What do you consider a 'decent' salary (non-London)

jojo90_2 · 6 July 2010 at 10:25PM

Just wondering what you guys would class as a 'decent' salary? At the moment I'm 29, home-owner, single, and on £50,478 (plus £4,500 from lodger tax free) and to be honest I don't feel that well off at all. Seems all my money just disappears each month and don't have a lot to show for it.

So what do you lot think is a good amount to earn each year to feel well off because I always thought £50,000+ would be the sweet point

? I'm thinking maybe £75,000+ nowadays. I'm seriously considering moving back home for 2-3 years and renting my place so I can actually start saving some money...

BlueAngelCV · 6 July 2010 at 10:33PM

What do you mean by "decent"? You seem to be on an extremely "decent" salary to me and if you don't feel that well off then I think you need to look at where the monies going.
Personally I would call £75,000.00+ rich not decent.

Googlewhacker · 6 July 2010 at 10:37PM

jojo90 wrote: »

Just wondering what you guys would class as a 'decent' salary? At the moment I'm 29, home-owner, single, and on £50,478 (plus £4,500 from lodger tax free) and to be honest I don't feel that well off at all. Seems all my money just disappears each month and don't have a lot to show for it.

So what do you lot think is a good amount to earn each year to feel well off because I always thought £50,000+ would be the sweet point ? I'm thinking maybe £75,000+ nowadays. I'm seriously considering moving back home for 2-3 years and renting my place so I can actually start saving some money...

Or how about you learn to live within budget (harder said than done yes as I know!)

50k a year...you should easily be able to save 6-10k a year without feeling the pinch....unless you have lots of debts and then you should be paying these back

jojo90_2 · 6 July 2010 at 10:41PM

No, no debt other than mortgage. I just signed up to save £250 per month for 3 years in company shares. Basically I get to purchase them at 20% below current market value (fixed @ 116p) then in 3 years can either take the shares or my £9,000 invested. Only 'risk' is losing potential interest.

Sorry but it's just depressing that I end up at zero again every month

. Looking at my account all the bills for the month have already killed off most of the balance. I mean £1,800-£2,000 as base expenses is just too much. Moving home seems like the right option for now. I think it's just not feasible for a single person to save anything near decent with the cost of living what it is today.

Googlewhacker · 6 July 2010 at 10:42PM

jojo90 wrote: »

No, no debt other than mortgage. I just signed up to save £250 per month for 3 years in company shares. Basically I get to purchase them at 20% below current market value (fixed @ 116p) then in 3 years can either take the shares or my £9,000 invested. Only 'risk' is losing potential interest.

Sorry but it's just depressing that I end up at zero again every month :S. Looking at my account all the bills for the month have already killed off most of the balance.

Then you are living to expensively, do a statement of affairs and see how much money you SHOULD have left after bills and mortgages and then ask yourself where it goes, you'll be surprised how it all adds up

Person_one · 6 July 2010 at 10:44PM

Be honest, did you come on here to gloat? You know full well 50K is an excellent salary, especially outside of London. I've just accepted a job for less than 12K so if you want to swap salaries for a bit to see how the other half live, or to practice budgeting, let me know.

Googlewhacker, I saved nearly 6k a year when I was earning 21K, and yes I was paying a mortgage and bills. On that salary the OP should be able to save far more.

jojo90_2 · 6 July 2010 at 10:45PM

Person_one wrote: »

Be honest, did you come on here to gloat? You know full well 50K is an excellent salary, especially outside of London. I've just accepted a job for less than 12K so if you want to swap salaries for a bit to see how the other half live, or to practice budgeting, let me know.

Googlewhacker, I saved nearly 6k a year when I was earning 21K, and yes I was paying a mortgage and bills. On that salary the OP should be able to save far more.

No, I'm just looking at my account, feeling depressed and fancied a moan/some advice and wondering if I'm alone with my thoughts or not.

dave4545454 · 6 July 2010 at 10:46PM

i'd call 12k a year a decent salary.

you need to have a serious look at your finances cos you must be wasting a lot. you would be rolling in it if you're money wise.

Googlewhacker · 6 July 2010 at 10:48PM

Person_one wrote: »

Be honest, did you come on here to gloat? You know full well 50K is an excellent salary, especially outside of London. I've just accepted a job for less than 12K so if you want to swap salaries for a bit to see how the other half live, or to practice budgeting, let me know.

Googlewhacker, I saved nearly 6k a year when I was earning 21K, and yes I was paying a mortgage and bills. On that salary the OP should be able to save far more.

I commend you but I would struggle to do that myself and I was basing my 6-10k as the 'easy' amount to save without really trying, obviously the OP could be really frugal and put nearer 15-20k away if they tried hard (presuming their mortgage is not massive) but then that is not what working is all about

PasturesNew · 6 July 2010 at 10:53PM

You're positively loaded. You need to spend a bit more effort getting ME a job where you work! Plz thx.

Daisy-May* · 6 July 2010 at 10:54PM

Well I live in a London Borough have been with the same company for 5 years and earn £14,000. I clearly know this isnt a decent wage but seriously £75k, are you drunk or something? or do you just get a kick out of knocking people down even futher who are on really cr*p money....