A Week In Newcastle, NSW, On A $90,000 Salary

Occupation: Policy and Compliance Officer
Industry: Local Government
Age: 24
Location: Newcastle, NSW
My Salary: $89,995
My Partner's Salary: $80,000 (plus $30,000 in bonuses). We share a joint spending account — each month, I transfer $450 into it and he transfers $500. We use it mainly for groceries and takeaway.
Net Worth: $45,000 ($18,000 in savings, $5,000 in micro-investments with Spaceship, $22,000 in superannuation as I've been co-contributing $250 a fortnight for the First Home Super Savers Scheme). My partner would have a net worth of about $75,000 as he has been working for longer and has more in his super and savings.
Debt: $75,000 in HECS debt. That's for two degrees, a diploma, a study trip to Fiji and Tuvalu, and the Centrelink loan scheme where you get around $5,000 at the start of each semester.
My Paycheque Amount (Fortnightly): $2,224.37
Pronouns: She/They

Rent: $400. I live in a granny flat with my partner out the back of his parents' house, where his mum, dad and little brother live. Our little house has a kitchenette and a bathroom, but currently doesn't have a couch — only computer chairs! It has our two WFH set-ups — mine in the bedroom on a sitting-standing desk, and my partner's in the lounge room.
Loans: None for me. My partner finances his car and that comes out of his monthly paycheque. Both of us have HECS which also comes out of our paycheques.
Phone: $40 for a sim-only plan as I have a hand-me-down iPhone from my partner.
Groceries: $200
Clothing: $100. This is either rarely spent or is over budget when I do buy, so it levels itself out.
Eating Out: $350. This isn't that ambitious as my monthly average last year was $283.
Haircuts: $14. I budget for two haircuts a year, which works out to be a $14 monthly average.
Petrol: $80. I don't drive as much anymore, so I may be able to save on this.
Public Transport: $45
Car Repairs and Rego: $14
Therapy: $117
Medicine (Birth Control and Antidepressants): $13
Aerial Sports and Pilates: $200
Dog Food/Toys: $62
Savings Contributions Towards Holidays: $220
Spotify: $12
Car Insurance: $450 (Annually)
Anything Else To Add?: My partner and I have an automatic round-up on purchases to the nearest $5. This goes into a joint account that we use for large joint purchases or holidays. We're saving for a house in our separate accounts for now. Sometimes our joint spending account needs to be topped up, so we just take turns doing that.

Yes, I completed a Bachelor of Business, a Bachelor of Laws and a Diploma of Legal Practice. I paid for all of these through HECS.

Growing up, I was very aware that money was tight. My parents separated and Mum raised us with a housemate who contributed to rent and bills. There was no conversations about how to budget or build wealth as we lived paycheque-to-paycheque, but we all grew up knowing how much groceries cost. My mum rapidly built up credit card debt to put food on the table. We always spoke about the importance of having food, a roof over our heads and clothes on our backs — that meant we were doing okay.

I was a Boost Juice Boostie! Mum thought it was important that we learnt how to work, and helped us get jobs. I was 14, so my money was mostly spent on social gatherings with friends.

Yep. We struggled with money growing up. My mother was a single parent to three children and she had a disability from a work injury. As a result, she was unable to work consistently due to her health. Our father only paid very limited child support, swooping in for glory when it was time to give presents. My mother didn’t have a safety net or savings — she had a failed move interstate, then had to relocate to Newcastle which wiped out her savings. The disability pension wasn’t enough to pay our rent, let alone feed three kids. She always put us first, though. We lived in a nicer suburb than she could afford because the schools were better. 

I was very aware of how much my braces cost and that I needed to take care of my teeth. My sister didn't get braces because she didn't brush her teeth enough. We also couldn't afford school excursions and had to ask the school for assistance in order to attend.

Not like I used to. It took a long time of increasing financial security until I finally started buying quality shoes, rather than the same pair of cheap Kmart shoes that fell apart every four months. I worry about only having a six-month safety buffer in case of unemployment, even though I’ve never been unemployed for that long. I currently have that saved, so I'm now striving towards buying a house.

18, when I had to start paying rent and buying my own groceries. I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking my parents for money, so I rely on my savings and my partner's income. His parents would also help us if we needed it.

No.

9:00am — I have a rostered day off today so I'm getting a nice long weekend. I always book all my appointments on these days as it's the only time I really have off.

