Are you doing better than the average Australian? Finance professional names the five signs – and the ‘salary sweet spot’ to aim for

Ever wondered where you rank financially compared to the rest of Australia? You might be doing better than you think. 

Sydney finance expert Queenie Tan has revealed five signs that you’re outperforming the average Aussie financially. 

She says something as simple as being able to pay for an unexpected bill without going into debt means you’re already ahead financially. 

‘If you can handle an unexpected bill, that’s a really strong sign,’ she told Daily Mail.

‘A lot of people underestimate how powerful it is to have a buffer. It might not feel exciting, but it gives you options and peace of mind.’

To back up her statement, she referenced research showing that more than one in five Australian households (21.7 per cent) in 2025 couldn’t raise $2,000 within a week to cover an unexpected bill. 

‘It’s generally recommended to have three months of essential expenses available in an emergency fund as this can put you in a good position because you’re not relying on debt when something unexpected happens,’ Queenie said.

The 29-year-old – who has a net worth of more than $1 million – said knowing exactly where your money goes every month is also a sign you have a solid understanding of your finances. 

‘If you know what your income, essential costs and non-essential spending are, you have a good level of financial transparency which most people don’t have,’ she said.

If you can make it to payday without running out of money, you’re ahead of the curve. But Queenie, a licensed personal finance content creator, said one of the best ways to stay that way is to ‘pay yourself first’. 

‘One of the biggest game-changers for me was learning to pay myself first. Warren Buffett, one of the greatest investors in the world said, “Don’t save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving”,’ she said. 

‘If you already know roughly what you spend each month, being able to set aside some money to save or invest first could be a good way to make building wealth automatic. Over time, it’s one of those habits that can really set you up for the future.’

If you pay your credit card off in full every month, it’s a sign you’re managing your money well, avoiding costly interest charges and staying out of debt.

‘This shows you’re living within your means and not letting high interest debt build up,’ she said. 

‘At the end of 2025, Australians had $43.3 billion outstanding on credit and charge cards, and $21.6 billion of it was accruing interest.

If you’re building wealth through investments beyond your home and super, you’re financially ahead of most Aussies. 

‘Productive assets provide diversification and money that can generally be accessed before retirement,’ she said.

If you’re looking to move from ‘getting by’ to ‘getting ahead’, Queenie said the best place to start is by seeing where your money is actually going. 

‘I know it’s really daunting, and honestly sometimes I hate checking myself, but the clarity is actually empowering,’ she said.

‘The other day I realised I spent over $600 on clothes without realising it. So the next month I decided to do a ‘no-spend’ month on clothes to balance it out.

‘Once you can see where your money actually goes, you can make small improvements to it which can really compound over time. 

‘If you want to save $10,000 in a year, that’s just $27.40 per day. Some of these savings could come from things like switching your insurance, or your electricity plan, which doesn’t really affect your lifestyle too much.’

Queenie said one of the biggest financial mistakes people make is increasing their spending every time they get a pay rise.

‘Spending more as you earn more… Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing to treat yourself, or slightly increase your lifestyle as you earn more money,’ she said.

‘There are some times in your life when life just naturally becomes more expensive like if you choose to have kids for example. 

‘But upgrading everything quickly, as soon as you start earning more such as housing, cars, holidays, subscriptions and eating out, can make it much harder to get ahead financially.’

If you’re on an average income, Queenie said you can still be financially ahead. 

‘If you’re living below your means, which basically means you’re spending less than you earn, then that will definitely put you ahead,’ she said. 

‘On the other hand, someone can earn heaps of money but still be financially behind if they spend everything they earn, have no emergency fund, or rely heavily on credit cards and personal loans in order to fund their lifestyle. 

‘Income matters, but your habits matter a lot too.’

According to Queenie, financially successful people have one key habit in common – they think long term.

‘They understand that building wealth usually isn’t about one perfect investment or one big moment. 

‘It’s about consistent decisions repeated over many years, like spending less than you earn, investing regularly, avoiding bad debt and letting compounding do its thing.’

The finance expert pointed out that being financially successful doesn’t necessarily mean they have a luxury car, designer clothes, mansion or expensive holidays. 

‘Being financially ahead doesn’t always look flashy,’ she said.

‘Sometimes it looks quite boring from the outside: having an emergency fund, paying bills on time, avoiding consumer debt, investing regularly and making choices that align with your values. 

‘Those small, consistent habits can be really powerful over time.’

Queenie and her husband Pablo Bizzini have built their wealth through a mix of investments and smart financial habits to secure their financial future. 

The married couple, who own an apartment in Sydney, share a combined net worth of more than $1million as they currently have investments in the stock and crypto markets.

The young parents have already set up an investment account for their toddler daughter Gia under their family trust.

On the day she was born in March 2024, Queenie invested $1,000.

The parents will continue to invest $1,000 every year on her birthday. Any cash gifts from friends and family will also be invested.

By the time Gia turns 18, she will have $41,000 in her account.

If she chooses to leave the money invested, the amount will roughly double every decade due to compound interest, making Gia $1.8million richer by the time she’s 65.

‘Investing is a great way to ensure our money is worth more over time rather than eaten away by inflation – and the rising cost of living,’ Queenie told Daily Mail.

‘That’s why I’ve started investing for Gia so she has a head start when she’s a young adult.’