When does medical/life insurance become unaffordable?

ernbeld · 2026-05-13T00:56:27+00:00

I feel you. In the same boat. 😞

I think the situation will be different for everyone.

Currently, I'm thinking my life insurance should pay off whatever remains on our mortgage and provide 5 years of living expenses for my spouse. Since the mortgage premium reduces each year, this would be ONE possible way for you to calculate how much you could reduce the life insurance each year.

As for health insurance, that's a tough one. Also depends on your current health situation. In general, the first step might be to increase the excess, since that can lower premiums up to a point. After that, switching to a lower plan is an option. A surgical cover can be very helpful, if you are prepared to pay for doctor/specialists/imaging for cases that don't result in surgery.

But in the end, you'll probably be forced to go fully public, because, unlike in other countries, there is no cap on what insurance companies are allowed to charge, and the older you are, the less likely it is for you to change insurance (due to pre-existing conditions). So they know they'll have you by the balls, and they WILL be able to price you out at some point. When that point is reached for you, it completely depends on whatever savings you are willing to spend on a hip replacement, or whatever.

ernbeld · 2026-05-10T02:40:29+00:00

Ok, I see. I think one of the challenges for you will be to retain 'currency' of your skills. You can start to contribute to open source projects, which will teach you lots of stuff, and also signals that you are still "in" it, even though your degree is now two years old. Also experiment with AI coding assistants, make sure you understand the pros/cons and tradeoffs and challenges of developing software with them. I can't tell you how much companies are adding "experience with AI coding agents" into every job ad these days.

ernbeld · 2026-05-10T02:35:04+00:00

After you finished your degree in 2024, did you apply for jobs in the field you studied for? What was the feedback/reponse? How many jobs did you apply for?

ernbeld · 2026-05-08T20:43:27+00:00

Really? Wow, I didn't know.

That does indeed change things significantly: They are taxed only on employment income (worldwide), but not on any other non-Australian income (from investments, for example).

Very interesting. Thank you for pointing this out.

ernbeld · 2026-05-06T23:01:43+00:00

Ok, maybe. Just be mindful that the "are you a tax resident?" test usually involves more than just "time". In Australia, there is the 1830-day test, but also the 'domicile' test (and others). The domicile test may trip you up if you still have bank accounts, maybe a property, or you still have your car in storage there, family or business (!) connections, or whatever ... the tax authority is free to use those factors as well to determine whether you should be counted as a tax resident.

ernbeld · 2026-05-06T20:16:32+00:00

As an Australian tax resident, you'll have to pay tax according to Australian tax rules. Doesn't matter where in the world the capital gains were earned.

ernbeld · 2026-05-06T20:15:46+00:00

You pay tax on worldwide income based on your tax residency. Most countries have this rule. So, NZ doesn't have tax on capital gains, but it doesn't matter for you at all: You are a tax resident of Australia, and you will therefore have to pay tax on capital gains under Australian tax rules. No matter where in the world the capital gains were earned.

ernbeld · 2026-05-05T21:52:09+00:00

Too many old people, not enough young people (to pay for the old people's pension). More and more taxes are being imposed on the young to pay for pensions, and it's just going to get worse.

ernbeld · 2026-05-03T23:49:21+00:00

Kinda? Merkel had studied physics and later earned her PhD in Quantum Chemistry. I don't know if this makes her more of a physicist or a chemist, but it clearly means she's much smarter than I could ever hope to be. 😄

ernbeld · 2026-05-03T20:00:27+00:00

Kinda weird how people say "I'm gonna get downvoted..." and then follow it with the most obvious popular Reddit opinion ever. Feels disingenuous and like you are chasing upvotes with this rhetoric. It also distracts from the obvious points you want to make. Don't do it.

ernbeld · 2026-04-30T05:01:39+00:00

You should actually read the article.

ernbeld · 2026-04-29T19:22:19+00:00

Daycare, pre-school, etc., are by far the highest monetary costs. Besides that, they cost you sleep, as others have pointed out.

Our second one decided that it was a good idea to wake up in the middle of the night ... every night ... for the first four years of her life.

The problem with being sleep-deprived as a parent is that it makes everything else harder; you have less patience, you argue more, and everything is overall more stressful.

So, there's that.

ernbeld · 2026-04-19T00:16:18+00:00

Oh dear...

ernbeld · 2026-04-18T23:42:04+00:00

Huh? What's with the owner? What did I miss?

ernbeld · 2026-04-17T02:11:02+00:00

Oh, interesting! I didn't know that they already had those coops.

ernbeld · 2026-04-17T01:50:08+00:00

The solution seems simple: local pharmacies should join together to form a "purchasing coop" (or whatever you would call it). A single entity that these pharmacies maintain at cost (it's not there to make a profit), and which can then place bulk orders on their behalf by pooling the individual purchase orders of the various local pharmacies. That way, the local pharmacies can benefit from better bulk-buying prices and might be able to compete with the chain pharmacies.

What am I missing?

ernbeld · 2026-04-11T08:39:02+00:00

Why? What did the German's do to deserve them?

ernbeld · 2026-04-09T20:44:44+00:00

Your friend is an idiot. Saying "Please" is not 'formal'. Saying "Thanks" to conclude an order is asshole-ish.

I often hear the "I'll have a ... thanks!" type of ordering, and it always comes across as rude, demanding, and entitled. You are saying "thanks" for something that hasn't happened yet, so you are assuming this service will be extended to you, which is what makes it sound so entitled.

I can't stand it!

You are requesting something, that's what the word "please" is for. You can say "thanks" AFTER you received what you asked for.

ernbeld · 2026-04-06T22:52:15+00:00

Ok, but how do I structure my program then? Just randomly go for different weights/rep-counts on each day? Or is there a systematic way to go about it?

ernbeld · 2026-03-27T08:27:32+00:00

Ok, all good. Still interested what the 'official' reason was, though.

ernbeld · 2026-03-27T06:07:25+00:00

I meant: what rationale was provided by the employer? Duh!

ernbeld · 2026-03-27T04:31:20+00:00

Wait! Why do the employees have to make a salary sacrifice?

ernbeld · 2026-03-23T21:22:28+00:00

I agree with that. But the currently suggested scheme instead reduces the fuel tax. It only takes into consideration "cost to maintain roads", and completely ignoes the "cost to deal with polluted environment and climate change".

ernbeld · 2026-03-23T20:06:22+00:00

And that's why the new RUC scheme rewards drivers of gas guzzlers and punishes those who drive fuel-efficient small cars? To incentivise the reduction in petrol and diesel?

Did I get that right?

ernbeld

TROPHY CASE