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.
On the other hand, some people defended Kate, pointing out the cost of living in London and sympathising with the struggle of buying your first home.
What do you think? Is someone on a six-figure salary allowed to complain about housing affordability?
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...?