Young Aussie couple reveal why they’ve downsized

A young couple have revealed the reason they’ve decided to “downsize” and why it has its “downfalls”.

The cost of living crisis is forcing families, even those who own multiple properties, to get creative with housing.

Monique Tibbott, 21, and her partner Brandon Doyle, 27, have just moved into a one-bedroom apartment with their young daughter, Delilah.

They originally lived in a three-bedroom house in Perth with a decent backyard, but they’ve sold it and are reduced to living in 36 square meters.

The family of three is squeezing into the one-bedroom as many people are making difficult choices due to the rising cost of living.

It is no secret that the housing crisis in Australia is challenging for everyone. Finder’s recent report found that 41 per cent of homeowners struggled to pay their mortgage in July, and 49 per cent of tenants struggled to pay their rent in July.

The couple are in a far better position than most, but even they are looking for ways to get ahead, and housing is a huge cost.

Brandon wants to spend more time with his daughter. Picture: Supplied

The couple are now living in a one bedroom. Picture: Supplied

Mr Doyle bought the one-bedroom apartment in regional ACT for $142,000 five years ago, which has already doubled in value. He also owns another property that the couple are currently renting out.

Before they decided to move into their apartment, he had it on the market for more than $300,000 and was getting offers within that price range.

Mr Doyle told news.com.au that he “stripped” the place himself and invested around $22,000, which has been well worth it.

Ms Tibbott, a stay-at-home mum, said the cost of living right now is “crazy”, which made the couple want to “downgrade” their living arrangements for a while.

The couple are in a lucky position where the mortgage costs them only $900 each month. If they rented a three-bedroom place in Canberra, it’d cost them around $700 a week. The decision to live in smaller quarters is saving them thousands a month.

Ms Tibbott noted that it is definitely a change from what they are used to. For instance, their young daughter no longer has her own room and she is now bunking in with her parents.

They have a cot that they can fit into the bedroom, so everyone technically still has their own space. However, the 21-year-old is glad they are doing it.

“It is an adjustment and I know some families would be so scared to downsize. It does have its downfalls, but it is doable,” she said.

The couple said the downgrading is an “adjustment.” Picture: Supplied

It has allowed the couple to spend more time together. Picture: Supplied

It is also the ideal time to do something like this, given how young Delilah is.

“She’s eight months old, so she was always right with us even when we were living in our three-bedroom place,” Ms Tibbott said.

The couple decided to move closer to Mr Doyle’s family and downsizing into a small place means he can have a couple of months off work to spend with his daughter.

He works as a auto electrician and the hours can be gruelling.

“It is temporary. I might have six months off and then go back casually, but when I was working full-time, I was clocking up about 50 to 60 hours a week,” he said.

Ms Tibbott said her partner was working 12-hour days, and having time off meant he could go from spending only a few hours with his daughter to spending the whole day with her — meaning he would get to witness key moments like her taking her first steps.

“We can also save some money,” she added.

Mr Doyle said taking a break from work means the couple are having to be realistic about reducing their cost of living.

“You need to live within your means,” he pointed out.

“Sacrificing our three-bedroom means that Brandon can go from spending two hours a day with our daughter to 12,” Ms Tibbott said.

They don’t plan to be in the property for more than a year, but for now, they feel like it is the best decision for their family and will hopefully enable them to get further ahead.

Originally published as Young Aussie couple reveal why they’ve downsized