Could you live on 70% of your income if you had to rely on income protection?

Imagine your job suddenly stops your paycheck – not because you did anything wrong, but because something unexpected happened. I’d heard of income protection before, but I never paid much attention to it. That safety net promises 70% of your income, but is that really enough to keep your life on track?

One of my friends laughed at the idea. She said, “70%? That’s basically living like a minimalist.” A few months later, she got sick and couldn’t work, so her income protection started. It wasn’t fancy, but her rent was paid, groceries were in the fridge, and she could still get coffee without worrying.

That missing 30% meant she had to get creative. She cooked at home, canceled subscriptions she didn’t use, and found joy in small things. It wasn’t perfect, but she made it through. She realized income protection wasn’t just a backup plan – it was a lifeline when life didn’t go as planned.

So… could you make it work too? Could income protection really keep your life afloat, or would 70% feel like barely treading water?