Well, I have a tough one with being thrown out onto the streets by siblings after looking after parents for 8 years and death threats, false allegations in court, left for dead literally with no money or medication water nothing at all, my own siblings, and impersonating me to entrap me, not allowed to attend dads funeral service

Needs to get busy and do something

People's personal lifestyles does not refer to there lifestyle therefore if people know people that does not mean that involvement with cost of payments or purchases.

Everyone is bound to go through hard times at some point, especially given what's going on in our world's today - even though it's not our own fault. Maybe there are ways to save money to avoid through these so-called "tough times".

It's possible that despite the overall economic challenges, certain demographics prioritize spending on dining out as a form of leisure or social activity. They might be cutting back on other expenses to afford these outings, or they could be using discretionary income for dining experiences. Additionally, some individuals may have stable incomes or access to credit, allowing them to indulge in dining out even during tough times.

This generation hasn’t experienced the hard challenges of the past, so therefore haven’t learnt yet that living within your mean’s is wise forward thinking, they’ve instead taken advantage of credit and pay later, because that seems to be today’s society. Our families are of the thinking that going out is a treat, living within a budget is a must, and saving at least 10% of your income is a necessity…

To Eileen W what is on the surface never really shows what's going on underneath.

Great comments everyone, you just never never know. With things getting more expensive and higher wages I can't or don't want to spend that money because I know it is gone but sometimes at least for me I get so tired I just don't want too cook. that is how I revved up the balance on my credit card.

In debt, use credit card often

a lot of younger people don't have a mortgage

They are always in debt. Their desire to have fun overrides any desire to save money

I recently had a tour of another country, it's all the same either 1-5 star or ordinary curbside cafes everything was unreachable. I was just thinking the same, if countries are doing so tough economically, how could most people afford such luxuries like eating out often?🙃

Credit cards are easy to get and they are in no hurry to pay it off ,Not able to afford a home may as well eat out .People will always find the money for the things that they enjoy and there are those that are sponges

Clearly you don't have any young people in your life. When my husband and I said we had no money we had NO money, but no money doesn't mean "nothing" today. One of my relatives will skip bills because they have no money but go out for a meal or night out. A friends son told her recently that he and his wife had no money before taking a holiday in Hawaii. One of my children doesn't earn enough for private health insurance he says and yet he earns more than anyone else in the family who all have it. It's about priorities, they have phone plans that cost hundreds but consider it "essential" while I'm sure they could find a cheaper one if they tried. I remember the complaining about the cost of disposable nappies but when I suggested cloth like I used I received a silent stare as though I was out of this world. If I advise about curtailing their social activities when they complain about lack of money I get told "I have to have a life". Apparently I didn't have one because we only went out when we DID have the money.

How can you keep having surveys about alcohol I dont drink and its expensive I also tried to get a job but nobody gets back to you I'm struggling why some live it up..half their luck

only people on low income face hard times

Sometimes people are just dining out for a special occasion just because they dine out doesn't mean they always do

Don't judge a book by it's cover no matter what

Eileen, you should survey them! Just a few questions...they could get a few points for answering and you’d disqualify them if you feel like they are not answering honestly!

There are a small minority’s doing it tough and I feel for them as there is such a shortage of housing that there are some people living in Parks, their cars and people Like A Salvation Army are doing all they can within their own help but this is still not enough to cate4 for their needs.

I come from a generation that grew up in World War II years. Rationing on all sorts of foods and this happened just after 10 or more years of depression. We took in with our mother's milk (Dad was away at "The War") that we could only get a little of the good things in life. I think that idea ceased after the war and now we are wondering if Australia is still "the lucky country"!

