Student, 21, who spends $60-a-week on her dogs explains how she still saves on a meagre income and how other cash-strapped Aussies can do it too

A medical student who works two part-time jobs claims she only has $30 a week left to spend on herself, once she covers her other expenses.

Chloe Oriel21, criticized her “ridiculous” weekly income of $705, more than half of which she spends on basic necessities such as rent, gas, electricity and car insurance.

But the medical radiation student at Newcastle University said she had a number of other non-negotiable expenses, including $60 a week for her three dogs. She considers them her “children” and they eat better than she does, despite the cost of living crisis.

Ms Oriel, who outlined her weekly expenses and budgeting in a video titled ‘How I budget my ‘Piss Poor Salary as a Uni Student’, revealed that she works an average of 5-7 hours a week in a pub, earning around $200.

She also tutors for four hours, earning about $120. She also receives $770 a fortnight in independent youth allowance and housing benefit from Centrelink.

This equates to a weekly income of approximately $705, of which $475 goes to rent, electricity, gas, wifi, fuel and groceries.

The budget-conscious student from Lake Macquarie in NSW also manages to stash $100 each into an emergency fund and a savings account.

She claims she spends $50 a week on food for herself, while her beloved pets eat $30 a week on food, which costs another $30 a week in insurance and other related expenses.

The University of Newcastle student told Daily Mail Australia she had a number of non-negotiable expenses, including $60 for her three dogs who she considers her “children”.

This means that Mrs. Oriel has $30 left to spend on herself.

“I live with my partner so we split the groceries each week. We usually cook three meals a week, but we do large portions so we can spread the meals out,” she told Daily Mail Australia.

She buys fruit and vegetable packages from a local supplier.

“A box is only $30, but you get a lot of fresh produce from local producers, which is amazing,” she added.

“We have three dogs, two of which are dachshunds. I own three dogs myself. I’m sure most people know that they are very susceptible to injuries. So pet insurance is quite expensive because there are so many things that need to be covered.”

She admitted that the dogs eat better than she and her partner.

“They’re also fed mostly raw food, which can be quite expensive, but I value my dogs’ health. That $30 is also just savings that I have in reserve for food, toys and vet visits that aren’t covered by insurance,” Ms. Oriel explains.

Although she considered herself ‘poor’, she was ‘fairly satisfied’ with what she earned.

Mrs Oriel joked that her three dogs, who are ‘raw fed’, eat better than she and her partner

“I have parents who are willing to help me if I really need it,” she said.

“But overall I’m not the worst. I could definitely use some money, but you do what you can.”

Her top tip for people who feel overwhelmed by bills due to the cost of living crisis is to create a spreadsheet to track their spending.

“All those little things add up, especially with the tap-and-pay method,” Mr Oriel explains.

‘I was really shocked when I realized how much money I was spending every week on silly things, when I could easily reduce it if I disciplined myself enough.’

Ms Oriel told news.com.au she had put aside $500 and was living a “very frugal” life.

“I know a lot of people think this isn’t much, but I think it’s all a matter of perspective. Since I started this budget a month ago, I’ve been able to save so much money, which I’m really proud of,” she said.

She also refuses to spend a lot of money on things and waits to buy them until she knows if she really wants them.

“If I really want something, I’ll save $30 a week until I can afford it. I’m a firm believer that if I can’t afford it, I won’t buy it,” she added.

Tackling the cost of living crisis has become the central focus of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government.

A deadly cocktail of rising energy bills, higher gasoline prices and sky-high rents has sent consumer prices soaring to their highest level in six months.

The Labor administration has introduced a $300 rebate on energy bills to help struggling Australians. But some economists fear it could fuel inflation.