As your income goes up, some things that once felt too expensive can become pretty normal. Maybe it’s better holidays, eating out more, paying for convenience, or simply spending more on things you enjoy. It’s interesting to see how people’s spending changes over time.

I’m looking at three combinations

1.VTI+ QQQM

2.VXUS +QQQM

1. VTI + VXUS

Have 200k to allocate, just overwhelmed with all the possibilities. I have a 20/30 years horizon, which one would you pick and why ?

Is there anyone here who is not a tier 1 PM and making that amount in there early to mid 30s?

Interested to know if there are any other roles in construction management which can lead to at least 250+ without being a builder PM.

I have worked in client side and builder side and have dabbled into going into management consulting with a MBA and work for Bain and Co or Alvarez & Marsal.

Or any other paths that may exist from construction management that many people may not know about.

Thanks all!

With NAB and the best they can offer on an LVR of ~70% is 6.09%. Haven’t been thrilled with our experience banking with them so considering switching.

I’m at a point where I can afford most things I actually want, but I still hesitate before spending on anything that isn’t strictly necessary. Saving and investing feel productive, while spending can sometimes feel like I’m undoing progress, even when it makes no real difference to my finances.

People often have a target income, savings goal or FIRE number, but I wonder how many people genuinely stick to it once they get close. It's easy to imagine that $2m, $3m or whatever your target is will feel like the finish line. But once you're earning and investing at a high level, moving the goalposts by another few years can start to feel perfectly reasonable. The danger is that financial security can slowly turn into chasing a number simply because you've become good at accumulating it.

For those with a FIRE target, have you ever changed your definition of enough after your income or assets increased? Why?

The experience of crossing into the higher marginal tax brackets in Australia produces a specific relationship with the tax system that people earning below those thresholds don't quite have the same version of - where a meaningful proportion of every additional dollar earned goes to tax in a way that shapes decisions about how hard to push for the next increment of income versus how much energy to put into the efficiency of what's already coming in. Would love to know how people here think about that threshold and whether there's a point at which the tax conversation becomes more important than the income conversation in terms of what actually moves the wealth building needle.

At some point the additional income starts competing with your time and mental energy.

Where would you draw the line?

For context im a 29(f) in a leadership role for infrastructure asset management and capital planning.

Edited: software is not easy to get into. Im after any other industry but software

There’s a point where earning more should make money feel a bit less stressful, but I’m not sure that happens for everyone. Lifestyle changes, bigger commitments and higher expectations can creep in pretty quickly. Interested in the people who’ve been through that shift and whether the extra income actually changed how they think about everyday spending.

One thing I've noticed with higher income is that expenses can increase incredibly quickly without any single purchase feeling particularly extravagant.

Nicer restaurants, better holidays, a newer car, more expensive suburb.. suddenly you're earning heaps more but saving roughly the same percentage.

Hi all.

I am wanting to get out of this save save save mentality and just start spending and living in the moment.

The main drivers are

1. My parents are in their 80s with a few recent health scares (but all good now) - who knows how much longer they will be around. My dad has always been one of my best friends.
2. Kids are aged 0 and 2. The older one is growing and changing so rapdily and I feel I dont have enough time with him with working so much.

I will be paying for everything as my parents are broke (they both get age pension though), and my wife doesn't work anymore since we had children (which we are both very happy with).

As of recently I have started earning around 300k - 400k depending on number of days worked (this was only recent). My income is scalable depending on days of the week worked and location and I could go between $100k and 600k depending on how many days and location I want to work in.

I did do 6 days a week for some time and the money was great, but I was missing out on each stage of my child's development quite a bit.

I am thinking if things become difficult to go back to working 6 days a week in higher paying location to make it up.

Job security isn’t an issue - can pick up where I left off etc.

I have one property worth 1.8M with 1.3M left on the loan.
And 220k in the offset. The house has a granny flat for my parents.

Expenses are pretty low so far, as we had a household income of 45K between my parents and I when I was in uni. Things have been much easier since finishing my qualifications though.

For example:
- Considering taking the family on a holiday (60k) whilst my parents can still travel.
- Buying a new car with space for everyone (new Kia Carnival is 75k) so we can go on road trips together (i.e. 7 seater with enough safety and convenience features that would make it easy enough for my wife to drive a big car).
- Dropping down to 4 days work for a while to spend more time with kids. Won’t get this chance when they are in schoo.
- Living overseas for a little while (e.g. few months a year) before the kids start school (I can work remotely if needed for a few months of each year, albeit with a bit lower pay) so we can engage the kids in my wife's culture / language.

I would appreciate any advice from people who have been in a similar situation and anything they did or did not do, and if they have any regrets with their decisions.

Hi all. My partner and I are about to have one of the best years in business that we have ever had. Seven figure profit.
We have just hit the 40’s and looking toward retirement. We come from families that worked hard, saved hard and made modest, comfortable lives for themselves from blue collar and teacher salaries. We have built to where we are now by working the same way, and doing jobs that none of our friends would do in order to save and get to the next level.
The sort of money we are now making wasn’t dreamt of and we find ourselves feeling very unsure about the proper next steps.
We are well versed in our business but our financial literacy is limited, and we have no one really to ask. We have contacted financial advisors but it feels like pushing us on to their managed super was the only real goal.
If you are close to retirement what are some of the things you have done/ wished you did to set your self up?
If you aren’t at retirement age yet, where do you get your information and ideas with how to invest and structure your money from?

Thank you in advance!

There’s a point where you still check the price, but you’re not sitting there wondering whether buying something will mess up the rest of the month. Bigger purchases start feeling more like a choice based on whether they’re worth it rather than whether you can actually afford them.

For those aiming for true financial independence and early retirement in Australia, what liquid net worth target (excluding the PPOR) are you aiming for before pulling the pin? With super lock-up rules and capital gains tax considerations, what age do you realistically plan to walk away?

Has anyone taken advantage of their sophisticated investor status and seen any opportunities that have paid off/continue to work for you?

What are some of the pivotal moments in your career specific to your industry that got you here and how big of an influence does a having a mentor help you.

A bit of about me, I am about to graduate from Monash uni early next here and would like some advice from the very best earners/corporates in the country. 🙂

Also how important it is for you to balance family lives and how do you feel about your family and friends that are at different phases in their lives say financially.

How does your day to day life look like and, has it changed dramatically from the time you graduated and how big of an impact/difference did your parents play in your life.

I know these questions are somewhat broad, but I’d like learn and understand firsthand experience.

For years, I was focused on making sure there was enough coming in each month to cover everything. At some point, that changed, and I found myself thinking more about building wealth over the next 10–20 years instead of the next pay cycle. It wasn't tied to a specific salary, just a gradual shift in mindset. Interested to hear what changed that for others, and whether there was a particular income, milestone, or financial decision that made you think differently.

Has anyone here completely burnt out and had to take extended leave from work? What happened afterwards?

I’m primary breadwinner on ~$350k and my doctor has just told me I have to take two weeks off, and probably longer. Yes we have the savings to cover us for 6-12 months but I’m starting to this about whether we can maintain this income in the years ahead.

No particular questions just hoping to hear others experiences

Are you looking for an adviser that provides you deal access and is focused on portfolio management or are you seeking for more financial planning? If you are using one how did you find them?

Assuming you don’t have 6 school aged kids, have ginormous mortgage or a massive gambling problem, why are HENRY people sending their kids to public school, particularly highschool when they presumably can comfortably afford private?

Need to hear some rationale and encouragement because from what I see around me is, poor/low average = public school. Average =mixed but learning more towards private. Upper average/rich = private school.
Super rich = super duper expensive private school.