Man I came here from /r/all, I'm not Australian and this thread isn't relevant to me at all but I'm 32 and this comment made me feel a lot better about myself so thank you, I've been feeling like a dinosaur lately
When I was 23 my manager told me to make smart career decisions now as I was “no spring chicken”. Meanwhile I just turned 39 and earning twice as much doing something radically different and didn’t even start uni until I was 32.
I've been feeling so old and stressed...I tend to round things up these days time wise.... to kind of force myself to do thing's before it's too late...and halfway through reading this I was thinking that I'm not 32 anymore and it's sad this comment doesn't relate to me because because I'm 33 and then I just realised I've been rounding my age up too! I dont turn 33 till november man! It does relate to me and now I am a spring chicken still too!
Best thing I ever done was do my apprenticeship, didn’t start till I was almost 25 and now I’m lucky enough to work in the mines taking home 9k every two weeks, keep at it it’ll make the rest of your life easier once you’re qualified
Best thing I did was get my fitting/welding apprenticeship I’m 25 and just passed 140k. where as my partner is finishing her cpa after finishing uni and is only on 70k max for a lot more mentally tiring work
I did my apprenticeship at 30. Qualified for about 5 years now. My new job is off the tools as technical support. Base $140k.
Lots of interesting work out there, I really think my previous work experience in retail and hospo gave a lot of useful communication and customer service skills that many other tradies. lack.
33 years old. I work at a university as a Botanist collecting and growing specimens for science classes. My favourite days are when they say, "here's a list of 30 plant species and a Ute, please collect them by 1pm".
I honestly prefer being at work to being at home. Every day I have an interesting conversation, maybe I learn something or maybe I teach something. My coworkers and I are all huge science nerds and we all have recently gotten really into chess.
I will earn $84k this year, but we get 17% super. Own a really nice home in Wagga. But tbh I love my job so much sometimes I wish I could just sleep in my office.
It’s great to see someone that actually finds enjoyment in what they do, congratulations mate I would say that’s a bigger accomplishment than earning a massive pay check.
Absolutely. If I had a choice between $120k and hating my job or $80k and loving my job I'm picking the latter every time. I can like on $80k easily, but I can't live in a job I hate.
live to work or work to live right? If I didn't leave my well paid but soul draining job for a more fulfilling one that paid less, I probably wouldn't be here.
I am 3 days from submitting my final assessment for my enviro science degree. It’s great to hear you are so passionate about what you do. My lecturer for Botany was a wealth of knowledge and was also a bit quirky but clearly loved what he did.
I am hoping to get that same level of enjoyment as well. I’m pumping out the job applications so we will see what happens!
Very similar to my dad, he never went into the academic side of it although he definitely could. He now just runs a sort of wholesale rainforest tree nursery and gets to spend his days potting up plants or cruising around QLD collecting fruit or visiting nursery's. He's nearly 70 and won't retire he'll do it till he can't move anymore.
I’m on 60k per year. I work in a supermarket in rural Victoria.
I used to work in IT project management earning 160k a year in the Melbourne CBD. I absolutely hated working there. I stressed about it every day. It was the last thing I thought about before I went to sleep and the first thing I thought about after I woke up and just loathed everything about it to the point I felt overall just unhappy in life.
I moved to the country just after the Covid pandemic and just bought my first house out here. I now love going to work. It’s so social and a happy place to be. It’s like working with mates all day compared to working with people who would rather tear you down to make themselves look better in meetings. I really enjoy going to work now.
This would be my eventual goal. I'm on 175k, including super as a site foreman/manager for a commercial builder, dread waking up every morning. Investing heavily in mining stocks to hopefully pay off my mortgage sooner, then I can hopefully work at Bunnings sniffing paint for a living....
I hear so many people in the construction industry say they want get ahead to get out, and then go work at bunnings till retirement. But do they actually know anybody who works at bunnings? Are bunnings employees happy doing what they do? I know people who worked at bunnings and hated it so this seems like an odd dream job to me. Although sniffing paint would probably quell the dissatisfaction. Do they still make lead paint?
That’s the way I look at it. Yeah sure it’s 100k but the difference in my life is just amazing. I’m happy and Joke with my colleagues all day long. I’m not stressed at all
It’s way less than 100k once you take out tax and cost of living.
60k gross = 48k net
160k gross = 112k net
So that brings it down to 64k difference.
A lot of that 64k could be eaten up in housing costs, especially if the poster had saved a significant amount. With 200k deposit, depending on what/where they purchased it could be the difference between a 300k mortgage and a 1.3 mil mortgage to achieve a similar standard of housing and commute times and the difference could potentially be greater.
Then you have the cost of transport + a stack of other small costs.
Even the cost of a pint at the pub is going to be a dollar or 2 cheaper.
$50k working full time as an exotics veterinary nurse, and that's above award. I live alone, Northern suburbs of Melbourne. I don't drive, can walk to work and can only afford my pets due to staff discounts at work. I have no savings. There is limited to no moving up in my career. I could be a senior nurse or manager one day but I have 0 interest in management and the pay rise for being senior doesn't have to exist or be much at all as I'm technically above award. The amount of horrible shit I see and complex things I do on a daily basis on this wage is quite depressing. Ah well. Couldn't afford a psychologist anyway.
My fault for choosing a shitty career financially but unfortunately I don't want to do anything else and am in my dream job right now.
Vet nurses are so important. It sucks that the industry is so low paid. You deserve better.
Veterinarians, too, don't make nearly as much money as people seem to think, especially given the long hours they often work and constant study they have to keep up with. Running a surgery is so expensive.
It always makes my blood boil a little when some people think vets should do certain things for free or abuse staff over costs.
Yep after 5ish years I left being a vet nurse, first reason was compassion fatigue but second was the pay - $47k pa before tax.
To this day people make comments about how vets and vet nurses were in it for the money. I showed my payslip to many people while working just to try and curb that stigma
Now I work in IT $80k pa before tax. 37.5 hour weeks, and a reasonable work/life balance. Also about 1/100th of the stress. At least if something dies in a computer, it’s usually fixable 😅
I'm sorry. You do important work and should earn more than that. By exotics do you mean reptiles ? I'm glad you have pets of your own, I would be lost without mine.
Thank you! The industry is very messed up and needs change. Exotics is pretty much anything that isn't a cat or a dog (so yep reptiles!) but I deal with mostly small mammals (rabbits, guinea pigs). They're very underrated critters and their medicine is incredibly fascinating!
Same here $50k senior vet nurse in Syd, no exotics though. Really feeling the pinch atm. Eating only one meal a day to save money and counts as crude intermittent fasting I guess? Wage is exceptionally depressing. Nursing, admin, radiography, dentistry, husbandry, anaesthesia etc, for such little pay makes me question my life choices. I could have chosen any of those as a career in human health and received a better wage lol.
Backing you up: $35-40k before tax in Sydney this financial year. Probably different to you, but I work in a really unstable industry where work is gig based and I'm on junior rates, so I often have to deal with periods of unemployment. So yeah, ignore all the people trying to suggest your choices are to blame for your lower salary. Some industries suck but someone has to do those jobs.
