‘Struggling’: Mum’s viral admission reveals just how tough Aussies are doing it

A young Aussie has gone viral online for sharing the stress and anxiety she feels because of a common issue.

As the cost of living crisis rages and young families are struggling, one mum’s raw money admission has exposed just how hard it has become.

When Jordana Mintz, 28, decided to become a mother, she felt “mentally” ready and had done all the right things.

She had a full-time job as a lawyer, while her partner is a teacher and they both felt prepared.

They’d purchased their home and borrowed around $200,000 less than the bank said they could because they were cautious about not overextending.

The 28-year-old certainly didn’t think they’d be rich, but felt secure knowing they’d managed to save some extra money during the pandemic.

She figured they’d be comfortable, and financial stress wouldn’t be a huge part of their lives as they enjoyed being first-time parents.

The opposite has been true.

She felt like she was in a solid place to become a mum. Picture: TikTok/JordanaMintz

The cost of living crisis has made it so hard. Picture: iStock

In a powerful clip that instantly resonated online, Ms Mintz said she felt like she was “fighting” for her life financially.

The 28-year-old said she was constantly plagued with concerns about money and felt a sense of “pure desperation”.

“All I’m thinking about is what I can do increase our income as a family,” she admitted.

The young worker admitted all of her savings were gone and she was now living paycheck to paycheck with her partner, despite the pair holding down stable, well-paying jobs.

“I didn’t know how hard it was going to be,” she said.

“I’m at the point where I’m like, I don’t even want the house. I want to put it on the market, take the money, and run.”

Ms Mintz said she was now considering moving back in with her parents and renting out her property to try and get away from the constant “heavy” feeling of worrying about money or knowing if she’s paid late she won’t be able to buy food or fuel.

The price of everything has gone up. Picture: iStock

So many young families are living week to week. Picture: TikTok/JordanaMintz

The 28-year-old said she hoped by sharing her story she could make others who were “struggling” and in the same boat as her feel less alone.

Her raw financial admission struck a chord online and gave other young people a chance to share their own financial struggles that are eating away at them.

“It is the daycare fees that are killing me and I can’t afford to stay home with them,” one shared.

“It’s always been my dream to be a young mum in my 20s but I feel like it won’t be possible in today’s economy,” another said.

“I’m a single mum! It’s rough out here. I work seven days a week, and I have two jobs. My rent alone is $650 a week. How are we meant to sustain this? “someone else asked.

“It’s honestly exhausting, like we’re panicking cause back to school and how much uniform costs and just the general cost of living. It’s just insane trying to give kids a life in this economy,” one shared.

“It’s criminal that our generation are being forced to choose between being able to house and feed ourselves comfortably or having children,” another pointed out.

“Literally dying. Feeling the exact same. I have three littles, and my hubby works, and I stay at home. It’s a killer. No outside activities. We had our third thinking we’d be so fine. Yeah nah! Not thriving just surviving.”

Young people are struggling to stay afloat even with good jobs Picture: Instagram/JordanaMintz

Ms Mintz told news.com.au the cost of living crisis felt like a “collective pile-on,” with everything from her mortgage to groceries to utilities becoming more expensive.

When she got pregnant, she and her partner were “optimistic” that interest rates would come down, but they’ve stayed stagnant for over a year.

Ms Mintz pointed out that people were generally able to “build up” their savings during the pandemic, but now Aussies were “hitting the point” where they have “exhausted” their pool of savings.

The 28-year-old said she crunched the numbers recently and discovered that their mortgage eats up 35 per cent of both her and her partner’s fortnightly salaries, which, in her opinion, puts them in “mortgage stress.”

That is, with a mortgage that isn’t “ridiculous,” proving that it is impossible for people now.

“It is so sad,” she said.

So many people are dealing with mortgage stress. Picture: iStock

Financial comparison website Finder has found that living in Australia as a young family right now is more expensive in almost all aspects.

As of December 2024, the cash rate target has been held at 4.35 per cent, and it hasn’t budged since November 2023.

To add some perspective, the cash rate in December 2022 was 3.10 per cent, so not only has it jumped quite a bit to 4.35 within a year, but it has held.

The average weekly grocery spend of a family has also increased by an extra $1456 a year, and the average monthly mortgage payment has increased by $351 since 2021 — equivalent to an extra $4,212 per year.

Meanwhile the average monthly rent payment for a family of four has increased by $298 since 2021 – an extra $3,576 per year.

Late last year, Finder also released research that found that the minimum household income required to afford the mortgage for an average Australian house is $182,000, while those owning units need about $130,000.

One in three homeowners also struggled to pay their home loans in December, and 16 per cent of mortgage holders have missed at least one repayment in the last six months.

Financial expert Sarah Megginson told news.com.au that for young families, it is a really “challenging” time.

“The rising cost of living, including housing, childcare and groceries, puts so much pressure on budgets,” she said.

“Plus, we’ve just had Christmas, and many families are planning for back to school costs. It’s an expensive time of year.”

Ms Megginson said the best thing to do in times like this is to try to save where and when you can, but this does involve some extra work.

“When you’re doing your grocery shopping, look at the half-price specials and plan meals around what’s on sale; also consider joining the supermarket rewards program,” she said.

“But the even bigger savings come from comparing household bills. Set aside a few hours to compare your energy plan, internet bill, phone plans, car insurance and more. You can save hundreds of dollars by switching to a different brand.

“At the very least – call your current providers and ask if they can give you a better deal.”

Originally published as ‘Struggling’: Mum’s viral admission reveals just how tough Aussies are doing it