Minimum take home income to live on your own?

[LinuxMan]

Take home pay is a factor here, but there is more to it than that.
I have seen people earn a lot less than the average, and manage their money correctly and are happy.
While others living the high life battling with repayments to keep up their lifestyle etc. live a empty life.

Don't get caught up having the latest car, clothes, be happy with what you have.
Live within your means, learn to budget correctly, learn to cook.
Just this will put you ahead of most people out there.

 

[pinball wizard]

Millions of south africans appear to "live on their own" whilst only taking home mere scraps.

 

[maumau]

Here's my 28m2 home at R5.5k a month. At least I'm living among the rich in Emmarentia.

Apartment / flat to rent in Emmarentia - Johannesburg

Small Upmarket Semi Furnished Studio Apartment with modern finishes available for rent. Apartment has travertine tiles; built in cupboards; fitted with blinds on windows; kitchenette with cupboards and bar fridge; modern bathroom with shower. Use of laundry room on property. Secure parking. Rent...

www.property24.com

Am I reading that right 28m2??????

 

[maumau]

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.

Yeah! Nobody seems to factor in medical aid. I'd say that's a necessity and it's not cheap.

 

[pinball wizard]

Am I reading that right 28m2??????

Seems about right.

Look at The Colleseum in JHB, they range from 25 - 40 square meter apartments. It's a converted office block. Lots of them in the CBD.

One Bedroom AT COLOSSEUM BUILDING - 41 Kruis Street Johannesburg CBD | Junk Mail

Spacious apartment has hardwood floors and large windows with Air Conditioner for ventilation, fitted wardrobe, fitted kitchen cupboard with...

www.junkmail.co.za

 

[HunterNW]

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

View attachment 1044709

Add a once off R3500 to have your sack zipped up - Because that little thing can add a schit load to your budget.

 

[TofuMofu]

Here's my 28m2 home at R5.5k a month. At least I'm living among the rich in Emmarentia.

Apartment / flat to rent in Emmarentia - Johannesburg

Small Upmarket Semi Furnished Studio Apartment with modern finishes available for rent. Apartment has travertine tiles; built in cupboards; fitted with blinds on windows; kitchenette with cupboards and bar fridge; modern bathroom with shower. Use of laundry room on property. Secure parking. Rent...

www.property24.com

Yoh, mine is 47m2 and it feels tiny...

 

[thestaggy]

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.

One thing people have to consider though; an old car is not always a car that saves you money. Sure you have low or no instalments, but then a 10-year old+ car is going to start requiring running maintenance.

Also piece of mind. My first car was a lump of hot crap and it eventually stressed me out because I was wondering what the next thing to go was. Lots of jobs also demand own, reliable transport, so not a good look when your 20-year old car is overheating on the side of the road.

Rule of thumb; if ongoing maintenance of an older car works out to around the same as an instalment, then you are better off with a new(er) car.

This isn't to say that your 2021 BMW won't breakdown, but generally speaking a newer car should give you less hassles than an older car.

 

[Nerfherder]

100k per month?

Our combined household income

 

[DA-LION-619]

Yes, I feel a lot of people posting are missing my question.

Basically if you aren't forced to live on your own, then don't. It's not a case of independence but discipline.
There's a lot more to the cost especially initially.

You can easily find videos on eating for a day on 1 Pound but if your work is information based then you can't really survive on R33 day for meals.
It's the same for those on that retarded keto diet, if you're starving you can't concentrate.
That's why schools have feeding programs.

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.

There is some lifestyle changes but also the value of your time. Cooking requires my attention, I could order
McDonalds and by time I get to the ground floor Uber Eats is there.
I'm not saying you have to eat junk, you can also use an air fryer to be more healthily without giving up your attention.
Being social, getting hammered etc. Is not really an option(for me), if I'm offline > 24 hours people start assuming I'm dead.

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).

You need to factor in time to become a professional so very much not possible for most.
A software dev grad can easily get 20k net, which can be scaled much faster than someone who wants to be a CA or reach that level.

Seems no one here is paying their TV license.

I'd argue there's some shared aspect between living on your own and minimalism.
I'm not saying I'm better at keeping things together, but rather removing the temptation.
I own two plates, so I have those at any given time but it also prevents a sink full of dishes from piling up.

