16 votes

When I went on Newstart I knew it would be hard but I wasn’t prepared for the mental load

12 comments

  1. [5]
    Comment deleted by author
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    1. ubergeek
      Link Parent
      My circle of friends tend to share one commonality, it seems (By and large): Most of us do not believe in "going out" per se to socialize. We tend to socialize at each other's houses. Often, it's...

      My circle of friends tend to share one commonality, it seems (By and large): Most of us do not believe in "going out" per se to socialize.

      We tend to socialize at each other's houses. Often, it's potluck. Sometimes we order takeaway, but generally not. We go on hikes, or bike rides, sometimes, combining both (ie, bike to the hiking spot).

      It also helps though that we are all right around the same income level, too, and many in my circle are disadvantaged, and we all know it, because many were in the same spot. It's very difficult to transition as an adult, and it tends to ruin you financially for a number of reasons. Same kinda of deal in the LGBTQ community as a whole: Many start their younger adult years being homeless, because they were homeless since 15 or so.

      So yeah, we don't do things as often, but it seems the things we do, do, are much more... impactful? Meaningful?

      8 votes
    2. monarda
      Link Parent
      I remember coming home from work one night. My car was riding on fumes and the oil light was on. I had to make a choice to get $3 in gas to get to work the next day or put some oil in the car. I...

      I remember coming home from work one night. My car was riding on fumes and the oil light was on. I had to make a choice to get $3 in gas to get to work the next day or put some oil in the car. I made the wrong decision putting gas in the car and blew the motor on my way to work the next day. I lost my job, and had to abandon my car by the side of the road. I was so completely fucked.

      I found a job as a nanny that would let me bring my two kids with me. I would walk with an infant and toddler for about an hour to the nearest bus stop to get there, but there often was not a bus on the way back. I trudged and trudged for what seemed like ever just to get money in the back account. Everything was about money. Every decision affected something else downstream. Going out was not something that could even be considered.

      I'm writing this because the responses thus far have come across to me as being, "oh, if you're broke, you can still do this." Personally, I had no time and no money to do anything other than what I was doing, surviving. It is lonely. It is hard. It is demoralizing.

      8 votes
    3. [2]
      Octofox
      Link Parent
      Should consider getting a bike. You can get around most places dirt cheap. I have been tracking the cost of my bike and its looking like its roughly 1c per km to run and maintain. Certainly...

      Should consider getting a bike. You can get around most places dirt cheap. I have been tracking the cost of my bike and its looking like its roughly 1c per km to run and maintain. Certainly cheaper than the bus.

      1. [2]
        Comment deleted by author
        Link Parent
        1. Octofox
          Link Parent
          No idea what your costs are like but the advice I have seen from a few people is the reduction in cost by selling their car and not taking public transport allows them to live closer to the city.

          No idea what your costs are like but the advice I have seen from a few people is the reduction in cost by selling their car and not taking public transport allows them to live closer to the city.

  2. [6]
    ubergeek
    Link
    What is "Newstart?"

    What is "Newstart?"

    3 votes
    1. [5]
      Kom
      Link Parent
      Unemployment payment here in Australia. It's next to nothing that you are expected to live on. I remember back when I was finished highschool and was on it before getting a job it was around $400...

      Unemployment payment here in Australia. It's next to nothing that you are expected to live on.

      I remember back when I was finished highschool and was on it before getting a job it was around $400 a fortnight. I think it's gone up a little more since (this was a bit over 15 years ago) one of our politicians thinks it's more than enough to live on when it really isn't.

      7 votes
      1. [4]
        Algernon_Asimov
        Link Parent
        It has gone up twice a year by exactly the rate of the CPI for the past 25 years. In other words, in theory the dole today has exactly the same spending power as the dole 25 years ago. Meanwhile,...

        I think it's gone up a little more since (this was a bit over 15 years ago)

        It has gone up twice a year by exactly the rate of the CPI for the past 25 years. In other words, in theory the dole today has exactly the same spending power as the dole 25 years ago.

        Meanwhile, some expenses - such as rent and utilities - have gone up a lot more than the CPI.

        7 votes
        1. [2]
          vektor
          Link Parent
          Shouldn't that mean that other things (food? transportation?) have gone down enough to compensate? The only thing I could imagine that would break the CPI adjustment is if the relative price...

          Meanwhile, some expenses - such as rent and utilities - have gone up a lot more than the CPI.

          Shouldn't that mean that other things (food? transportation?) have gone down enough to compensate? The only thing I could imagine that would break the CPI adjustment is if the relative price decreases mostly hit luxuries. Maybe they should've used a CPI variant that disregards luxuries in that case.

          1 vote
          1. Algernon_Asimov
            Link Parent
            I don't know. I've heard this so often that it has sunk in: Newstart has risen by the CPI for the past 25 years. People living on Newstart now are having a harder time than people on Newstart 25...

            I don't know.

            I've heard this so often that it has sunk in:

            • Newstart has risen by the CPI for the past 25 years.

            • People living on Newstart now are having a harder time than people on Newstart 25 years ago.

            I don't understand the details, because I'm not an expert in how the CPI is calculated. I did track down this list of items included in the CPI, and there seem to be a few categories which probably don't apply to an average welfare recipient, such as international travel, dental costs (they use the public dental service), and private education fees. But rent and utilities are included.

            3 votes
        2. Kom
          Link Parent
          Wow I knew it wasn't much but that is absolutely insane.

          Wow I knew it wasn't much but that is absolutely insane.

  3. [2]
    Octofox
    Link
    Is newstart scaled based on where you live? My bf is on something like that while he is at uni and it doesn't seem the worst but he lives in Adelaide and can get by quite cheaply. I don't really...

    Is newstart scaled based on where you live? My bf is on something like that while he is at uni and it doesn't seem the worst but he lives in Adelaide and can get by quite cheaply. I don't really know a huge amount about it but it doesn't seems ok, he has plenty of money for food and rent (lives in a shared house next to uni)

    2 votes
    1. Algernon_Asimov
      Link Parent
      It's the same payment for everyone everywhere across Australia, from Broome to Byron Bay, from Darwin to the Derwent River. The only variation is your relationship status: whether you're single or...

      It's the same payment for everyone everywhere across Australia, from Broome to Byron Bay, from Darwin to the Derwent River. The only variation is your relationship status: whether you're single or partnered, or have a child.

      But some places are cheaper to live, so the money stretches further.

      If your "bf is on something like that while he is at uni", that might be Youth Allowance (for under 25s) or Austudy (over 25) - both of which are lower than Newstart. But, again, if he lives in Adelaide, that's cheaper than places like Sydney or Melbourne so he can probably make his money go further.

      5 votes