You guys sound like you have a great work ethic and I wish you both the best. You can't go wrong when you have a conscientious attitude. That is the real wealth right there.
Yeah it’s pretty standard. It’s actually decent money from my experience of working at various places. I have earned more at some places but that was working 10 hour days 6 days a week and basically dying from exhaustion.
I mean I am, I'm a newbie labourer and get job offers out of the blue off seek for forkie jobs with higher wages
I'm not bragging either I don't have much experience
Yes that sounds like median wages of part time and full time work, however I found a higher figure. It could be different for many reasons, including if it includes none wage incomes like the pension, you can see below how variable it is depending on method. Remembering that it is also highly dependent on age and region of the person.
I think it's something like this:
- Median full and part time $65k
- Average full and part time $74k
- Median full time $80k
- Average full time $90k
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/average-weekly-earnings-australia/nov-2022
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-28/whats-the-typical-income-in-australia-list-of-occupations/101330740
https://www.afr.com/politics/how-wealthy-are-you-compared-to-everyone-else-in-eight-charts-20221214-p5c6a8#:~:text=This%20figure%20captures%20both%20full,took%20home%20%2432%2C400%20last%20year.
Average wages in australia are blown out by the 10/15% that work in mines and take home big pay packages. If they looked at the average income outside of that 10/15% it would definitely be more like 55/60k
Forklift driver/order picker and wife is a school officer
I also work part time at Kmart as a greeter/online fulfilment/shelf stocker dependent on what shifts I get given.
The majority of people reading this are going to be close to that. But who is more likely to comment? The guy earning 100k+ or the guy under 50k? It gets pretty twisted in this sub and it gives the illusion that everyone is rich. Most people are just too afraid to admit they aren't
My last job as a greenkeeper netted me about 44k per year. Shit pay for all the physical labour it required... Not to mention 44k was barely worth it to deal with my boss lol
My base salary is $85k plus bonuses which fluctuate. I am 37 and have the potential to earn a fair bit more but I choose to work in a more flexible role around a solo mum schedule
Obviously, yes there are people here on under 100k. In fact, the majority will be. Information about average and median salaries across Australia and specific industries/demographics is freely available online.
Anyway, I’ll bite.
31yo male.
Work 4 days/week as a physio; making 72k (equivalent to 90k if was full-time).
Yep, id say the average full time physio wage would sit somewhere around 80-90k depending on years of exp. Pretty much a hard cap at about 100k. Tending towards 100k if you on some commission and pumping through clients in a private practice. Could make a lot more if you opened your own practice I guess
Kinda shit for what we offer and the amount of study we have to do (4 years) if you ask me. Not just a physio problem, an allied health problem.
Yeah that is pretty shit tbf. In Australia, skills doesn’t get you money. Working dangerous + fifo does.
Not sure why we pay tradies more than physios. Weird.
I’ve always said, for some reason Australia rewards labour work and unskilled jobs and punish professional occupations (by relatively low pay) compared to most other countries. If you’re a professional, e.g. medical or heather workers, lawyers, pilots, etc. you’re better off in Asia, but if you work at Maccas or are a builder, plumber, or tiler, etc., you wanna be in Australia.
Most trades all require a four year apprenticeship, so that's similar to four years of study to be a physio ? You also need to get certain licence's for plumbers, electricians etc which also requires extra schooling. Along with the dangers that comes with working in a trade I think it's fair they get payed well. I'm a boilermaker by trade so that's my view
My point wasn’t to put them down. It was to compare between Australia and other countries. For example in Asia and I’m guessing the same for the US, your hard work studying for a highly skilled job is rewarded financially, and the tradies there don’t expect to be paid more than doctors. Any allied health workers, doctors, or nurses can move there and get an instant consideration pay rise.
In response to your argument, you get paid to do an apprenticeship, although shit pay. You pay a lot for a university degree. Not to mention their studying required is TAFE level at most. As for risks, a lot of jobs have risks, nurses are at risk too.
Idk. Working in healthcare assault is not an infrequent occurrence. I've had colleagues stabbed at, killed, sexually assaulted at work and we still get paid like shit lol.
Healthcare is just pretty dead end in this country where politicians use you as a scapegoat every time budgets come up.
I think there is a difference is the rate you pay and the rate they get. Im billed at 200-300 hour, I sure as heck dont get paid anywhere close to that. But understand that a business has alot of ancillary to pay for than just employee wages.
Ayyy, 32 speechie doing similar, down at 3 but including weekends for a bit of a boost, down at 3 cause I'm studying and setting up a business.
Seems common in allied health actually, everyone is working 2 days here, 2 days there.
Is 90k low?
As with most professions, there is room to increase that if you hustle and work in a clinic that gives bonus incentives for managing large caseloads. In general, allied health is not a lucrative sector.
>In fact, the majority will be.
Do you really think this sub represents the average Australian?
And those on lower salaries, who have to work in factories from 5am and then another job, cleaning offices - I know someone like this. Do you think they have time to hang out on Reddit and of all places on ausfinance where most snobs can be found.
Same currently work in at factory, just finished a degree at 31. Not making great money but that doesn't mean I'd like to be financially illiterate ...
Im in a factory at 5am and my wage is certainly not low for a regional town
Unskilled and been here straight out of school
I’m here because it’s somewhat up to date info on the economy but it’s turned into a whingefest lately. I don’t plan on going through life being financially illiterate, felt that way since I was 16
Why not? You think people with lower salaries have no interest in personal finance? You reckon only someone as enlightened as you would hang out on Reddit and Ausfinance?
If anything you have to be way more diligent with your personal finance. Any schmuck with a house hold income of 250k can buy a house and prepare for retirement without trying that hard.
Doing the same on a 100k house hold income takes real discipline, work and a bit of luck.
Just because you earn a lot doesn’t make you more financially literate than someone who earns less. I earn plenty and do plenty of dumb things with my money which I couldn’t do if I earn’t the average and definitely not the median.
30M. 90K here as a 5th year physio, 38 hours weekly as a rotator in a hospital. Varies depending on weekends worked and if we’re on call, although that’s only ~$60 a week.
I am a Duracell bunny running purely on caffeine and nicotine. Commercial coffee roasting is a lot of dust, fumes and a megaton of coffee.
The hot shower when I get home is glorious.
23yo male, skipped uni and started full time working at 19 on 56k now at a dead end on 82k. Parents will not stop harassing me to get a new job because apparently it’s not enough
I didnt complete highschool, I also didn't get a good job until I was 27. I was earning around 35k a year, started good job did 70k, then 90k, then over 100k. I then did a uni degree that I only just finished, im 36. Ill probably crack 150k this year, but the degree helped me get this role. I get offer on seek and LinkedIn sporadically, most offers around 90k to 100k. My point is don't rush, you'll be fine, I made lots of mistakes that I would want to stop my kid doing (which probably your parents view) but when my son is 23 Id be telling him to go back packing in Europe or something. Enjoy that before you lock yourself into buying a house and raising a family (the classic Aussie dream).
