A Week In Moonah, Hobart, As A Software Engineer On $180,000

Occupation: Software Engineer
Industry: Tech
Age: 27
Location: Moonah, Hobart
Salary: $180,000
Net Worth: $182,000 ($74,000 in super, $28,500 in investments (my goal is to retire early and stop trading my time for money, so I am trying to be aggressive with my investment plan), $11,000 in an employee share plan (because I work for a tech company, I get stocks of that company as a retention bonus. They vest every few months. This is the vested amount so far on which I will have to pay income tax on), and $68,500 in savings (this includes my emergency fund and money I am setting aside every month to buy property someday).)
Debt: $0
Paycheque Amount (Monthly): $8,206. I salary sacrifice $1,083 a month into super.
Pronouns: She/Her

I have a partner. I pay the rent, he pays the bills, and we split groceries 50/50. We enjoy going out to eat and treating each other, So we don't really keep count of that. It comes out even at the end of the day anyway. Our savings and investment accounts are separate right now. I grew up in a culture where women were mostly housewives and very dependent on men for their finances and sometimes had to stay in abusive relationships because of that. I still have a lot of hang-ups around that, so for now we're keeping everything separate. This will probably change someday when we buy property together.

Rent: $2,100. I live with my boyfriend in a two-bedroom house. It's a 100-year-old house with a lemon, apple and almond tree in the backyard. We also have a trampoline, courtesy of the landlord. I love bouncing on it during my lunch breaks when the weather is nice (which is not that often in Hobart). Our rent is $2,100 per month, which I cover. My boyfriend covers the utilities (hot water and electricity) which is around $120 a month. We met when we were both software engineers, but he realised during Covid that his true passion was healthcare. So he went back to nursing school, which costs about $35,000 a year. Covering the rent feels like the least I can do. Lastly, work covers our internet expenses since I work from home all the time.
Groceries: $400, split evenly with my boyfriend (so my share is $200). 
Public Transport: $30. Buses in Hobart are super cheap and usually cost $2.40 one way. 
Birth Control: $30
Private Health Insurance: $86 
Phone: $20 (SIM-only plan)
Spotify: $3 (Family plan with my friends, for the win!)
YNAB Budgeting App: $12.5 (I am a budget freak)
Netflix: $0 (My dad pays for the family Netflix account since he lives in India and it's half of the cost compared to Australia)
Eating Out: $300 (Food is my love language)
Coffee: $50 (Since I work from home, I love going on morning walks and getting a cup of coffee)
Skincare: I budget $50 for skincare every month, My current favourites are the Cosrx salicylic acid cleanser, PYUNKANG YUL essence, snail mucin moisturiser, and a vitamin C sunscreen which I stole from my mum when I was back home in India.
Fun Money: $100
Vacation: $500. I just got back from a month-long trip to India. I took 11 flights in a month, kid you not. I do not recommend it. I'm currently saving for a solo trip to Singapore.
Misc: $725. This is my sinking fund to cover birthday gifts and unexpected life expenses that are not an emergency.
Salary Sacrifice: $1,083. I intend to use it as part of the First Home Super Saver Scheme.
Buying House Fund: $2,000
Investments: $2,000 (ETFs)
Bank Interest: I get around $280 a month from my bank as interest which goes into my emergency fund.

I got a Bachelor's in Computer Science from the University of Melbourne. I was privileged and fortunate enough that my parents spent their entire life savings to educate me. Since I was an international student, I couldn't access HECS and each course cost four times the amount it would to a domestic student. The total cost of the degree was $100,000. I also got a $10,000 scholarship from the university because I had really good grades in Year 12.

My parents, especially my mum, constantly talked about money. She was a housewife, so she would get a fixed amount from my dad every month that she had to run the entire house on. Even though we were middle class, I am surprised at how she always kept the house full of food. Our fridge was never empty. The moment guests would come, she would instantly lay down a spread fit for kings.

I also have a younger brother, so we were always taught how to share resources, particularly money and delayed gratification. One thing they never spoke about was investments. My parents invested in property, stocks and their business, but I think they just thought we would learn it ourselves when we grow up.

My first job was at Nando's when I was 18. It had been six months since I had moved to Australia and I had to get a job to start paying for rent and food.

Yes and no. My dad's business partner stole a bunch of money and left the company bankrupt when I was five. So instantly, there was a crisis that took him years to recover from. Our parents were very clear with us when they couldn't afford something. But for the most part, we were comfortable. I went to a really good private school and my mom threw themed birthday parties at our house every year. But I remember being hyper-aware of how much everything cost and elbowing my younger brother whenever he would order something too expensive at a family dinner out. 