It's a matter of priorities. You see what they spend on when it's conspicuous consumption, but not what they cut back on when it's hidden.

good question. lets face it - there are those who have and those who dont

You know, I have wondered the same thing. On the other hand, there may be many people who are at home who use food stamps and get free food from the community. Perhaps there are so many people that there are people on both sides of the spectrum. I really don't know. What I do know is that a lot of us are accustomed to a higher standard of living than we can keep us with now. The more money we make, the higher we live. Most of us do this. More income means we have more to spend to we have designer clothes, cell phones, video games, newer cars, nicer homes, etc. When we started that way of living, things were cheaper. Now that prices have risen, we don't know how to go back to a lower standard of living, and we are caught with things we purchased and are making payments on. There are many ways to cut back if you look into it. Even if we couldn't afford internet and cable, we could survive. The biggest problem would be feeling sorry for ourselves because we do love our material things that don't mean crap when times are hard. Go back to being families and playing board games, communicating and enjoying the company of each other. Visit neighbors, and I think your relatives in nursing homes would be glad to see you. We are hung up on entertainment. When I was young, entertainment was left to our imagination and creativity and even working together. Children now cringe at the word work, but they need chores without being paid so they learn how to work and don't think they are entitled. Yes, you brought them into the world, but that doesn't mean they don't owe you. You provide for them and have all the worry of paying the bills. Let them get summer jobs. My neighbor boy mows my yard, and asks before he does how much I'm going to pay him. He never once asked if he could shovel off my porch or just do it! Teach your kids to work which will give them values, keep them off drugs, love themselves and care about other people. Parents need to teach their kids, but they're strung out on drugs too. I don't mean all people, but not all people are financially desperate. When I was a kid, my mother gave me a dollar to spend at the local 5 and 10 cent store. I looked around and realized she have probably given me her last dollar, and I gave it back! Unsual for a kid, right? My sister was the opposite, she never appreciated anything Mom spent her last dollar on to buy her! She never liked anything, and I always told Mom how much I liked whatever she might bring home to me. I wore homemade clothes to school that I hated, but I sucked it up and never said a word! Not that I was a special kid, but I had respect for my parents and realized money didn't grow out back on the tree. Also, my parents were together so I didn't play one against the other. Kids only want love, structure and discipline. Take advantage of that and teach them how they can help to save money and quit comparing themselves to what other people have. If they have clothes to wear, food in their stomachs and a loving family, they are wealthy and so are you!!! We need to change our way of living. I have made significant changes out of necessity. We're all in this together, and it could get worse so start thinking about it now! God bless you all, and I hope I've helped in some way! Love you!

I agree with everything you have said Jules 547763. Get on with your own lives. Live and let live.

I think they just spend all there money my grandson spends all his money when he gets paid he doesnt know how to save he needs to put money away and not spend it all he lives with his mother and she pays for everything its really hard on her

Les gens mettent plus sur leurs cartes qu'ils ne payent. Ne se refusent pas grand choses.

I live by the 50-30-20 rule. 50% of my pay goes into needs. 30% goes into wants and 20% goes into savings. The 30% that goes into wants like fun and entertainment is very important to me. Life is more than just scrapping by the skin of your teeth. I'm debt free and don't own a credit card. If there is something I want and I can't afford it then I don't get it. My pay goes 100% to me and not my bank manager. Too many people use credit and loans as a way to get things they don't really need and then wonder where all their money goes.

thanks Hanno and six others

Maybe these people have worked hard and saved or booked in advance to go away etc. we worry too much about what other people are doing with their money. Just do your own thing and worry about yourself and your family. We go out for a coffee every now and then as you need to get out of the house sometimes, it is hard to keep going for some people, be thankful for what you have. Have a great day all.

I wonder the same just been on a 7 day cruise celebrating our 40 th wedding Anniversary and there were so many young people and famlies spending up big

I have often wondered that myself so many times. But for some of us times are tough, otherwise we wouldn't be on here trying to make extra money by doing surveys

people are over committed now, gone are the times of being able to build a house that you want because developers are controlling the market and making you build a very large home on a tiny block. All new furniture and cars seem to be the way now, we started with second hand furniture/car until we could afford new things. I would like to think the eating out is to treat themselves occasionally

They don't have mortgages and they live for just now and probably can't cook.

Entitled attitude

Parents tab so privileged

Credit card and debt.

They have had it too easy over the last15 -20 years and have over extended them selves. When things go up like they did in the 70-80s they find it hard to cope.

