Simone Small at home with kids Maiarna 13, and Beau 11. Picture Lachie Millard
As rent and grocery prices soar, Simone Small is having to sacrifice more and more to keep her family fed and housed.
The project co-ordinator and mum-of-four said the cost of living crisis really hit home when searching for rental properties in the past couple of years.
“My maximum budget has been around $500 per week, and a few years ago that would have covered a very nice property, sometimes even with a pool and close to amenities, but that’s just not realistic anymore,” she said.
“Now, even a modest four-bedroom home far out in the suburbs, with fewer features and away from essentials, is going for well over $650 per week.
“It’s made finding a suitable home for myself and the kids extremely challenging.
“For a period of time, we had no choice but to share a tiny three-bedroom unit because there simply weren’t any suitable homes available.
“The fear of becoming homeless forced us to live in a space that was far too small for our family.”
Ms Small said the high cost of rent and basic living expenses impacted every aspect of her family’s lives.
“Owning a home of my own is just a distant dream at this point,” she said.
“Every single dollar I earn is already spoken for before it even reaches my account.
Simone Small at home with kids Maiarna 13, and Beau 11. Picture Lachie Millard
“Any larger expenses have to go on Zip Pay or Afterpay, and I’m on payment plans for almost every bill just to keep things afloat.
“It’s incredibly difficult to stay positive when there’s never any breathing room, just constant pressure.
“What’s even more overwhelming is that I’m in a decent-paying job and still struggling to get by.
“I honestly don’t know how people on lower incomes are surviving.”
Ms Small said her grocery bill had doubled in the past few years, comprehensive insurance had become unaffordable, hairdresser appointments were a thing of the past and luxuries such as holidays were off the table.
“It breaks my heart not being able to take my children on holidays or see them participate in sports and activities they love,” she said.
“My children are very athletic but I’ve had to reduce their sporting activities to one per child as the cost of these things are so expensive.
“Birthdays and special occasions, which should be joyful moments, become stressful because money is so tight.
“You want to give your kids everything you can, to see them happy and thriving, but when money is this tight, it feels like you’re constantly letting them down.”
English (US) · 