What is the perfect salary to be happy?

[cerebus]

Just having a quick look at my "grocery" budget for the month...

I'd say I spend around R650 a week on veggies and little odds and sods from Woolies and such, and about R1000 per month on meat and its generally decent quality stuff like fillet steak, lamb, pork etc... I don't skimp there too much but I buy in bulk once a month. And then maybe R1500 every 2 months on general household products. This is for 2 people in a largish 3 bed home. So all in around R4500 per month probably on groceries. It does fluctuate when I get a bee in my bonnet and buy things that are pure luxuries, but even my normal shop includes luxuries so I could shave that grocery bill in half if I was quite strict on things.

We used to have a grocery budget of around R8k for a family of 5 and it was enough.

Not having to earn a salary would make me far happier than any salary.

If you have to earn a salary to be happy you have already lost.

Well obviously but unfortunately we have to live in the real world

 

[pinball wizard]

OMW so the driver isn't the owner.

The driver at the time was a 13 year old...

 

[RedViking]

Not having to earn a salary would make me far happier than any salary.

If you have to earn a salary to be happy you have already lost.

How does that work?

 

[RunningFromFat]

Agreed. A lot of the posters simply ignore reality and leave a lot of these items out.

Some quick calculations for what I would reckon is very low amounts for someone starting out in the western cape, not living in digs. No Kids, No Holidays, No Hobbies, No eating out, No entertainment. No one to support. Comes to about 36000 after tax. Only luxury would be takaway once per week or so.

Add some hobbies, entertainment, kids, and a wife. and it skyrockets.
Some amounts might be in dispute, but overall can't be too far out.

With a 50K salary, you'll only clear about 37. So that leave you 1K to play with.


View attachment 1143990

Wtf, you're buying clothes, appliances and doing some sort of service for the car every month? Are you a hoarder?

 

[RunningFromFat]

How does that work?

Lotto xD

 

[RedViking]

That Lambo is in my brother in law's garage. The driver and the owner did not look happy at the time this photo was taken.

Just like your ex, someone took it for a ride?

 

[superlekkerza]

If I can get $20000000000000000000000000000000000 post tax per month then I will be happy

 

[notayoba]

Wtf, you're buying clothes, appliances and doing some sort of service for the car every month? Are you a hoarder?

A car service is normally in the R2000 range on the low end, R8000 on the high end. Even that out over a few months and what do you get. Now repeat for each car.

Same with clothes. 1 pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, a pair of shoes and some underpants will be close to 2k. (not brand name stuff). so do that 1 per season, and even it out over a few months. Repeat for each member of a household.

Appliances: 1 Item along the lines of a fridge, washing machine, dishwasher or TV will invariable break maybe once every 18 months or so. R4-10K. even it out over a few months.

I honestly don't know what parallel universe you guys that claim 15k/m is plenty live in.

 

[rietrot]

A car service is normally in the R2000 range on the low end, R8000 on the high end. Even that out over a few months and what do you get. Now repeat for each car.

Same with clothes. 1 pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, a pair of shoes and some underpants will be close to 2k. (not brand name stuff). so do that 1 per season, and even it out over a few months. Repeat for each member of a household.

Appliances: 1 Item along the lines of a fridge, washing machine, dishwasher or TV will invariable break maybe once every 18 months or so. R4-10K. even it out over a few months.

I honestly don't know what parallel universe you guys that claim 15k/m is plenty live in.

We look after our stuff and break something every 18 months. Most of my appliances are 10 year old and some even second hand.

 

[RunningFromFat]

A car service is normally in the R2000 range on the low end, R8000 on the high end. Even that out over a few months and what do you get. Now repeat for each car.

Same with clothes. 1 pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, a pair of shoes and some underpants will be close to 2k. (not brand name stuff). so do that 1 per season, and even it out over a few months. Repeat for each member of a household.

Appliances: 1 Item along the lines of a fridge, washing machine, dishwasher or TV will invariable break maybe once every 18 months or so. R4-10K. even it out over a few months.

I honestly don't know what parallel universe you guys that claim 15k/m is plenty live in.

We not rich enough to budget for a whole year. We budget month to month and save. Those savings pay for annual service. I buy maybe clothes once a year cause what's wrong with my current clothes?Also, where did I say 15k is plenty to live on? Don't assume things.

 

[alphabyte]

I have come to the conclusion that no matter what you earn, you always wish you had a bit more.

 

[backstreetboy]

A car service is normally in the R2000 range on the low end, R8000 on the high end. Even that out over a few months and what do you get. Now repeat for each car.

