What is the perfect salary to be happy?

[cavedog]

If I can get 25k nett I will be so happy. I want to buy a decent 2 or maybe 3 bedroom flat. A modern car and then pay my bills with the rest.

Life will be epic!

 

[username and 23 others]

If you can't be happy/content with R15000 pm (eg) you will never be happy/content with R150000 pm. It amazes me that the majority of our country get by on what is basically scraps. And there are happy and not so happy ones in that majority. It also amazes me that the ruling elite cannot keep their hands out of the cookie jar/multi-millionaires/billionaires still needing more and more...

It helps if one can get the clutter out of your head/heart and also your closet/garage/etc. Why four cars? Seven pairs of shoes? Nine suits? ...

Don't get me wrong. Money as a tool in the right hands can be liberating and powerful.

 

[cguy]

Or, I worked hard to buy my dream car...

They’re not mutually exclusive.

 

[Lupus]

Just under 600k at prime. Probably gets you a 1 bed apartment in an ok area...

Can get you 2 bedroom townhouses in some places and not to bad.

 

[SaucePlz]

I was used to living with very little, so when I started making money I spent my money on stupid things - nothing hectic, just things like buying really expensive coffee & brandy, eating take-out for literally every meal, going out most nights of the week and so on.
I've settled on a comfortable lifestyle at the moment, I can buy most things when I want, put some away if it's on the more expensive side and mostly don't have to count the days until payday. I have no interest in driving expensive cars or moving to a bigger house.
Previously I made more money, but the work and the environment destroyed me, so I left and even though I have to save a bit longer for the things I might want, I'm definitely happier now.

 

[kolaval]

 

[cavedog]

If you can't be happy/content with R15000 pm (eg) you will never be happy/content with R150000 pm. It amazes me that the majority of our country get by on what is basically scraps. And there are happy and not so happy ones in that majority. It also amazes me that the ruling elite cannot keep their hands out of the cookie jar/multi-millionaires/billionaires still needing more and more...

It helps if one can get the clutter out of your head/heart and also your closet/garage/etc. Why four cars? Seven pairs of shoes? Nine suits? ...

Don't get me wrong. Money as a tool in the right hands can be liberating and powerful.

You can't rent a place with that salary. You will continously be under financial preasure.

Buying is out of the question too and even if you buy cheap the levies and other costs will add up so fast.

You end up working to live and live to work because miss 1 payment and you are behind and catching up is difficult.

You realistically can't save money. You won't be able to buy something like a living room set without taking more debt and paying more and more of the money you are already stretching.

R15k is nothing and it's sad really.

 

[notayoba]

A basic middle class existence requires about 60k pm before tax. You'll clear around 40. 12k to a cheap house, 6k to a cheap car, add medical aid, insurance, rates, electricity, cell, internet etc and you are basically broke. Add 20k pm before tax for each kid.

 

[D4N_CPT]

∞

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

Joh So glad I have no children or pets

 

[Lupus]

A basic middle class existence requires about 60k pm before tax. You'll clear around 40. 12k to a cheap house, 6k to a cheap car, add medical aid, insurance, rates, electricity, cell, internet etc and you are basically broke. Add 20k pm before tax for each kid.

Ooooook... I'm paying R9k on a 1.2 million house, R5700 for 2 cars, both were just over R200k.
Think you don't know what a cheap house or car is.

 

[clickingbuttons]

Only your brain can make you happy, money is only a bargaining tool for goods and services.

 

[ToxicBunny]

A basic middle class existence requires about 60k pm before tax. You'll clear around 40. 12k to a cheap house, 6k to a cheap car, add medical aid, insurance, rates, electricity, cell, internet etc and you are basically broke. Add 20k pm before tax for each kid.

That is hardly a basic middle class existence jees...

 

[SaucePlz]

Joh So glad I have no children or pets

I love my dog, but some people are just overboard with how much money they spend on their pets. Yes, it's sad that the cat has cancer but for that vet's bill you can get a few new ones...

 

[The Trutherizer]

As long as you are in a reasonably stable, but steadily growing economy, with simple bureaucracy and low corruption - You don't actually need that much.
If you have those - Anybody can reasonably expect to find a way to live better tomorrow, than they did today. Even into retirement and old age.

 

[NR7]

R5700 for 2 cars, both were just over R200k.

Citi golf and a Tazz ?

 

[notayoba]

That is hardly a basic middle class existence jees...

A small newish car, a small house, no kids, insurance, medical aid, armed response, internet, cellphone, electricity and maybe a couple of beers. That's what I would call a basic middle class existence. And for that you need about 40k after tax. Add 2 cars, and a wife and kids, and that at least doubles.

 

[notayoba]

Ooooook... I'm paying R9k on a 1.2 million house, R5700 for 2 cars, both were just over R200k.
Think you don't know what a cheap house or car is.

Where exactly do you get a house for 1.2m these days? Something like a Toyota Corolla is over 400k.

 

[charlieharper]

'happy' is subjective.. everyone is different, have different needs, goals and ambition.

I tend to play the mental lottery game quite a lot and always end up in an existential crisis.

Like if I were to win R100,000,000,000 tomorrow and spend the next few years doing everything I've always wanted, from buying private jets, dream houses, yachts, Lamborghini's, insane amount of travel... then after 5 years of fulfilling every dream and ambition I ever had, I will wake up one morning, the sun will be out, the birds will be chirping and I will have to think, what do I do now for the next 60 years?...

Once I can answer that, how much I have to earn to realistically be 'happy' will probably answer itself.

 

[notayoba]

Too much money is definitely also not good. It brings fake friends, social ills, addictions, boredom, family fights, and many other things. I see it often. But you need enough to get the basics of modern living.