“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”

The cost of living is horrendous for many, but some people have well paid jobs. Some paid off their mortgages, or got them under control before the interest hikes. Some live in share homes, or with family or friends, some live off their credit cards, and even their mortgage redraws. Some don't worry about saving for the future. I see tent cities, people sleeping rough in doorways, under bridges, at train and bus stations and in their cars, because rentals have become unaffordable. In the past four years, as the ongoing result of escaping domestic violence, I've had no home of my own more than once, couch surfing, house sitting and finally borrowing money to buy a rundown caravan so I could live in a park. The last time my rental was to be renewed, the increase meant the cost was almost all of my disability pension. I go to a cafe about once a month for a special treat, having just a coffee. If you saw me, am I one of the ones you think are wealthy? Are some people out for a celebratory meal; the only one in months? Without knowing their situations, you can't assume anything about these people, though the gap between the rich and the poor grows rapidly.

What I've noticed is everybody buys everything on credit now nobody actually pays for anything anymore I don't think. I do I only pay cash if I don't have the money I don't buy it and that's the way I was raised and that's the way I'm going to continue my life. But these other people drive around in their brand new vehicles buying up their brand new houses. Wearing nice clothes everything's so wonderful in their world. And I know it makes my child upset that we can't have what they have but, at the end of the day I own what I own these people don't. And I wish that kids understood that.

after reading all these replys, didn't anyone think those folks eating out might just have had good paying jobs, i'm sure some may have been livin in mom's garage,, but just shows how folks seem to mostly judge a book by it's cover,,,,,

More for show to be seen in the right places than actually living comfortably.

Plus I read that they are now becoming landlords and investing in properties where as hubby read they are putting money into the stock market. Which is right or are they both right? I haven't been in a sit down restaurant in years because the last time I went I had the worst meal I had ever had and I got sick afterwards. We went into KFC only to get a little some thing to eat because we were having a huge day but now KFC don't except cash we will never go there again. We often talk about this and we are so disheartened by the pure greed of people. They are whinging about interest rates being so high at what 5% try having a mortgage at 18%. We were paying almost 9% when we had our other mortgage. The RBA has been screwing us over for decades and the young think 0% is the norm for interest rates. Please they cry poor mouth when the average wage is now 100 thousand dollars a year, their houses are worth millions. Recently saw a story about a woman complaining 200 thousand dollars is not enough to live on while we are living on roughly 1/10th of that. Public schools enrolments are the lowest in 10 years so they are sending they're children to private schools. Yes woe is all young adults struggling and I know some are and they are the homeless but the rest Please stop whinging and just live. Set a good example for your children and teach them to not only respect themselves but others too.

Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow ye die.

credit, spend now pay later

They are mooching off their well off baby boomer parents

Either some have high negative balances and live like no tomorrow or they have a last meal for memories. 😊

They probably living at home and living off of the bank of mum and dad.

I would guess that what you are seeing are people in the middle to upper middle class enjoying their good fortune. When you consider the number of University graduates that completed their studies in time for the great hiring boom it's no wonder the stores and restaurants have a strong clientele. It's a good thing that there are some people to keep the local economies afloat and pay local taxes or we can say hello to the dirty 30's again. I live in a resource driven city and you can really see the effects of all the social ills available. When the saw mills close down thee is nowhere for the workers to go. There is no replacement industry coming any time soon. There will be some mineral extraction in the future, but nobody has a reliable crystal ball that may give a hint of when. No payroll, no business. Couple that with the introduction of Wall Mart business failure is declining because there are fewer and fewer businesses to fail.

I am struggling right now based on making ends meet.

They may not have the sense of their hard times because they had a safety net through parents or other funders, or they may feel 'you only live once' and will enjoy while they can.

People still want to enjoy life and they make sacrifices for that! Life is too short. By no means am I saying ignore your responsibilities.

It's all relative really, isn't it/? There will always be those who endlessly complain as to how hard times are and then there are those who are earning huge salaries , probably only save in their Superannuation accounts, and live on their multiple Credit Cards. I worked part-time in a Servo and lost count of the number of younger people, in their 20s to 40s who swiped anything from 3 to 6 Credit Cards before they found one which had enough credit on it to pay for the fuel for their BMWs etc. The world is a very different place now where Credit is everything, no-one seems to have any money but still live very well.