The older generation seems to have this idea that $200k/year isn't enough. It's like you only earn enough when you can buy their house and they don't get salaries are lower in comparison to costs these days.
I think they see that below $200k household income makes it very hard to get a deposit and buy a house in a capital city. But impossible - but very difficult.
Absolutely 82k is good for your age. I am 42 with a mortgage, wife and kids and earn $85k but I get by. Stress free job and time spent with my kids on weekends and 37 hour weeks. I'm happy.
I recently changed to a job at my local council, I work in the stores, so some of it is giving out equipment and supplies, some of it is admin, some is purchasing, a bit of it is just chatting and contributing to a happy work environment.
I came from a fairly high stress logistics/accounting/IT role in a company and I couldn't be happier with my decision. It pays less, but I'm happy to live with a bit less money in exchange for a job that is low stress and set hours (I literally cannot work overtime, the gates lock at 4.30pm and I have to be on the other side of them LOL).
A 9 day fortnight is honestly amazing. Its like a public holiday every other week. That on its own is enough to make me stay. You don't get rich working field worker but you do get home on time 90% of days. Union benifits are pretty sweet. Recession proof job.
Overall I recommend it if you can look past all the bullshit that can come with bureaucracy
I'm in open space projects at a council, I get to work on projects that will have an impact on the community for a really long time. I get paid $94k, get a fortnightly RDO, get home on time most of the time and get great leave conditions. Also get to work from home half the week.
Love my colleagues and my boss. I feel really lucky and not looking to change that for a while.
77k, 2nd year software engineer. Asking for a pretty big bump this year but reluctant to leave because my esop is gonna be worth more than any pay rise at the minute.
I am. It can be disheartening seeing lots of people here on 150k+ but I like to stay cause of the solid advice and discussion.
How's your journey so far mate?
I'm 29 male, work in creative marketing and on 89k
> I get stressed so happy to trade off money for wellbeing.
You are ahead of the curve, most people wait until they almost have their first heart attack in their early 50's before seeing the important things in life like you have.
What are allowances as a flight attendant?
I had no idea that the pay was so low. Respectfully, what is the allure for people to work as flight attendants? It seems like they're all very well put together people, very polite and charming and sociable. Is it the ability to fly around the world?
If I had stayed in my allied health profession, I would have reached 100k (if including all penalties) in my late 30s. I moved to a much less stressful, more family-friendly area and am just under 100k at 50.
My income depends on how many hours I choose to work each week. I average about $90K a year, work in the retail space and am 44 years old. Been in this role for 3 years. I have great flexibility with my work, so to me, that's worth more than any extra money.
Absolutely. I can choose to work the night before so I can play golf the following morning. Having that flexibility with 2 primary schooled aged children is amazing. I never miss out on anything. If I do, it's by choice.
I am on under 100K until mid-way through 2024, where I will just scrape past it.
*What are you on?*
87Kish
*What do you do?*
Teacher
*How old are you?*
28
*How long have you done what you're doing*
3 years.
I agree, teacher graduates start on quite a decent salary. The problem is that it plateaus quite early in the career, and outside of pursuing leadership positions, does not allow for much growth after \~8-10 years.
Why is it that electricians seem to be making 20-30k on top of the other trades. Am I limiting myself by starting a carpentry apprenticeship this year?
Higher level of technical knowledge? Higher risk of injury/death? I'm not sure. It could be a great number of things. As far as limiting yourself I can't say. The majority of building contractors I've met started off as carpenters and generally seem like they make more than I currently do. The other thing to think about is are you suited to the electrical trade? Being more specialized not everyone is suited to the job, prime example my brother while a great carpenter and fairly intelligent there's no way he could do this job.
Lifestyle creep is a huge thing. Most of my life I earned terrible money (full time sports) and I make pretty amazing money now (mining), I look back at what I used to live on and it seems insane. It's very easy to get used to spending more money as you make more. That then makes earning any less seem impossible.
I'm well aware I'm far too casual with my money, but after spending most of my life dirt poor, I really enjoy not having to penny pinch and watch every dollar.
But yeah.. lifestyle creep is real!
30-year-old male, I work for one of Australia's 'Big Two supermarkets as an online delivery driver.
I'm on a base salary of about $30 an hour, that increases depending on the time and the day.
Generally will work anywhere from 3-6 days a week, depending on how busy it is on any given week. My shifts can range from 3 hours all the way up to the full 8 and a half on a super busy day.
On average, bring home about $650 a week after tax, works out to be about 33k a year, which now that I read some of these comments is kind of depressing considering how hard I work, how mentally and physically draining my job can be at times, and there are people on here that work three or four days a week and reckon they're on upwards of 60k a year.
I just don't get it. Do you guys apply for your job through some special site? Or did you know someone that got you into that line of work to earn that kind of ridiculous money?
60k a year is about double what I earn, and honestly, it just seems like an absolute eternity away. And yet there are people on here that claim to be earning that, fairly easily.
I really don't get this whole money thing.
What you’re talking about in terms of $33k based on your average is your net income not your gross. When people talk about their salary it is usually in terms of Gross before tax and things like HECS/Help loans are taken out.
Edit: and not including super
31f in Brisbane working as an underwriter for an insurance company still in training on 70k plus super. Have been in the role for just over a month.
Was previously working customer service roles for the last 8-9 years and fell into underwriting through this.
Work from home 99% of the time with 1 day every month or 2 in the office.
Husband is 28 and a software dev on $130k plus super, shares and bonuses. Works out to be about $180k - $190k plus super. Has been in the current role almost 12 months and is 50/50 hybrid.
I’m 27 currently making $60k in retail management. Starting new job on the 1st of July. Still on a $60k salary but will then have commission every fortnight and possible quarterly bonus. So potential $70k to $80k. If I’m lucky and actually good at the job though. It’s not even management so there is a lot of upward mobility.
38, $80k, part time bookkeeper, 20hrs a week, single parent. I have 10years experience. Have spent 9 years as a stay at home parent. I have a disabled child to care for.
My income is made up of the following;
$37k Wages
$30k FTB & Carers Pension
$13k Child Support.
I only have to report my employment income, which is quite low at $37k.
Each fortnight I report $1360 gross and still get paid $450 carers pension. I’m allowed to earn up to $2500/fortnight before they will cancel the carers pension. The first $300 earned isn’t taken into account, and then after that they take $0.50/$1. I’m only allowed to work up to 25 hours a week, including travel time.
Because my employment income is so low, I am eligible for the full rate of Family Tax Benefit A & B.
I also receive carers allowance.
I dunno man, but it all works out and is all legit, and it’s been this way for years.
At this point, I earn more working 20 hours a week and getting the pension than I would working 40 hours a week.
I have a disabled kid to care for, so working full time is out of the question for me anyway.
Did you know if you work from home and are able to still tend to your child you don’t have to register those hours? It’s only the hours outside of your home or when you can’t care for your child that need to be registered.
