Is 30 grand a year good enough for you guys?

That really depends on how you live.Sajo7

apartment in the city, vancouver, average groceries a 20 year old eats, luxury items = keeping update in console gaming, the new hot title, and 200 a month to go out, dine, movies, events etc

I think if I spend wisely I can have all these things

I'm sure i could cope, but i wouldn't want to. I used to make 30k a couple years ago.

Assuming your only paying for your own expenses. Is independance possible with this income?FreewayScruff

[QUOTE="Sajo7"]That really depends on how you live.FreewayScruff

apartment in the city, vancouver, average groceries a 20 year old eats, luxury items = keeping update in console gaming, the new hot title, and 200 a month to go out, dine, movies, events etc

I think if I spend wisely I can have all these things

it would have to be a pretty crappy apartment...no offense...but you're talking an apartment downtown? :|

no not really downtown, more on the outskirts, Ive actually seen some real nice pads for about 950 a month plus utilitesFreewayScruff

yea, i was about to say. Downtown ANYWHERE isn't cheap. :| What is your profession?

i could live but im gunning for a better job than that. how much $ can i make with a bachelors in computer sciences?bojingles4393

depending on where you work... 40...50 g's maybe?

[QUOTE="FreewayScruff"]no not really downtown, more on the outskirts, Ive actually seen some real nice pads for about 950 a month plus utiliteschrisrooR

yea, i was about to say. Downtown ANYWHERE isn't cheap. :| What is your profession?

Harooh Harooh:|

That really depends on how you live.Sajo7

Ding ding ding! We have a winner! You can easily live on $30 000 /yr - if you live a lifestyle that allows you to live on that amount. Most people spend a lot of money on wants, confusing them with needs. They think they NEED a flat screen TV. They think they NEED designer clothes. Even more difficult to combat is the tendency to mistake wants for needs when the item in question is indeed a need. For instance, you NEED shelter but you don't need to live in an expensive condo downtown. You may NEED a car to get you to work depending on where you live, but it doesn't have to be a turbo-charged, gas guzzling sports car. You NEED food, but it doesn't have to entail going out to restaurants every other night or eating steak and lobster at home.

Then there's all those things you think you need but really don't - like cell phones and gym memberships you don't use and so forth. And so, the bottom line is that if you know how to spend wisely and don't confuse needs with wants, you can live on $30 000/year. Heck, you can live on much less if you really want to do what's necessary to do so. And some people - people who can get by without many material luxuries - are perfectly content to sacrifice money for more time to spend pursuing inexpensive hobbies.

[QUOTE="Sajo7"]That really depends on how you live.pianist

Ding ding ding! We have a winner! You can easily live on $30 000 /yr - if you live a lifestyle that allows you to live on that amount. Most people spend a lot of money on wants, confusing them with needs. They think they NEED a flat screen TV. They think they NEED designer clothes. Even more difficult to combat is the tendency to mistake wants for needs when the item in question is indeed a need. For instance, you NEED shelter but you don't need to live in an expensive condo downtown. You may NEED a car to get you to work depending on where you live, but it doesn't have to be a turbo-charged, gas guzzling sports car. You NEED food, but it doesn't have to entail going out to restaurants every other night or eating steak and lobster at home.

Then there's all those things you think you need but really don't - like cell phones and gym memberships you don't use and so forth. And so, the bottom line is that if you know how to spend wisely and don't confuse needs with wants, you can live on $30 000/year. Heck, you can live on much less if you really want to do what's necessary to do so. And some people - people who can get by without many material luxuries - are perfectly content to sacrifice money for more time to spend pursuing inexpensive hobbies.

Pssh, if you call that living.

It's workable but not very comfortable.TongHua

Well, it's very comfortable for a person who isn't materially-driven. 'Comfort' is subject to the individual in question, and if you're only making $30 000/year, you obviously aren't really driven to be earning more, because there are many easy ways you could increase your income at the expense of time.

Pssh, if you call that living.

Dark__Link

I do! I can speak from experience, because I only make about that much money right now, and I've got money to burn at the end of the year. Maybe it sounds strange to most people, but there just aren't that many things I really want. I'm in better financial shape than people who earn twice or even three times as much as I do.

[QUOTE="Dark__Link"]

Pssh, if you call that living.

pianist

I do! I can speak from experience, because I only make about that much money right now, and I've got money to burn at the end of the year. Maybe it sounds strange to most people, but there just aren't that many things I really want. I'm in better financial shape than people who earn twice or even three times as much as I do.

That's only because you're the most intelligent GS user (two years running!) :D

It's great you're smart with your money Pianist, really good answer to the OP's question.

hell no. i better be making at least twice that when i graduate. Andrew0987

30,000? Are you kidding me? This is below poverty lines. For all the people who foolishly said 'yes', do you know anything about inflation, the value of a dollar, and interest rates? I doubt it.NoRemorse13

[QUOTE="Dark__Link"]

Pssh, if you call that living.

pianist

I do! I can speak from experience, because I only make about that much money right now, and I've got money to burn at the end of the year. Maybe it sounds strange to most people, but there just aren't that many things I really want. I'm in better financial shape than people who earn twice or even three times as much as I do.

