Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
[quote] I disagree. If I am making $30K a year now and next year I made $100K a year. My lifestyle would remain the same but savings/investments would increase.[quote]
Quote:
Possibly, but that would make you highly abnormal. Many people say that, but very few actually do.
I do, and the people I date do. I think it's pretty normal among science/tech folks, but probably not among business/finance types (ironically, IMO).
[quote=NilaJones;29932576][quote] I disagree. If I am making $30K a year now and next year I made $100K a year. My lifestyle would remain the same but savings/investments would increase.
Quote:
I do, and the people I date do. I think it's pretty normal among science/tech folks, but probably not among business/finance types (ironically, IMO).
Someone making $30k a year would take home around $1900/mo after taxes. Youre saying you live off $1900/mo, yet make $100k+ a year?
Im smelling BS on that. Unless you live in a very cheap part of the country and have zero student loans or debt. Some people really cant control student loans if they are young.
Leta do a break down.
I live in Houston which is reasonably priced.
$700/mo for a very modest apartment outside the city.
$100/mo utilities
$75/mo car insurance
$200/mo gas cause you cant afford to live outside the city. Thats also assuming your car is paid for and gets good gas mileage.
$200/mo groceries (pretty modest as I have a healthy diet and eat $100-$150+/wk plus )
So now you are at $1275. For simplicity we'll call it $1300. Those listed to me are a minimum necessity to have a normal (but very crappy) life. Now keep in mind you have:
- no internet or cable
- no new clothes, going out to eat, or anything "fun"
- no gym membership
- no medical costs or prescriptions
- not including stuff like oil changes, or new car tires
- no gifts for family members (I send my parents gifts on every mothers and fathers day, and them and my siblings on every birthday and Christmas)
-better hope to god your 30k job gives you health insurance, too.
Just as an example I try and fly home to see my parents and siblings twice a year. Each trip is roughly $100 in gas and a $450 ticket.. unsure how that would fit in the budget... I pay $550/mo alone just in student loans. That would automatically throw me out the window.
So yeah, if you make 100k+ I'd love to know how you live off the salary of someone that makes 30k.
I disagree. If I am making $30K a year now and next year I made $100K a year. My lifestyle would remain the same but savings/investments would increase.
Someone making $30k a year would take home around $1900/mo after taxes. Youre saying you live off $1900/mo, yet make $100k+ a year?
Im smelling BS on that. Unless you live in a very cheap part of the country and have zero student loans or debt. Some people really cant control student loans if they are young.
Leta do a break down.
I live in Houston which is reasonably priced.
$700/mo for a very modest apartment outside the city.
$100/mo utilities
$75/mo car insurance
$200/mo gas cause you cant afford to live outside the city. Thats also assuming your car is paid for and gets good gas mileage.
$200/mo groceries (pretty modest as I have a healthy diet and eat $100-$150+/wk plus )
So now you are at $1275. For simplicity we'll call it $1300. Those listed to me are a minimum necessity to have a normal (but very crappy) life. Now keep in mind you have:
- no internet or cable
- no new clothes, going out to eat, or anything "fun"
- no gym membership
- no medical costs or prescriptions
- not including stuff like oil changes, or new car tires
- no gifts for family members (I send my parents gifts on every mothers and fathers day, and them and my siblings on every birthday and Christmas)
-better hope to god your 30k job gives you health insurance, too.
Just as an example I try and fly home to see my parents and siblings twice a year. Each trip is roughly $100 in gas and a $450 ticket.. unsure how that would fit in the budget... I pay $550/mo alone just in student loans. That would automatically throw me out the window.
So yeah, if you make 100k+ I'd love to know how you live off the salary of someone that makes 30k.
Actually my expenses are quite a bit lower than your examples. Housing costs are lower here, and I do not drive unless I am going out of state, I do my own oil changes, etc. Bicycling and other free activities sub for a gym membership.
What new expenses do you have at your current salary, that you did not have when your salary was lower? Why did they change?
I do, and the people I date do. I think it's pretty normal among science/tech folks, but probably not among business/finance types (ironically, IMO).
Heh, probably because we got really good at living below the poverty line as graduate students and old habits die hard. I wouldn't say that I could afford my current lifestyle on my graduate stipend, but my weekly budget, sans mortgage, is very similar to what it was when my income was 1/6th of what it is now.
Actually my expenses are quite a bit lower than your examples. Housing costs are lower here, and I do not drive unless I am going out of state, I do my own oil changes, etc. Bicycling and other free activities sub for a gym membership.
What new expenses do you have at your current salary, that you did not have when your salary was lower? Why did they change?
Houston has virtually no public transit and if you plan living inside the "loop" you would be hard pressed to find a one bedroom under $1000 before utilities. So if you live outside to save a few hundred, youll have to drive.
My first full year out of school I made 53k so I really have no idea how one could comfortably survive off 30k. Granted, I also have that $550/mo student loan which would make that 30k even more expensive.
My only bills that have changed is now I have a truck payment and rv payment. I travel for work and stay in it, and obviously need a truck to tow it. Before, I had a car and apartment payment.
My general costs have also increased as now I have time to get back into shape, which for someone like me is very expensive as I require a ton of food to not be skin and bones. So my grocery bill often tops 500-600/mo, plus a couple hundred for protein powder, vitamins, etc. $50 gym membership. This current job is 28 miles from where I live, my truck gets 16ish mpg...
So yeah, you get the picture...
I could do without all that and eat frozen pizzas and side salads instead of chicken breasts and oatmeal, but it is important to me, as is being in shape. I dont even consider eating garbage and not lifting weights an option any more. Its a necessary expense to me.
So yeah, my general costs have increased for me in some ways which are necessary (a truck to tow the rv) but at the same time I have still made 12k more in the last 5 months than I did my entire first year out of school.
I suppose I do have a bit more fun as well. Went to mma fights with my boss and gf tonight. Saw Carrie Underwood in April, etc.
My general costs have also increased as now I have time to get back into shape, which for someone like me is very expensive as I require a ton of food to not be skin and bones. So my grocery bill often tops 500-600/mo, plus a couple hundred for protein powder, vitamins, etc. $50 gym membership. This current job is 28 miles from where I live, my truck gets 16ish mpg...
I feed healthy meals to a family of 5 here, and your grocery bill is similar to ours. I plan meals, buy and cook in bulk. Refrigerate and freeze. If you can find the time, you can minimize food costs and eat healthy at the same time.
Oh yeah? Have you been in this situation? Part of me doubts it. Especially from 30k-100k. Huge difference in average of standard of living. Very minimal at 30k. Its much easier to say than do.
Not saying some people dont, but its very rare.
Since I finished school in 2009 my income has increased a minimim of 20% a year with last year increasing over 40k and this year at least another 20k. While I dont blow through every dollar (ive even saved over 10k the last 2.5 months) to say my standard of living is close to where I started would be stretching it a lot. I mean my amount of groceries alone has over doubled just due to diet changes. Going from around 200/mo to around 500/mo.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2
I speak from my own experience. I currently have over 6 figure income but I have been on a $30K boat.
If my salary increased than this does not mean I need go buy an expensive car. I can keep driving the same one. Have you heard of living below your means? Sure it is a rare that is why only the rare are wealthy .
One could be making $250K a year and living on a $20K a year eating beans and rice. Each individual has different goals in life.
It may be an urban thing, but in my experience people are generally not at all frugal on dates, and will spend what they can afford to spend when it comes to entertainment.
I agree 100% with everything else you said, none of which contradicts anything I said.
Maybe that is why they are broke also.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
.