Some people will work overtime to be able to have good times with friends eating in restaurants.

Hmmmm

People prioritize spending differently. Dining out might be a splurge for some despite financial constraints. Additionally, some may cut costs in other areas to afford dining out.

Back in the good old days we had it hard but hard was a norm. These days it’s neeeeeeeed, neeeeeeeed is norm and there is so much to neeeeeeeeed these days, phones, media, coffee, travel, cars etc etc etc. Owning your home is only a fantasy that most can never affordEdited 13-Apr-24 12:06pm

HELLO Maria B...

exactly

They’re living on credit cards

Very good question! And the airports are always full of people going on holiday!

hi Danielle R

They live with their parents and obviously don't understand.

Fear Eileen on credit cards rude selfish people no sense but a overly sense of their own superiority too lazy to cook a useless lot probably on drugs without compassion

It could be they don't know how to cook. they don't have time to cook, or they may only be doing it a few times per month or year. you can never judge another persons life until you see it through their eyes.

yes, I am surprised when I go to get my groceries to see how crowded all the restaurants and coffee shops etc. are with people of all ages.

For most they still live at home where they don't pay much board. Also they have no savings they spend every cent they earn with no though of tomorrow. They don't know how to save for what they will need in the future like older generations, live within your means, pay all your bills first, always save something each week and if your lucky maybe have some spending money left over for a meal out or the movies.

Younger people have different priorities and they may have well paid jobs also. They may not of started a family yet also. Enjoy life while you can as tomorrow is never promised.

I can give you a hint: CREDIT! Yes, these mostly young people who would, back in the day, have already been parents to a couple of kids and might be on their first or second marriages, are being propagandised to play it up and enjoy life WITHOUT responsibilities. Now everyone gets to choose their own path but this is by design. They are paid far more than I ever earned even though I have an undergraduate degree but instead of pesky kids to feed and educate they get to spend like the party will go on forever. Only they are deceived. Most will never be able to afford to buy a home of their own and many live with mates not family, except many still do well into their 20's or even longer. So their rate off disposable income is higher. Their nice cars though are often bought on credit which sounds brilliant to them until they get sick or lose their job that is! Then we have other available credit including the plastic cards but even more commonly nowadays are the Afterpay and Zip BNPL platforms and they can create massive problems which only this generation has seen. The whole "pay in 4" sounds great at first but if you haven't had a good fiscal education, and many have not, then the fact that you can buy a card, with Zip there's no upfront payment to do so although Afterpay requires 25% down, which you can use to dine out, travel, and buy basically whatever takes your fancy even though you don't have the money! I was amazed to find that you can buy groceries with these platforms, and if you are hungry then Im sure its invaluable, but the rest is just trouble! I've watched many financial channels where young people are interviewed and some of them are 50K in debt and they have zero assets. They've had to go bankrupt before they're 30! I understand that those who did the right thing and saved up money, scrimping for years to pay back their mortgage and only driving second hand cars until they own their home outright, like my own parents, certainly deserve to enjoy the fruits of their labour, but today is different and there WILL be a societal reckoning due to this and that won't be good for any of us! Thanks for reading.

Not everyone doing it tough. I look at furniture that is advertised for sale by people because they are changing their decor!

Also different people have different priorities. If you don't have kids and value your social life then you spend on outings. Afterpay and the like helps find this lifestyle choice

Welfare pays well these days. Then there is always credit from banks or Mom and Pop or likely all of them.

We don't know these people. Maybe they are meeting family or friends they haven't seen for ages therefor splurging a little. Maybe they cashed out their investments. Maybe they rent out properties. Maybe that meal was the only time they go out in months. If someone wants to go and get a meal rather than wait for the media to tell them who to judge next power to them. Life IS more expensive now. Edited 13-Apr-24 09:12am

I dont know,it's the same in my rural town though most seem to be tourists as we have them here all year round. Most retires that live in town came from Sydney or Canberra. Sold up and came here,bought property before the boom( a 3bedroom home 3years ago was $400,000). Now nothing under 1million,most are more. So they have discretionary money. All other residents live paycheque to pay cheque.

