Meet an Australian Reader | Emma
Hello everyone! Emma answered my call for international readers, and I am so thrilled to feature her today.
1. Tell us a little about yourself
Hi, my name’s Emma and I’m 42.
I live about an hour out of Sydney on the east coast of Australia with my husband and two children, a 13-year-old and an 18-month-old. I’m currently working part-time.
2. How long have you been reading The Frugal Girl?
I’ve been reading the blog for seven years now. I find it relatable and practical.
I know it was 2014 because I was procrastinating over a particularly tedious uni assignment and I was looking up ‘how to be more productive’ when I hit on your blog series on the topic!
3. How did you get interested in saving money?
I suppose I got interested in saving money in school. We lost our family home when I was a teenager due to financial crisis and that really made me see what a precarious situation debt puts you in.
I’m deeply concerned with environmental issues, so a lot of the time I’m trying to save resources and the money saving is added incentive.
4. What's the "why" behind your money-saving efforts?
The why behind my money savings efforts is three fold:
- I don’t want my children to worry about money for things they need
- I want to create a secure and stable home (and help the planet!)
- I don’t want to struggle too much in my old age to keep the bills paid
5. What's your best frugal win?
My best frugal win was probably marrying my husband! He works in construction and he’s saved us a lot of money over the years on renovations and maintenance.
In terms of things, I am blessed with family and friends who pass their clothes on to me when they’ve had enough of them - I’ve bought very few clothes for myself for years!
6. What's a dumb money mistake you've made?
A dumb money mistake we made was over-capitalising on fixing up our first home and selling it in a hurry.
It wasn’t a massive loss, but it was annoying after the labour we poured into it that we hadn’t been more strategic and forward-planning in what we spent on it.
A bit of reflection and conversation about where we wanted to be in a few years may have gone a long way!
7. What's one thing you splurge on?
One thing I probably splurge on is good food. A local company currently delivers our fruit and veg for example - it’s not the cheapest but it’s great quality and local so I’m sticking with it while I can.
That said, we grew our own pumpkins for the first time ever this year and they were great and free 🙂
Our mandarin tree has been productive this year too, and the cockatoos didn’t destroy them all this year either!
(Are mandarins called mandarin oranges or clementines in the US? I’m not sure.)
8. What's one thing you aren't remotely tempted to splurge on?
I’m not remotely tempted to splurge on designer handbags or shoes. I just don’t get it, I’m sorry!
I’m all about comfort when it comes to footwear and I’ve been using the same couple of bags for years and they’re going great.
9. If $1000 was dropped into your lap today, what would you do with it?
If $1000 was dropped into my lap today, I would put it aside for when our fridge gives up - it’s the only major appliance we bought when we were first married that hasn’t needed replacing yet.
Any money left would probably go on plants - I’d like to produce more food on our block.
10. Share a frugal tip with other Frugal Girl readers
A frugal tip from me is keep on top of your bank accounts and automate your savings.
It’s really easy to tap the card and not realise how much you’re spending, but having a regular reckoning with your transaction history can be eye-opening!
But most of all, let go of other people’s ideas on what you should buy. Your money, your choice.
11. What's different about frugal living in Australia vs. other places?
I don’t know if frugal living looks very different in Australia to the US, I’ve always found the blog posts pretty relevant to me here.
My cat meeting a native
We do live in a crazy place for real estate prices as most of the population wants to live on the coast, so rents and mortgages can take up a big chunk of income. I really feel for people just starting out trying to find affordable housing.
However, it’s also a beautiful place to live with plenty of free places to go nearby - the beach or mountains are both within a 10-minute drive from us.
(As I write however we are only allowed to exercise there if it’s within 10 kilometres from home, not picnic or anything due to the recent restrictions in our region.)
Our backyard has been a blessing during lockdown!
One thing I have noticed that seems different in the US- every house I’ve seen in Australia has an outdoor clothesline. People do use dryers, but it’s standard to hang stuff out in fine weather I think.
a view of Australian fall
I don’t actually own a dryer - I just put wet stuff on some clothes racks on the back deck when it rains. Of course, it doesn’t snow where I live 🙂
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Emma, I am delighted that you shared with us. It was so interesting to get a peek into your life down-under; it looks like you live in a beautiful place in the world!
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Readers, the floor is yours; I'm sure Emma will be delighted to field any questions you have.
P.S. If you live outside the U.S. and you'd like to be featured, just send me an email, and I'll send over the interview questions.
It’s nice to meet you, Emma. I’ve always wanted to visit Australia. I really loved your comment, “A bit of reflection and conversation about where we wanted to be in a few years may have gone a long way!”
I find it particularly hard to balance where I am now with where I want to be. But without a doubt, planning is one of the most important frugal skills! Thanks for sharing. Wishing you peace, health and frugality.
@Bee, thank you. I’m definitely much more reflective now - but I suppose that’s experience 🙂
Hi Emma! I don't own a dryer, either, and it does snow here. But it's mostly very sunny and dry, so I make it work.
That photo of your cat facing down a kangaroo was the best.
@kristin @ going country, I’m so impressed you can live without a dryer when it snows! The cat was shocked - she had no idea what it was I think!