Not at all. I just wish to have enough for myself and for my family if they ever need it.

21, when I graduated from university and got my first full-time job. My parents are kind, amazing, generous people so they will be there in case I need a financial safety net.

I receive dividends from my ETFs which are on a reinvestment plan. That's it.

9:00am — It's Monday morning, so my boyfriend, A., and I have a bit of a sleep-in. I work for a flexible company, so we don't have any fixed hours as long as we finish our work on time and attend all the necessary meetings. Honestly, it's been life-changing. I struggled so much with waking up early. It's my turn to make coffee, so I make an Indian cappuccino for both of us. While it's brewing, I do my morning stretches. 

10:00am — I sit down at my desk and start working. My office is in the sunroom so I get a beautiful view of the front yard and Mt Wellington. Writing code requires a lot of concentration and mental energy, so I work on writing code for a new feature first thing in the morning. Three hours of uninterrupted focus.

1:00pm — While I have been working, my lovely boyfriend cooks us some lunch (some chicken curry and rice). It's chef's kiss. He used to work in kitchens and enjoys cooking, so he does the majority of the cooking. We haven’t bothered buying a dining table for this house yet, so we just plop down on the rug and eat lunch at our coffee table. Today we decide to re-watch Utopia on Netflix. Not only is it a hilarious Australian TV show, but it’s also just uncanny how accurate it is sometimes. 

2:00pm — A. heads off to work, he has an afternoon shift. I make myself a cup of tea and retire to the couch to do some code reviews and catch up on emails.

8:00pm — I get started on dinner, rigatoni in a Napoli sauce with heaps of parmesan. Letdown plays in the background (another favourite Aussie TV show). Boyfriend is not going to be home until 10pm, so it's the least I can do. 

10:00pm — A. arrives home and we have dinner, entering a food coma soon after. We then do our nighttime skincare routine together (oh yeah, I got him hooked on serums!) and crash into bed soon after. Today is also the day my private health insurance ($86) and phone bill ($20) auto-debits (both covered under my monthly expenses), so I check my bank account to see if it has gone through properly and add it to my YNAB. I was a broke student for the longest time, which is when I got hooked on zero-dollar budgeting. I tried a few other systems, but they never seemed to work for a control freak like me. Highly recommend it.  

8:00am — The usual morning, but this time it's A.'s turn to make us some chai (yes, it’s just chai, not chai tea). It's getting freezing cold here already, so we sip it quietly in bed. 

12:00pm — It's a nice sunny day, so we head out to get some Vietnamese coffee and a banh mi for lunch. We get two chicken banh mi's and a coffee, my shout. $24

12:30pm — Our fridge is looking pretty empty, so once we have satisfied our cravings, we head to Coles. We make a menu for the next few days based on the weather and what we are feeling. This week's menu is Korean ramyun, stir fry noodles and Malaysian curry. We are a big leftovers household, so we usually make something enough to last us at least two meals. We split our groceries 50/50, my share is about $42. We also stop by the Indian store to get some frozen pratas and some chutneys ($18). $60

6:00pm — I booked a Daniel Sloss stand-up comedy show for us a few months ago and it's today. Apparently, he has cancelled this show in Hobart twice already, so I am excited. We put on our fancy date outfits and take the bus to the venue ($2.40 each). I also get us some drinks for the show ($24). The show was amazing — the jokes were so dark but I laughed so much my jaw hurt. $26.40

9:00pm — The show ends and there is only one restaurant open in Hobart CBD at this time, everyone’s beloved Bar Wa. We order chicken karaage, fried potatoes, pork belly noodles, and espresso martinis. It’s all so delicious, I notice for the first time how erotic the art on the wall is and I make a mental note to bring my brother here when he comes to visit us. It all costs $70, but it's my boyfriend's shout this time.

11:00pm — Sufficiently tipsy and full, I book an Uber and we head back ($12). Ubers’ in Hobart never cancel on you, it’s amazing (let's hope I haven't jinxed it). We do our nighttime routine and crash soon after. $12

9:00am — After last night, I decided to sleep in a bit. The sun is out today for a change, so I quickly jump out of bed and go for a morning walk to get some coffee. My favourite coffee shop has just opened another store in our neighbourhood, which I am very excited about. I moved to Hobart from Melbourne only six months ago, so the coffee snob in me is very much still alive. Plus, very few places in Hobart make a good strong coffee. $4.20 for a small latte. $4.20

10:00am — I have my weekly one-on-one with my manager. We discuss things I am working on and if I am experiencing any blockers, the usual. We talk about my imposter syndrome and write down some action items to tackle it. Even after being a software engineer for eight years, I still struggle with knowing where I stand in a team and acknowledging my ideas have value. I write some more code and do feature work for the rest of the morning. 

