with this fuel crisis the traffic is horrendous, and most cars only have one passenger. Yet all public transport is capped at 50 cents in Queensland.
Now last night the wife and I go out to dinner for a treat. We drove past four different major venues in our area, pubs, RSL, restaurants, all of them absolutely heaving. Two of them didn’t have any more capacity to squeeze us in. I just don’t get it. This is not a wealthy area, it’s a very ordinary average area.
So yesterday morning I go to ARB in my area, guess what? I cannot park, I cannot park anywhere near it. I park down the street and walk to the ARB shop, guess what? It’s flat out with blokes everywhere buying expensive crap half of them will probably never use. I don’t get it?
Every commercial business in my area was busy, you name it, they were busy.
Now let me be clear, I am sure many people are genuinely struggling, there always are.
But FMD people are still spending a s**t load of money everywhere I look. Yes I know everyone will have stories about how tough people are doing it in their area, but why is there still so much money being spent on luxury items. It’s $15 a pint for a beer in many places now, and they don’t have any trouble selling them. I spent a couple of nights in Crows Nest visiting family a few weeks ago. We went to the pub on Saturday night and it was packed. There is now even a flash new French restaurant in the town. Way way too expensive for me, many meals near $50 each. Guess what, the place was full. I chatted to a waiter outside for a while and he said that they are doing really well and are mostly very busy. We had breakfast at a cafe on our way home between Crows Nest and Toowoomba on a Sunday morning, and again the place was busy. We waited for ages just for a coffee.. I don’t get it..

If house rentals, house prices , and mortgages are so high, shouldn’t people be saving money to try and get ahead?
I smell a rat, something doesn’t add up to me.

[Wapiti]

Maybe you're just seeing people that are the norm lately, in debt up to their eyeballs with the cars, clothes, toys and huge house, and still trying to live the high life.
I was the same as many, worked every ounce of overtime, always took every advantage to work more if it gave me more; if it didn't I went where it did.

Plenty of people who expect everything handed to them scorn us for working for what they had, well they can go and get f**ked.
Someone said to me early on, we all have the ability to make decisions in what direction we head.

[mchughcb]

Well the grey nomads are sinking with the current fuel prices. I felt sorry for them in the local news they were doing it tough and having to re evaluate their trips. Then the guy slips out that his new RAM is a bit thirsty.

[9.3x64]

Maybe you're just seeing people that are the norm lately, in debt up to their eyeballs with the cars, clothes, toys and huge house, and still trying to live the high life.
I was the same as many, worked every ounce of overtime, always took every advantage to work more if it gave me more; if it didn't I went where it did.

Plenty of people who expect everything handed to them scorn us for working for what they had, well they can go and get f**ked.
Someone said to me early on, we all have the ability to make decisions in what direction we head.

Yeah that’s right. I feel for people who are genuinely struggling and working hard.
But I think many want the high life without doing the hard work.

[9.3x64]

Well the grey nomads are sinking with the current fuel prices. I felt sorry for them in the local news they were doing it tough and having to re evaluate their trips. Then the guy slips out that his new RAM is a bit thirsty.

lol! Yeah might have to make some tough decisions.

[bigrich]

9.3x64
Frugality and forgoing of needless luxuries was the mindset that once allowed people of modest income to acquire the wealth they appear to have today.
That mindset no longer exists.
The widespread mindset today is I see it, I want it and I want it now whatever it costs, therefore the 'boomers' owning all that 'wealth' are the problem.

your right . the younger generation complain about boomers , but won't do without all the flash stuff "right now" , they get themselves into debt , then complain about boomers and not being able to get ahead

young fella i work with is struggling , but wants a flash new ute when he can't afford to maintain the old triton he's already got . i suggest to him because he's a family man now , just go pick up a old retirees car that's been looked after , corrola ,BA falcon, whatever, for a few grand . but no , he won't settle for what he can afford and what's practical. i can see him ending up broke and back living at home cause he doesn't want to do the hard yards