Thanks for sharing, Emma! I love the cat/kangaroo picture; it reminded me when an escaped emu lived in our yard for a couple of days and our guinea fowl met up with it. (The guineas ran away from the curious emu.)
@Jody S., I’d run too - emus are fast and have scary beaks!
@Jody S., I went to a park in Australia with a group of students, we were trying to eat our lunches, the emus were very persistent and really had no fear of humans.
Emma,
Thanks for sharing your life with us. It's fun to see a non-US location and to be reminded that so much experience is universal.
Ditto on your why behind your money-saving efforts. That pretty much says it all.
I hope life in your area reopens soon.
@K D, me too - but hopefully ot works! We’ve been very lucky here compared to so many places.
@K D, hopefully *it* works
"Of course, it doesn’t snow where I live"
Totally envious of that statement. 😉
I do the line drying thing here but sadly I haven't been able to use mine much at all this year due to the rains.
@Battra92, sometimes we’re envious of your snow too! My daughter is 13 and reminds me often she’s never seen real snow, we do have a ski field about 7 hours from here but it’s a bit expensive to holiday there. But yes, mostly we enjoy a fairly temperate climate here on the coast.
@Emma, For me, growing up in New England has meant that so much of my life (up to six months of the year) is entirely dependent upon whether or not it snows. So many plans are cancelled or just plain penciled in thanks to snow.
I suppose if I were a person who enjoyed being indoors constantly or the type of person who liked winter activities I would probably be better able to take it.
The problem is, I've been places where it never snows and they are unbearable in other ways (heat, humidity, creepy crawlers etc.)
@Battra92, that’s true, both have positives and negatives.
So happy to meet you, Emma. You live in such a lovely place. To be so close to the beach and mountains sounds perfect.
I have not figured out the clementines versus mandarins thing in the United States. They all used to be tangerines, but somehow that term has gone away.
We have almost always had a clothesline, but now live in a section of the southeastern US that actually qualifies as a rainforest, so the dampness makes line-drying difficult. We string the line across the back porch and use the ceiling fan for large items such as quilts.
@Ruby,
Mandarins are a type of orange and the overarching category that Tangerines, Clementines, and Satsumas fall into. They are generally smaller and sweeter than oranges, a little flatter in shape, and they and have a thinner, looser skin that makes them easier to peel.
Tangerines are a specific type of mandarin orange. They are a bright orange color, slightly tougher skins, and their flavor is a little less sweet and a bit more tart.
Clementines are the smallest type of mandarin orange. They are super sweet, seedless, and have red-orange skins that are smooth and shiny. The mandarins you see in grocery stores called Cuties and Sweeties are Clementines. They are easier to peel than tangerines, but not as easy to peel as Satsumas.
@Rose, I so appreciate that explanation. I was going to answer that they are called both equally in my stores here in NC (SE US) and I didn't know the difference. Either way, my dh and I go through a 3# bag every week. A great snack and nutritious and great for us as we are both diabetics.
I follow two kangaroo sanctuaries on IG and my late mother's o my regret was she never made it to Australia. I always said I would take her place, but I don't see that happening now. Hence, the IG accounts.
I grew up with no dryer and hung out many a load. I didn't mind it and about 10 years ago our dryer gave out. I hung things over vents for two months, then outside for three more before we replaced it.
@Rose, thank you! That makes sense.
@Jennifer, we love mandarins too. Kangaroos are interesting to watch, although when we lived near them the big males could be a bit intimidating if you got too close.
OMG, I LOVE the cat and kangaroo picture! That totally made my day.
Emma, your picture of an Australian autumn makes me want to go there, so much. I have always wanted to visit Australia.
I'm with Ruby -- they were all "tangerines" when I was growing up. "Mandarin" was those slices that were canned, and the only "Clementine" I knew of was in that song we sang in music class at school, "Oh my darling...."
I enjoyed hearing from you. You seem very down-to-earth and I like that you are thinking ahead for your future.
@JD, Australia, like the US I guess, has lots of different landscapes being such a big country. I hope you get to see lots of its beauty!
Thanks for sharing; it's fun to see how many similarities we have in our frugal community here, despite significant differences in location etc. (kangaroos)!
I love that your husband is your big frugal win - makes total sense! : )
@Suz, absolutely! Having a bit of know-how is a great life skill. I hope my kids learn.
I agree with Emma on the designer handbags and shoes. I try to spend less than $30 on a handbag or purse. To me, a purse has a purpose and must be practical and not just be arm candy.
I have very wide feet with a high arch, so I wouldn't be able to even find designer shoes that would fit. And I beat on shoes, so I'll go with comfort over designer any day of the week.
Oh and I love the fall picture. I used to live in Upstate NY (about 3 hours North of New York City) and we always had snow and cold in the winter. We had a woodstove, so I lined dry all the clothes all winter long and to add some moisture to the house too. I loved summer and fall in that area, but not the raking of leaves in the fall. I am now in South Florida and miss the change of seasons. Hard to watch football in the fall and winter when we are still wearing shorts and have the A/C on.
