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At what salary in Ireland can you be considered to have a decent life?

steddyeddy

Obviously this is highly subjective and dependent on your dependents but let's say talk about single life and married/partnered with two kids. A lot of people say the harder you work in this country the more screwed over you get and in some ways I agree. So what would you have to do to have the sort of life you want?

Which professions would you bank on to have a decent life here?

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VW 1

Lovely Bloke wrote:

we've had one "long weekend" on the continent since the child was born, but with him being over 2 now his flight costs now

You only get charged on flights for a child over 3, not 2.

Personally, cohabiting couple, mid twenties, in a purchased home with a soon to be 3 year old. Combined income of around 80k, mortgage and bills come to around 1150, and childcare 600 on top of that.

We aren't living the high life but we have more than enough to get by without stress on a monthly basis, and to go out for dinner/drinks every 2/3 weeks.

Its the childcare for us that's the big difference between being ok and being very comfortable but these are the choices we make!

beggars_bush

myshirt wrote: »

Taking home just under €5,500 a month and feeling put to the pin of my collar in Dublin.

Loosely aware of some small people running about the house which may go some way to explaining.

move to a house you can afford

Yourself isit

beggars_bush wrote: »

move to a house you can afford

If a guy on that salary had to move to a house he can afford then who are the real middle classes?

Stealthfins

good work aint dear wrote:

And that my friend is the very reason why the rest of the country is screwed . Far too many overpaid, lazy , waste of space civil servants and politicians on the gravy train in this little country of ours ..

You have a point there
Unknown to a lot of people there's gardening and forestry sections in coilte and city and county councils digging and planting up those lovely roundabouts and cutting back tree's,hedges planting trees, taking soil samples half way up a mountain.
Then there's guy's and women in the fishery board clearing rubbish out of streams and rivers, cutting back tree's and putting down spawning bed's.

People working in dump's and social workers dealing with people who cover themselves with sht and need 24 hour care.

Outdoor worker's up to their necks in mud and rain for three quarters of the year.

ESB worker's fixing dams, cutting down branches, lugging tool's and whatever else through bogs in Wader's sometimes to fix a disconnected pylon.

There's more to public job's than you think.

You'll see guys breast feeding shovels standing around a hole sometimes,but people have to remember who dug the hole in the first place.
A modern mini digger isn't always the answer, if some people had to hack away for a few hours with a pick then shovel out clay and rocks etc they'd have no choice but to take a breather.

The Rape of Lucretia

Yourself isit wrote: »

They are in the middle in terms of their gross pay, but not their discretionary spending.

And most private sector workers will be even poorer after retirement.

If they are in the middle in terms of their gross pay, then yes, they are in the middle, and their discretionary spending is in the middle too - and they are not squeezed. If they think they are, then it is their definition of non-discretionary that is out of kilter. You have no money problems if you are in the middle in terms of gross pay.

The Rape of Lucretia

Yourself isit wrote: »

They are in the middle in terms of their gross pay, but not their discretionary spending.

And most private sector workers will be even poorer after retirement.

Because they are trying to live a lifestyle that is beyond their income today. Saying they cannot afford to save for retirement, is delusion for, cant stop themselves spending beyond their means today.

lawred2

steddyeddy wrote: »

Obviously this is highly subjective and dependent on your dependents but let's say talk about single life and married/partnered with two kids. A lot of people say the harder you work in this country-sides the more screwed over you get and in some ways I agree. So what would you have to do to have the sort of life you want?

Which professions would you bank on to have a decent life here?

Two young kids in creche and a mortgage in Dublin.

No family nearby

We have next to nothing at the end of the month with a net household income close to 90k..

What we lose in taxes every year breaks my heart.

The Rape of Lucretia

myshirt wrote: »

Taking home just under €5,500 a month

That is very well off indeed.

lawred2

VW 1 wrote: »

You only get charged on flights for a child over 3, not 2.

