What is your salary? (employment, work, career, $50k)

[f5fstop]

Before retirement about 85K a year, but my guns and ammo were free.

[rodentraiser]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

I'm a public librarian in the Bay Area, and earn right around $80K - which sounds good, until you realize our average rents (on a ONE bedroom) are over $2000/mo.

Whoa! That still gives you almost $5000 a month to live on. I could take that salary, pay the rent, and still put about $4000 a month into savings. Your rent is 30% of what you make, as is mine on only $1300 a month. But I only have $900 a month left over after paying rent. If I had your job, I'd be thriving!

[fishbrains]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

Whoa! That still gives you almost $5000 a month to live on. I could take that salary, pay the rent, and still put about $4000 a month into savings. Your rent is 30% of what you make, as is mine on only $1300 a month. But I only have $900 a month left over after paying rent. If I had your job, I'd be thriving!

You pay only $400 a month in rent? I assume that is renting a room in a shared house or apartment.

Sure, you can maintain that lifestyle once you start earning more, but you won't.

The vast majority of people will want an apartment of their own, where they don't have to fight with roommates over who drank the orange juice and can bring home a date without causing comment.

You will want a reliable car, rather than a rustbucket with muffler problems.

You are going to go out to a bar with friends, or catch a show at a club. Sooner or later you are going to decide that subscribing to Netflix is a good idea.

Gizmo lives in one of the most expensive areas of the country, it isn't unreasonable to spend that kind of cash.

[AnotherTouchOfWhimsy]

I bill $50-75/hr as a freelance copywriter. I do not work full-time and a good portion of my hours aren't billable. So it's not a lot of money. But since I'm also a full time student, an avid volunteer, and a homeschooling mom, I can live with that.

[crd08]

30k
Accounting Clerk
Southeastern Ohio

I have two part-time jobs for more income.

[prospectheightsresident]

-Military work
-Hawaii
-About $115,000 year if you converted my post-tax salary/allowances into a comparable pre-tax income + my rental income. Pay is going up another $12,000 a year in a month or so.

[Sreysrey]

I wish I can work and have a salary
Long Beach, CA

Lucky I have no debts so my job bff is netflix.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

Whoa! That still gives you almost $5000 a month to live on. I could take that salary, pay the rent, and still put about $4000 a month into savings. Your rent is 30% of what you make, as is mine on only $1300 a month. But I only have $900 a month left over after paying rent. If I had your job, I'd be thriving!

Uhhh, did you forget about taxes and deductions first? I take home less than $4000/mo after taxes, benefits, union dues, CalPERS (public employee retirement), etc. THEN deduct my rent of $2100/mo, leaving me with around $1800 to live on - meaning I spend more like 60% of my net salary on housing alone. And when you add up utilities, car payment, insurance, gas, food, and everything else, I'm lucky to break even.

Regardless, I'm just saying for ME it's a stretch to live on what I make. And if your rent is only $400/mo, of course you could thrive on my salary. You wouldn't likely be making $80K as a librarian where you live, though, so it's a moot point.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by fishbrains

You pay only $400 a month in rent? I assume that is renting a room in a shared house or apartment.

Sure, you can maintain that lifestyle once you start earning more, but you won't.

The vast majority of people will want an apartment of their own, where they don't have to fight with roommates over who drank the orange juice and can bring home a date without causing comment.

You will want a reliable car, rather than a rustbucket with muffler problems.

You are going to go out to a bar with friends, or catch a show at a club. Sooner or later you are going to decide that subscribing to Netflix is a good idea.

Gizmo lives in one of the most expensive areas of the country, it isn't unreasonable to spend that kind of cash.

Thanks, and yep! I think they not only forgot to calculate gross vs net salary, but also don't understand how expensive it is here... I actually have a "good deal" at $2100 for a 1br duplex, but with no roommate to share expenses, I cover that + most utilities (landlord covers water and garbage) myself. As you said, most of us eventually need our own space - and at 41 years old, I'd rather have a tight budget than a roommate.

Also, it's not just rent that costs more here; food, gas, insurance rates, registration, etc, are higher than national averages. As for the car, I got sick of putting money into repairing my last two (older) cars, and finally got a 2 year-old Jetta with warranty @ $270/mo. Not bad considering what some folks pay, but my iffy credit score made payments (interest) a bit higher. So basically it's the best I could do, while still having something reliable and warranty-covered. Anyway, totally off topic but explains how a "good salary" can go fast!

P.S. We're officially THE most expensive region in the nation now... surpassed even NYC and Boston, I'm not proud to say.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

It’s similar where I am in Northern VA, but I don’t think rents are as high. For how many years have you been a librarian?

Teacher (25th year)
Just under $94,600 (Approaching top of MA scale)

Not bad for a teacher, even here! I've been a librarian for almost 11 years now, which kinda blows my mind (as it seems like just yesterday). Finished the MLIS in December 2006, at the age of 30 - and actually considered teaching after the BA, but realized I was better suited for librarianship. It's literally in my blood, as I'm the third generation of our family to enter the profession.