@Maureen, My dad bought me a Kate Spade from the Kate Spade outlet store for Mother's Day and I'm still uncomfortable with it. I'm used to a $25 Wal-Mart purse and this is too nice.
@Maureen, I’m hard on shoes too, so nothing too delicate!
@Maureen, that’s a big change in climates! I imagine you had to change the way you did lots of things.
Hi Emma, I did a semester abroad in college, quite a few years ago. I went the the University of Wollongong. The dorm I stayed at had common outdoor clothes lines, I don't even remember if there were dryers to use at all. The dorm, in Fairy Meadow, was near the beach, I would go everyday, it was heaven. I would love to go back for a visit.
@Anna Chan, that’s my uni! You lived at campus east? I grew up near there 🙂
@Emma, Campus East, that's where I stayed. I met a lot of amazing people there, but sadly I haven't kept in touch with anyone and it's been a long time since I was there.
Nice to meet you EMMA❤️
@Stephanie, you too
I don't know which was more adorable, the red headed baby or the Roo peeking through the fence.
@Anne, they’re both curious about the world and a bit cheeky 😉
Thank you for sharing about your life, Emma. I have been to Australia and absolutely love it! 🙂 It's fun to read about readers in other countries. The kangaroo picture is fantastic!
@Beth Brezinski, when we lived a bit further north in a more regional area there were kangaroos everywhere. It was great.
Hi Emma! I'm a 42 year old Brit so found it interesting to hear what frugality looks like in Australia. Line drying is the norm in England too. We have a dryer but use it rarely. As long as it isnt raining, the washing goes on the line!
@Vicki, that’s interesting because I imagine the climate in the UK makes drying a bit harder.
I know, I always think the same thing about UK line-dryers! I imagine a moist climate presents challenges.
@Kristen,
It doesn't rain all the time in the UK!
First time poster from the UK. I line dry most of the year satisfactorily.
At the moment we are experiencing temps in the 80s, which I love!!
Love the blog and especially the readers lives.
Emma, I love your response about your best frugal win was marrying your husband. While my husband isn't a builder, he IS very frugal-minded and together we make a good frugal team. We are strong in different frugal areas.
I enjoyed reading about you. The mandarin trees and the kangaroos look very exotic to my eyes. 🙂
@Kris, it’s so much easier when you’re on the same page!
Love the cat and kangaroo picture!
I brought up the idea of not replacing our dryer when it died and my husband said, "I mean this in the nicest way possible, but I think reading all those frugal blogs has addled your brain. We are not hanging clothes out at 30 below zero, nor am I living with damp jeans draped all over the place." Upon reflection, I think he was right...
It is so interesting to read how other people live. Thanks for doing this series and for people volunteering to open their lives to readers.
Haha, I love what your husband said! So funny.
@Lindsey, that’s hilarious 🙂
@Lindsey, I am with your husband on this one! I had to line dry for years when I was a student as I didn't have a dryer and while I survived, I didn't like how crunchy and stiff my clothes were. I was also living in a humid area and it would take them forever to dry in the summers and sometimes they would smell a little mildewy. 100% team dryer for me!
Hi Emma! What a treat to read about your life. I especially loved the picture of your cat and the kangaroo looking at each other! I can say with certainty that I've never seen that. Thanks for sharing with us.
@BJS, I think it was because they were both young - more curious than anything. But both very cute!
Fellow Aussie - and great observations - re clothes lines! I'm now curious if you're on the central coast or the illawarra too!
@SarahN, we were on the north coast and now Illawarra again - are we neighbours? 🙂
@Emma, alas no, I'm in Redfern, so practically dead center (for other readers, I can walk to our CBD!)
I love the picture of fall in Australia! I'm American but typically live in Papua New Guinea, so pre-covid, we took a medical trip to Cairns. The cost of an outpatient procedure was cheaper at the private hospital than it would have been in the US.
Thanks for sharing, Emma! You're answer to the question about your best frugal win was genius. Marrying my husband is probably an accurate answer for me, too!
The picture of your mandarin tree is beautiful!
Lovely to "meet" you! I love hearing about Australia ever since my daughter spent a year there. I would love to go some day.
Hello Emma, nice to meet you. I love that you have a mandarin tree!
Barbe
I loved reading this and seeing your photos, Emma. My husband and I actually met on a missions trip to Australia in 1987. We actually had our first kiss outside a McDonalds in Sydney, and our first "date" was an outing to Stanwell Park Beach. Of course, it was July and so we froze, but we didn't care! We were married the following summer and our daughter, Sydney (of course!) was born in 1995! It has always been our goal to get back to Australia for a visit but I'm not sure we'll accomplish that.
Your photos are beautiful! And, I LOVE to hang dry my clothes. I did for many years when we lived in a neighborhood where it was allowed. Sadly, now I'm relegated to indoor drying on racks!
Thanks so much for sharing!
So nice to meet you. I visited Australia in 1999 and that was the best. Kangaroo picture is awesome. All the photos are great. All the best to you.
This is so interesting and relevant to me because I have 2 nieces, emigrated from the UK to Australia. They are not very informative when they occasionally write so this has filled me in on their life in some ways.