How much salary is decent these days?

[mercurial]

R25k isn't luxurious...I clear R35k and support my husband and son and we live ok...not extravagantly.

If your husband isn't giving you a bone by now, I'd be happy to marry you.

 

[purpleonlineadmin]

The thread is more about a goodish salary than a bare necescities salary. One should be able to drive two cars if both have to work in different areas. You should have a guest room or at least a separate room for the baby. You should have a small yard. You should have TV where you can watch your national golf heroes or cricket/rugby side play and see the odd less than 5 year old movie. You should have access to basic decent speed internet. What I mentioned is average to good. No luxuries really.

Stefanmuller lol sadly what u talk about are luxuries, again, South Africa is 3rd world, just because some people can afford it doesn't make it average. MOST people in South Africa will never even see the "necessities" you speak of.

2 Cars a necessity? lol Why do you think the taxi industry is such a multi million industry, even in it's sad state?
Guest Room? Lol
Small Yard? Most people live in complexes when they move to the suburbs, and they middle class.
TV is a given, most people do have a TV, type of TV is another thing (flat screens etc r a luxury, most people still have the good old CRT's)
Internet is a luxury, why do you think Blackberry's are so popular in South Africa? They usually the only type of internet access for many in South Africa.

 

[aqua02]

I fixed that for you. I remember someone creating a thread about perhaps MyBB users being a tad bit out of touch with the rest of SA. That's pretty well off to A LOT of people in SA. Average salary TBH with people here is around 10-15k in reality. to actually have what I knocked off and have a decent life in GP, you need 15k-20k, with a family even more (if one spouse makes around 10k and the other makes around 15k, 25k cleared)... and funny enough that's even not after tax, but gross income. Sorry to burst the 30-35k idealists, but that is actually quite well off. By your standards it might not get u a Ferrari or uber fancy things, but to the AVERAGE south african that is a lot of money! Def a place in the 'burbs guaranteed!

+ 100 Reality speaking the majority of the people in this country are not even middle class, so the average person we are looking at here is between lower and middle class. So I have to agree with the above post, well said.

 

[HavocXphere]

I suspect its mainly the cars that screw over SA ppl. Everyone needs a BMW/GTI. Then you realize you need insurance on top of the loan payments. Oh and a tracker. And Petrol. And eTolls. If you're doing all this driving then you need to do something once you get there...which is likely not free.

If I bought a car now it would be a sizable % of my salary. FTL...so I'm still rocking an ancient car for now. Still not exactly cheap.

Stefanmuller lol sadly what u talk about are luxuries, again, South Africa is 3rd world

Purple you are missing the point of this thread. OP is clearly not an average South African & nor is anybody else in this thread so give it a rest with the average South African. Or create your own thread if you must...

 

[Stefanmuller]

Stefanmuller lol sadly what u talk about are luxuries, again, South Africa is 3rd world, just because some people can afford it doesn't make it average. MOST people in South Africa will never even see the "necessities" you speak of.

2 Cars a necessity? lol Why do you think the taxi industry is such a multi million industry, even in it's sad state?
Guest Room? Lol
Small Yard? Most people live in complexes when they move to the suburbs, and they middle class.
TV is a given, most people do have a TV, type of TV is another thing (flat screens etc r a luxury, most people still have the good old CRT's)
Internet is a luxury, why do you think Blackberry's are so popular in South Africa? They usually the only type of internet access for many in South Africa.

You are missing the point of the thread. The question is not what the average SA citizen earns or how they live. The question is what constitutes a good salary. I based it on the assumption of a 30 year old with tertiary education married with one kid. Good salary would be to at least provide the kid with the same and keeping my own standard from how I was brought up to a degree.

Here you are preaching on a internet forum that I supposedly want to be luxurious. You probably went to school, tertiary education, have a pc/laptop ant internet or at least a smart phone. That is exactly what I'm talking about. How much do you have to earn to have that? We as kids were brought up having two cars, slept in a different room than our parents and we had a back yard. And we were just middleclass. I just want the same. My mom did not even work since I was born and my dad worked for the province/state. No doctor/lawyer. Here I am with both me and my wife working degree jobs. We dont own a house, I drive a old car handed down from my parents and my wife drives a golf she paid off 5 years ago. Cars need to be replaced soon and there is a baby on the way. We should think of buying our own place soon. Cant do all at once. Not many of my friends can either. But some can. Question thus is how much do they earn?

 

[Nicodeamus]

I reckon about 40k a month is what I regard as decent, if you have a family and a child or so.

Middle class is a very relative term. I know of families who have 1 child, 2 working parents and together have about a 12k monthly income. They still make it out on time. I however cannot survive.

I would say around R20 per person for a bachelor is a good salary. I wouldn't work for much less, unless I enjoy the job.

 

[Pho3nix]

Depends on your lifestyle honestly..Work with people who clear outrageous amounts of money (R65k gross) yet they are still in debt up to their eye-balls.

R10-15k is a decent salary for 1 person(bachelor lifestyle) but you could make due on R5-10k a month. Average is largely dependent on your lifestyle.

 

[Gnome]

Wow guys, I think I'm very fortune. Thanks for making me realise that.

But my 2c:
You can get by with 15k pm (after tax) for 2 people, if you don't have children. That would be living month to month however I think for someone who wants to live in Cape Town.

Cape Town is more expensive and pays lower salaries so it is easier in Gauteng. That from someone who grew up in Gauteng and now lives in Cape Town.

Living in luxury I would say starts at 25k (total after tax) for 2 people without a child in Cape Town.

Children are expensive. I don't have children yet but my siblings do and I've seen what it costs them.