12:00pm — We still have some leftover chicken curry. I heat that up with rice. Curry just tastes even better the next day. Boyfriend makes a quick stir fry with eggs, frozen peas, chilli oil and fried shallots. 

1:00pm — I marinate some chicken for Korean ramyun tonight with soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic and lemon. 

9:00pm — Another late afternoon shift for the boyfriend. So, I start cooking the marinated chicken low and slow, boil some eggs and blanch some pok choy. I like having dinner with him so I usually wait up. Plus, he is a healthcare worker, so they don't really have normal shift times.

10:00pm — Boyfriend gets home, while he freshens up, I boil the instant spicy ramyun noodles, top it up with chicken, pok choy, eggs and a bit of spring onion. Easy peasy and delicious dinner. Sometimes we get a bit extra and marinate the eggs, but today we decide to keep it easy. We watch Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown while we eat, crashing soon after.

9:00am — Usual morning. We have lost count of whose turn it is to make coffee this morning. We try to recall and count back but A. gives in and makes us some delicious coffee which is hand-delivered to me in bed. Ladies, get yourself an Aquarius. 

10:00am — I get to my desk and start the work day. I have six code review requests to go through today, it's going to be an intense one.

11:00am — Boyfriend has another day off. He is in a cooking mood today, so he decides he is going to make red bean curry (rajma chawal for the initiated) and goat curry. We try our best to stick to the meal plan, but then again, food is our love language and we are driven by our cravings. He goes out to get some extra groceries (we have most of the spices already). Goat meat is expensive.

12:00pm — I take a break from working and join him in the kitchen. I play some Bollywood music and just watch him cook and be in his element. It's honestly my favourite thing to do. 

7:00pm — It's movie night tonight. We book tickets to go watch Suzume (an anime). The movie theatre is in the city, so A. drives us there. I, unfortunately, don’t know how to drive. I lived in Melbourne for nine years. We had trams, trains, buses, I just never felt the need to learn how to drive. Moving to Hobart has definitely made me question that choice. We buy the tickets using Village Cinema vouchers, $12.50 each. You can easily find them using cashback deals. I sneak in a can of Coke in my purse and a Cherry Ripe. I am not about to spend exorbitant amounts on movie theatre Coke to slowly rot my insides. $25

9:00pm — We drive back home, eat the goat curry for dinner while we continue watching Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. It's the Myanmar episode, enlightening. He just had such a soothing voice. 

9:00am — It's finally Friday and the sun is shining again. I take another morning walk to a different coffee shop this time. I take the scenic route, so I put on my favourite podcast, Planet Money, and walk up a hill, admire the views of the mountains and the water and then back down again. It takes 20 minutes to get there (one-way) but it feels like a good workout. 

12:00pm — I get the last bits and bobs of my work done, get a tiny piece of the feature I have been working on merged, and get some code reviews in. Success! 

1:00pm — We have rajma leftover from yesterday, so we eat that while watching Derry Girls on Netflix. Gotta love Sister Michael. 

7:00pm — Boyfriend has a night shift tonight, so I am taking myself out on a solo date. I recently bought those viral Uniqlo pants, so I put them on with a jumper and my mom's Burberry scarf (gotta love my mom for being bougie as hell and letting me steal her expensive clothes). I have to say, I feel cute. I take the bus to this wine bar I have been meaning to try. They only have capacity for 20 people so it's always packed. Luckily, I only had to wait 10 minutes. They seat me at the best table in the house, right in front of the kitchen. I order myself a glass of red wine, beef tartare with fried mashed potatoes and beef ribs pasta. I am in heaven. The food is delicious, I am having a ball watching the chefs do their own thing, the wait staff are taking turns playing some funky records on the record player. The vibes are immaculate. $74

9:00pm — Somehow I still have a little bit of space left for dessert so I stop by at the Italian place around the corner and order a tiramisu. Bloody delicious. $12

10:00pm — I take an Uber back ($14) to the house. Ubers here are a lot safer than the public transport buses. For some reason, they turn off all the lights on the bus at night and it's scary as hell. I do miss taking trams on Friday nights like these. You would always see such interesting characters. But alas, I get home, sit in my backyard for a bit and admire the stars. Then I head on inside and do my nighttime routine. My skin already feels a little bumpy and I know alcohol breaks me out every time, so I put on some Ordinary salicylic acid oil. I relax in bed while scrolling through YouTube (I refuse to download TikTok — I am already a TV addict and I can't do that to myself) and crash soon after. $14

11:00am — I love sleeping in on Saturdays. I know it’s not good for your body clock, but it’s good for the soul. I usually do a 7-minute HIIT workout in the evenings, but I feel really lethargic today, so I decide to do it in the morning to wake myself up. I am taking a page out of Atomic Habits and just trying to develop a workout habit, little by little. Even this 7-minute workout kicks my butt every single time. 