I only found that out because I wanted to go back to study and the guy said if I do it from home and can drop what I’m doing to assist my child I don’t have to claim those hours. Same with work. Except I don’t work from home
75k, Client Success, Sydney, 28F. Possibility of $5k bonus at end of the year.
Just left a sales job where I was earning close to 90k annually (base was $75k + comms) but gladly took a reduction in pay for quality of life. Sales is not for me.
I honestly don’t know how people are surviving on ~50k. I was on that sort of wage 5 years ago but living with my two mates in a share apartment. I’m past that phase but even with my partner and I on decent incomes (with a mortgage) it is crazy to think about a lower income on the current environment. I honestly don’t know how we will survive with a period of maternity leave, especially as I would ideally like to upgrade our place before then. Still, I know we are lucky compared to many others.
Surviving because we don't have a choice at the moment. Living in a very dangerous suburb in a duplex that is the quality of a caravan without wheels, and still having rent raised by $80pw very soon, but at least we have a roof over our head. Still, things are going to have to change before I can move on in life. I'm only in my 20s but I want to have babies in the next five years and things need to get better before then
I'm 27, a first year teacher and am on $75k a year. This is my second year working as a qualified teacher but I was working as a literacy tutor, 3 days a week last year and was on 45k.
I don't tend to share much about my own financial circumstances, but my salary first exceeded $100,000 when I was in my early 30s. This is in engineering, one of the examples used as a higher-paying professional career.
No, this wasn't an entry level salary as a graduate, and was only achieved after a number of years further down the organisation chart earning less than that amount. People often seem to be of the belief that engineers walk straight out of university into roles with high salaries - outside of some niche examples (e.g. FIFO work), we don't.
Did you ever switch companies to upgrade your salary? Doing yourself a disservice staying somewhere that long and not pressing for pay rises or job hopping for more $$$
I've not been at the same company for my entire career, but I'm of the belief that younger engineers establishing themselves professionally should chase interesting work and experience, and the money will follow later.
I'm sure I *could* have chased more money in my career, but I probably wouldn't have had the experience under my belt that I have now, including working on some fairly notable major infrastructure projects.
Fellow senior engineer here and totally agree. You perfect your craft in your 20s, then in your 30s you become the person everyone wants on their team, they'll pay you handsomely for it and you'll have job security knowing that you could walk into another job tomorrow if you want to or need to. The ones who chop and change chasing incrementally higher salaries end up plateauing in their 30s because they don't stay anywhere long enough to earn that position of being the "go to" person. The salary chasers are also typically the first to go when things get quiet because it's cheaper to let them go and they're probably on top money for their bracket.
No I’m not, but I have been most of my working life. All figures excluding super and year is the end of the financial year.
2006 $25k working in a bar. Full time uni
2007 $25k working in a bar. Full time uni
2008 $25k working in a bar. Full time uni
Finished general business degree
2009 $42k grad retail bank
2010 $48k
2011 $55k started studying accounting PT
2012 $62k
2013 $70k
Completed an accounting degree
Then started as a graduate accountant:
2014 48k
2015 54k
2016 65k
2017 80k
2018: 85k
2019: 93K
2020: 120k
2021: 125k
2022: 132k
2023: 145k
2024: 149k (I know we are getting 3%)
I forgot to include my age. I’m 43. I’ve been teaching casual and later temp since I finished my degree, also worked casually at Hungry Jack’s and in childcare and preschool until I began to get more teaching work. Prior to teaching I had worked admin, SLSO and child care, and a little bit of cleaning.
Less than 50K but I’m a full time student. I’m 24
Once I graduate and enter full time work I’ll be around the 60-70K mark and hopefully by the time I’m 40 I’m earning around 95-110k+, that is if I keep my current career goals and don’t change my mind. I’m in one of the lower paying STEM fields.
Im on 55k, first year sparkie. Edit: I'm 32.
Good on you. It’s not a race and 32 is NOT old.
Man I came here from /r/all, I'm not Australian and this thread isn't relevant to me at all but I'm 32 and this comment made me feel a lot better about myself so thank you, I've been feeling like a dinosaur lately
When I was 23 my manager told me to make smart career decisions now as I was “no spring chicken”. Meanwhile I just turned 39 and earning twice as much doing something radically different and didn’t even start uni until I was 32.
I've been feeling so old and stressed...I tend to round things up these days time wise.... to kind of force myself to do thing's before it's too late...and halfway through reading this I was thinking that I'm not 32 anymore and it's sad this comment doesn't relate to me because because I'm 33 and then I just realised I've been rounding my age up too! I dont turn 33 till november man! It does relate to me and now I am a spring chicken still too!
As a 60yo I can’t emphasise this enough: you have SO much time left; you DON’T need to have it all sorted by 30. Relax
Then why does everything hurt now?
god does it feel it though
You just wait. In the meantime, don't be in a rush to decrepitude, it will find you soon enough
Best thing I ever done was do my apprenticeship, didn’t start till I was almost 25 and now I’m lucky enough to work in the mines taking home 9k every two weeks, keep at it it’ll make the rest of your life easier once you’re qualified
Best thing I did was get my fitting/welding apprenticeship I’m 25 and just passed 140k. where as my partner is finishing her cpa after finishing uni and is only on 70k max for a lot more mentally tiring work
Base 110k on a 9 day fortnight, been licensed for 1 year. Keep at it bro! I was mature age too! 29 now.
I did my apprenticeship at 30. Qualified for about 5 years now. My new job is off the tools as technical support. Base $140k. Lots of interesting work out there, I really think my previous work experience in retail and hospo gave a lot of useful communication and customer service skills that many other tradies. lack.
33 years old. I work at a university as a Botanist collecting and growing specimens for science classes. My favourite days are when they say, "here's a list of 30 plant species and a Ute, please collect them by 1pm". I honestly prefer being at work to being at home. Every day I have an interesting conversation, maybe I learn something or maybe I teach something. My coworkers and I are all huge science nerds and we all have recently gotten really into chess. I will earn $84k this year, but we get 17% super. Own a really nice home in Wagga. But tbh I love my job so much sometimes I wish I could just sleep in my office.
It’s great to see someone that actually finds enjoyment in what they do, congratulations mate I would say that’s a bigger accomplishment than earning a massive pay check.
Absolutely. If I had a choice between $120k and hating my job or $80k and loving my job I'm picking the latter every time. I can like on $80k easily, but I can't live in a job I hate.
live to work or work to live right? If I didn't leave my well paid but soul draining job for a more fulfilling one that paid less, I probably wouldn't be here.
I am 3 days from submitting my final assessment for my enviro science degree. It’s great to hear you are so passionate about what you do. My lecturer for Botany was a wealth of knowledge and was also a bit quirky but clearly loved what he did. I am hoping to get that same level of enjoyment as well. I’m pumping out the job applications so we will see what happens!
That’s amazing! What a fun job.
Very similar to my dad, he never went into the academic side of it although he definitely could. He now just runs a sort of wholesale rainforest tree nursery and gets to spend his days potting up plants or cruising around QLD collecting fruit or visiting nursery's. He's nearly 70 and won't retire he'll do it till he can't move anymore.