 

[netstrider]

I'd argue there's some shared aspect between living on your own and minimalism.
I'm not saying I'm better at keeping things together, but rather removing the temptation.
I own two plates, so I have those at any given time but it also prevents a sink full of dishes from piling up.

Of course.

When I lived alone I allowed myself 3 plates, 3 glasses, and 3 cups.

The TV license thing was a joke though.

 

[EADC]

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 didn't read past that.

 

[thestaggy]

Millions of south africans appear to "live on their own" whilst only taking home mere scraps.

Again, not the question I am asking.

I can go live in an illegally constructed room in someone's backyard in Rosettenville for R1800 and chill with the druggies whilst eating dry bread.

I know humans can scrape a survival on the fringes of society, but that isn't my question.

 

[pinball wizard]

Again, not the question I am asking.

I can go live in an illegally constructed room in someone's backyard in Rosettenville for R1800 and chill with the druggies whilst eating dry bread.

I know humans can scrape a survival on the fringes of society, but that isn't my question.

Sure, but it's difficult to answer your question without knowing the lifestyle you want to support.

Rx-amount to support a life vs Ry-amount to support a lifestyle.

 

[Zurg]

A buddy who worked with me divorced his wife, they had a kid together, this dude lost so much weight because all he ate was Ace instant porridge, he would eat it for breakfast and lunch at work, staff and management complained that the milk was being used up fairly quickly but they didn't know it was him as he brought a litre with him but would still use the kitchen milk and just keep his in his bag and take it home again.

He would fetch water from the springs in Newlands to save cost and got to watch the latest movies by making friends with people who worked at Ster-Kinekor.

There's many ways to save a buck, you need to put in the effort though. You can't expect to get by if you're not going to budget and avoid paying your debt if you have any.

 

[ReeceDBN031]

Yussis... i wish my minimum was 21k

 

[Zurg]

One thing people have to consider though; an old car is not always a car that saves you money. Sure you have low or no instalments, but then a 10-year old+ car is going to start requiring running maintenance.

Also piece of mind. My first car was a lump of hot crap and it eventually stressed me out because I was wondering what the next thing to go was. Lots of jobs also demand own, reliable transport, so not a good look when your 20-year old car is overheating on the side of the road.

Rule of thumb; if ongoing maintenance of an older car works out to around the same as an instalment, then you are better off with a new(er) car.

This isn't to say that your 2021 BMW won't breakdown, but generally speaking a newer car should give you less hassles than an older car.

A cheap little 1 litre hatchback and no I don't mean that new polo, should be cheap enough, people expect to maintain a lifestyle that they can't afford, the other day I found out that some people take out loans to throw parties, my mind was completely blown, why would you spend actual money to have people come, eat your food, pretend to have a nice time and then fxck off afterwards with not so much as a thank you.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Yussis... i wish my minimum was 21k

Location and infrastructure is also a factor.
Gauteng is very much live to work, compared to KZN. The probabilities of meeting someone in JHB that grew up in JHB is slim.

Something like the Gautrain doesn’t exist in KZN. Like if you lived in PMB and travelled to DBN for work, that type of distance.

Even though I WFH, I can’t really pack up and move back home because fibre is non-existent in DBN also all the other services like Uber etc.

 

[ReeceDBN031]

Location and infrastructure is also a factor.
Gauteng is very much live to work, compared to KZN. The probabilities of meeting someone in JHB that grew up in JHB is slim.

Something like the Gautrain doesn’t exist in KZN. Like if you lived in PMB and travelled to DBN for work, that type of distance.

Even though I WFH, I can’t really pack up and move back home because fibre is non-existent in DBN also all the other services like Uber etc.

Yes but like 8k less than what i stated is a huge gap dont you think?

Everywhere is expensive.. Employers should factor that into our lives.. With their 50k month or more packages and think.. hmm could i even survive on 21k a month

 

[thestaggy]

Sure, but it's difficult to answer your question without knowing the lifestyle you want to support.

Rx-amount to support a life vs Ry-amount to support a lifestyle.

I tried to touch on it in my OP and post #10.

Modest accommodation (but not scraping the barrel), utilities, insurance, factor in some entertainment, transport, savings. The ability to get a little enjoyment out of life and some piece of mind.