[deye243]

I live in an average area in Brisbane. I drive a bus everyday and talk all the time to people from all walks of life. I have a lot of friends. My friends range from boiler makers to nurses, teachers, you name it a big cross section of working class people.
Something that has been on my mind for many years now, which I just don’t understand.
Not f***ing one of them is struggling financially big time. They all have multiple late model cars, go out for dinner regularly, holidays very frequently. The kids have all the latest gadgets. I don’t get it? I drive to the city last Monday and even with this fuel crisis the traffic is horrendous, and most cars only have one passenger. Yet all public transport is capped at 50 cents in Queensland.
Now last night the wife and I go out to dinner for a treat. We drove past four different major venues in our area, pubs, RSL, restaurants, all of them absolutely heaving. Two of them didn’t have any more capacity to squeeze us in. I just don’t get it. This is not a wealthy area, it’s a very ordinary average area.
So yesterday morning I go to ARB in my area, guess what? I cannot park, I cannot park anywhere near it. I park down the street and walk to the ARB shop, guess what? It’s flat out with blokes everywhere buying expensive crap half of them will probably never use. I don’t get it?
Every commercial business in my area was busy, you name it, they were busy.
Now let me be clear, I am sure many people are genuinely struggling, there always are.
But FMD people are still spending a s**t load of money everywhere I look. Yes I know everyone will have stories about how tough people are doing it in their area, but why is there still so much money being spent on luxury items. It’s $15 a pint for a beer in many places now, and they don’t have any trouble selling them. I spent a couple of nights in Crows Nest visiting family a few weeks ago. We went to the pub on Saturday night and it was packed. There is now even a flash new French restaurant in the town. Way way too expensive for me, many meals near $50 each. Guess what, the place was full. I chatted to a waiter outside for a while and he said that they are doing really well and are mostly very busy. We had breakfast at a cafe on our way home between Crows Nest and Toowoomba on a Sunday morning, and again the place was busy. We waited for ages just for a coffee.. I don’t get it..

If house rentals, house prices , and mortgages are so high, shouldn’t people be saving money to try and get ahead?
I smell a rat, something doesn’t add up to me.

Yes I agree not many people know how to do it hard these days whenever I hear anybody waffling on about the cost of things first question I ask do you mow your own lawns and 95% of the time the answer is no they're not doing it then their not bloody struggling

[bigrich]

I live in an average area in Brisbane. I drive a bus everyday and talk all the time to people from all walks of life. I have a lot of friends. My friends range from boiler makers to nurses, teachers, you name it a big cross section of working class people.
Something that has been on my mind for many years now, which I just don’t understand.
Not f***ing one of them is struggling financially big time. They all have multiple late model cars, go out for dinner regularly, holidays very frequently. The kids have all the latest gadgets. I don’t get it? I drive to the city last Monday and even with this fuel crisis the traffic is horrendous, and most cars only have one passenger. Yet all public transport is capped at 50 cents in Queensland.
Now last night the wife and I go out to dinner for a treat. We drove past four different major venues in our area, pubs, RSL, restaurants, all of them absolutely heaving. Two of them didn’t have any more capacity to squeeze us in. I just don’t get it. This is not a wealthy area, it’s a very ordinary average area.
So yesterday morning I go to ARB in my area, guess what? I cannot park, I cannot park anywhere near it. I park down the street and walk to the ARB shop, guess what? It’s flat out with blokes everywhere buying expensive crap half of them will probably never use. I don’t get it?
Every commercial business in my area was busy, you name it, they were busy.
Now let me be clear, I am sure many people are genuinely struggling, there always are.
But FMD people are still spending a s**t load of money everywhere I look. Yes I know everyone will have stories about how tough people are doing it in their area, but why is there still so much money being spent on luxury items. It’s $15 a pint for a beer in many places now, and they don’t have any trouble selling them. I spent a couple of nights in Crows Nest visiting family a few weeks ago. We went to the pub on Saturday night and it was packed. There is now even a flash new French restaurant in the town. Way way too expensive for me, many meals near $50 each. Guess what, the place was full. I chatted to a waiter outside for a while and he said that they are doing really well and are mostly very busy. We had breakfast at a cafe on our way home between Crows Nest and Toowoomba on a Sunday morning, and again the place was busy. We waited for ages just for a coffee.. I don’t get it..