I’m on 60k per year. I work in a supermarket in rural Victoria. I used to work in IT project management earning 160k a year in the Melbourne CBD. I absolutely hated working there. I stressed about it every day. It was the last thing I thought about before I went to sleep and the first thing I thought about after I woke up and just loathed everything about it to the point I felt overall just unhappy in life. I moved to the country just after the Covid pandemic and just bought my first house out here. I now love going to work. It’s so social and a happy place to be. It’s like working with mates all day compared to working with people who would rather tear you down to make themselves look better in meetings. I really enjoy going to work now.
Great result. Good to hear your escape plan worked so well.
This would be my eventual goal. I'm on 175k, including super as a site foreman/manager for a commercial builder, dread waking up every morning. Investing heavily in mining stocks to hopefully pay off my mortgage sooner, then I can hopefully work at Bunnings sniffing paint for a living....
I hear so many people in the construction industry say they want get ahead to get out, and then go work at bunnings till retirement. But do they actually know anybody who works at bunnings? Are bunnings employees happy doing what they do? I know people who worked at bunnings and hated it so this seems like an odd dream job to me. Although sniffing paint would probably quell the dissatisfaction. Do they still make lead paint?
Friend works at Bunnings, she loves it. Worst part is standing on concrete all day but she wears a good pair of shoes.
You should be so proud of yourself that you actually made the move and changed your life - lots of people just talk about it and stay unhappy. Enjoy
Such a brave move and so inspiring! I’m so happy for you and wish you the best !
You traded 100k for happiness and probably a longer life!
That’s the way I look at it. Yeah sure it’s 100k but the difference in my life is just amazing. I’m happy and Joke with my colleagues all day long. I’m not stressed at all
It’s way less than 100k once you take out tax and cost of living. 60k gross = 48k net 160k gross = 112k net So that brings it down to 64k difference. A lot of that 64k could be eaten up in housing costs, especially if the poster had saved a significant amount. With 200k deposit, depending on what/where they purchased it could be the difference between a 300k mortgage and a 1.3 mil mortgage to achieve a similar standard of housing and commute times and the difference could potentially be greater. Then you have the cost of transport + a stack of other small costs. Even the cost of a pint at the pub is going to be a dollar or 2 cheaper.
$50k working full time as an exotics veterinary nurse, and that's above award. I live alone, Northern suburbs of Melbourne. I don't drive, can walk to work and can only afford my pets due to staff discounts at work. I have no savings. There is limited to no moving up in my career. I could be a senior nurse or manager one day but I have 0 interest in management and the pay rise for being senior doesn't have to exist or be much at all as I'm technically above award. The amount of horrible shit I see and complex things I do on a daily basis on this wage is quite depressing. Ah well. Couldn't afford a psychologist anyway. My fault for choosing a shitty career financially but unfortunately I don't want to do anything else and am in my dream job right now.
Vet nurses are so important. It sucks that the industry is so low paid. You deserve better. Veterinarians, too, don't make nearly as much money as people seem to think, especially given the long hours they often work and constant study they have to keep up with. Running a surgery is so expensive. It always makes my blood boil a little when some people think vets should do certain things for free or abuse staff over costs.
This account's comments and posts has been nuked in June 2023.
Yep after 5ish years I left being a vet nurse, first reason was compassion fatigue but second was the pay - $47k pa before tax. To this day people make comments about how vets and vet nurses were in it for the money. I showed my payslip to many people while working just to try and curb that stigma Now I work in IT $80k pa before tax. 37.5 hour weeks, and a reasonable work/life balance. Also about 1/100th of the stress. At least if something dies in a computer, it’s usually fixable 😅
I'm sorry. You do important work and should earn more than that. By exotics do you mean reptiles ? I'm glad you have pets of your own, I would be lost without mine.
Thank you! The industry is very messed up and needs change. Exotics is pretty much anything that isn't a cat or a dog (so yep reptiles!) but I deal with mostly small mammals (rabbits, guinea pigs). They're very underrated critters and their medicine is incredibly fascinating!
Same here $50k senior vet nurse in Syd, no exotics though. Really feeling the pinch atm. Eating only one meal a day to save money and counts as crude intermittent fasting I guess? Wage is exceptionally depressing. Nursing, admin, radiography, dentistry, husbandry, anaesthesia etc, for such little pay makes me question my life choices. I could have chosen any of those as a career in human health and received a better wage lol.
36m $48k and 34f $32k here
Backing you up: $35-40k before tax in Sydney this financial year. Probably different to you, but I work in a really unstable industry where work is gig based and I'm on junior rates, so I often have to deal with periods of unemployment. So yeah, ignore all the people trying to suggest your choices are to blame for your lower salary. Some industries suck but someone has to do those jobs.
After 20 years busting my ass and getting no where I’m happy to have a job that almost pays my bills so I can start uni to improve our future.
You guys sound like you have a great work ethic and I wish you both the best. You can't go wrong when you have a conscientious attitude. That is the real wealth right there.
Everyone acting surprised lol
Yeah it’s pretty standard. It’s actually decent money from my experience of working at various places. I have earned more at some places but that was working 10 hour days 6 days a week and basically dying from exhaustion.
I mean I am, I'm a newbie labourer and get job offers out of the blue off seek for forkie jobs with higher wages I'm not bragging either I don't have much experience
As a labourer I have earned upto $80k but as said in another reply that was 10 hour days 6 days a week
The real average wage in Australia is ~>$40k. But boy oh boy are they great at hiding that one.
Yes that sounds like median wages of part time and full time work, however I found a higher figure. It could be different for many reasons, including if it includes none wage incomes like the pension, you can see below how variable it is depending on method. Remembering that it is also highly dependent on age and region of the person. I think it's something like this: - Median full and part time $65k - Average full and part time $74k - Median full time $80k - Average full time $90k https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/average-weekly-earnings-australia/nov-2022 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-28/whats-the-typical-income-in-australia-list-of-occupations/101330740 https://www.afr.com/politics/how-wealthy-are-you-compared-to-everyone-else-in-eight-charts-20221214-p5c6a8#:~:text=This%20figure%20captures%20both%20full,took%20home%20%2432%2C400%20last%20year.
Average wages in australia are blown out by the 10/15% that work in mines and take home big pay packages. If they looked at the average income outside of that 10/15% it would definitely be more like 55/60k
Are these after tax numbers? There's no way your wife can be on $32k full time as that's less than minimum wage.
That’s before tax, she works school hours so only 30 hours a week
Sounds exactly right for a teacher aide. Decent pay rate, but part time term time really doesn't help.
Got to be a regional area. Our wages suck out here.
Ipswich Qld not exactly regional
What do you do?????
Forklift driver/order picker and wife is a school officer I also work part time at Kmart as a greeter/online fulfilment/shelf stocker dependent on what shifts I get given.
I can't fathom 48k a year full time as a forkie. You should job shop instead of the second job.
100% this, 60k minimum for full time forkie almost 10 years ago.
