‘Can’t work any harder’: Women scrimping to survive
- kirranicolle
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE
When it comes to financial inequality in Australia, we tend to think of the main points – the income disparity between men and women, the superannuation gap, and the rising rate of homelessness among women over 55.
But these inequalities do not tell the whole story. On a daily basis, women are facing the toll of trying to survive in a cost-of-living and housing crisis, and while men also face such impacts, women are disproportionately affected.
November research from AustraliaNOW showed that women over-indexed on almost every financial management action, including shopping around, cutting expenses and budgeting, while more men invest than women (16 per cent vs nine per cent respectively). Investing was also more associated with higher income earners who earned more than $100,000 per year, while cost-cutting was primarily the concern of lower-income households, with yearly incomes of under $50,000.
State Manager for Moneycare in Queensland Lucy Jones says the disparity between men and women seeking assistance with their finances is clear from Gold Coast data, where one counsellor’s caseload for the previous year was made up of 61 per cent women and 39 per cent men. In the Lockyer Valley, caseloads were similar, with the same timeframe for one staff member comprising 65 per cent women vs 35 per cent men.
“Working as a financial counsellor, I have always had more women than men present for support with their financial concerns,” Lucy says.
Lucy says she believes this speaks to the fact more primary carers are women, and more women experience higher living costs with dependents. She says many of these women are accessing “little to no” child support and have experienced some form of family and domestic violence (FDV).
She says one client, who was employed full-time in a professional role, had left an FDV relationship and was in temporary housing while looking for a two-bedroom rental which would just be sufficient for both her and her children. Despite earning a full-time wage, she was unable to qualify for any rentals in the area because real estate agents require that rent is no more than 30 per cent of an applicant’s income. Lucy says such pressure can be crushing on single parents and families, especially on women. She says for many women, difficult periods in life or destructive relationships can leave them with residual debt which impairs their ability to be financially secure later in life.
“Housing affordability is having a particularly damaging impact on people. Not being able to afford any rentals in the entire rental market of your area can leave people and families in crisis,” she says.
“I find that working with women on lower incomes, more often than not, they know exactly where every cent goes. They have a really clear understanding of what their costs are. They just don't have enough coming in.”
ANZ research gathered in 2021 and released in March 2023 showed that across all age groups, women demonstrated lower financial wellbeing than men, even though when comparing men and women between the ages of 25-34 – often a crunch point for career development and increasing salaries – women typically showed stronger savings mindsets than men.
TSA General Manager for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and single mother of three Amanda Brummell Lennestaal concurs with Lucy that many women are simply not making enough money. She says for women, the issue of financial inequality goes far deeper than just making some small budget shifts. She says many women cannot work extra hours because of caretaking responsibilities or managing the basics of wellbeing, especially with children who have disabilities or complex care needs. She says not only is this an issue for women’s immediate needs, but also those facing retirement with what she describes as “grossly inadequate superannuation balances”.
“There are only so many ways you can educate a woman in how she can stretch her money,” Amanda says.
“Because at the end of the day, while ever women are bearing the brunt of child support systems that are used as tools of abuse [amid] a high cost of living and an often-disconnected social environment, we still allow women to bear the brunt of abuse and inequality if we assume that the only way we can help them is to find another $5 for the bread.
“I know how to scrimp and save and how to cut corners, but you can only do that so far. The challenge is how we move beyond seeing entrenched disadvantage not as a lack of female capacity or skill, because at the end of the day, that becomes another active form of discrimination that says, ‘You can get yourself out of it if you just work a little harder’.
“Sometimes women can't work any harder.”
Amanda says that in her role, she is seeking to not only work to equalise gender and pay discrepancies but also encourage a workplace environment where it is acceptable to voice one’s needs and where women are truly heard. She says moving from a crisis response to a capacity-building framework is key to helping women operate as true equals to their male counterparts.
“There are lots of practical things we can be doing,” Amanda says. “Ultimately over time, it’s about how we think about the government contracts, tenders and services we deliver [and] how we see women as strong, resilient and competent, and understand where their unique needs might be.”
Moneycare Week
At the start of a new year many people think about their finances in light of Christmas spending and the school year dawning. Moneycare Week offers a timely opportunity to share practical tips and resources that help people feel capable and supported.
During the week of 18–24 January 2026, there will be media activity and digital advertising to promote Moneycare Week.
READ MORE: MySalvos Moneycare Toolkit, click here
If you would like to highlight Moneycare Week in your mission expression during January, either physically or digitally, the resources below can help.
Please note: Moneycare has a wide range of resources for the community. Please feel free to share the public-facing Moneycare Financial Resources page with your community: The Salvation Army Moneycare Financial Resources page
