Minimum take home income to live on your own?

[beefymoocow]

Sure, but this is a case of saving money by being rich. Poor people aren’t going to pay that R300 a month to join Vitality (I'm also a Vitality and eBucks user).

But if you are gonna have a medical aid. Might as well get something to benefit yourself. Atleast you probably might recoup some costs of your medical aid.

 

[Barbarian Conan]

Bread is already close to R20, cheese is like R40/50. A person living alone would need what a loaf (16 slices) a week?

Albany/Blue Ribbon/Sasko is decent bread and costs R11-R12.
Good quality lean mince is around R90/kg. Pap is cheap, as is rice and in-season veg.
Supplement meat with legumes for protein. Buy on sale.

Anyway, I never rented on my own. Neither did my 3 of my 4 housemates, the other one only rented on his own after already owning a place. Back in 2005 ~R8500 after tax, pension and medical was not enough to live on my own. Right now I wouldn't live on my own if I earned less than R15k after deductions. I want to have money to save and to go on holidays, to go to restaurants and have a drink. I hate saying I can't join friends in some activity because I'm broke, or even worse, have them pay for me. If that means I have to live in a commune or a garden cottage, so be it. I want to live in a decent area.

Then again, one of my wife's colleagues probably earns ~R7k, and he decided he had enough of living with others and got his own place.

 

[Nerfherder]

I would LOVE to see someone guy R1,000's worth of groceries for a month. Make that R1,500. Groceries have gotten **** expensive, and unless you're going to end up eating cheap **** like pap or noodles every day, you won't make it work. A frigging can of deo spray costs over R30 already. A bag of washing powder is over R30 per kg (and it GOES). ****'s gotten VERY expensive. We try to eat non-expensive in our house, shop after deals and groceries are R6k a month MINIMUM. Month-start groceries with mostly cleaning stuff and things that should last a month is a R3k trip.

R1000 pm is R33 pd... I don't know if you can make a meal out of R33.

I think the cost of living has gone up but also in other times people did live simpler.
My great aunts husband was an architect and she met him while he was studying, he ate nothing but oats and wore the same clothes every day. On Sundays he would come to my grannies/great aunts family for lunch and eat every scrap on the table. He basically lived like a hobo until he finished his studies, even after that they lived very simply and ploughed all their money into their business. They both died millionaires with many properties and many kids.

So when people say its impossible to live on R5k PM its more about what your expectation of living is.
I know with our combined income of more than R100k the expectation is too high and its somehow not enough...

 

[Splinter]

/snip
I know with our combined income of more than R100k the expectation is too high and its somehow not enough...

100k per month?

 

[B-1]

You can get chicken for R30-35 per kilo for a whole chicken. You can go even cheaper for imported pieces.

So you can have a 1/4 chicken for R11 throw in some rice/pap and some veggies and its under R20 pp for a good meal. Alternate in some cheaper soups, stews, bread and veggie meals and you can eat pretty well for not a lot.

But it really depends on how you grew up as well as there are cheaper options that if prepared well are tasty too.

 

[SZN]

100k per month?

Combined income, so 2 people.

R100k per month is very achievable, even as young professionals.

 

[Splinter]

Combined income, so 2 people.

R100k per month is very achievable, even as young professionals.

I was quoting @Nerfherder

Are you talking take-away pay?

 

[SZN]

I was quoting @Nerfherder

Are you talking take-away pay?

Yeah, I know.

I was talking combined gross, wasn't clear from Nerfherder's post, but I guess from context of this thread he means combined net.

For a combined net of R100k, you'd probably need to be a bit more experienced, but still very much possible as a young professional couple (I'm talking CA, engineer, etc).

 

[HavocXphere]

In a survival situation, you could get by on R400 a week for groceries (that's R1.6k per month).

A kg of meat at R100 - should give you enough daily protein.
R100 for fruits and veggies.
R100 for breads, flour, cheese, etc.
That leaves R100 for odds and ends.

You don't spend 1/4 of your food budget on meat though if in survival situation.

Basically rice, beans, lentils, eggs, onions, frozen veg mix, banana, peanut butter, frozen berries. Maybe occasional chicken. (Maybe skip the frozen berry one for ZA...relative prices are stupid...1st world they seem "normal" relative...ZA they seem in luxury category)

Not entirely convinced re vegan and friends...but you can definitely get away with a pretty meat light strategy. Eggs and beans gets you most of the way there on macro count and you can always add a bit of meat if you suspect some micronutrient etc is being missed by the plant proteins.

