AusBT reader survey: win frequent flyer points, travel wallets

'Household' in this context means your 'financial group', i.e. if you are married with kids then it's those people together, if you are living with a buddy then it's just you on your own, if you are living with a girlfriend but don't share accounts etc then it's again just you alone.

Thanks for clarifying "suparockin"! I have interpreted "household" to mean that for some time now. I do think however that there would be a significant likelihood of people grouping their incomes together for a total "household income" when these questions are asked. For example if memory serves me correctly I believe several questions like this are usually in the census. Then the ABS starts sprouting numbers based on responses they received in the survey saying households could afford this, or 2 out of 5 households have 2.7 cars available to them. Just think it wouldnt hurt to have a little explanation such as yours so the figures are a bit more representative.

What if you're living with a "buddy" but living a lie? :p

Then we could use the Centrelink definition of a de facto couple (same sex or opposite sex) used for Youth Allowance, which carries a minimum live-in of at least 12 months.

But yes, you could certainly argue that for the purposes of this survey, it wouldn't be a household if each person in it ran their own finances as discrete accounts.

Most analytic firms take those income estimates given as part of survey responses (particularly when data collection is face to face) with a large grain of salt anyway. I remember a former colleague telling me of one particular research study that found a significant number of people overstate when answering these income questions (I guess because it provides a positive internal stimulus to think so, rather than some intentional attempt to deceive). Some questionnaires include lifestyle check questions (the higher your income, the more likely you indulge in more expensive discretionary spending habits) to try and fudge a reliability measure, but really it's all about segmenting the data into broad categories to see if there are any particular correlations between income and behaviour/choice, as well as to help other marketers understand the categories of your audience/customers.

There's a selling element in the survey it self. Is there a luxury goods conglomerate issuing these surveys for the purpose of subliminally telling us we need to own watches X, Y and Z if we consider ourselves highflyers? I'm already eyeing off a submariner, I don't need them getting up in my headspace thinking I need a limited edition Brietling for weekends!

Until I see who wins, i'm going to conlude that this survey was purely for the purpose of making me think I need to dine out more!

Didn't get that myself from the survey, but such an effect can exist, I guess, where there is a more collective mindset. AusBT Is honest, so I reckon everyone is in for a fair chance. I'd happily take a gift of 50,000 extra Velocity points - I could redeem a First return to London with that bump :-)

LOL at you guys! :P

We've held off announcing winners because I've been totally flat out but this week, no worries.

First return to London with 50k points?  is that the damage to upgrade from business to first? Singapore or Etihad?

That'd be nice - 50K for a F MEL-LHR redemption! :-)

"50,000 extra Velocity points", that is additional to my pleasantly plump Velocity Rewards balance, is enough to push me over that points requirement (and it's the best redemption for them I think).

Would be very nice! 

Or just, "I use my phone as a watch."

or " I use the sun".

I use my marine bells app on my iPad!!