Case Study:

Sam, Chris and Alex are all young adults (eighteen years old). Alex’s parents are travelling Australia in their motorhome. So Alex’s cousin Sam and friend Chris have moved in to Alex parents’ four bedroom home at Aspley with Alex’s 21 year old sibling Kacey. They are housesitting while Alex’s parents travel.

Sam is an apprentice chef at the Aspley Hotel, working Tuesday to Saturday nights. Sam earns $594 (net) per week as a second year apprentice. Sam may be entitled to allowances as Sam’s parents live in St George. Sam also goes to Bracken Ridge TAFE for block training once every three months, as Sam is an apprentice the employer pays for the training at TAFE. Sam has weight issues so tries to eat a healthy diet.

Chris is studying Teaching at QUT Kelvin Grove, and has classes Monday to Friday at varying times during the day. Chris also works part time at Good start Childcare Centre at Aspley, Monday to Friday when not at University. (Chris earns $240 net per week for the 15 hours per week at the Child Care Centre) Chris may be entitled to Centrelink payments as Chris’s parents live in Toowoomba. Chris also has the costs of University to pay. Chris plays Touch football on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings.

Alex is working at Target at Chermside completing a retail traineeship, and otherwise is not studying. (Alex earns $422.80 gross per week – $338 net) Alex enjoys cycling, running, swimming and completing in Triathlons. Alex would like to compete in a Triathlon in Hawaii in 2017.

Kacey has completed an accounting degree and currently works for the Australian Tax Office at Chermside. (Kacey earns a salary of $54,577 gross per year.  This equates to $1,049 gross $839 net per week) Kacey has a HECS debt to repay. Kacey walks four times a week for half an hour. Kacey is hoping to purchase a car in the future.  

The housemates are lucky that they do not have to pay rent and none of the members own a car.  They do however have to share the costs of food, internet, household water, and electricity. Each member has to also cover their own personal costs for transport, phone, educational costs, health insurance, medical costs, sporting and other individual costs.  Household duties also need to be shared amongst all four members.

Read less