Personally, cohabiting couple, mid twenties, in a purchased home with a soon to be 3 year old. Combined income of around 80k, mortgage and bills come to around 1150, and childcare 600 on top of that.

We aren't living the high life but we have more than enough to get by without stress on a monthly basis, and to go out for dinner/drinks every 2/3 weeks.

Its the childcare for us that's the big difference between being ok and being very comfortable but these are the choices we make!

It's over two.

The Rape of Lucretia

Earl Woods wrote: »

It's all relative. I take home around €10,000 a month

Thats absolutely rolling in it. Well done though.

Earl Woods

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Thats absolutely rolling in it. Well done though.

It should be, but nobody plans to be paying nursing home fees and other people's rent!

Jimbob1977

Single in the Greater Dublin area.... about €35-40k gross

Single outside Greater Dublin..... about €25-30k gross

Hollister11

Pkiernan wrote: »

Remember that Sinn Fein considers you to be rich.

But there morons.

Sinn Fein "Take from the workers, give to the wasters"

Cork Lass

AnthonyCny wrote: »

Living in Donegal, I can survive easily live with my girlfriend on approx. €30k per year. Includes rent and at least 2 foreign holidays a year.

No children. I hear they are expensive.

If I didn't have kids I'd be living in a mansion and driving a top of the range luxury car but mansions and cars won't love me back and fulfil my life the way my kids so. Money well spent even though they wreck my head on a regular basis.

myshirt

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

Single in the Greater Dublin area.... about €35-40k gross

Single outside Greater Dublin..... about €25-30k gross

That is quite low.

Sustainably, you shouldn't be paying more than 35% of your take home on rent or mortgage, preferably less, but 35% the absolute cap. At average Dublin rents, 40k gross wouldn't get you too far, try 55k minimum as a single man.

Yourself isit

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

If they are in the middle in terms of their gross pay, then yes, they are in the middle, and their discretionary spending is in the middle too - and they are not squeezed. If they think they are, then it is their definition of non-discretionary that is out of kilter. You have no money problems if you are in the middle in terms of gross pay.

Clearly however people do.

You seem to be of the opinion that stating something proves it. A middle gross income doesnt lead to a middle discretionary income. At all. There are people on 25k with higher discretionary that those on 60+

Mr_Muffin

Consumerism is rampant in todays society.

Everyone needs a 4 bed semi detached, a nice car, expensive phone and everything else that goes with the 'expected' lifestyle in this day and age. All of this adds up and people then start moaning about not having enough money to buy even more stuff they don't need.

Passtheremote

My parents both worked full time in typical middle class jobs. They always seemed to live month to month trying to balance the money. There was nothing spare and neither drank. The mortgage was the biggest outgoing. This was 30 odd years ago.

Not much has changed so. Maybe some just expect more these days which is fair enough, but you have to earn more money to make is thusly.

Yourself isit

Mr_Muffin wrote: »

Consumerism is rampant in todays society.

Everyone needs a 4 bed semi detached, a nice car, expensive phone and everything else that goes with the 'expected' lifestyle in this day and age.

That's not it either. The main costs are rent or mortgage, child care and general parenting costs.

4 bed semi detached houses were cheaper in the past.

Yourself isit

Passtheremote wrote: »

My parents both worked full time in typical middle class jobs. They always seemed to live month to month trying to balance the money. There was nothing spare and neither drank. The mortgage was the biggest outgoing. This was 30 odd years ago.

Not much has changed so. Maybe some just expect more these days which is fair enough, but you have to earn more money to make is thusly.

Actually mortgage costs back then reduced over time substantially in real terms because of high inflation. My parents payments were a 200 euro near the end of their term.

Topper Harley

steddyeddy wrote: »

I wouldn't do it if you paid me (which they would). I'd prefer to have meaning in life.

Do you only judge meaning in life by your job? The biggest factor I would consider to give meaning to life is what you do with your time. For some people, their job allows them to do something they consider meaningful. For others, their job facilitates it. I'd happily take an overpaid job where I didn't work beyond the basic 9-5 and be able to devote more of my time to myself without worrying about finances.