9:15am — I go to the doctor. It's a rare in-person appointment as I'm getting a B12 shot, and I also need a mental health check-up. We discuss increasing the dose of the antidepressant I started two months ago. I feel nervous, especially considering all the side effects that came with starting the antidepressant. Increased anxiety, increased suicidal ideation, nausea, dizziness, change in eyesight (only temporarily), diarrhoea, change in appetite, pins and needles, night sweats — you name it. We discuss assessing if my recent low mood was due to just the constant rain we've been having or something more serious. I'm just a little plant that needs sun, hydration and food to feel good. Sometimes I need to pay at the doctor's, sometimes I don't, so it feels like a roll of the dice. Turns out I have to pay today. They've recently increased their fees because their contribution from the government is less than it was. Thanks, Scomo. $64.57

10:00am — On the way back to my car, I head to Kmart. I'm in a bad mood and I'm hoping this will cheer me up. I buy like, seven pairs of undies, including the new Kmart period undies. The cost savings on not buying pads and tampons is worth it, plus it helps the environment. I also buy a pair of socks and three toys for my puppy, who has destroyed a few pairs of my undies and socks. An easily justifiable purchase of $65.50.

10:30am — My retail therapy doesn't make me feel better like I thought it would. I decide some fruit will help turn this day around, so I head to Coles and buy two punnets of blueberries, strawberries, bananas, grapes and sultanas. I also see some hot cross buns and pop them in my trolley, as well as some croissants and hot dogs. And a Hawaiian pizza scroll ($47.20). I still have meat and HelloFresh at home, so this is mostly a reckless shop. I'm excited for my grapes, though. $47.20

11:00am — I have my first appointment with my new therapist. In the past, I’ve felt judged by my therapists — that I’m too 'high functioning' to be getting help and that I’ve actually just been attention-seeking. But I don’t feel anxious with my new therapist yet, which is a good sign. She gives me some homework for our next session. I pay $200 and get $90 back from the Medicare rebate, so I'm out of pocket $110. Last weekend my friend was telling me about how she attends a free therapist. I’ve used free ones before, but I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve paid for more. I wish they were all free, but I’m grateful that I make enough that it’s not a huge stressor for me anymore. $110

12:30pm — I drive to see my friend for lunch. We used to work together and this is my second time seeing her since I’ve moved back to Newcastle. Instead of going out to a cafe for lunch, I eat my Hawaiian pizza scroll. It makes me feel less guilty for my overspend at Coles. I tell her that I almost considered cancelling so I wouldn't have to buy lunch, and she's glad I didn't. To make it feel fancy, her housemate makes me a blueberry smoothie. A new favourite housemate! I help my friend write a resignation letter. The pandemic has really ruined working in hospitality.

3:00pm — I pick up my scripts of B12, antidepressants and birth control ($45.75). I ask for RATs, but they have none. Maybe tomorrow. I have two at home, but I ask for them every time I go to the chemist or IGA. $45.75

4:00pm — I play some video games. I like city simulator games, which probably inspired my interest in working for the government. In today's game, I’m the dictator of a tropical island. 

6:30pm — I cook dinner. I’m not happy about it, but I don’t want more takeaway. My HelloFresh recipe is for two, but I'm cooking for the family, so I add in some extra tomatoes, couscous and lamb kebabs. We don’t share every meal, but I like to cook for the family at least once a week so I feel like I’m contributing.

8:00am — I have my weekly scheduled hot girl shower. You know the one — where you wash your hair, exfoliate, shave, use all the fancy stuff. I let my short hair air dry as it’s very warm today. 

9:00am — I like to have brunch on weekends. It’s a New Year's resolution to be consistent with this. I make ham cheese and tomato croissants and a pot of T2 chai tea, grab my partner and some juice and we sit outside. I give one of my dogs a Lickimat with her frozen raw food on it and the other dog a doggy ice cream I bought from the pet shop. It's a lovely family brunch. We build some Lego outside and chat about our weeks, laughing at the dogs eating.

10:00am — We’ve tolerated sitting outside until now and quickly return to the air conditioning, already sweating. We spend the rest of the morning watching The Good Doctor together and hugging the puppy. She likes to lay on the top of the bed, actively seeking out hugs. Our older dog is also good with hugs but she's less interested in attention. It has to be her decision or she'll growl at us. 

12:00pm — I want hot dogs for lunch, but realise that I accidentally left the Frankfurts on the bench overnight in the bread bag. Who packs meat with bread? We decide to get KFC instead. My partner orders and pays on his account, and I drive over to pick it up. I begrudgingly eat my burger and chips, sipping on a Mountain Dew freezie. I don't like eating KFC, especially before an aerial class, but the sugar should help me with energy for the class.