If house rentals, house prices , and mortgages are so high, shouldn’t people be saving money to try and get ahead?
I smell a rat, something doesn’t add up to me.

Yes I agree not many people know how to do it hard these days whenever I hear anybody waffling on about the cost of things first question I ask do you mow your own lawns and 95% of the time the answer is no they're not doing it then their not bloody struggling

i don't get that, complaining about lack of money and paying to get someone else to mow your lawn no practical common sense in our society these days

[mchughcb]

Simple solution, parents died, left them a big house.

[mchughcb]

Everytime I look at a new car north of $50K and the insurance that goes with it, I just choke. Current bus cost$$13K after new aircon condenser and tires. Just put another 100k on the clock and should be good for another if I don't hit anymore roos. The only major mod was putting in an aftermarket 9" headset so I have reverse camera, android auto. Only have bomb insurance as its not worth anymore if you are a careful driver.

Buying a new car, with I insurance and depreciation is just not worth it for me.

[9.3x64]

Everytime I look at a new car north of $50K and the insurance that goes with it, I just choke. Current bus cost$$13K after new aircon condenser and tires. Just put another 100k on the clock and should be good for another if I don't hit anymore roos. The only major mod was putting in an aftermarket 9" headset so I have reverse camera, android auto. Only have bomb insurance as its not worth anymore if you are a careful driver.

Buying a new car, with I insurance and depreciation is just not worth it for me.

Yep, I have a 15 year old Amarok Ute.
It runs perfectly, cheap to run , and never lets me down, and I don’t care if I scratch it.
I just don’t see any benefit of buying a new Ute.

[bladeracer]

Everytime I look at a new car north of $50K and the insurance that goes with it, I just choke. Current bus cost$$13K after new aircon condenser and tires. Just put another 100k on the clock and should be good for another if I don't hit anymore roos. The only major mod was putting in an aftermarket 9" headset so I have reverse camera, android auto. Only have bomb insurance as its not worth anymore if you are a careful driver.

Buying a new car, with I insurance and depreciation is just not worth it for me.

Same, my car and bike were $1500 each. No finance so no insurance required, if I crash or blow up either one I can walk away and buy something else. Bomb insurance only on our vehicles. Bought the car from the original owner with 53K on it in November '24, put two front tyres on and polished the headlights. I put 23K on it last year and did an oil change last week. Bought the bike last month, put a rear tyre on and have put 1500km on it so far.

Never go into debt for a vehicle, only things worse are caravans and boats, unless you are actually using them regularly.

[9.3x64]

Everytime I look at a new car north of $50K and the insurance that goes with it, I just choke. Current bus cost$$13K after new aircon condenser and tires. Just put another 100k on the clock and should be good for another if I don't hit anymore roos. The only major mod was putting in an aftermarket 9" headset so I have reverse camera, android auto. Only have bomb insurance as its not worth anymore if you are a careful driver.

Buying a new car, with I insurance and depreciation is just not worth it for me.

Same, my car and bike were $1500 each. No finance so no insurance required, if I crash or blow up either one I can walk away and buy something else. Bomb insurance only on our vehicles. Bought the car from the original owner with 53K on it in November '24, put two front tyres on and polished the headlights. I put 23K on it last year and did an oil change last week. Bought the bike last month, put a rear tyre on and have put 1500km on it so far.

Never go into debt for a vehicle, only things worse are caravans and boats, unless you are actually using them regularly.