12:00pm — We decide it's going to be an agenda-less weekend. Free of plans and obligations. All to-do lists are banned.

12:05pm — Then we realise the house is a bit dirty, so we do a quick vacuum, mop, and chuck things into the laundry. 

1:00pm — Neither of us feels like eating much, especially me after the extravagance of last night. PB & J for the win. We spend the rest of the day chilling on our couch, reading, watching videos, consuming content all around, calling our parents since neither of our families lives in Australia. 

7:00pm — We have some chicken going bad in the fridge, so I make a quick Malaysian curry with potatoes and heated-up frozen prata. Hits the spot (and makes me miss Laksa King). We watch a little bit of Temptation Island. Daniel Sloss had a 15-minute bit about it in his show. After 30 minutes of hate-watching, we can't take it anymore. 

10:00pm — We do our usual nighttime routine. We research a little bit on Auroras Australis since we have been reading a lot of news articles on how they have been especially amazing this year in Tassie. I join a couple of Facebook groups and we make plans to drive out to see them one of these nights. I am craving some ice cream, so I sneak in some Valhalla chocolate ice cream (mainlanders, you have been missing out big time) and A. loves some yoghurt with fruit at night, so he has that. 

10:00am — It's Sunday which means it's Farm Gate Market day. It's more local and intimate than Salamanca. I feel Salamanca is mostly for tourists, but Farm Gate is for the locals. Everywhere you’ll have different farms come and set up a stall of wonderfully fresh fruit. No one tells you how amazing fruits taste here in Tassie. We wear our puffers and head on over to the city. We grab a coffee ($9), some fresh figs (three for $6), our favourite mushroom toastie ($15) and some donuts ($20). We walk on over to the park facing the iconic Hobart waterfront, enjoy our goodies while basking in the sun and watching the autumn leaves. $50

12:00pm — We spend the rest of the Sunday doing normal Sunday things. Making our meal plan for next week, making sure to use anything that is dying in our fridge.

1:00pm — We have been fortunate enough to have a bath in our house (first for me), so I decide to take a relaxing bath. I light a candle (Kmart candles for $10 are a steal, why some candles cost $70, I do not know), squeeze some mango-scented bubble bath in there and continue reading on my Kindle. 

2:00pm — I realise the weather here is a lot drier than I am used to, so I order a hair serum to control the frizz ($25). I have never tried it before, but it's supposed to smell like melons and people with wavy hair similar to mine seem to be raving about it in the comments. Let's hope it works. $25

5:00pm — I have definitely struggled with my social life since moving to Hobart. I work from home all the time, so I don't get an opportunity to bond with my coworkers. So, I spend the next hour looking for some classes I can join. Pottery class looks interesting, but it’s expensive at $500 for a five-week term. For now, I just bookmark it.

7:00pm — For dinner, we decide to have leftovers while we watch Gordon, Gino and Fred's Road Trip Season Two. This time, they are taking a road trip around America. It's quite crass in places, but laugh out loud in others. 

9:00pm — I do my nighttime routine and scroll through YouTube while I try to calm down my Sunday blues. I am someone who worries a lot, so I update my to-do list for the upcoming week (I use the Todoist app, it’s free) and feel like I have some sense of control over my life.

Everyone who works in tech knows that tech salaries aren’t fair. It’s bizarre that my boyfriend saves lives every single day and makes half of what I do. Earning six figures for me has also been a recent development. I started off my career as a web developer, working part-time, making $20 an hour. As an international student, I legally couldn’t work more than 20 hours a week, so it was just enough to pay my rent and buy groceries. My first full-time gig paid $3,000 per month, but I spent most of it on immigration lawyers and visa applications. It wasn’t until I became a permanent resident seven years after moving here that I jumped ship to my first $100,000 job, and recently to a $180,000 one. All I would say is, if you are a woman studying computer science at university right now, especially if you are an international student, hang in there, it gets better.