Ha, like I believe anything you say. You're just a figment of my imagination, you big silly.

30,000? Are you kidding me? This is below poverty lines. For all the people who foolishly said 'yes', do you know anything about inflation, the value of a dollar, and interest rates? I doubt it.NoRemorse13

Living 'below the poverty line' is a function of how much you save. I save more than people who are making $70 000 or $80 000/year. So even though my income is very low by comparison to them I am BETTER OFF financially than they are. What is foolish is assuming that everyone's spending habits will be identical. Some people could never survive on $30 000/year. I can. Easily. And I know all about inflation, the value of the dollar, and interest rates.

Ha, like I believe anything you say. You're just a figment of my imagination, you big silly.

Dark__Link

:lol:

I knew there was a reason I always liked your posts...

That's only because you're the most intelligent GS user (two years running!) :D

It's great you're smart with your money Pianist, really good answer to the OP's question.

SimpJee

:shock:

Haven't seen you in ages! What's up?

[QUOTE="Andrew0987"]hell no. i better be making at least twice that when i graduate. 22Toothpicks

Yes it does. Have you heard of an internship? A person job shadows for a company related to their major for a semester or year and when they complete that internship, they get a job offer based on their performance. I take it you're not in college.

[QUOTE="SimpJee"]

That's only because you're the most intelligent GS user (two years running!) :D

It's great you're smart with your money Pianist, really good answer to the OP's question.

pianist

:shock:

Haven't seen you in ages! What's up?

Just hanging out. And I've been here, you just haven't been on when I've been lurking it seems.

You still haven't listened to my band that was greatly inspired by a composer (their musical writing anyway). So ... want to hear/see?

30,000? Are you kidding me? This is below poverty lines. For all the people who foolishly said 'yes', do you know anything about inflation, the value of a dollar, and interest rates? I doubt it.NoRemorse13

I'm well aware of all of that wonderful stuff, which is one of the reasons why I'll be investing 10% of my income in hard metals till the day I die.

Regardless of that though one could still do fine on 30k, all you have to do is reduce your wants and recognize your true needs. For example if you live in a decent city they will have decent public transportation thus negating the need for a car, insurance, and gas. From there you spend your entertainment dollars on books, movies, games, whatever suits your desires. Just try to get them used or if possible new at cheap rates. Remember that eBay is your friend in such matters. Also you can invest in property or if you know a little about the stock market you could do okay, property at least is tangible so if an economic crisis occured you could sit with your shotgun while in a rocking chair, watching over your small amount of crops.

Anyways use your imagination, it will take you far if you are wise enough to stretch your funds.

[QUOTE="Andrew0987"]hell no. i better be making at least twice that when i graduate. 22Toothpicks

Average starting salary for most engineers with a Bachelor's (right out of college) is around $55,000. Granted, it's not what you'd call "high paying," but it is almost twice what we're talking about here...

Just hanging out. And I've been here, you just haven't been on when I've been lurking it seems.

You still haven't listened to my band that was greatly inspired by a composer (their musical writing anyway). So ... want to hear/see?

SimpJee

PM me - I've got to get some sleep tonight. I'm still trying to catch up with PMs, so don't expect an immediate reply. But I will give them a listen - eventually! :)

[QUOTE="22Toothpicks"][QUOTE="Andrew0987"]hell no. i better be making at least twice that when i graduate. NoRemorse13

Yes it does. Have you heard of an internship? A person job shadows for a company related to their major for a semester or year and when they complete that internship, they get a job offer based on their performance. I take it you're not in college.

[QUOTE="Dark__Link"]

Ha, like I believe anything you say. You're just a figment of my imagination, you big silly.

pianist

:lol:

I knew there was a reason I always liked your posts...

Are you sure it's not just because I'm extremely good looking?

[QUOTE="22Toothpicks"][QUOTE="Andrew0987"]hell no. i better be making at least twice that when i graduate. NoRemorse13

Yes it does. Have you heard of an internship? A person job shadows for a company related to their major for a semester or year and when they complete that internship, they get a job offer based on their performance. I take it you're not in college.

You will start at a lower pay though, for instance I knew a electrical engineer that started at around 40k, I was quite shocked since I expected 60k since he works in Houston. The key is that the longer you work for a company and the more experience you have your pay tends to increase. Now that isn't always true mind you, but it is a tad unrealistic for people to expect the higher wages in their job when just starting out of college. In fact I would call that delusions of grandeur, for only those that are truly skilled take off, and trust me those people are few & far between.

[QUOTE="SimpJee"]

Just hanging out. And I've been here, you just haven't been on when I've been lurking it seems.

You still haven't listened to my band that was greatly inspired by a composer (their musical writing anyway). So ... want to hear/see?

pianist

PM me - I've got to get some sleep tonight. I'm still trying to catch up with PMs, so don't expect an immediate reply. But I will give them a listen - eventually! :)

It wont take ... 3 minutes 33 seconds. Not even a second more!

Are you sure it's not just because I'm extremely good looking?

Dark__Link

No... because that I wouldn't know. For all I know YOU are a figment of my imagination. Extreme existentialism FTW