3:00pm — I head to my aerials class. I used to do pole dancing but had to stop in 2020 as I had an injury. I started aerials soon after, which I love. Plus, the thought of getting back into booty shorts and a sports bra like you have to for pole was a thought I didn't want to contemplate, especially in winter. Also, novelty is the spice of life. I was hooked on how good I felt after the aerial class, how I was slowly getting stronger and more flexible, and the general sense of achievement in learning a new trick. My class is successful — I hang upside down on the Lyra hoop and make pretty shapes with my legs. I can still feel the KFC in my belly.

6:00pm — I get home and skip dinner as I'm still full. I snack on some grapes, cookies and a packet of chips. We have a salt and vinegar chip subscription from Amazon. It feels unnecessary, but I’m grateful for these Amazon subscriptions considering the supply chain is collapsing around us.

8:00pm — My partner and I have very different sleeping schedules. I like to be physically in bed by 8pm so that I can spend time catching up on socials, meditating by 9pm, journaling by 9.15pm — and I fall asleep by 10pm. If I’m lucky, I’ll be asleep by 9.30pm. My bedtime routine is his downtime. He gets to watch videos, podcasts and audiobooks that I’m not interested in, or play video games with his friends. He usually comes to bed by midnight. 

8:00am — It’s the third day of my weekend. I’m feeling recharged with a good mood booster from aerials yesterday. I'd love to sleep in, but having a puppy doesn't help as she jumps on my face every morning. I have some cereal and fruit with a cup of tea. Yum. My partner is still asleep. I feel like I'm incapable of resting, but he should get a gold star in it.

10:00am — My partner is up and wants sausage rolls for lunch. We venture out to our favourite bakery. It’s a 20-minute drive, but worth it. We get three loads of bread, three danishes, two sausage rolls and two tarts. It comes to about $70, but my partner pays.

11:00am — I spend the day relaxing, doing some chores, reading and watching TikTok. My partner is playing a video game.

3:00pm — I get the ferry across to town to go to Pilates. The ferry round trip for the evening hasn’t been processed, so it's just $1 in my account right now. While I'm on the ferry, I read a book that I borrowed from my friend. We like to share books to save money, dubbed the 'friend library'. I got a bunch of books for my birthday that went straight to our library. $1

3:30pm — My Pilates class is really nice and focuses a lot on stretching. I’m really tight and sore from aerials, so this is nice. I received a ten-pack of classes before Christmas.

5:00pm — I catch up with some uni friends for dinner. As I wait for them, I try and finish off my book. They arrive as I'm on the last few pages, but thankfully, they let me finish it. Real friends let you finish reading books! We hang out in a park and then get takeaway. I get a burrito ($20). We're shocked that we aren’t full, and go out to find dessert. I have a chocolate soufflé ($14). It’s magical. We are sitting outside and no one is around us. Bliss. One of my New Year's goals was to have a dessert outing every month and I’m on track! I get the ferry home ($1). $35

6:30am — I wake up and select a meditation from the Smiling Mind app. It's the first app I've ever paid an annual subscription for, and such a large step in me accepting that I can spend money on things that will make me feel better. It sets my intentions for having a good day and appreciating nature. I take my meds.

6:45am — I journal. Every morning I try to journal about how my sleep was, if I had any dreams, and what I thought the dreams meant. This is part of my therapy homework. I journal how I feel about the day to come, any side effects from the antidepressants, and any worries that have rolled over from yesterday. I normally try and play with the dogs at 7am, but I'm finding it really hard to get out of bed today. I scroll TikTok until I'm running late for work. Good thing I only have a commute of three whole steps.

8:30am — Cereal and fruit for breakfast again, and a cup of chai. I appreciate how this breakfast feels repetitive but I also enjoy the simple delight of how much joy this combination is bringing me. I’m going to be devastated when berry season is over. But then it’ll be winter soon enough, and it’ll be porridge with frozen fruit season. 

9:00am — I have a weekly catchup with my manager every Monday at 9am. We discuss our priorities for the week, our wins from last week, our items in progress, and what we did over the weekend. I’m close with my manager, and I like her a lot. I’m covering her role while she's filling her old manager's role in a cascading chain of maternity leave backfills. Soon we will be sharing this role and I’ll have a new manager. We feel more like peers anyway. 

10:00am — We have a weekly Monday morning meeting with the whole team to catch up on the weekend and discuss our plans for the week. I offer to help the other half of my team as I’m light on work lately. They say they will think about it. 

10:30am — Another cup of tea — this time, it's Earl Grey. I’m working on a tedious project planning timeline as a policy we escalated for approval has not been considered yet, so our whole proposed timeline needs to be delayed. 

12:00pm — Lunch! Two slices of the fancy raisin bread I got on Sunday and two hot cross buns. I play with the dogs during lunch, teaching my new puppy some tricks, like how to jump over my legs. 

