winkie Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Some interesting responses. I do agree that people have different subjective value of money, but ultimately that comes down to different definitions of 'good' in relation to my OP. I should also add that weirdly, despite having no desperate desire to earn more, I would love to work fewer hours. Would rather get an extra day off and have the same salary than a 25% increase for doing the same. Sometimes time is worth more than money......but buying that extra holiday does not always mean it gives you extra free time, because when you get back you still have last weeks work rolled-over, so two weeks work to squeeze into the one week....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin Allegro Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I agree about the working less hours instead of a rise, but the problem is you still be expected to do the same amount of work. Infact, this year I've been firing on all cylinders due to the work load I haven't been able to come here! lol True. I 'downsized' to a three day week and I'd say I'm doing roughly a 4 or sometimes 5 day week condensed into 3. I also find the extra two days tend to get swallowed up pretty easily by fiddlearsing around with things like cooking, cleaning, shopping and general dawdling about. I still prefer it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I spent over a year choosing my last car but then I dont like getting ripped off so I bought it from auction. Didnt need to replace it but kept an eye out for the right one and sure enough with a bit of patience one turned up. Patience is a virtue....honestly, sometimes instant gratification costs dearly. I've been in the top 1% of UK earners on a six figure sum and believe me, it doesnt matter how much you earn its never enough and no I didnt buy a house as I saw them as overpriced and very poor value for money but I did buy Gold. Don't agree....there comes to a point when enough is enough....a point when earning any extra brings with it no extra happiness, contentment, security or health. Anyway I'll be building my house and it will revolutionise the house building industry not to mention enable people to live off grid in a very self sufficient manner once I found the land and terrain I'm looking for. Good luck with that....I am all for self sufficiency.....something very hard to come by in this day and age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riedquat Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Don't agree....there comes to a point when enough is enough....a point when earning any extra brings with it no extra happiness, contentment, security or health. I think there's always more that you'd like (i'd be funding my own space exploration missions if I had plenty of billions spare), but there's sufficient for a decent enough life. Some people don't seem to be able to deal with not being able to get that next "would be nice to have" thing though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winkie Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 I think there's always more that you'd like (i'd be funding my own space exploration missions if I had plenty of billions spare), but there's sufficient for a decent enough life. Some people don't seem to be able to deal with not being able to get that next "would be nice to have" thing though. ...'there is always more that you'd like'.....well, you have to weigh it up against the work effort that has to be put into getting it as opposed to going without......the rich elite do not have to put any extra effort or very little extra effort in to obtain that fine dining meal with bottles of the best champagne of the house.....for most of us we could well work hard for a day or more to obtain it.....so quality of life says would rather go without...would feel no richer, better or more satisfied after it has been eaten...could well feel a lot poorer with a ragging hangover and a bout of indigestion to boot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrashedOutAndBurned Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 I remember when I started work (on about average wage) thinking how within 5 years I'd be on 40k and that would be a decent wage. Nearly five years on, I'm not anywhere near that and have become much less ambitious/work orientated anyway for various reasons, though I have nothing against those who are. However, I was thinking about whether after tax etc you;'d be that well off on that figure now anyway? I know it's a good wage outside the South East but it would take my partner to be earning a similar amount for that to make a real difference to me in terms of actual lifestyle, still be struggling to own/maintain our own home, have a car etc. Would probably eat out more and have a better holiday (neither of which really interest me) but day to day lifestyle probably not so different. 40k puts you in the top 10% of earners in this country. And the fractional 0.1% globally. But is anyone here on that (or higher) and do you actually feel 'comfortable'? What do you reckon is a good wage these days? I reckon it must be 50k now For a new graduate anything a quid or two more than minimum wage is good going. It's you're on 20K before you're 30 that's as good as it gets for many. There are the traditional professions, and a tiny few dull executive roles in blue chips, but most other jobs are just plug a into b stuff requiring at best basic literacy and turning up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzzMosiz Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 I'd personally say a good wage is anything over £30K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riedquat Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 I think that a lot of people don't really know what improves quality of life and therefore think that it's all down to stuff they could get if only they could afford it. This is very damaging. Not only is it what's driven the economy over the precipice it's also gradually and continually eroding what people actually want. We like convenience, for example, and find that we've created mind-numbingly dull towns to live in with only simple, handy supermarkets. And we'd do it all again because the convenience wins in the short term every time (I'm no different from anyone else in that respect so any accusations of hypocrisy here are fair enough). A lot of complaining about a good wage comes from the same source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarman001 Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 I live at home on 30k. I seem to spend £700-800 a month or more, and save the rest (or see it going down the tubes in poor-performing investments which I'm staying clear of now!). Let's see.... £200 fun money (going out, sometimes cinema though that's a major rip-off now) £100 Food and essentials £120 fuel (and I live close to work!) £150 digs £150 student loan (voluntary overpayment on top of the £100+ out of PAYE) £150+ pension That seems to roughly add up. The £700-1k that I save each month would be WIPED OUT if I had to pay for a home. Say £600 monthly payments, £300 council tax and all bills (council tax is such a sunk cost)... and my girlfriend is a low earner so I just can't see how it'd all work out. Certainly we wouldn't be going on the big annual holiday we've had for the last 4 years now. Bonus: she owns her own flat. Negative: it's not the best and we'd both like something detached which will COST. There'd be very little savings - what about black swan events? And kiss new guitars goodbye! I'd love to move out of home as it's so overcrowded but just cannot COMFORTABLY afford it. Refuse to be one of the masses that buys 'because at some point you just have to'. I'd also agree that anything over £30k or so is a good salary - some people really live in a bubble world. It's just the cost of living is too high. I'd love to (and think I should be) on 35k right now but that'd mean a move of job. In future it will be between 40k and 60k depending on what I'm willing to put up with. The States will pay a lot more for some jobs... but then would you want to go there with just 10 days holiday a year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarman001 Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Duplicate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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