DEPENDS ON who is talking, do you see the people who are doing it tough out in the restaurants or are they different people?

It's not true for all people

They don't know what hard times are. During the depression, eating out was impossible. If you didn't grow your own vegetables, you went hungry. My grandma fed our family and the neighbours from her garden. You had chicken for eggs and meat. Etc. (hard times are relative to what you can do).

Life's short, have fun

Hard times make strong people

It might also be that they have already made plans a while back and might feel ashamed for cancelling them. Eg my friend and I made a plan to by each other a gift card for Easter instead of a chocolate egg. Im a bit tight for money so I had to message her and say I can only spend tops $15 as that is my only savings for the week. I felt so awful telling her that but we still did it.

Surprising what a credit card can do. . .

There are always going to be tough times for some people. People that experience the poverty line or below are constantly going through tough times. For those people that can afford to go out to restaurants, good on them. Life has perhaps dealt them a more fortunate prosperous hand.

The only time i eat at a restaurant is when my children shout me on my birthday. I do go to cafes at least once a month one of my friends and myself take turns on shouting each other. Maybe the same thing is happening. There might be birthdays, and someone is getting shouted. When you see these people in the restaurant. Times are tough for most of us. I wonder how so many people can afford.to Drive a car. These days our are roads are ridiculously full.

For many, it's probably debt via credit cards, "buy now pay later" schemes, etc. For most people it isn't "hard times", they're simply greedy, have no sense of priorities, and waste money on complete unnecessities ... and then whine about not having enough money. 🙄Edited 13-Apr-24 15:01pm

Maybe those people aren't finding it tough Eileen W!

I feel we still need some time out to treat our selves even in tough times.

How sad that this is still true! Inflation is a cue for better financial planning and a call to examine our social attitudes towards basic concepts such as sharing our resources, appreciating and using all of our human resources and talents to their fullest potential as well as embracing diversity and reexamining what we need to live as opposed to stuffing ourselves with all our wants. Grow up people. Inflation and hard times open doors for a better world instead of taking our toys and privileges away.

My kids that have well paid jobs and earn a lot more that I ever did, they love to plead poverty. I often see Beggers smoking and a little over weight also pleading poverty. I see some very generous soles willing to give and willing to help only increasing the demand for something free. It is home cooked meals for me because I love to know what is on my plate and it is all very healthy not only for me, but also my pocket.

... and yet, thank goodness they can by whatever means they can afford as they are keeping businesses open and people employed and just hope they have enough to leave them a tip as well!!!

Totally agree with you

Did you ask them how often they HAVE dined out and did you ask them if they saved for it or was just treating themselves on this occasion???

Times were tougher just after the second world war, when I was born.

I see that, too! I treat myself every few months and take myself out, but I go when there is an offer. Like, on Monday El Cazador has a Senior discount of 50% off on combination dinners, and D&H Mongolian Buffet has a 10% discount and, if I go before 3:30pm, when dinner starts, it is less expensive. I also go to Applebee's a time, or two, a year when they have their All-You-Can-Eat Shrimp, Chicken and Ribs for $14.99, but I use a coupon from points earned from surveys, so it's FREE! I don't know how they do it either!?! Especially the families with children! But, then, all of the kids have cell phones and/or tablets, so...:-?

Because they have their priorities around the wrong way and are probably going into debt ie: credit cards, just so they can look good within their peer groups. If people stopped pretending to be who they are not society would probably be a better place.

People do what they want with their money, treat themselves good, give their money away to help others

Young people today don’t know what HARD TIMES are really like

Thank you Leo, we all don't know what there financial situation is and we probably don't want to know as we all have our own financial situation to deal with

Well I don’t know there maybe some that can dine out but with extra medical expenses here and the cost of living ….. forget that!

A lot of possible scenarios happening. For me I prefer to budget and bank as much as I can. But each to their own.