Same with clothes. 1 pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, a pair of shoes and some underpants will be close to 2k. (not brand name stuff). so do that 1 per season, and even it out over a few months. Repeat for each member of a household.

Appliances: 1 Item along the lines of a fridge, washing machine, dishwasher or TV will invariable break maybe once every 18 months or so. R4-10K. even it out over a few months.

I honestly don't know what parallel universe you guys that claim 15k/m is plenty live in.

What cheap appliances do you buy? Mine (Bosch) is 6 years old and still going strong. Only have some screen burn in on the Samsung TV.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Same with clothes. 1 pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, a pair of shoes and some underpants will be close to 2k. (not brand name stuff). so do that 1 per season, and even it out over a few months. Repeat for each member of a household.

I hardly buy clothes to be honest. Still rocking the same stuff from years ago. A jersey that I buy for winter this year will still be good for winter next year. It's not like there's a different type of winter/summer that requires new clothes each year...

 

[notayoba]

We not rich enough to budget for a whole year. We budget month to month and save. Those savings pay for annual service. I buy maybe clothes once a year cause what's wrong with my current clothes?Also, where did I say 15k is plenty to live on? Don't assume things.

Postponing expenses doesn't mean they just go away. You can still average it out per month to get a rough idea of your true budget. Your 'saving' is then basically car service, broken appliances and clothes. Not savings, just postponed expenses.

Anyway I think we're veering of topic.

'How much do you need to be happy' Seems to be subjective. Some are happy scraping together pennies, wearing clothes from 1998, driving an unreliable car and quitting fresh food if the fridge breaks. Others are less happy with that.

 

[airborne]

Your mom gives it to me rent free.


Don't stay in a major city.

I wouldn't shack up with my Mom if you paid me. Gross, you Mybbers disgust me!

My SO got that before we moved in together. She supported herself and 2 kids in school with that salary.

10yrs ago whilst living in some forgotten corner of the country where rent was R2k/pm?

Many areas of Sa a shtty little "studio". apartment in a not particularly nice area will set you back near R8k.

 

[ToxicBunny]

A car service is normally in the R2000 range on the low end, R8000 on the high end. Even that out over a few months and what do you get. Now repeat for each car.

Same with clothes. 1 pair of jeans, a couple of shirts, a pair of shoes and some underpants will be close to 2k. (not brand name stuff). so do that 1 per season, and even it out over a few months. Repeat for each member of a household.

Appliances: 1 Item along the lines of a fridge, washing machine, dishwasher or TV will invariable break maybe once every 18 months or so. R4-10K. even it out over a few months.

I honestly don't know what parallel universe you guys that claim 15k/m is plenty live in.

Ok lets play your game.

My last service on my car was just over R3k. It gets done once a year, so R250 per month
I buy on average a pair of jeans, some baggies and shirts and other stuff once every 18 months or so, and probably spend about R4k on all of that so R220 per month
I bought nice appliances, and I expect them to last at least 10 years, so all in lets be generous and say R40k on appliances (fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, oven, stove) so R333 per month
My current TV is 10 years old and will only really be replaced if I get a decent bonus or it breaks and I'd spend about R15k on a new one and expect it to last at least 10 years as well so R125 per month for that.

All in, to cover your "additionals" I'm at R1000 per month extra.

 

[Felixbf1980]

Grow your own food.
Invest in Solar and own water Supply.
Homeschool kids.
Plan car trips.
Max Ebucks for both you and partner. (Don't use from the allocated BANKS Cash from Credit Card, instead transfer over from Cheque to Credit on what you will be spending.)
House paid off.
Car paid off.
Only buy cash.!!!
No contracts and No, you do not need a R25/35 000 phone ever and never every two years. (Too use the same 10 apps you have been using since forever.)
Put R500 away a month for Car main.
Invest.!!!!

Life is actually pretty easy on R15000 for a family of four if the above can be done. You are stinking rich at R25000.

Your wants is what normally gets Every.Single.Person.
Live for what you NEED.

 

[notayoba]

I hardly buy clothes to be honest. Still rocking the same stuff from years ago. A jersey that I buy for winter this year will still be good for winter next year. It's not like there's a different type of winter/summer that requires new clothes each year...

I'm not talking a whole wardrobe, literally a handful of items per year. I have things that are 10 years old, some that are 10 weeks old. It's a cycle.

 

[notayoba]

All in, to cover your "additionals" I'm at R1000 per month extra.

Great, an extra R1000 left over after a 50k cost to company salary in my calculation. You are nitpicking details, my overall figure is not more than maybe 10% off.

 

[Paul Kemp]

Me: For the love of money is the root to all evil.
Also me: No way in hell will my kids go to public school.