rent - we weighed up the house we were paying off (mortgage) plus travel/maintenance we needed to do/rates etc and decided it was more viable, for the time being, to rent muuuuuuch closer to work
paying off car/ivf debts
essentials

not much money left after that!!

we choose to live on a tight budget to get a better rental and live very close to work - with me working only part time. i COULD go full time again (when at full health) and probably will - but not until we need the funds for something else (education for DD etc) - at this point in time, our priority is only working as much as is needed for us to live and spend all the time we can with DD. after fighting so hard, spending so much money, and sacrificing pretty much everything to be able to bring her into the world - i'm not going to sacrifice my time with her to work more (and, to be honest, not get the same amount of money in my pocket for the work i do, cos i'd go into the next tax bracket - one more day at work would put me in another tax bracket, and for 8 hours at work, i'd bring home about $50 in wages for the fn, lose about $30 in ftb, and lose another day a fortnight with DD - i'm not giving up time with her for $20 in my pocket!)

i have a friend that works every weekend through the year as a sports writer at a newspaper in NSW. she rarely takes time off work except for a month at the end of january/early feb each year, when she goes on a major overseas holiday. she saves all year for it. her parents started it when she was younger, and she continues it now. i've had some amazing photos and emails sent to me about her travels overseas! she loves it! she's told me she thinks it's great that i've settled with a family but it's not "her" - and i totally believe her. she is happiest doing what she is doing now. i'm enjoying getting her emails every couple of days at the moment as she holidays!