The thing that fks over people is that the above assumes ability to buy in bulk financially, full kitchen and a freezer. Kinda cruel - no coincidence that poor people live off McD that requires none of that.

 

[netstrider]

Bread is already close to R20, cheese is like R40/50. A person living alone would need what a loaf (16 slices) a week?

Depends who you are and how you like to eat. Personally I'd much rather sacrifice the R15 for a loaf of bread and get eggs instead.

 

[netstrider]

Seems no one here is paying their TV license.

 

[The Trutherizer]

Budgeting is hard. But I can give some tips.


-Learn to cook a bit. Some of the greatest chefs alive today, amongst a horde of other excellent gastroneers, have extensive Youtube channels. You can learn. A lot. Cheap, amazing food. It's never-ending.
-If you drink. Don't drink to get drunk. Drink for the taste, and to get pleasantly tipsy and >social<.
-Be on the lookout for good off-season weekend escape deals close to you. There's a world of difference between living in a crappy apartment. And living in a crappy apartment, but staying over at a half interesting location for a few nights a few times a year. Heck... Sometimes a B&B in the next town is enough. At least you can then explore the town for the weekend. There are great benefits in spending some time with people you will never see again too.
-Get a cheap hobby. Or two. Or three. Or ten. Sometimes any engaged activity is all you need. Better than being bored. Don't have to be good at it. Why would you need to be. Don't have to keep at it. Why would you have to? No rules with hobbies. Doesn't even need to be something that inspires you. Just stuff to do.
-Given half a chance do work that you enjoy. Even if you struggle. The struggle is a given. The only difference is what you do while you struggle. You don't want regrets on that level.
-Relax about relationships. Keep yourself clean, healthy and fit, and you'll have it better than most people. No Armani suits/Chanel handbags needed. And then multiply that by the above...
-Be mindful. Look it up.
Don't let anybody tell you. Marketers are the devil. They want you to be miserable with what you have.
-Remember that there are royalty that would sell their kingdoms in exchange for your youth, if they could.

But yeah... Cooking. That's the real deal for me at this point in my life. When I think back how I lamented my inability to afford a McDonalds meal, at one stage, when I was still struggling financially, then I almost want to vomit now. You can make yourself a steak (small), with a great pan sauce and chips, for less than the price of a McDonalds meal. In 20mins... While feeling like a boss. Believe me.

 

[thestaggy]

bru what kind of haircuts are you getting?

Full quote;

Treating yourself to one takeaway, a six pack and a haircut on pay-day is already around R400.

I cut my hair once a month and the lowest I can find for someone that does a decent job is R140. Barbers in a place like Melville (home to a lot of young professionals) will whack you R300 - R400.

Then on the way home you grab a pizza and some beers to relax at home and you are hitting R300. I was maybe a bit aggressive in my estimate of R400 but when I budget I always budget for worst case scenarios so I often come in under.

Point is nothing you have done spending that R300 can be considered living a high life, but the little things add up.

 

[TofuMofu]

Today I went to this estate called Kikuyu in Midrand. What struck me was some of the cars parked in the designated parking bays. I saw an BMW i8 and some very posh cars which appear equivalent to probably the price of the house. My point is people can also make what looks like stupid decisions.

Side note: - rather glad that I don't have to live in those these types of estates anymore. Was shitting myself that I would get clamped as I could not find the visitor parking bays.

I also live in a Balwin complex and there are cars here that cost more than the flat that the people live in here...Porches, Mercs, BMWs, Audi's etc. Crazy!

One thing you should learn as young as possible...you do NOT need the latest car...it can be a few years old as long as you look after it. Car installments should NOT be seen as a normal thing to have for the rest of your life.

 

[Toxxyc]

Specially not car instalments that cost more than your home repayment.

 

[thestaggy]

Budgeting is hard. But I can give some tips.