My job allows me to sometimes do things that I consider very purposeful and fulfilling while at the same time giving me the time and freedom to do things which are purposeful to me personally (outside of work).

Earl Woods wrote: »

It should be, but nobody plans to be paying nursing home fees and other people's rent!

Have you tried the 'Fair Deal' nursing home support scheme?

The Rape of Lucretia

Earl Woods wrote: »

It should be, but nobody plans to be paying nursing home fees and other people's rent!

These are choices that your income has allowed you to make. They are discretionary.

Topper Harley

Cork Lass wrote: »

If I didn't have kids I'd be living in a mansion and driving a top of the range luxury car but mansions and cars won't love me back and fulfil my life the way my kids so. Money well spent even though they wreck my head on a regular basis.

You're kids and my car sound like they have a lot in common. I'm pretty sure it loves me back and it certainly wrecks my head. And I'm sure you have the same conundrum as me every day where the head says "it's time to get rid of this thing"* but every time you look at it your heart warms up a bit and just won't let you do it.

* only joking in your case

robbiezero

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

How so?

The fact that the threshold for paying > 50% tax is lower than the average industrial wage is mental.
The fact that someone earning 80K only takes home 10 grand more than someone earning 25K less is mental. If the difference in pay involved an increased workload or responsibility, why would you bother your hole.

um7y1h83ge06nx

Job security cannot be overlooked either.

I'm earning a pretty deserve salary by Limerick standards, combined income with the wife would be about 120-125k depending on exactly how much overtime etc. the wife does.

However recently I cannot tell for sure how secure my job is, lots of ups and downs with more downs than ups in my company. It certainly puts a dent in my consumer confidence.

uch

South Dublin, Mortgage, earn about 45k, haven't a pot to piss in, kids are grown up, I bought a council house at the wrong time, but I'm one of them Rich Civil servants that people are talkin about, sure me 100k pension payout will cover everything!!
More like about 35k after 35 years, dont believe everything you read in the papers lads,

Mongfinder General

robbiezero wrote: »

The fact that the threshold for paying > 50% tax is lower than the average industrial wage is mental.
The fact that someone earning 80K only takes home 10 grand more than someone earning 25K less is mental. If the difference in pay involved an increased workload or responsibility, why would you bother your hole.

Govt know that they can get away with this by the sub 33kers fixation on USC.
I earn about 55k. Boss wants me to go for promotion. Not arsed being taxed to pay for some scrotes €188 a week.

Capt'n Midnight

steddyeddy wrote: »

The tax in Ireland seems mental TBH.

While the headline % looks bad you forgetting that people on the higher tax bands can offset lots of things.

Bin charges, pensions, bike to work, commuter tickets, health insurance etc. all get a bigger discount than someone on minimum wage. It all adds up.

There are lots of unhappy millionaires.
IIRC in the US they found that after $170,000 people didn't get happier.
So it's a rough figure that frees you up from financial worries.

thierry14

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

Single in the Greater Dublin area.... about €35-40k gross

Single outside Greater Dublin..... about €25-30k gross

That's surviving

A decent life is having very little financial worries and being able to enjoy finer things in life.

2 good holidays a year, nearly new car, good clothes, eating out in good restaurants regularly, down time for hobbies like golf, cycling clubs, big house, 2 dogs, 2 kids, pretty wife at home, only works part time at most, weekends away from kids.

To do that in Dublin you'd need 200 - 250k

Rural like Kerry etc 125k - 150k

I'm on 50k and wife 30k

We have to watch the pennies, we are not broke but it's not the decent living you see in the movies

Eg Home Alone type family

Trip to France for Christmas, big house, few kids, house wife, 2 cars, new kitchen/ renovated house etc

[Deleted User]

thierry14 wrote: »

A decent life is having very little financial worries and being able to enjoy finer things in life.

I'd really disagree.. That's a good life. A decent life is food, education, a warm bed, healthcare etc imo. What would you consider to be a good life?