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What one person finds comfortable at 30k yr working 2 part-time jobs to achieve that, is another person's nightmare who thinks they have to make at least $100k in their one job just to survive.
What one person finds comfortable at 30k yr working 2 part-time jobs to achieve that, is another person's nightmare who thinks they have to make at least $100k in their one job just to survive.
That's exactly why I am asking... because everyone's situation and expectations are different.
So do you think 30K is enough? 50K? etc... to satisfy your personal needs (whatever they may be) in Hawaii.
Where in Hawaii do you want to live? If in a waterfront home in Honolulu, then you'll need enough to buy a million dollar house. On the other hand, if you could live in a rural area on the Big Island, then you can get a very comfortable house for $200,000.
You could also choose to live off the grid, although in some places it isn't even a choice. Harness the sun and the wind, and then you can avoid paying the high energy costs. Grow your own produce, and eat more fish.
Your question is WAY too general to get any reasonable response. Are you single or do you have a family? What do YOU consider to be a "comfortable" lifestyle? Do you want to live the same way you are living on the mainland? How do you know that my "personal needs" are the same as yours? Bottom line, what are you looking for?
Last edited by Dreaming of Hawaii; 02-04-2010 at 09:08 AM..
Reason: spelling
I've lived on $1000 a month and $8000 a month. I had more fun on $8000. But overall happiness or unhappiness happened at both pay scales and all the ones in between. My dad says the only time he's seen me totally relaxed and content are the times I've lived on the beach. Each time I was closer to the bottom of the pay ranges.
vic, take what you live on now and if that is comfortable for you that is what you should aim for here. you need all of the same things here that you do there. some people will live where others won't. some people will eat peanut butter for a month, some won't. some folks need a 3 bed. 2 bath home on a large lot, for others a 500 sq. foot condo for two is plenty. live simply, don't carry a lot of debt, drive cars that are paid off, don't buy a bunch of "stuff" and you find it easier to live here.
Where in Hawaii do you want to live? If in a waterfront home in Honolulu, then you'll need enough to buy a million dollar house. On the other hand, if you could live in a rural area on the Big Island, then you can get a very comfortable house for $200,000.
You could also choose to live off the grid, although in some places it isn't even a choice. Harness the sun and the wind, and then you can avoid paying the high energy costs. Grow your own produce, and eat more fish.
Your question is WAY too general to get any reasonable response. Are you single or do you have a family? What do YOU consider to be a "comfortable" lifestyle? Do you want to live the same way you are living on the mainland? How do you know that my "personal needs" are the same as yours? Bottom line, what are you looking for?
Man, you guys are killing me. The original question was *not* about how much *I* need to make per year to live comfortably in Hawaii.
The original question was how much *YOU* (the person reading this post right now) need to make a year to live *YOUR* lifestyle.
Therefore, the answer should be relatively easy since it pertains to YOU the reader.
I would like 100K, free and clear, to live 'comfortably' in Hawaii. Right now,
50K meets the basics for living, keeping bills current, fridge filled, both gas tanks filled and all dogs groomed. 100K would allow more 'relaxing'.
There! I answered the question, I'm the winner. It's like pulling teeth to get a
straight answer.
Koale
120K after taxes would be a lot more comfortable than what we have now. But that's about twice what we have now and the half amount is what we have before taxes. Remove about 20% for taxes, either income or excise. However, the house is paid for, we are off grid (no electric bill), grow a lot of our own food, don't drive much because we can't afford the gas, don't travel much off island because of the same reason and don't shop much either. We buy very little at retail prices. The cars are always bought used and we fix them ourselves. We are comfortable on a day to day basis, but quite constrained. Things have been getting a lot tighter lately, too, so nothing has been put towards retirement or into savings for over a year now. If things get much tighter we will be in trouble. So, we are not comfortable in a long term sense, at all.
To live a lovely lifestyle, half a million or more a year wouldn't be bad.
Hey, Koale, we're just trying to answer a really vague and strangely worded question. I suppose that in order to answer we would also have to provide what makes us comfortable, which you and hotzcatz did, but it was a little difficult to figure out what the OP wanted. Most people who post here are wondering how much money they would need in order to get certain things that they want. So, in trying to be helpful, most of us who respond try to figure out what it is that the posters are looking for in the first place!!
Anyway, it's all good (I think).
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And the winner is...
