Summary

In these large households of mum, dad and two or three young and teenaged children, multiple below-average personal incomes from skilled factory, shop or office work combine to make Urban Optimists the only Getting By Community with above-average household income (many with $100-150Kpa). Although satisfied with their current job, many are somewhat dissatisfied with their opportunities. Many Urban Optimists do not feel financially stable, instead overwhelmed by their expenses—private education, investment properties, home renovations—and just maintaining their lifestyle. Urban Optimists are often from mainland Europe, India or Asia (excluding China).

Walk with Me

We left Croatia when our daughter Sabina was only two. She is now 24 and studied journalism at university but is having trouble finding work. She is back living at home with us while she finds a job.

Since settling in in Australia we have been blessed with two other daughters, Astrid and Damira, who are both now in high school. When the girls were little we rented a unit for many years where they shared a bedroom. My wife and I work very hard and save up all our money to buy a house. We try hard to make extra payments and to make sure when the girls are leaving and getting married that we can pay and maybe even help them start buying their own homes—so long as they stay near to us!

I have set up my own gym in the house, with a bench, weights and a rowing machine. When we bought a new plasma television I put the old one in there. I also have a little bar fridge (very cheap on Ebay) where I keep vitamin water and protein drinks.

Every Saturday I am the goalie in the local over-40s soccer team and then Nera and I drive into city to Costco. We have a separate freezer at home to store meat and other things we find on special. During the week, we don’t have much time to cook so we eat Costco meals, but on Sunday after church we invite friends and family over and make a feast.