A medical student who works two part-time jobs says she has only $30 a week left to spend on herself once she’s covered other expenses.
Chloe OrielThe 21-year-old criticised his “dismal” weekly income of $705, more than half of which goes to basic expenses including rent, gas, electricity and car insurance.
But the Newcastle University medical radiation student said she had other non-negotiable expenses, including $60 a week for her three dogs, who she considers her “children” and who eat better than she does, despite the cost of living crisis.
Ms Oriel, who described her weekly expenses and budget in a video titled ‘How I budget my ‘lousy college student salary’, revealed she works an average of five to seven hours a week at a pub, which earns her around $200.
She also provides four hours of tutoring, for which she earns about $120, and receives $770 a fortnight in Independent Youth Allowance and rental assistance from Centrelink.
This equates to a weekly income of $705, of which $475 goes towards rent, electricity, gas, Wi-Fi, fuel and groceries.
The budget-conscious student from Lake Macquarie in New South Wales also manages to put $100 into an emergency fund and savings account.
She claims she spends $50 a week on food for herself, while her beloved pets eat $30 a week in food, which costs an additional $30 a week in insurance and other related costs.
Chloe Oriel, 21, criticised her “meager” weekly income of $705, of which she says more than half goes to basics including rent, gas, electricity and car insurance.
The Newcastle University student told Daily Mail Australia she had some non-negotiable expenses, including $60 for her three dogs whom she considers her “children.”
This means that Mrs. Oriel has $30 left to spend on herself.
“I live with my partner so we split up the shopping each week and we usually cook around three meals a week but in large portions so we can spread them out,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
She buys boxes of fruits and vegetables from a local supplier.
“It’s only $30 a box and it comes with a ton of fresh food, all locally sourced, which is amazing,” she added.
‘We have three dogs, two of which are dachshunds and are mine personally and as I’m sure most people know, they can be very susceptible to injury so pet insurance is quite expensive as it needs to cover a lot of things.’
She admitted that dogs eat better than her and her partner.
“They are also fed mostly raw food and that can be quite expensive, but I value the health of my dogs; the $30 is also just a fund I put aside for food, toys and vet visits that aren’t covered by insurance,” Ms. Oriel explained.
Despite labelling herself as “very poor”, she was “quite happy” with what she earned.
Ms Oriel joked that her three dogs, who are “raw fed”, eat better than she and her partner.
“I have parents who would be willing to help me if I really needed it,” he said.
“But overall I’m not the worst off. I could definitely use some money, but you do what you can.”
Her biggest tip for those feeling overwhelmed by bills in the cost of living crisis is to create a spreadsheet to track expenses.
“All the little details add up, especially when it comes to paying by card,” Oriel explained.
“I was honestly shocked when I discovered how much money I was spending each week on frivolous things that I could easily cut back on if I disciplined myself enough.”
Ms Oriel told news.com.au she had $500 saved and lived a “very frugal” life.
“I know a lot of people might think it’s not much, but I think it’s all about perspective, and since I started this budget a month ago, I’ve managed to save this amount, which I’m really proud of,” she said.
She also resists splurging on things and avoids buying something to see if she really wants it.
“If I really want something, then I save that $30 every week until I can afford it; I’m very much of a believer that if I can’t afford it, then I won’t buy it,” she added.
Addressing the cost of living crisis has become a central focus of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government.
A deadly cocktail of rising energy bills, higher gasoline prices and soaring rents have helped push consumer price growth to a six-month high.
The Labor government introduced a $300 rebate on energy bills to help struggling Australians, but some economists fear it could contribute to inflation.
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