I remember when I was a teenager I told my father I was thinking about buying a boat.
He sat me down at the kitchen table, poured me a beer and said, son you don’t need a boat.
What you need is a friend with a boat..

[bladeracer]

I remember when I was a teenager I told my father I was thinking about buying a boat.
He sat me down at the kitchen table, poured me a beer and said, son you don’t need a boat.
What you need is a friend with a boat..

Exactly right

Just like an electric car, just rent one when you need it, let somebody else deal with the headache of owning it.

[bigrich]

you fellas know what "BOAT" stands for ?

Bring Out Another Thousand , dollars......

[9.3x64]

you fellas know what "BOAT" stands for ?

Bring Out Another Thousand , dollars......

It’s bloody true too.

[alexjones]

Life is short. Debt is cheap. Enjoy yourself.

[bladeracer]

Life is short. Debt is cheap. Enjoy yourself.

I enjoy myself by staying out of debt
If you plan to be dead by 40 then sure, book up everything you can, but if you want to live into your eighties and nineties and not be saddled with debt in your old age then I would recommend being a bit smarter when you're younger.

[mchughcb]

Never amazes me in the last 3 years how many pensioners ive seen drop 6-10k on a thermal scope or binoculars in the LGS while complaining about the price of ammo.

[Fester]

If people are just living with spiraling debt, as well as living the restaurant-lifestyle, how can that end well?
I grew up in a suburban 3-bedder and went off to work as an apprentice after earning my school certificate.
Some rented the 3-bedders from the housing commission; my parents bought theirs.

We did the same, moved somewhere we could afford a decent 3-bedder, paid it off, and upgraded.
My only ambition was to live bebt free, and I did.
We started with cheap cars, but I also managed to ride bikes, and owned the one boat for about 30 years. It cost 5K and I sold it for 3, with the same motor, so not a bad investment, and life of fishing and seeing the best places that water access can allow.

If young Aussie couples now start with a big house and then fill the garage with 2 new cars added to the house loan, how do they end up self-sufficient with no debt after paying for young kids on top?
I think the government is happy with this new way and filling the now old 3-bedders with very poor migrants, as everyone still seems happy.
We did have some good years, and the toys showed that, but what now with hard times coming faster every month?
This recession may as well be called the Great Recession, and it is exactly how the GFC started in the USA.
The banks are fine taking people's houses, but if it happens on a big scale without them getting their repayments, look out, they can go bust.

I wouldn't worry too much about the gray nomads, as I am sure that they can manage to get home and live comfortably.

Many other people will not live so well and cannot afford the increases in living costs.
If you don't remember, or didn't see the start of the homeless crisis the other year, with tents popping up in parklands around western Sydney, you would have to be half blind, or dementure starting.
I have no idea how they cleaned up the tents, for the bad look.

Melbourne had a lot of city rough sleepers when I visited many years back.
Not been to Sydney at night for a long time, and no intention to as it was looking a bit suss when I did drive through, and I used that auto door locking button for the first time.

This latest one, the fuel crisis, could well be the straw that broke the camel's back and has stopped me from doing any real distance.
Not even been down to the good range, let alone out to the forest for a hunt.

I guess city dwellers who do lattes and restaurants for their main entertainment are less affected, but stuff that, I will stick with having to drive, and just hope the diesel doesn't dry up and the country falls.

[bigrich]

Never amazes me in the last 3 years how many pensioners ive seen drop 6-10k on a thermal scope or binoculars in the LGS while complaining about the price of ammo.

as good a thing as a thermal is , unless i win lotto i won't be buying thermal . i hunt within my financial means . i did a buff hunt to the territory years ago , bucket list thing to do . can't afford to do it again, it's just not high enough up my priority list . i can afford to drive 4-6hrs from brisbane to hunt ferals , which means no "big game " rifles are planned for my safe . as fun as they are it's not practical or necessary for me . biggest calibre i plan on owning is 30-06 .

there used to be a old saying "live within your means" . for the most part i do , i'm not always successful though