An Aussie woman living abroad in London has received backlash online after speaking about struggling to save for a two-bedroom flat on a AU$122,000 salary.
The 29-year-old’s hefty project manager salary puts her in the top five per cent of UK salary earners, but she can’t save a deposit for her first home.
Kate’s dream is to buy an apartment in East London, where the average property price sits at nearly AU$1 million. But housing prices aren’t that steep across the whole of London. Across the UK, the average property price is around AU$400,000.
Speaking to British newspaper iNews about how she saves her money, Kate shared the sacrifices she has made to fit her budget, including cancelling her AU$265 monthly gym membership and stopping herself from buying a red jacket.
“Recently I was going to buy a red jacket, but then I thought: ‘I don’t need a red jacket, I’ve got a navy one and it’s fine.’ So I’ve changed my train of thought about what I really need to spend money on,” she said.
The millennial also leaves herself AU$664 a month to spend on weekend getaways and an additional AU$215 a week to spend on just about anything she likes.
Twitter users were quick to point out Kate’s lavish spending habits, mocking the ‘sacrifices’ she has made on her six-figure salary.
Try living in London on 1/3 of that salary. Some people haven’t had a holiday in decades. Some people need to know what it’s like in the REAL world!
— Milstead On Movies (@MilsteadMovies) July 18, 2018
Top Comments
It seems that younger people just can’t get a break. Either they are lazy or moochers or they earn too much & spend it unwisely. As a 52yr old, I can see how much more difficult it is to afford a home or anything nowadays. Good on her for making a great wage & enjoying life. Better than bludging. I do, however, often think that once you post anything about your private life online, you’re going to have to expect that people will have an opinion. I believe in just getting it done & not sharing too much information as the feedback will actually distract you from reaching your goals
I don't see anywhere where she is complaining or suggesting she is doing it tough. Certainly, it's a bit pointless to hold her up as a "typical" person who is trying to save for a house, but I guess it's a nice change from the "we moved in with my parents and offset all our living costs to them while we saved for a deposit" stories that are held up as "advice" these days...?