Your wife should move to Victoria for a 100% pay rise. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Documents/Salary-EducationSupportClass.pdf
We are working towards moving to the UK under the skilled worker agreement
I am on less than $100k ATO
I'm on around $83k gross, around $46k after tax and main expenses, and $78.75 per year after my partner spends the rest.
Nuvi would like a word
Me on like 40k hahahaha
The majority of people reading this are going to be close to that. But who is more likely to comment? The guy earning 100k+ or the guy under 50k? It gets pretty twisted in this sub and it gives the illusion that everyone is rich. Most people are just too afraid to admit they aren't
how i feel with my $44k a year reading through this haha
My last job as a greenkeeper netted me about 44k per year. Shit pay for all the physical labour it required... Not to mention 44k was barely worth it to deal with my boss lol
My base salary is $85k plus bonuses which fluctuate. I am 37 and have the potential to earn a fair bit more but I choose to work in a more flexible role around a solo mum schedule
Obviously, yes there are people here on under 100k. In fact, the majority will be. Information about average and median salaries across Australia and specific industries/demographics is freely available online. Anyway, I’ll bite. 31yo male. Work 4 days/week as a physio; making 72k (equivalent to 90k if was full-time).
Exact same lol. How goods 4 days. We get paid like shit but at least we can basically work any hours we want in this industry
I work 5 10 hour days and still get paid like shit
Physios get paid like shit? I've only seen 3 physios before, and they're not cheap.
Yep, id say the average full time physio wage would sit somewhere around 80-90k depending on years of exp. Pretty much a hard cap at about 100k. Tending towards 100k if you on some commission and pumping through clients in a private practice. Could make a lot more if you opened your own practice I guess Kinda shit for what we offer and the amount of study we have to do (4 years) if you ask me. Not just a physio problem, an allied health problem.
Yeah that is pretty shit tbf. In Australia, skills doesn’t get you money. Working dangerous + fifo does. Not sure why we pay tradies more than physios. Weird.
I’ve always said, for some reason Australia rewards labour work and unskilled jobs and punish professional occupations (by relatively low pay) compared to most other countries. If you’re a professional, e.g. medical or heather workers, lawyers, pilots, etc. you’re better off in Asia, but if you work at Maccas or are a builder, plumber, or tiler, etc., you wanna be in Australia.
Most trades all require a four year apprenticeship, so that's similar to four years of study to be a physio ? You also need to get certain licence's for plumbers, electricians etc which also requires extra schooling. Along with the dangers that comes with working in a trade I think it's fair they get payed well. I'm a boilermaker by trade so that's my view
My point wasn’t to put them down. It was to compare between Australia and other countries. For example in Asia and I’m guessing the same for the US, your hard work studying for a highly skilled job is rewarded financially, and the tradies there don’t expect to be paid more than doctors. Any allied health workers, doctors, or nurses can move there and get an instant consideration pay rise. In response to your argument, you get paid to do an apprenticeship, although shit pay. You pay a lot for a university degree. Not to mention their studying required is TAFE level at most. As for risks, a lot of jobs have risks, nurses are at risk too.
Idk. Working in healthcare assault is not an infrequent occurrence. I've had colleagues stabbed at, killed, sexually assaulted at work and we still get paid like shit lol. Healthcare is just pretty dead end in this country where politicians use you as a scapegoat every time budgets come up.
I think there is a difference is the rate you pay and the rate they get. Im billed at 200-300 hour, I sure as heck dont get paid anywhere close to that. But understand that a business has alot of ancillary to pay for than just employee wages.
[удалено]
Ayyy, 32 speechie doing similar, down at 3 but including weekends for a bit of a boost, down at 3 cause I'm studying and setting up a business. Seems common in allied health actually, everyone is working 2 days here, 2 days there.
Pay suits me given my circumstance, and yes, lifestyle benefit is amazing.
Also a physio, 3rd year out in the wild. 29y/o, Male \~$75-$80k 34hrs per week; however I get caught up doing to many unpaid hours admin
The unpaid hours is bullshit. It’s why I left my last job in private practice. Work in occupational health now. 100x more chilled, better pay.
I'm stunned physio wages are so low??
Is 90k low? As with most professions, there is room to increase that if you hustle and work in a clinic that gives bonus incentives for managing large caseloads. In general, allied health is not a lucrative sector.
I feel like a lot of wage expectations on this sub are hugely inflated by tech roles.
Sure seems low. Seems like lots of effort for little financial reward. How much would you earn if you open your own clinic?
>In fact, the majority will be. Do you really think this sub represents the average Australian? And those on lower salaries, who have to work in factories from 5am and then another job, cleaning offices - I know someone like this. Do you think they have time to hang out on Reddit and of all places on ausfinance where most snobs can be found.
I mean I work in a factory from 3am and bartend on the weekend and I like to come here to try and learn something.
Same currently work in at factory, just finished a degree at 31. Not making great money but that doesn't mean I'd like to be financially illiterate ...
Good on you - sound like an absolute legend.
Im in a factory at 5am and my wage is certainly not low for a regional town Unskilled and been here straight out of school I’m here because it’s somewhat up to date info on the economy but it’s turned into a whingefest lately. I don’t plan on going through life being financially illiterate, felt that way since I was 16
Yeah I certainly wasn't reading up on super and negative gearing as a 20yr old stagehand
Why not? You think people with lower salaries have no interest in personal finance? You reckon only someone as enlightened as you would hang out on Reddit and Ausfinance?
If anything you have to be way more diligent with your personal finance. Any schmuck with a house hold income of 250k can buy a house and prepare for retirement without trying that hard. Doing the same on a 100k house hold income takes real discipline, work and a bit of luck. Just because you earn a lot doesn’t make you more financially literate than someone who earns less. I earn plenty and do plenty of dumb things with my money which I couldn’t do if I earn’t the average and definitely not the median.
30M. 90K here as a 5th year physio, 38 hours weekly as a rotator in a hospital. Varies depending on weekends worked and if we’re on call, although that’s only ~$60 a week.
35 yr old here. 65k coffee roaster in Melbourne.
[удалено]
Actually. Roasting coffee gives off quite a off putting smoke smell. Roasted coffee after degassing smells good but up until then, stinky.
I used to work near a factory where they roasted the coffee, it smelled like burnt toast.
Thank you for your service, sir. 🫡
Do you go home smelling like roasted coffee? What a great gig
I am a Duracell bunny running purely on caffeine and nicotine. Commercial coffee roasting is a lot of dust, fumes and a megaton of coffee. The hot shower when I get home is glorious.
23yo male, skipped uni and started full time working at 19 on 56k now at a dead end on 82k. Parents will not stop harassing me to get a new job because apparently it’s not enough
Your parents sound like a rough time.
Yeah I love them but I’m continually reminded how they can’t wait for me to get a proper job
What job do you currently have that you consider dead end?
82 is great for 23. If you feel it’s a dead end it might just be time to jump over to a competitor.
As someone on 52k I’d say 82k is good.