 

[ponder]

Seriously?

What planet do you live on?

Thats not even decent, thats luxurious.

I don't agree, I reckon you need more. Luxurious would be clearing R60K+

Consider that there are people paying R30k just on rent a month and they are employed by a company.

 

[3WA]

R15k for a single person, maybe R20k for a couple. Don't make a kid, unless you're sure it will give you +-R750000 to a million rand worth of joy over your life.

 

[purpleonlineadmin]

You are missing the point of the thread. The question is not what the average SA citizen earns or how they live. The question is what constitutes a good salary. I based it on the assumption of a 30 year old with tertiary education married with one kid. Good salary would be to at least provide the kid with the same and keeping my own standard from how I was brought up to a degree.

Here you are preaching on a internet forum that I supposedly want to be luxurious. You probably went to school, tertiary education, have a pc/laptop ant internet or at least a smart phone. That is exactly what I'm talking about. How much do you have to earn to have that? We as kids were brought up having two cars, slept in a different room than our parents and we had a back yard. And we were just middleclass. I just want the same. My mom did not even work since I was born and my dad worked for the province/state. No doctor/lawyer. Here I am with both me and my wife working degree jobs. We dont own a house, I drive a old car handed down from my parents and my wife drives a golf she paid off 5 years ago. Cars need to be replaced soon and there is a baby on the way. We should think of buying our own place soon. Cant do all at once. Not many of my friends can either. But some can. Question thus is how much do they earn?

I'm well aware what the OP said, again u mentioned things that are luxuries which he wouldn't need to constitute a decent salary. You said those r the things you grew up on, perhaps the OP also grew up as u, someone above us made mention that the needs of one person r not the needs of the next. For him to justify a decent salary he has to account necessities first. 2 cars are not a necessity, 1 at most, even if it's between 2 people. 35k is a pretty high salary, maybe someone who makes it will moan about "making it by" like @wife, but that could be based on her spending habits. OP would have to be realistic, as I can also say I think 5 cars + a small penthouse + golf constitutes a "decent" salary, when it doesn't, especially to the average person.

 

[ToxicBunny]

I don't agree, I reckon you need more. Luxurious would be clearing R60K+

Consider that there are people paying R30k just on rent a month and they are employed by a company.

I suppose thats why its all relative.

But I know some of those people who spend stupid amounts on rent... they justify it by saying its cheaper to rent the place, than it would be to buy... but they want to live in absolute luxury....

 

[ponder]

Don't make a kid, unless you're sure it will give you +-R750000 to a million rand worth of joy over your life.

I'm afraid that's not gonna cover it. I don't have kids but my friends do and it's scary what even pre-school costs.

 

[purpleonlineadmin]

I suspect its mainly the cars that screw over SA ppl. Everyone needs a BMW/GTI. Then you realize you need insurance on top of the loan payments. Oh and a tracker. And Petrol. And eTolls. If you're doing all this driving then you need to do something once you get there...which is likely not free.

If I bought a car now it would be a sizable % of my salary. FTL...so I'm still rocking an ancient car for now. Still not exactly cheap.


Purple you are missing the point of this thread. OP is clearly not an average South African & nor is anybody else in this thread so give it a rest with the average South African. Or create your own thread if you must...

Agreeed on ur first part, ur second was just douchy. Read what I said to stefan before this message. Must we smell that the OP is not an average South African? last time I checked MyBB doesn't have clear demographics at hand, unless u do and I missed the memo. I assumed MyBB had become very diverse since I first discovered these forums, and even now know a lot of average users who signed up, who r not part of the old "assumed" demographic. We have kids in here, black seniors, juniors, indians, coloureds u name it. So sorry for not assuming what u did:wtf:

 

[Bosvark@]

Well, I have a boss who is working to a retirement income of R150 000 PER MONTH. ...

Needless to say there is a new Ferrari in his garage.... and he has a movie theatre in his house...

 

[ponder]

Well, I have a boss who is working to a retirement income of R150 000 PER MONTH. ...

Needless to say there is a new Ferrari in his garage.... and he has a movie theatre in his house...

That's not uncommon and not the ceiling either.

 

[purpleonlineadmin]

I suppose thats why its all relative.

But I know some of those people who spend stupid amounts on rent... they justify it by saying its cheaper to rent the place, than it would be to buy... but they want to live in absolute luxury....

Super Agreed. Those suddenly trying to argue it just creating a huge snowball out of nothing. I measure a decent salary based on:
1. Area. Someone who works in Durbs can't expect to earn like someone in Jozi, when the cost of living is diff for both areas.
2. Reality. We can say 100k constitutes a good salary! is it realistic that most people will earn that after taxes? No!
3. What you deem priorities in your life. I'm one to be very precise about how I spend my money. Most people tend to spend 50% of the smaller salaries on expensive cars or renting, when according to me, I could possible make things work with +-25k pm because I don't consider luxuries necessities and can do without till I can give myself a raise or whatever.

 

[ponder]

1. Area. Someone who works in Durbs can't expect to earn like someone in Jozi, when the cost of living is diff for both areas.
2. Reality. We can say 100k constitutes a good salary! is it realistic that most people will earn that after taxes? No!

1. Yes they can but it all depends on what they do.
2. Correct but if you want to you can.

 

[biometrics]

Who wants to be average?

 

[HavocXphere]

Must we smell that the OP is not an average South African?

Smell? No. Just read. The dude has internet and is thinking about medical aid and a bond for property. I had assumed that its clear to everyone that a property bond puts OP well clear of the mieliepap bracket. I assume too much apparently...