How do people live off low wages?

twowheelsonly · 06-11-2019 12:18am

mydingaling2 wrote: »

Would you like any more confirmation on IT and how it is booming? And always will be?

Your lack of knowledge on it is quite outstanding.

Are you jealous of people earning massive wages in IT? And in stable work for life?

Asahi, Fords, Dunlops, Gateaux, Semperit, Irish Press, Packard Electric, Jacobs. That's what I can think of off the top of my head. All 'Jobs For Life' that have shut down and / or moved out in my lifetime.
You could say the same of the Banks, County Councils/Corporation and the Civil Service. Jobs For Life with a handy pension. Not any more I'm afraid.

Don't cod yourself into thinking that you're in some sort of bulletproof industry. High wages and operating overheads are what has forced numerous companies to move their bases abroad. As it is my laptop and work servers can, for the most part, be serviced and maintained from anywhere in the world so only a minimal physical presence is needed on the ground. It's an industry that has massive potential to swallow itself.

Back to the OP...It's a question I actually often ask myself as well. I'm fairly well settled and well paid and find things tight enough at times. I have no clue how people on less than 30k manage to survive, in particular in Dublin.

Padre_Pio · 06-11-2019 12:26am

twowheelsonly wrote: »

Asahi, Fords, Dunlops, Gateaux, Semperit, Irish Press, Packard Electric, Jacobs. That's what I can think of off the top of my head. All 'Jobs For Life' that have shut down and / or moved out in my lifetime.
You could say the same of the Banks, County Councils/Corporation and the Civil Service. Jobs For Life with a handy pension. Not any more I'm afraid.

Don't cod yourself into thinking that you're in some sort of bulletproof industry. High wages and operating overheads are what has forced numerous companies to move their bases abroad. As it is my laptop and work servers can, for the most part, be serviced and maintained from anywhere in the world so only a minimal physical presence is needed on the ground. It's an industry that has massive potential to swallow itself.

Back to the OP...It's a question I actually often ask myself as well. I'm fairly well settled and well paid and find things tight enough at times. I have no clue how people on less than 30k manage to survive, in particular in Dublin.

There no such thing as a job for life any more, in any industry.
Bank work used to be jobs for life, now most admin tasks have been automated.
No money in farming any more.
Wages in the public service are fairly sh*te.
Trades used to be jobs for life, then thousands had to leave the country or work for meagre wages during the recession.

The best we can all do is make hay while the sun shines and keep the CV up to date if things go tits up.

BDI · 06-11-2019 12:47am

Can the smartest kids in botswana do your job with the correct school system?
That’s basically the limit to your smugness. They could probably come over here and learn mechanical engineering or do an apprenticeship and over ten years show a boss that they can be trusted to run a job worth a few million.

Or

They could get a computer degree and do your job from their house, which can be achieved.

What’s a good wage in Botswana

Geuze · 06-11-2019 12:53am

CIP4 wrote: »

I think what comes into it for many people is as their Salaries rise so does their spending habits / outgoings so in many cases as you earn more you don't save more or have more money left you just end up spending more. Which does factor into the question asked. I earn 30k a year gradually go up to 50k which my spending goes up with it and then wonder how could anyone survive on 30k. Well they easily could if they are use to only earning 30k. Lifestyle creep is the term often used for the above.

Yes.

I thought this wouldn't happen to me, but it has.

Moved from 56/57k to 70k in two years, but not feeling it / seeing it.

Of course, the approx 60% MTR I face doesn't help.

(40% tax + 4% PRSI + 4.5% USC + 16.5% pension conts)

anewme · 06-11-2019 1:00am

mydingaling2 wrote: »

1600 jobs and so many variations in IT. Do you think all IT jobs are the same and everyone is a programmer?

Theres:
Programming( c, c++, Java, PHP to name a few)
Databases
Hardware
Networking
Security
Windows server administration
Liniux administraton
VMware engineer
Cloud computing engineer
Data centre engineer
Desktop support
SCCM Enginner
Help desk roles

Along with many many more areas. Not everyone is cut out to a programmer where the highest wages are.

People end up in the area that they like best and do certs in their spare time to upskill. Really your embarrassing yourself.

BDI wrote: »

You’re

BDI wrote: »

It took you 20 years to earn a liveable wage from it and you are giving me advice?
In the 90s programmers were getting way more than they get now adjusting for inflation, in the 2030s they will be getting way less than they do now.

With a small bit of overtime I earn what lads are pretending to earn here. I could do a few nixers each week if I really wanted to boost my earning. Why are you giving me a pro life tip? If you had of got any public sector job 20 years ago you would probably be on what people pretend to earn here.

Had of?

Glass Houses and all that.

BDI · 06-11-2019 1:03am

Geuze wrote: »

Yes.

I thought this wouldn't happen to me, but it has.

Moved from 56/57k to 70k in two years, but not feeling it / seeing it.

Of course, the approx 60% MTR I face doesn't help.

(40% tax + 4% PRSI + 4.5% USC + 16.5% pension conts)

Congratulations you made it to the level where you realise that after a certain amount you are just taking more money from the boss but not seeing any of it.
Most people however don’t care they want to brag to their friends about how many k they are on.

Padre_Pio · 06-11-2019 1:13am

BDI wrote: »

Congratulations you made it to the level where you realise that after a certain amount you are just taking more money from the boss but not seeing any of it.
Most people however don’t care they want to brag to their friends about how many k they are on.

He's still taking home an extra 500 a month easy. If he was actually struggling to pay bills then the extra would be noticed.

The sentiment is that when you have disposable income you spend it. I brought the parents out for dinner recently and dropped 200 euro for 3 of us and didn't think twice. At the end of the month i wonder why I don't have loads of money left too.