-Learn to cook a bit. Some of the greatest chefs alive today, amongst a horde of other excellent gastroneers, have extensive Youtube channels. You can learn. A lot. Cheap, amazing food. It's never-ending.
-If you drink. Don't drink to get drunk. Drink for the taste, and to get pleasantly tipsy and >social<.
-Be on the lookout for good off-season weekend escape deals close to you. There's a world of difference between living in a crappy apartment. And living in a crappy apartment, but staying over at a half interesting location for a few nights a few times a year. Heck... Sometimes a B&B in the next town is enough. At least you can then explore the town for the weekend. There are great benefits in spending some time with people you will never see again too.
-Get a cheap hobby. Or two. Or three. Or ten. Sometimes any engaged activity is all you need. Better than being bored. Don't have to be good at it. Why would you need to be. Don't have to keep at it. Why would you have to? No rules with hobbies. Doesn't even need to be something that inspires you. Just stuff to do.
-Given half a chance do work that you enjoy. Even if you struggle. The struggle is a given. The only difference is what you do while you struggle. You don't want regrets on that level.
-Relax about relationships. Keep yourself clean, healthy and fit, and you'll have it better than most people. No Armani suits/Chanel handbags needed. And then multiply that by the above...
-Be mindful. Look it up.
Don't let anybody tell you. Marketers are the devil. They want you to be miserable with what you have.
-Remember that there are royalty that would sell their kingdoms in exchange for your youth, if they could.

But yeah... Cooking. That's the real deal for me at this point in my life. When I think back how I lamented my inability to afford a McDonalds meal, at one stage, when I was still struggling financially, then I almost want to vomit now. You can make yourself a steak (small), with a great pan sauce and chips, for less than the price of a McDonalds meal. In 20mins... While feeling like a boss. Believe me.

Great post.

Regarding cooking, I'm pretty good with that.

Give me a packet of macaroni, a packet of spaghetti, 500g mince, 3/4 tomatoes, 1/2 cups of rice, some cheese and I will get 6 meals out of it. The last meal will probably just be straight spaghetti with cheese and tomato sauce, but it works. Sunday I would go for a decent meal of chicken, potatoes and veg. I can even stretch a tin of bully beef in to two meals, just mixing it with rice and some mixed veg.

 

[netstrider]

Budgeting is hard. But I can give some tips.


-Learn to cook a bit. Some of the greatest chefs alive today, amongst a horde of other excellent gastroneers, have extensive Youtube channels. You can learn. A lot. Cheap, amazing food. It's never-ending.
-If you drink. Don't drink to get drunk. Drink for the taste, and to get pleasantly tipsy and >social<.
-Be on the lookout for good off-season weekend escape deals close to you. There's a world of difference between living in a crappy apartment. And living in a crappy apartment, but staying over at a half interesting location for a few nights a few times a year. Heck... Sometimes a B&B in the next town is enough. At least you can then explore the town for the weekend. There are great benefits in spending some time with people you will never see again too.
-Get a cheap hobby. Or two. Or three. Or ten. Sometimes any engaged activity is all you need. Better than being bored. Don't have to be good at it. Why would you need to be. Don't have to keep at it. Why would you have to? No rules with hobbies. Doesn't even need to be something that inspires you. Just stuff to do.
-Given half a chance do work that you enjoy. Even if you struggle. The struggle is a given. The only difference is what you do while you struggle. You don't want regrets on that level.
-Relax about relationships. Keep yourself clean, healthy and fit, and you'll have it better than most people. No Armani suits/Chanel handbags needed. And then multiply that by the above...
-Be mindful. Look it up.
Don't let anybody tell you. Marketers are the devil. They want you to be miserable with what you have.
-Remember that there are royalty that would sell their kingdoms in exchange for your youth, if they could.

But yeah... Cooking. That's the real deal for me at this point in my life. When I think back how I lamented my inability to afford a McDonalds meal, at one stage, when I was still struggling financially, then I almost want to vomit now. You can make yourself a steak (small), with a great pan sauce and chips, for less than the price of a McDonalds meal. In 20mins... While feeling like a boss. Believe me.

Yeah, cooking is a must.

I had one pot and one pan that I used. Had others, but hardly ever had the need for them.

You can fry a thick steak in 4 minutes if you like them medium-rare, a thin one a minute a side max.

Snip into strips, put it onto a footlong bun with home made potato chips and sauce. Good to go.

 

[Drifter]

In order of priority (post-tax income to survive and maybe have a little joy):

View attachment 1044709

Utilities for R1200 p/m? You must be dreaming.

 

[Toxxyc]

-If you drink. Don't drink to get drunk. Drink for the taste, and to get pleasantly tipsy and >social<.

Also, start homebrewing. Might seem expensive to get started, but with BIAB you can get REALLY far and make really good beer for VERY cheap.

 

[chromedome]

In order of priority (post-tax income to survive and maybe have a little joy):

View attachment 1044709

If you become ill and need to see a specialist you're screwed, as you would have to go to a clinic or public hospital.