How much money it takes to be happy in South Africa

[3WA]

Damn

R4k proporty tax
R4.6k levies

Even after the place is paid off, you have to pay the equivalent of a small bond every month.

 

[Harmonic]

Damn

It's crazy. SA is quickly meeting the EU in price per square meter for "desirable" locations

 

[RedViking]

No amount of money will ever satisfy someone.

The question is rather, how little money can you live on before it makes you "unhappy", drastically change your life for the worst.

Also in context of South Africa, every year, Tax increase, wealth tax increase, private medical care increase and becomes more costly due to shortage of doctors and other factors, transportation becomes more expensive, food prices are rising quickly, luxury goods even faster....

Once you earn "happiness" level of money, it will only last until you filled your basket and costs rise again, 6-12 months, now your lifestyle is boring again and you need to become ultra rich. Except now you actually falling towards middle class due to an economy that has collapsed and you just fighting your spot for the touch of happiness.

So...


How much must you earn before you become truly unhappy.

 

[Harmonic]

How much must you earn before you become truly unhappy.

Honestly, and in my opinion, money doesn't even factor into so called "happiness". To love, and to be loved, is the name of the game. Neither of these require a single schmeckle out of your bank account

 

[SauRoNZA]

Very easily. Bond 52k, groceries 15k, car 10k, medical 6k, petrol 5k etc

Living the upper middle class dream

52k a year I presume?

Because it can’t legally be 52k a month.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Let me put it into perspective for you. This will cost you R52k a month

And a single person earning 83k a month can’t afford that.

So you are then either living a pipe dream of unreality or adding two salaries together.

And even two salaries of 83k each that isn’t affordable housing and unlikely to get a loan.

 

[Harmonic]

52k a year I presume?

Because it can’t legally be 52k a month.

Easily. Go here and put in 6 bar without a deposit and see what it spits out.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Easily. Go here and put in 6 bar without a deposit and see what it spits out.

Yeah I understand how the bond repayment works.

It’s how it links to your 83k salary that doesn’t match as you won’t be able to get said bond with that salary.

And even with double the salary you would be a very very stupid investor to be right on the borderline of affordability IF you managed to get a loan.

 

[Harmonic]

Yeah I understand how the bond repayment works.

It’s how it links to your 83k salary that doesn’t match as you won’t be able to get said bond with that salary.

And even with double the salary you would be a very very stupid investor to be right on the borderline of affordability IF you managed to get a loan.

Agreed 100%. It was a fictitious/semi reality based example

 

[SauRoNZA]

Mate, my wife doesn't work. I do ok for myself, thank you for noticing

So this is all a pipe dream, because you can’t legally get a home loan for that value on that salary.

Or are you implying that someone needs a 6bar home to be happy? Which is also way off the mark.

 

[RedViking]

Honestly, and in my opinion, money doesn't even factor into so called "happiness". To love, and to be loved, is the name of the game. Neither of these require a single schmeckle out of your bank account

Take away all your money and you will quickly see how unhappy you are. Wealth is not the only measure of happiness but does have an impact of on ones happiness. Also you will quickly see how your family falls apart once you've reached the level of (lack of) wealth your family can't live on.

So yes, it does. Test it.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Agreed 100%. It was a fictitious/semi reality based example

Okay then it makes more sense.

But then to my point nobody needs to spend that much or have that much to be happy.

A 2 bar house would serve two people with no prospects of children very nicely. 3 bar if you want to get extravagant.

Most 4 person families would do quite well with 2 bar houses, albeit a little less fancy.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Take away all your money and you will quickly see how unhappy you are. Wealth is not the only measure of happiness but does have an impact of on ones happiness. Also you will quickly see how your family falls apart once you've reached the level of (lack of) wealth your family can't live on.

So yes, it does. Test it.

There is definitely a baseline of comfort to he had where people are negatively impacted should it be taken away, especially if done suddenly.

Beyond that it’s a case of diminishing returns really.

If you can afford a recent roof over your head, a reasonable car and cover all your expenses with some spare change for the odd bit of extravagance then you’ll really be hard pushed not to be happy unless the problems are elsewhere.

 

[SAguy]

Okay then it makes more sense.

But then to my point nobody needs to spend that much or have that much to be happy.

A 2 bar house would serve two people with no prospects of children very nicely. 3 bar if you want to get extravagant.

Most 4 person families would do quite well with 2 bar houses, albeit a little less fancy.

Depends on the area you want to stay. Most decent areas in Cape Town 2mil will just about get you a flat.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Depends on the area you want to stay. Most decent areas in Cape Town 2mil will just about get you a flat.

Nonsense.

This is just because people have convinced themselves they need to stay right on the doorstep of their workplace or the sea or see the mountain or whatever other nonsense of completely no real world value.

Plenty of 4 bedroom, 2-3 bathroom stand alone houses with double garages and big yards to be had all over Cape Town in very good areas for 2-3 bar.

If you want to stay in the CBD in a flat for that money that’s your (very silly) choice to make.

And if you can be happy living in a flat…all the power to you…that would destroy me.

 

[Harmonic]

Take away all your money and you will quickly see how unhappy you are. Wealth is not the only measure of happiness but does have an impact of on ones happiness. Also you will quickly see how your family falls apart once you've reached the level of (lack of) wealth your family can't live on.

So yes, it does. Test it.

Absolutely! I lost both my parents when I was 16, and as an side, there was no inheritance or extended family to rely upon. I know full well what it means to struggle having being homeless for a period of time in my life. I've literally begged for food at certain points. Anyways 14 years later, I've managed to pick myself up and that is no longer the case.

I have first hand experience of how money doesn't make one happy. All I used to tell myself is "if I had more money my problems would go away". Turns out, your problems don't go away, although they may morph and change into different facets.

As best as I know, to love and to be loved is the most successful path to happiness

 

[SauRoNZA]

I do feel very bad for young and single folk starting out right now though, it must be really hard to crack that baseline.

Always much easier as two people, especially ambitious ones working together towards their financial goals and achievements.

 

[saturnz]

happiness is temporary

being content is much easier and can last a long time

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Let me put it into perspective for you. This will cost you R52k a month

So don't buy that?

Why put yourself through misery intentionally? Just because you can afford something doesn't mean you must. It's no different to those spending obscene amounts on cars...

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Honestly, and in my opinion, money doesn't even factor into so called "happiness". To love, and to be loved, is the name of the game. Neither of these require a single schmeckle out of your bank account

Any stress will impact on your ability to love and be loved, including financial ones. Living within your means drastically reduces at least one major stress...