1:00pm — I work on a legal review of two different policies. I like to separate my work into half-hour chunks and alternate tasks. I work on finalising my legislative updates for the quarter. I complete some training in our compliance reporting software. I’m frustrated at how I haven’t picked this software up as easily as I normally do.

4:00pm — I drive to drop my car off at my mum's. She’s going to detail it so I can sell it ($350). She’s a perfectionist with detailing, much better than any car wash. But this will save us money in the additional registration, insurance and serving. Afterwards, we drive back into town with my 6-year-old niece and they get the ferry with me. I grab the dogs and we go for a walk and swim at the beach. We see some Border Collie puppies and I ask if I can pat them, but get rejected. I feel unreasonably upset about the fact I took the courage to ask the stranger and was declined. I make a note to journal about these feelings tonight. I didn’t plan on swimming but my niece insists I go in wearing my clothes. It feels like I’m still on holiday. $350

7:00pm — I get home and reheat some leftover pizza that my partner bought earlier. He gifts me a Lego bonsai tree that I expressed interest in a few days ago. Joke's on him — I'm soaking wet and go in for the hug. He's upset as he got me a nice gift.

8:00pm — My partner and I watch TV in bed. We often struggle to find a show that we both like as we have different viewing preferences. Our sweet spot is rather limited and includes the likes of Brooklyn 99, Silicon Valley, some documentaries. We continue our binge of The Good Doctor and eat the tarts we got from the bakery yesterday.

6:30am — Meditation, journal, TikTok, fetch with the puppy.

7:30am — I have a hot cross bun for breakfast before Pilates. I don’t normally eat before Pilates in the morning, but I’ve woken up early and I’m extra hungry. 

8:00am — I get the ferry across and back. I enjoy Pilates as it's a stretch class. I’m often really tight after aerials and it feels good to get some extra deep stretching. It also generally sets me up in a really good mood for the workday. I buy a pair of the fancy grippy socks ($15) as my puppy decided to eat a hole in mine. She loves socks and underwear. $15

9:00am — I remember to put my socks somewhere the puppy can’t get to — the keys bowl. I have cereal with fruit and tea for breakfast as I log into work. I review the corporate induction slides and recommend improvements. I follow up with stakeholders across the organisation to check that their projects are on track and offer my assistance. The puppy climbs into my work chair and snuggles into me. She’s still just a lap dog size. I take many selfies when she’s on my lap while I’m working and share it on the pets channel.

11:30am — I have a webinar on how cybersecurity issues impact domestic and international business. It’s slow to start due to technical difficulties. I do some cleaning while listening. A true WFH perk, giving me more leisure time on the weekend.

12:00pm — I have leftover pizza for lunch and watch the latest Euphoria episode in bed. My computer monitor doubles as a TV and my sit-stand desk means I can adjust it to be the perfect TV watching height from bed. WFH is good.

1:00pm — I work on my legislative updates. I meet with a stakeholder to discuss a policy with my recommended changes. My screen doesn’t share because my internet is too slow. I can’t fix the issues. Sigh.

5:00pm — I scroll TikTok and play with the puppy. She’s slowly figuring out frisbee, but hasn’t figured out how to catch it in the air... yet. I then get ready for aerials, popping on some tights, a sports bra and a t-shirt. You need skin coverage to prevent burns. 

6:30pm — I get to my aerials class. The new studio is having an open week, so this introduction class is only $15! I’m impressed by the additional warm-up, conditioning and stretching that this studio offers compared to my usual one. This is an introduction to hammock class, so we spend lots of time in the hammock, making little cocoons, practising saddle inverts and leg hangs. $15

7:30pm — My partner has pre-ordered some KFC again, so I head there on the way home to pick it up. I get a Twister this time instead. I always hold shame and guilt after KFC... maybe I should discuss that with my therapist.

8:00am — Cereal and fruit with tea again. It’s a public holiday, so no work today! I only get a little bit of a sleep-in as the puppy has other ideas.

9:00am — I’m still thinking about aerials so I book into a class tonight, buying a ten-pack of classes while I'm at it ($300). I check how many Pilates classes I have left in my pack — only three. Both offer memberships but I can’t commit to them both. What if I lose interest? What if I get Covid and it's an ongoing expense I don't use? What if I injure myself? The Pilates studio contacts me and I swap my evening class. I book in for the new term and buy another ten-pack to round up the term ($195). $495

10:00am — I spend the morning building Lego with my partner. It’s one of his hobbies that I’ve taken an interest in. We build a bird of paradise flower set. It’s legitimate adult home decor, so I place it on our bedside table. 

