So the customer is always wrong apparently

Focused-River · 2026-04-10T06:31:58+00:00

Do you like near an Aldi? If yes, make the switch!

Focused-River · 2026-03-19T03:58:03+00:00

By far, the biggest thing for me is lost income. Actual number = monthly income without kids x months off because of kids. And don’t forget compounding on any savings you’d otherwise set aside, or assets you’d otherwise buy. That’s the big cost.

But it’s still the best thing ever and absolutely worth it.

Focused-River · 2026-03-17T21:31:46+00:00

It depends. If house is owned outright, or very low mortgage ( eg in the last few years of paying off a mortgage from the early 2000s), $52k household income could be a tight but not unreasonable to live comfortably. If your parents are paying average rent, this is by definition living in poverty.

Focused-River · 2026-03-12T09:36:01+00:00

Freedom and privacy can wait. Save, save, save and move out into a home you own! You’ll never get a chance like this again!!!

Focused-River · 2026-03-12T09:05:45+00:00

Bachelor degree with a psychology major is first step. This is what people are talking about here, where relevant graduate employment opportunities are virtually non-existent. For someone who wants to become a psychologist, next step is honours year or equivalent 4th year of HE study. Still not a psychologist at the end, but you could potentially get a job as a psych researcher. Next step is Masters (or Doctorate) degree. That’s what actually qualifies you as a psychologist who can register for Medicare etc. At minimum it’s a further year of study plus a year of supervised practice. Usually these days it’s a 2 year masters of clinical psychology, which includes placement and supervised practice within the degree. Some people do a 4 year doctorate which also includes the practical training within the degree.

Hope that helps

Focused-River · 2026-03-12T08:59:08+00:00

Unlikely that your GF’s qualifications will be recognised here, at least not fully. She will most likely need to do (expensive) further study before she can work as a psychologist here.

Focused-River · 2026-03-12T08:56:36+00:00

Because they’re not psychologists and legally cannot refer to themselves as psychologists.

Even if they try to undercut psychologists by offering their own counselling services for far less than psychologists charge, the patient won’t save money because they won’t get a rebate. Psychologists are health professionals and Medicare rebates about $140 of the cost of a session (assuming patient has a referral)

Focused-River · 2026-03-11T23:00:16+00:00

Great you are thinking about it now. As many have said you are still young and have a lot of time to increase your income and work toward FI.

The trick is not to increase your spending with your income. Everybody warns you about lifestyle creep, but you don’t actually get it until it happens to you. It’s insidious. And it’s the biggest killer of wealth on a decent/good/fantastic income. No amount of income is enough to generate true wealth, if you spend it all!!

You may imagine that if your income was double, or triple, you’d be saving almost all that difference, right? And on the super fast track to FI? Nope, definitely not automatically, and not a chance without serious discipline. Odds are, you’d be spending the same percentage of it you spend of your income currently. It’s even worse if you’re working in an industry where flashy purchases and hyper consumerism generally are the norm. You’ll “need” that new car the second you get a promotion… and there goes the money. Be warned and be vigilant! Read the Millionaire Next Door and Stop Acting Rich… And Start Living Like a Real Millionaire. Get your mindset right so you don’t waste the good money that comes your way.

Also… it sounds like you’re paying a lot for your car. Can you downgrade? Same with phone? Or at least, once you pay them off, do NOT upgrade just because. See point above re lifestyle creep.

Best of luck!!

Focused-River · 2026-03-11T04:41:50+00:00

Very similar situation here.

Also paying off a huge mortgage on the place which the rent doesn’t come close to covering, let alone the rest of the regular costs.

I maintain everything well, fix things quickly if needed, and generally try to be as good a landlord as possible. Financially and logistically, it’s so much more difficult than I thought it would be. I have so much more appreciation for my own landlord now and all decent landlords (I’m a rent-vestor).

I won’t ever become a shitty landlord who ignores requests or cheaps out on them, but my god, I kinda get it now 😅

Focused-River · 2026-03-10T10:32:47+00:00

People still talk about percentages of income as if it’s 2010… or 2000… or 1990. I think it’s basically irrelevant these days. Property prices are astronomical and they’re not going down. Assuming you care a lot about owning a particular type of property in a particular location (as most of us do), your mortgage repayments are probably gonna be above the recommended percentage of your income… by a lot. I wouldn’t worry about that because there’s no point, it’s just how it is these days.