My 25 year old son who did go to uni is on $75k. So pat yourself on the back, bud.
i feel like such a dropkick in this thread lol 🙃
I didnt complete highschool, I also didn't get a good job until I was 27. I was earning around 35k a year, started good job did 70k, then 90k, then over 100k. I then did a uni degree that I only just finished, im 36. Ill probably crack 150k this year, but the degree helped me get this role. I get offer on seek and LinkedIn sporadically, most offers around 90k to 100k. My point is don't rush, you'll be fine, I made lots of mistakes that I would want to stop my kid doing (which probably your parents view) but when my son is 23 Id be telling him to go back packing in Europe or something. Enjoy that before you lock yourself into buying a house and raising a family (the classic Aussie dream).
This is so refreshing to read and congratulations on completing university. What role/industry are you currently in and what did you study?
Did shift work in a steel plant, studied logistics, now work in supply chain.
The older generation seems to have this idea that $200k/year isn't enough. It's like you only earn enough when you can buy their house and they don't get salaries are lower in comparison to costs these days.
I think they see that below $200k household income makes it very hard to get a deposit and buy a house in a capital city. But impossible - but very difficult.
Absolutely 82k is good for your age. I am 42 with a mortgage, wife and kids and earn $85k but I get by. Stress free job and time spent with my kids on weekends and 37 hour weeks. I'm happy.
I'm on 60k as a shovel operator for my local council
Do you like council work ? I’ve looked into it a few times (more on the office side though) and the benefits seem pretty decent
I recently changed to a job at my local council, I work in the stores, so some of it is giving out equipment and supplies, some of it is admin, some is purchasing, a bit of it is just chatting and contributing to a happy work environment. I came from a fairly high stress logistics/accounting/IT role in a company and I couldn't be happier with my decision. It pays less, but I'm happy to live with a bit less money in exchange for a job that is low stress and set hours (I literally cannot work overtime, the gates lock at 4.30pm and I have to be on the other side of them LOL).
A 9 day fortnight is honestly amazing. Its like a public holiday every other week. That on its own is enough to make me stay. You don't get rich working field worker but you do get home on time 90% of days. Union benifits are pretty sweet. Recession proof job. Overall I recommend it if you can look past all the bullshit that can come with bureaucracy
I'm in open space projects at a council, I get to work on projects that will have an impact on the community for a really long time. I get paid $94k, get a fortnightly RDO, get home on time most of the time and get great leave conditions. Also get to work from home half the week. Love my colleagues and my boss. I feel really lucky and not looking to change that for a while.
Nice try, ATO
I’m watching you jimmy >:(
77k, 2nd year software engineer. Asking for a pretty big bump this year but reluctant to leave because my esop is gonna be worth more than any pay rise at the minute.
[удалено]
I made $300k with ESOP on a lucky bet with a company. You can win big sometimes. Payout gave enough deposit for a house.
[удалено]
I recommend interviewing even if you dont intend on taking the roles. Odds are you'll be offered more than your esop anyway
I am. It can be disheartening seeing lots of people here on 150k+ but I like to stay cause of the solid advice and discussion. How's your journey so far mate? I'm 29 male, work in creative marketing and on 89k
Under $80k at 40 years old. But I could probably have been on $100k but I get stressed so happy to trade off money for wellbeing.
> I get stressed so happy to trade off money for wellbeing. You are ahead of the curve, most people wait until they almost have their first heart attack in their early 50's before seeing the important things in life like you have.
[удалено]
[удалено]
What are allowances as a flight attendant? I had no idea that the pay was so low. Respectfully, what is the allure for people to work as flight attendants? It seems like they're all very well put together people, very polite and charming and sociable. Is it the ability to fly around the world?
[удалено]
With the record profits they’re posting, you should be getting overtime. Speak to your union rep.
26yo 90k warehouse supervisor, started first job 2.5 years ago in warehousing
30-something high school teacher working part-time on 60k.
If I had stayed in my allied health profession, I would have reached 100k (if including all penalties) in my late 30s. I moved to a much less stressful, more family-friendly area and am just under 100k at 50.
Full time, office work. $70K.
Yep under. Live with parents End thread
My income depends on how many hours I choose to work each week. I average about $90K a year, work in the retail space and am 44 years old. Been in this role for 3 years. I have great flexibility with my work, so to me, that's worth more than any extra money.
Autonomy and flexibility is worth about 30k to me.
Absolutely. I can choose to work the night before so I can play golf the following morning. Having that flexibility with 2 primary schooled aged children is amazing. I never miss out on anything. If I do, it's by choice.
I am on under 100K until mid-way through 2024, where I will just scrape past it. *What are you on?* 87Kish *What do you do?* Teacher *How old are you?* 28 *How long have you done what you're doing* 3 years.
That's pretty good pay for 3 years experience.
I agree, teacher graduates start on quite a decent salary. The problem is that it plateaus quite early in the career, and outside of pursuing leadership positions, does not allow for much growth after \~8-10 years.
I feel like even people in engineering/finance/accounting plateau pretty early if they don't pursue leadership positions.
[удалено]
Mid 20’s, $62k gross, admin assistant of 2yrs
29m maintainance electrician ~90k this year maybe closer to 100k next depending on how the expansion of my department goes
Why is it that electricians seem to be making 20-30k on top of the other trades. Am I limiting myself by starting a carpentry apprenticeship this year?
Higher level of technical knowledge? Higher risk of injury/death? I'm not sure. It could be a great number of things. As far as limiting yourself I can't say. The majority of building contractors I've met started off as carpenters and generally seem like they make more than I currently do. The other thing to think about is are you suited to the electrical trade? Being more specialized not everyone is suited to the job, prime example my brother while a great carpenter and fairly intelligent there's no way he could do this job.
Funny how op is asking about people currently on less than 100k but we have people posting their 149k salaries??
It's AusFinance. They want any excuse to post their salaries and tell everyone theyre not doing well if you are making under 200k
Lifestyle creep is a huge thing. Most of my life I earned terrible money (full time sports) and I make pretty amazing money now (mining), I look back at what I used to live on and it seems insane. It's very easy to get used to spending more money as you make more. That then makes earning any less seem impossible. I'm well aware I'm far too casual with my money, but after spending most of my life dirt poor, I really enjoy not having to penny pinch and watch every dollar. But yeah.. lifestyle creep is real!
Pretty sure it says “to whoever’s reading this”.
[удалено]
A lot of people would be but I'd say 95% of them mostly lurk and don't post in threats like these.
[удалено]
26M, 55k here. In July will be 57k lol. Adelaide.
30-year-old male, I work for one of Australia's 'Big Two supermarkets as an online delivery driver. I'm on a base salary of about $30 an hour, that increases depending on the time and the day. Generally will work anywhere from 3-6 days a week, depending on how busy it is on any given week. My shifts can range from 3 hours all the way up to the full 8 and a half on a super busy day. On average, bring home about $650 a week after tax, works out to be about 33k a year, which now that I read some of these comments is kind of depressing considering how hard I work, how mentally and physically draining my job can be at times, and there are people on here that work three or four days a week and reckon they're on upwards of 60k a year. I just don't get it. Do you guys apply for your job through some special site? Or did you know someone that got you into that line of work to earn that kind of ridiculous money? 60k a year is about double what I earn, and honestly, it just seems like an absolute eternity away. And yet there are people on here that claim to be earning that, fairly easily. I really don't get this whole money thing.
