University graduation is a happy day that comes with a hefty price tag. Photo: Kim Treasure.
This week I made the mistake of looking at my HECS debt – and my recommendation to anyone else who has one would be, don’t.
It led to plenty of soul searching about why on earth I went to uni in the first place, why I haven’t done a better job of climbing a corporate ladder, and how on earth I’m ever going to pay it off when indexation piles more onto it each year than my repayments cover.
But then our ferret ran across the room carrying one of my husband’s Crocs (doubtless to be stashed in a place of high honour, like under the laundry sink) and I couldn’t help but crack a smile. The best things in life really are free.
One of our friends recently opened up to us about how hard they’re doing financially at the moment. You never would have guessed -they’re always the first to think of others, to offer a smile or suggest getting together.
Once they shared their struggle, everyone in the room began to talk. Interest rates, cost of living, and the feeling it’s impossible to get ahead were getting everyone down – but no-one wanted to talk about it.
I don’t think it was shame. We all know things have been tough financially for a while now.
It was the sense that we should all just keep on keeping on. In a lot of ways, we’re lucky. Lucky to have roofs over our heads, lucky we aren’t among the 65,000* families in the Illawarra affected by food insecurity.
It seems petty to complain about watching your savings dwindle and debts rise in the middle of a housing crisis, but underneath there’s a real fear that life out the back of the car isn’t far away. And sharing that helped.
We weren’t able to solve any of the big problems – there’s not much to be done about mortgage rates and childcare costs from the couch on a Friday night.
But we were able to come up with ways to be kinder to each other. We decided to switch our weekly pub trivia night to a board games night at home.
We organised a clothes swap among a group of women. Not only is it a chance to refresh the wardrobe for free, but it’s another chance to hang out without the price tag.
Our family decided this year that instead of presents at Christmas we could each make a donation to a charity of choice and keep the spirit of giving in a tighter budget, and with less stress.
These little things somehow took a massive mental load off.
There are plenty more good thrifty ideas out there, like crop swaps and book clubs, but most of them work best with a community of friends or family.
To get them going someone has to be brave. Someone has to be the first to suggest doing things differently.
Try it – you might be surprised to learn who else in your life is struggling, and what a difference an open conversation can make.
*Source – Food Fairness Illawarra.
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