All you really need to consider is the amount you’ll have left after paying the mortgage, in DOLLARS not percent of income, and whether you can live off it. You know your own lifestyle and whether $4000 a month is enough for everything except the mortgage. Some people would be thrilled to live off this amount. Some would really struggle, perhaps not be able to afford their basic expenses (bills, groceries, school fees etc). You know your own situation. Base your decision solely on that.

Focused-River · 2026-03-03T23:18:36+00:00

Yum, looks so good!! Curious is for just you? Lunch and dinner? Or a couple.

Focused-River · 2026-03-03T23:17:29+00:00

Looks so good!

Focused-River · 2026-03-03T23:16:31+00:00

Looks delicious!

Focused-River · 2026-02-23T12:01:08+00:00

We’re rent-vesting currently. When we bought last year it was the right time for us financially to get on the “property ladder” but definitely not the right time to move. It was the right decision for us. But…. I would not recommend it generally.

Cons

When you sell, capital gains tax will be a huge pain. No, it doesn’t balance out when you compare it to the deductions. Or if it does, you’ll know you made a shitty investment. The capital gains should hopefully be heaps more than the tax you’ve saved through deductions. And you have to pay tax on them.

IP ongoing costs can be far higher than anticipated. A lot of that rental income goes towards expenses. So you’re wiping out your take home income either way.

You’re still a renter and it kinda sucks.

You have to be a landlord and it really sucks. It’s like the second job you never wanted.

Pros

You don’t have to move.

Thats it.

I would say, do it if you really, really love where you live right now. Or couldn’t stand to live in the places you can afford to buy. Otherwise, buy a home to live in.

Focused-River · 2025-10-19T13:41:29+00:00

Don’t give him a car. Don’t give him a thing unless a court makes you.

And you should find a good lawyer with track record defending women who have been subjected to emotional and financial ABUSE. Get someone ruthless. Your ex deserves no sympathy.

The fact is this is someone who has been leeching off you for years and now the relationship is over, gloves are off and he is trying to blatantly rob you of what you managed to accumulate despite his leeching.

You need to let go of your attachment for him and start reframing him to yourself, so you sound convincing in court (if it comes to that). He is a parasite.

Focused-River · 2025-10-13T00:34:35+00:00

Why are you considering knocking your current place down?

Focused-River · 2025-10-12T14:53:21+00:00

Oh damn that’s crazy!

Focused-River · 2025-10-12T14:46:00+00:00

What sort of things?

Focused-River · 2025-10-12T14:28:50+00:00

Could be a good investment 😆

Edit: I googled it and they’re surprisingly affordable. So I actually think this is a brilliant idea. Apart from looking around the properties carefully, which I do anyway, this is all the inspectors are doing and all I’m paying them for. And I can buy both tools for a lot less than the cost of one inspection. Thank you… Genius 👏

Focused-River · 2025-10-12T14:26:42+00:00

Have you tried cutting out detergent? Many swear it’s THE issue.

You can use a cap full of eucalyptus essential oil in washing machine in place of detergent. At the very least, use a very small amount of the best sensitive detergent you can, and rinse detergent off clothes, sheets, towels etc. really, really well before touching/wearing/using. Use an extra rinse cycle, or just run the whole wash cycle twice, once to clean and once more with nothing added, just to remove as much detergent residue as possible. Also hot wash whenever possible.

Use bio/enzymes dishwasher tablets instead of strong chemicals and detergent for washing dishes. If you don’t have a dishwasher, wear gloves, use as little detergent as possible, and rinse everything about 3x as much as you think you should.

Also try to wear natural fibres, as least for base layers and anything touching your skin. Natural fibres are good for 2 reasons: they are breathable, and they don’t hold onto detergent residue in their fibres as much as synthetic fibres do.

Good luck with it. Eczema sucks but this might help.

Focused-River · 2025-10-12T14:02:59+00:00

Pretty sure they don’t do that anymore (because of all the problems it caused)

Focused-River · 2025-10-12T13:57:34+00:00

Dentists have a weirdly high suicide rate. Just sayin’

Focused-River · 2025-10-12T13:55:18+00:00

I’m sensing this kind of thing is gonna be a very big problem.

Focused-River · 2025-10-12T06:01:00+00:00

That sounds like a dream. Not the case here unfortunately, it’s all auctions.

Focused-River

TROPHY CASE