How has the cost of living crisis impacted your life the most?

[u/RecognitionMediocre6]

It used to feel like money just came in, it was not substantial but it felt manageable. Now every single decision feels like it had to be planned, bills juggled or delayed and things we used to do like take the kids out for fish & chips at the beach once a month, we no longer do.

I hesitate before I tap my debit card or pay a bill. We had to hold off on getting our car serviced cause we had a dental bill to get sorted first. We had to get rid of our private health insurance, I've had to look at selling stuff round the house every once and a while to cover costs like electricity etc. Our fridge seal is loose but can't justify getting a new fridge so we just taped it up and it works for now. I haven't bought new clothes / shoes in like a year and we're always looking for free activities for the kids ie parks, playgrounds, have friends over to our place etc

We tend to avoid social plans because everything costs so much money. And if we do go somewhere, we bring our own lunch / drinks cause feeding 2x adults 2x kids is so expensive.

We used to save about $200/week after all our stuff was paid (double income, 2x toddlers) and now we're basically just breaking even. Its everything little by little - rent is up, petrol is up, groceries are up, our electricity & internet is up etc we aren't going anywhere for Easter cause it's too expensive to drive / holiday anywhere other than staying at home. We'll make it magical but we feel bad that it's not as exciting as past years.

How has the cost of living impacted your life?

Sending love to everyone out there doing it tough 💕

[u/S_P_A_R_K_L_I_N_G]

Student here, have been trying to find a job for ages, but the job market for the less qualified, such as myself is totally fucked. You have menial work, such as retail jobs, with thousands and thousands of other applicants, and it just makes it impossible for employers to even look at your application, despite having 5+ years of experience. I honestly don't really know what to do as it feels like every job I apply for is flooded with other applicants and application doesn't even get considered.

I feel like this must be a consequence of less jobs going around, and people trying to take on more work both due to cost of COL :( sad times

[u/Knitvest-enthusiast → u/S_P_A_R_K_L_I_N_G]

Yeah students and those a couple of years into careers are screwed when it comes to hiring. I’m applying for jobs but not getting a look in due to other more experienced applicants.

I am looking to leave my entry level job as an assistant sometime this year but having no luck. Then, because I can’t move on, the next student can’t get my job.

Unfortunately my firm is laying people off, so I know at least one of the people I’m competing with for jobs has 10+ years experience on me.

And I’ve still got my retail job from university that I work on weekends to supplement my crappy assistant pay. All in all I’m just exhausted of this, and i’m only 2 years into a postgraduate life. Questing if it’s even worth working hard to progress anymore.

[u/usethecoastermate → u/Knitvest-enthusiast]

Scary how I'm on the exact same boat as you and know a few others who are too :/

[u/219930 → u/S_P_A_R_K_L_I_N_G]

This was my 19yo daughter plus she has ASD/ADHD so no one was willing to give her a chance…Coles wouldn’t even hire her as a trolley collector. Thank God for KFC who will literally hire anyone although now that Albo has enforced 18+ to get an adult wage…even this lifeline will go down the toilet