Minimum take home income to live on your own?

[TofuMofu]

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.

Yep all within reason though. I'm currently paying off my car, but I'm not planning on buying a new car when the installments end. I drive a Mazda and have had NO issues with it at all and has all the creature comforts I want/need.

 

[PhreakBoy]

A flat in a decent area for R3-4.5k??
I have not seen that for a good 10yrs+

OP mentioned JNB South. I checked Private Property for flats in Alberton and they came in around that price.

 

[DA-LION-619]

A flat in a decent area for R3-4.5k??
I have not seen that for a good 10yrs+

I rent in one, what you save in cost you make up for in conversations with the elderly.

 

[maumau]

Whatever is being discussed here is living hand to mouth and nobody wants that.

E.G If food costs you R1 500 (I'm with @MightyQuin here - it's impossible) bring it down to R1 400 and save R100.

One day you'll have a little nest egg, enough for a weekend away in a nice hotel.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

How on earth is your food budget R1,400?

You braai like every day!

Portions, I only braai for 1 person. I also use 8 briquettes and 1 piece of blitz, for wood i use 1 piece of those fire starter woods you buy

49 years of experience

 

[groenspookasem]

Not really, so many people wanting to work, wanting to improve themselves but there are simply not enough jobs.

Whatever work you get these days you're thankful for even if you'll never climb the ladder.

that's the difference, hand cupped and thankful vs forging your own destiny. IF there's a will, you will make a way.

your outlook on life will define your position in relation to the wheel. underneath it or rolling it - your choice alone, but you have to be accountable and responsible for your decisions and not hope for a pity party to fling some change at you.

 

[RedViking]

My goodness. Most middle class people I know earn about R20 - R30 000 combined income. KZN. Much less if it is only one person with a stable job (not talking about horses here). Some of them even with kids. Although you won't be on private medical aid or paying of a home loan. Maybe if you buy a flat.

But where the heck is it normal to get 50-100 000K a month. Getting paid in ZAR anyways?

Post-Covid, it is even worse now. People are screwed.

 

[Nerfherder]

A flat in a decent area for R3-4.5k??
I have not seen that for a good 10yrs+

From what I see round here you would be lucky to get a spare room for that amount.

 

[I.am.Sam]

How on earth is your food budget R1,400?

You braai like every day!

he braais one sausage one chicken and one chop every day

around R40 meat a day

 

[I.am.Sam]

From what I see round here you would be lucky to get a spare room for that amount.

yeah rooms are now R3k-5k

a decent 2 bed is 5-7.5k

and thats okish areas

 

[The Trutherizer]

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 was the same when I was young. But, it was a mistake.
Once you've learned a bit, cooking is a joy. Read: "Joy".
A toasted slice of my homemade sourdough with just butter salt and pepper, coffee on the side, will kick a McDonalds meal's ass. Tastier, healthier, and more satisfying. And I spend about 20mins a week actively making bread.
It's just not obvious on the face of it, when starting out, but there's definite wealth in the ability to cook.

 

[SZN]

he braais one sausage one chicken and one chop every day

around R40 meat a day

His budget is R50 a day, and that R40 for meat is just supper.

And yes, I'm fully aware we're talking about Papa and not a normal human being.

 

[syntax]

Portions, I only braai for 1 person. I also use 8 briquettes and 1 piece of blitz, for wood i use 1 piece of those fire starter woods you buy

49 years of experience

I simply cannot fathom R46 on average a day for food.
Do you eat only once a day? Does the R1400 include all groceries like milk, tea, coffee etc?
What do you do for fruit and vegetables?

 

[SZN]

My goodness. Most middle class people I know earn about R20 - R30 000 combined income. KZN. Much less if it is only one person with a stable job (not talking about horses here). Some of them even with kids. Although you won't be on private medical aid or paying of a home loan. Maybe if you buy a flat.

But where the heck is it normal to get 50-100 000K a month. Getting paid in ZAR anyways?

Post-Covid, it is even worse now. People are screwed.

Look we live in SA, a country with one of the highest income inequality stats in the world.

On a forum like MyBB, there's a fair number of high earners.

In terms of what people are commanding such a salary, they obviously have a highly desirable skillset. By definition, if their skillset was common, they wouldn't be paid top dollar.

Any professional in SA could easy get the numbers were speaking about. And yes, this would be a minority of people.

That said, something like software development might have a lower barrier to entry compared to CA, engineering, medical doctor, etc. In the sense that you can DIY (no university needed) and you'd still earn very well once you've got some experience.

 

[pinball wizard]

I simply cannot fathom R46 on average a day for food.
Do you eat only once a day? Does the R1400 include all groceries like milk, tea, coffee etc?
What do you do for fruit and vegetables?

Pffft.

The only liquid he needs is beer, and the only fruit you will ever see the Blue One eating is a pineapple. In fact he loves them so much he practically drinks them.

And, it was said he braais a chicken. That's all the vegetables anyone needs.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

I simply cannot fathom R46 on average a day for food.
Do you eat only once a day? Does the R1400 include all groceries like milk, tea, coffee etc?
What do you do for fruit and vegetables?

Yes, for brunch i will have a bovril sandwich or something like that
i drink 1 cup of coffee in the mornings, only buy long life milk, a 1 litre will last me weeks in the fridge
hardly ever eat fruit and veggies

 

[Barbarian Conan]

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

They do. If they don't get anyone willing to work for them at a specific salary, it means the answer to that question is "no".

 

[TofuMofu]

Yes, for brunch i will have a bovril sandwich or something like that
i drink 1 cup of coffee in the mornings, only buy long life milk, a 1 litre will last me weeks in the fridge
hardly ever eat fruit and veggies

Long life milk is only long life when it's not opened lol

 

[SAguy]

My goodness. Most middle class people I know earn about R20 - R30 000 combined income. KZN. Much less if it is only one person with a stable job (not talking about horses here). Some of them even with kids. Although you won't be on private medical aid or paying of a home loan. Maybe if you buy a flat.

But where the heck is it normal to get 50-100 000K a month. Getting paid in ZAR anyways?

Post-Covid, it is even worse now. People are screwed.

Most of my acquaintances in the IT space are earning between R60k-R90k gross per month. A few are getting between R100k - R120k. That's with about 5 -15 years experience in most cases.

None of them are rocket scientist level of IT people, they are obviously good at what they do but aren't unicorns.

 

[ShaunSA]

Yes, for brunch i will have a bovril sandwich or something like that
i drink 1 cup of coffee in the mornings, only buy long life milk, a 1 litre will last me weeks in the fridge
hardly ever eat fruit and veggies

If you w@nk into your morning coffee you don't need that milk either