Aussies selling online, taking second jobs to make ends meet

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many Australians financially high and dry, prompting them to re-think their approach to family finance.

According to a St.George Bank survey of 1000 households, only half felt financially prepared for the pandemic, while a third are revisiting family budgeting and the way they go about meeting their financial goals.

Half of households expect the financial impacts of COVID-19 to affect them for nearly two years, with the same proportion indicating that they'll reassess their spending habits in order to save for the future.

"Emergency savings is something we often talk about with our customers when conducting a financial review of their circumstances, and what we're seeing is a trend where pre-COVID, only half of Australian households factored this into their budget, but that is now changing," says St.George general manager Ross Miller.

"In light of current economic circumstances, we are seeing households think differently about their financial circumstances, and post-COVID emerging, Australians are showing a keen interest in safeguarding their financial future."

Forty per cent of households say they have already taken steps to create additional income opportunities.

"We're seeing households choosing to mitigate the financial impact of COVID-19 on their families, stating they are selling second-hand items online, and nearly one in 10 families have already taken a second job," adds Miller.

Moving in with friends and family has been another popular saving strategy.

"This shows some confident signals that households have learnt from current circumstances, are willing to cut back more, make a change or find extra ways of making income so they can be more financially prepared. For many, they are also using this time to save and look at getting on the property ladder."

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