Could you live on $35 a day?

[Radoria]

I have friends that smoke more than 35 dollars worth of weed a day.

And hell no I couldn't live off that. It might cover all my bills (barely) but I'd be forced to eat nothing but pop tarts and ramon noodles and almost never go out with my friends.

[Hunter Extraordinaire]

On top of that Australia#s economy is VERY strong at the moment.

wut?

Jobs are very much available

9 months, applied EVERYWHERE within 50km's of where i live, always get declined...

[FathomFear]

And hell no I couldn't live off that. It might cover all my bills (barely) but I'd be forced to eat nothing but pop tarts and ramon noodles and almost never go out with my friends.

The question is "could" someone live off it. Not "would you want to" or "would you like it".

$35/day is basically $13,000/yr. While it is indeed rock bottom poverty, it would be doable depending on where the person was living.

[Xanjori]

A lot of people missing the OP where $35 is for a family, $18 was for a single person.

[Deleted]

A lot of people missing the OP where $35 is for a family, $18 was for a single person.

Really?

Oh, well, er, I could just about manage it, it would be a very poor existence in comparison to how I live now though.

[Reeve]

Really?

Oh, well, er, I could just about manage it, it would be a very poor existence in comparison to how I live now though.

The article the OP linked doesn't really state the circumstances so it's hard to check the facts, but from what I've been able to find with a quick google search, the poor in Australia are able to get up to $110 in rental assistance every 2 weeks as well, so that's a bit over $220 in rental assistance as well.

[mvaliz]

Based on my current math... I could easily live on $35 a day. My home is paid off, as well as my car - and I have no debt whatsoever.

However I would need to have an extra supply of liquid cash on hand for emergencies. Cars and appliances do not last forever...

EDIT: didn't notice the single-rate is $18... no way could I live on that... even with my stuff paid off.

[Deleted]

The article the OP linked doesn't really state the circumstances so it's hard to check the facts, but from what I've been able to find with a quick google search, the poor in Australia are able to get up to $110 in rental assistance every 2 weeks as well, so that's a bit over $220 in rental assistance as well.

That would make things dramatically easier.

[Sunseeker]

Possibly, but it depends on what else I'm doing. Am I doing a lot of driving? Am I feeding children? Is my rent very high? $35x30 days is roughly $1000 a month. If I didn't have CC bills, and my rent was about $500 a month, I could live on that easily.

[DMCDante]

Sometimes I love my 3rd world country (Bosnia and Hercegovina), if I had 35 USD every day, I'd actually live a life here that is semi luxurious lol. I mean at my last workplace I worked for a 150~ euros (200 USD) a month lol

[Feral Camel]

wut?



9 months, applied EVERYWHERE within 50km's of where i live, always get declined...

Australia is doing pretty well at the moment.

Where do you live / what sort of work are you looking for?
A few industries are suffering (mine in pretty much in the shitter) but factory work, while not always paying great is still available.
I think that's what chosenwiki means.

[Gorlak]

35 dollars a day? In my country, the average job brings you less than half of that per day. As a matter of fact, 450 euros/month in my country is a very well payed job.
And yea tbh, I'd be living damn sweet to be alone and earn that much every day...

Really? That's about 13000 bucks a year. The average is $40000 here!

[Seegtease]

Average rent in my area for a 1 bedroom flat/apartment = £760 ish pcm (dagenham just outside london, extortionate prices) Unless other bills were already accounted for not a chance.

Whilst at university once rent and bills were paid, I could get by on about £50 a week comfortably; food and a couple of nights out.

See, regions that have rent that high are under the presupposition that if you move there, you already have a well-paying job. Poor people don't live in expensive houses or in expensive areas. If the rent for such a small place is so high, that because of the high local job opportunity that pays sufficient for such rent.

The premise for the question would obviously not include living in high-value areas.

[Giants41]

By myself? Definitely could live but it would by no means be fun. Thats why i work I do feel for people who cannot work or try really hard to find jobs but are unable to though.

[Jeleh]

See, regions that have rent that high are under the presupposition that if you move there, you already have a well-paying job. Poor people don't live in expensive houses or in expensive areas. If the rent for such a small place is so high, that because of the high local job opportunity that pays sufficient for such rent.

The premise for the question would obviously not include living in high-value areas.

It doesn't, the market is inflated by the proximity and travel routes into london. Dagenham has the highest rate of repossession in the UK. Dagenham has always been a working class area, and as London has expanded it's become a good spot for a commuter. It's extremely hard for a regular working class family to pay the bills here now sadly.

[Bloodrune]

I could not.
I'm paying just under that in rent. In shared accommodation in a crappy neighborhood. I could barely afford to pay rent and bills, but forget about food or phone or my car, which would be somewhat necessary if I was looking for work.

[Windfury]

People commenting don't understand Australian living costs and wages. Australians earn more than Americans, but also pay more than Americans for everything. The median income is $72k per year currently (~$200 per day - so $35 is well below the poverty line), which is a lot over the American median income of ~$39k (those were the most recent statistics I could find someone feel free to correct me if you have more current ones). Our living costs are correspondingly higher, rent in particular (reference).

Absolute bare minimum worst of the worst living costs in Australia:

Rent: Average $200 p.w.+ per person
Power: $20 p.w.
Water: $15 p.w.
Internet: $15 p.w.
Phone $7.50 p.w.
Bank charges: $5 p.w. (you won't be eligible for the $35 a day unless you have a phone and a bank account so I'm including them)
Basic food: $90 p.w. (this is for one person, obv increases for more)

Total: $262.50 basic living costs per week, or $37.50 a day, increasing from there depending on the number of people. I haven't included public transport in this either as it varies, so this assumes you sit at home, which you can't do because you have to look for work to get your $35. Yes you could cut internet, but then you have to go out to use it (and you are expected to - which then adds public transport costs and so on).

You could 'live' for $35 a day theoretically, however the biggest issues is that you can barely, barely cover basic essentials, and that traps poor people in an effective cycle of poverty over the longer term.

This is acknowledged even by the Business Council of Australia (peak lobbying body of businesses here - and how often do you think they support things that inevitably raise business taxes?), who state the amount is so low it's preventing people from accessing employment as they cannot afford things like suitable work clothing, or phone credit to call back about interviews and so on (reference), and you can't afford to socialise because of travel costs and so on, which means you also lose valuable social supports. And of course you're fucked if the fridge breaks down (you simply can't replace it, so that also raises your food costs because you can't buy things and keep them), if you need dental care, and god help you if you need to move and find a house/bond/convince someone to rent to you over competition (which of course means you can't really move around much to look for work either).

It really is too low relative to our living costs and the basic requirements of actually getting a job.

[Canon43]

No, I can't live on $35 a day.

[Rendia]

I did for a year, feeding a family of 4.

Rough as hell, but doable.

[Mavett]

My one room flat is $1300/month, and I live in one of the cheapest big cities in the US. Of course I live in one of the nicer parts of that city. I could probably find something for $500ish if I really hunted for it and didn't mind doing my own roach extermination.

I currently live in fourth largest city, the 400-550$ is in the older neighbourhoods in the city, 2-4 rooms in the newer ones will go up to 700-1200/month.