12:00pm — We sit outside together and eat sandwiches for lunch. We return inside and spend time putting together the first bit of paperwork to talk to a mortgage broker. My partner wants to buy a place by the end of the year. I’m in less of a rush as living with his parents is absolute paradise. I guess it helps that I don’t have the emotional baggage of growing up with them. I generally have less desire to buy a house as I don’t consider myself living long enough to pay it off. My friends are very concerned when I tell them this, but I remind them of the pandemic, climate change, political unrest, and my general suicidal ideation. But the current rental crisis has won me over. I’m always going to have pets and finding a rental with dogs is difficult. Buying a house will mean that we don’t need to ask for permission or worry about getting kicked out for no reason.

2:00pm — My partner and I drive 35 minutes to visit my family. My niece is in town and we see my mum, my cousin and her children. We play backyard cricket and chat. My partner doesn’t often join in on family visits, so this feels extra nice for me. We remind everyone that we have no intention of wasting our money on a wedding and that we will be eloping. My cousin eloped in Bali, so she’s set the standard. My cousin is a good host and brings out some Frankfurts to snack on. I remember the hot dogs that I recently lost and share my failure. 

6:00pm — We grab Oporto on the way home for dinner ($40.65) as we left it too late to cook at home, especially as I have an aerials class tonight. I eat in the car as it’s best to eat a full hour before class, particularly if you don’t want to throw up. Which I don't. $40.65

7:30pm — I head to an introduction to Lyra class (the hoop!). Maybe I’ll quit my job and join the circus in a few years. We practise our sit, side sit, lay back, and a move called 'man on the moon'. I know all of these from my other studio, but it's good to reinforce the basics.

8:00am — I’m off on a favour to my boss, delivering flowers to a coworker. I’m in a bad mood, so I buy two mangos while I’m at the shops ($5). I ask the IGA and the pharmacy if they have any RATs as I only have one left. They expect that stock will be in next week. $5

9:00am — Cereal with fruit (mango!) and tea for breakfast. A slight mood booster. I put the off cuttings of the fruit into a puzzle toy for my puppy. She also loves fruit. 

10:00am —I work on the legislative updates. It’s almost done and my motivation is waning with just proofreading and double-checking. I take lots of TikTok breaks.

11:00am — I switch tasks to some internal communications about the new compliance software. I’ve got music playing out loud and the smart lights are synced to party. Just little things to trick a good mood into returning. I also spend some time training the puppy to dance with some follow, jump ups, spins and stays. My boss says it’s important to take breaks, especially when working from home, and that I shouldn’t feel like I’m tethered to my computer to keep my Teams status active. I feel a general sense of guilt when resting and recharging at work. I’ve had no complaints about my general work productivity and output, so it’s been a huge learning curve in adjusting to more rest at work. My therapist says I don’t always have to be busy.

12:00pm — I snack on some fruit, salt and vinegar chips and some chocolate for lunch. It’s a bad mental health day. The little tricks aren’t working. 

1:00pm — I clear out the expired food. The hot dog rolls that were meant to be for my Frankfurts. Some burger rolls in the big house. I hate throwing out food. 

2:00pm — WFH motivation is low. My boss has clocked off early and there’s honestly not much work to do. I make a hot chocolate with the milk frother that we gifted the in-laws for Christmas. My work has been escalated to someone else and there’s not much left for me to do. 

3:00pm — I wander into the big house to pat the dogs. There are more grapes for me to have. I feel like every day, an in-law has gone out and gotten grapes and I've been offered some. While the grapes are excellent at the moment, I feel like they’ve latched onto the fact that they’ve finally found a snack for me. Previously it was Monte Carlos but my partner kept eating them. It’s clear that I’m the only one eating grapes. I don’t complain, I’m grapeful for the unlimited grapes. 

4:00pm — I’m laying in bed, doom scrolling. The puppy brings a toy to me. She lays across my face. I take selfies again.  I then feed her a frozen Lickimat to distract her so I can dissociate with my phone. 

6:00pm — I decide that I need to turn this mood around, so I play some music in the lounge room and start dancing as I'm cooking dinner. My mother-in-law is also cooking dinner, so I eat hers for dinner and save my meal for lunch tomorrow. My partner is at a work event for the night. I sulk as a result. I have dinner with his mum and then I take the dogs down to the park with the frisbee.

8:00am — I head into bed early to commence my bedtime routine. He comes home at 8.30pm and I’m surprised because he was supposed to be back later. I worry that he left early because I’m in a bad mood. We hug and I try to go to sleep. The puppy crawls under the bed. I make a note to clean under the bed.