6 Young Aussies On Their #1 Piece Of Advice You Need To Hear Before Turning 30
Whether we want to admit it or not, everyone in their 20s is afraid of their 30s. The body that could stay out at Revs until 4am and then fang a kebab right after without getting heartburn is no more. Even worse, new memes and music start to annoy us. Try explaining to your 30-year-old co-worker right now who Dave Blunts is — it’ll ruin their day.
Here are PEDESTRIAN.TV’s best pieces of advice that you should hear before you turn the big 3-0.
Jessie, Senior Creative Strategy Manager
Move to a random city where you know no one! It’ll help you truly learn who you are and help break you out of your shell. I also think that complete career changes can be positive. Use your early 20s to explore what works for you and what doesn’t. What you studied doesn’t have to box you in, so you shouldn’t need to feel scared about making a big change again before 30.
Ben, Native Content Writer
Don’t overlook private health insurance. Yes, Medicare does a good job of covering general health appointments, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been getting hit with more bills that it won’t cover.
Not to get too honest on main, but I recently found out I might need to get surgery for sleep apnea, which can cost upwards of $10k (if you don’t want to go public), and that’s not even counting anesthesia.
Live reaction of my girlfriend waking up at 4am thanks to my snoring.
This has sent me on a personal journey of researching the benefits of private health insurance. Turns out, there are some extra nifty bonuses (beyond coverage for healthcare).
For example, private health insurance can sometimes save you a bit of cash when it comes to tax time. Like most 20-something-year-olds, I barely put any thought into taxes. My only concerns are “Do I get a tax back, and did I manage to avoid accidentally committing tax fraud? I did? Amazing. Time to buy ten tubs of ice-cream with the return and watch House M.D all weekend,” (doctors hate this).
Turns out, if you earn $97,001* or more as a single ($194,001* or above for couples/families), you could be liable for a Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS). The Australian Government imposes this levy on the taxable income of what it determines as higher income earners, encouraging them to consider private health insurance to alleviate the burden on the public sector. So, if you have appropriate private hospital cover, you could avoid this fee.
More fun health insurance facts: after you turn 31, you’ll immediately get a Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading added to the cost of your hospital cover when you do take it out. So, weirdly enough, if you don’t get private health insurance earlier in life, you may end up paying more for your cover in the future.
Of course, going from “not paying for private health cover” to “paying for private health cover” can be a bit intimidating. But there are a few affordable options that won’t drain your wallet.
Since 2009, Frank Health Insurance has been offering straightforward, easy-to-understand health cover, designed to be genuinely affordable for everyday Australians. Frank’s Basic, Basic Plus and Bronze Hospital cover are some of the more affordable covers in the market. So, you can rest assured knowing your body won’t break the bank if you need to visit a private hospital for eligible treatments.
Plus, signing up with Frank hospital cover might help you steer clear of paying that Medicare Levy Surcharge and Lifetime Health Cover loading. Frank Health Insurance also has a mobile app where you can submit your claims quickly, so even the admin is a pretty seamless experience. Avoid scary hospital bills as your body ages and inevitably requires more care, and potentially avoid extra taxes come the end of financial year. If only I had an informed adult to tell me this sooner.
Alex, Head of Editorial
Learn that everyone is on their own timeline. By the time you hit 30, some friends will be getting married or having kids, while others are single, some friends will be buying property (usually due to very lucky circumstances), and others will be renting. Some will appear to be killing it in their career, while others are still exploring what they actually want to be doing.
Almost every single person turning 30 will feel like they’re ‘behind’ in some aspect, so know that a) it’s normal, and b) whatever decisions (good OR bad) you made in your 20s in no way define the rest of your life.
Hannah, Advertising & Partnerships Director
Therapy! There are so many different kinds and so many different ways to access them. A huge realisation for me was that therapy isn’t an admission of defeat. You’ve got a lot of challenges behind you AND ahead of you by 30, and realising that you don’t need to figure it all out alone can be a game changer.
Adam Nguyen, Social Video Producer
Society developed this idea that independence equals strength. Which, logically, makes sense (to me), but naturally led us to think that dependency equals weakness. That’s not true. You’re not weak for falling back on those who are willing to support you.
Independence and dependence aren’t a measure of strength but instead a measure of trust — the trust you have in yourself and others, respectively. Too much of one can be dangerous, so trust in moderation, but allow yourself to trust others for help.
Laura Masia, Senior Reporter
Whatever you don’t change, you’re choosing. Keep that in mind when your situationship is being an ass ♥.
If you’d like to learn more about Frank Health Insurance, consider giving them a call to speak to a representative and ask if it’s the right fit for you. Signing up is as easy as heading to the website and selecting which cover works best for you. A pretty simple task for some peace of mind if you ask me.
Turning 30 can be pretty daunting, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck on a single path for life now. There’s still room to reinvent who you are, find new interests and understand the appeal of Dave Blunts (or lack thereof). So go on, keep enjoying that 4am kebab. You’re still an adult, who’s going to stop you?
*Refers to Medicare Levy Surcharge income tiers for 2024–25 financial year. These income tiers are subject to change in 2025-26 financial year.
The information in this article is general in nature and does not constitute financial product advice. You should obtain independent financial advice before making any financial decisions.
The post 6 Young Aussies On Their #1 Piece Of Advice You Need To Hear Before Turning 30 appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