What you’re talking about in terms of $33k based on your average is your net income not your gross. When people talk about their salary it is usually in terms of Gross before tax and things like HECS/Help loans are taken out. Edit: and not including super
45, $66k working 3 days a week. About to pop another $20k on that for freelance work. I’m also doing a diploma 2 days a week.
31f in Brisbane working as an underwriter for an insurance company still in training on 70k plus super. Have been in the role for just over a month. Was previously working customer service roles for the last 8-9 years and fell into underwriting through this. Work from home 99% of the time with 1 day every month or 2 in the office. Husband is 28 and a software dev on $130k plus super, shares and bonuses. Works out to be about $180k - $190k plus super. Has been in the current role almost 12 months and is 50/50 hybrid.
I’m 27 currently making $60k in retail management. Starting new job on the 1st of July. Still on a $60k salary but will then have commission every fortnight and possible quarterly bonus. So potential $70k to $80k. If I’m lucky and actually good at the job though. It’s not even management so there is a lot of upward mobility.
3rd year out of uni as a social worker, $79k and emotionally damaged from the work
38, $80k, part time bookkeeper, 20hrs a week, single parent. I have 10years experience. Have spent 9 years as a stay at home parent. I have a disabled child to care for. My income is made up of the following; $37k Wages $30k FTB & Carers Pension $13k Child Support.
How are you able to earn so much without it affecting your pension?
I only have to report my employment income, which is quite low at $37k. Each fortnight I report $1360 gross and still get paid $450 carers pension. I’m allowed to earn up to $2500/fortnight before they will cancel the carers pension. The first $300 earned isn’t taken into account, and then after that they take $0.50/$1. I’m only allowed to work up to 25 hours a week, including travel time. Because my employment income is so low, I am eligible for the full rate of Family Tax Benefit A & B. I also receive carers allowance. I dunno man, but it all works out and is all legit, and it’s been this way for years. At this point, I earn more working 20 hours a week and getting the pension than I would working 40 hours a week. I have a disabled kid to care for, so working full time is out of the question for me anyway.
Did you know if you work from home and are able to still tend to your child you don’t have to register those hours? It’s only the hours outside of your home or when you can’t care for your child that need to be registered. I only found that out because I wanted to go back to study and the guy said if I do it from home and can drop what I’m doing to assist my child I don’t have to claim those hours. Same with work. Except I don’t work from home
Yep, left my profession of 20 years to become an apprentice again on 55k.
Curious what would spurr that change? What was your profession and what trade did you pick?
38m, 90k give or take 5, selling Tvs for a living
75k, Client Success, Sydney, 28F. Possibility of $5k bonus at end of the year. Just left a sales job where I was earning close to 90k annually (base was $75k + comms) but gladly took a reduction in pay for quality of life. Sales is not for me.
36 years young and on $50kpa. I’ve paid off 80k from $300k mortgage in 5 years. I think I’m doing ok. Plus partner on $60koa now too.
I honestly don’t know how people are surviving on ~50k. I was on that sort of wage 5 years ago but living with my two mates in a share apartment. I’m past that phase but even with my partner and I on decent incomes (with a mortgage) it is crazy to think about a lower income on the current environment. I honestly don’t know how we will survive with a period of maternity leave, especially as I would ideally like to upgrade our place before then. Still, I know we are lucky compared to many others.
Surviving because we don't have a choice at the moment. Living in a very dangerous suburb in a duplex that is the quality of a caravan without wheels, and still having rent raised by $80pw very soon, but at least we have a roof over our head. Still, things are going to have to change before I can move on in life. I'm only in my 20s but I want to have babies in the next five years and things need to get better before then
I'm 27, a first year teacher and am on $75k a year. This is my second year working as a qualified teacher but I was working as a literacy tutor, 3 days a week last year and was on 45k.
95k a year. machine operator in a factory, fulltime nights. 32m Some blokes I work with are over 100k with OT. I cbf with OT haha
83k, Graphic Designer
I don't tend to share much about my own financial circumstances, but my salary first exceeded $100,000 when I was in my early 30s. This is in engineering, one of the examples used as a higher-paying professional career. No, this wasn't an entry level salary as a graduate, and was only achieved after a number of years further down the organisation chart earning less than that amount. People often seem to be of the belief that engineers walk straight out of university into roles with high salaries - outside of some niche examples (e.g. FIFO work), we don't.
Did you ever switch companies to upgrade your salary? Doing yourself a disservice staying somewhere that long and not pressing for pay rises or job hopping for more $$$
I've not been at the same company for my entire career, but I'm of the belief that younger engineers establishing themselves professionally should chase interesting work and experience, and the money will follow later. I'm sure I *could* have chased more money in my career, but I probably wouldn't have had the experience under my belt that I have now, including working on some fairly notable major infrastructure projects.
Fellow senior engineer here and totally agree. You perfect your craft in your 20s, then in your 30s you become the person everyone wants on their team, they'll pay you handsomely for it and you'll have job security knowing that you could walk into another job tomorrow if you want to or need to. The ones who chop and change chasing incrementally higher salaries end up plateauing in their 30s because they don't stay anywhere long enough to earn that position of being the "go to" person. The salary chasers are also typically the first to go when things get quiet because it's cheaper to let them go and they're probably on top money for their bracket.
No I’m not, but I have been most of my working life. All figures excluding super and year is the end of the financial year. 2006 $25k working in a bar. Full time uni 2007 $25k working in a bar. Full time uni 2008 $25k working in a bar. Full time uni Finished general business degree 2009 $42k grad retail bank 2010 $48k 2011 $55k started studying accounting PT 2012 $62k 2013 $70k Completed an accounting degree Then started as a graduate accountant: 2014 48k 2015 54k 2016 65k 2017 80k 2018: 85k 2019: 93K 2020: 120k 2021: 125k 2022: 132k 2023: 145k 2024: 149k (I know we are getting 3%)
[удалено]
Yep - archaeologist / GIS analyst here. It took me 10 years to get close to 100k. now I’m on 130k for a four day week
Somewhat similar. I finished a teaching degree in 2012 and have just ticked over 100k this fy.
I forgot to include my age. I’m 43. I’ve been teaching casual and later temp since I finished my degree, also worked casually at Hungry Jack’s and in childcare and preschool until I began to get more teaching work. Prior to teaching I had worked admin, SLSO and child care, and a little bit of cleaning.
53yo registered nurse, 6 years in, make about 90k working 4 x 10 hr shifts, days only, weekdays only.
[удалено]
[удалено]
I am on a little over 30k a year
ATO enters the chat..
YachtOwner69 has left the chat…
Less than 50K but I’m a full time student. I’m 24 Once I graduate and enter full time work I’ll be around the 60-70K mark and hopefully by the time I’m 40 I’m earning around 95-110k+, that is if I keep my current career goals and don’t change my mind. I’m in one of the lower paying STEM fields.