But sure it's there to be spent, especially on my family.

nthclare · 06-11-2019 1:17am

Biodiversity is one of the up and coming sexy jobs, horticulturalist and ecologist's will make a come back soon enough..

They're just sitting it out for now, watch this space

BDI · 06-11-2019 1:22am

Padre_Pio wrote: »

He's still taking home an extra 500 a month easy. If he was actually struggling to pay bills then the extra would be noticed.

The sentiment is that when you have disposable income you spend it. I brought the parents out for dinner recently and dropped 200 euro for 3 of us and didn't think twice. At the end of the month i wonder why I don't have loads of money left too.

But sure it's there to be spent, especially on my family.

5 scaldy hundred a month?
His missus would eat that up getting her legs waxed.

I suppose you have to have it to understand it.

Lads I work with have lunch in tinfoil when they are broke and lunch in centra when they are loaded.

major bill · 06-11-2019 1:29am

Twister2 wrote: »

seems a lot of assho1es work in IT

I work in IT and I will back this statement! Programmers for the most part are insufferable *****

TargetWidow · 06-11-2019 1:37am

Firstly you don't get to own a house, you rent and pray you don't end up homeless.
Packed lunches.
Shopping in Lidl.
Doing the car insurance tango every single year (quoted €700 by old insurers this year got it down to €350 elsewhere)
Let the hair on your chin grow out.
Ditto legs eyebrows fanny etc. Beauticians are money sucking leeches anyway.
Bite your nails rather than getting manicures, easier than you think with the anxiety of raising 2 kids in rental accomodation in Ireland.
No pubbing/clubbing, they won't let you in anyway with the state of your appearance (see above)...
Clothes shop in Penney's, Dunnes when you're feeling fancy.
No holidays. Ever.
Put the Mickey money every month into an account so that the children can get a proper education.
And that's it. It's a doddle.

Padre_Pio · 06-11-2019 1:40am

BDI wrote: »

5 scaldy hundred a month?
His missus would eat that up getting her legs waxed.

I suppose you have to have it to understand it.

Lads I work with have lunch in tinfoil when they are broke and lunch in centra when they are loaded.

You must be quite the millionaire yourself if you turn your nose at 500 extra a month after tax.

BDI · 06-11-2019 1:41am

TargetWidow wrote: »

Firstly you don't get to own a house, you rent and pray you don't end up homeless.
Packed lunches.
Shopping in Lidl.
Doing the car insurance tango every single year (quoted €700 by old insurers this year got it down to €350 elsewhere)
Let the hair on your chin grow out.
Ditto legs eyebrows fanny etc. Beauticians are money sucking leeches anyway.
Bite your nails rather than getting manicures, easier than you think with the anxiety of raising 2 kids in rental accomodation in Ireland.
No pubbing/clubbing, they won't let you in anyway with the state of your appearance (see above)...
Clothes shop in Penney's, Dunnes when you're feeling fancy.
No holidays. Ever.
Put the Mickey money every month into an account so that the children can get a proper education.
And that's it. It's a doddle.

Quality, now that’s a social commentary

Fingerbang2 · 06-11-2019 1:46am

BDI wrote: »

Can the smartest kids in botswana do your job with the correct school system?
That’s basically the limit to your smugness. They could probably come over here and learn mechanical engineering or do an apprenticeship and over ten years show a boss that they can be trusted to run a job worth a few million.

Or

They could get a computer degree and do your job from their house, which can be achieved.

What’s a good wage in Botswana

Do you not think your not trusted in IT with systems and applications worth millions?

Brought down a single switch before that cost a factory 200K for the 30 minutes it was down.

I had some explaining to do!!

Padre_Pio · 06-11-2019 1:50am

BDI wrote: »

Can the smartest kids in botswana do your job with the correct school system?
That’s basically the limit to your smugness. They could probably come over here and learn mechanical engineering or do an apprenticeship and over ten years show a boss that they can be trusted to run a job worth a few million.

Or

They could get a computer degree and do your job from their house, which can be achieved.

What’s a good wage in Botswana

I'd say you'd have a much easier time teaching these lads how to be plasterers and plumbers than engineers.

Abdu and the gang would give the local trades here a run for their money far quicker than any IT or engineers.

boring accountant · 06-11-2019 1:52am

lola85 wrote: »

On low wages you qualify for a lot of benefits including HAP which will pay up to 1800 euro a month towards your rent.

That's more than my salary... and I don't qualify for any public assistance...

StupidLikeAFox · 06-11-2019 1:55am

Food is one people's biggest expense and you can eat very well for very cheap. I'm thinking less than a tenner a day if you put your mind to it

boring accountant · 06-11-2019 1:59am

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

Food is one people's biggest expense and you can eat very well for very cheap. I'm thinking less than a tenner a day if you put your mind to it

Some days less than a 5er.

Airyfairy12 · 06-11-2019 2:03am

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

Food is one people's biggest expense and you can eat very well for very cheap. I'm thinking less than a tenner a day if you put your mind to it

How?
A tenner a day is still 70 euro a week. A family of 4 would be spending 280 on shopping a week, thats ore than allot of families can afford.
Its very difficult to stay healthy on a small budget.
A bag of healthy food is much more expensive than a bag of processed food. Combined with how quickly fruit and veg goes off, its not practical for poor people to buy healthy food.

BDI · 06-11-2019 2:06am

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

How?
A tenner a day is still 70 euro a week. A family of 4 would be spending 280 on shopping a week, thats ore than allot of families can afford.
Its very difficult to stay healthy on a small budget.
A bag of healthy food is much more expensive than a bag of processed food. Combined with how quickly fruit and veg goes off, its not practical for poor people to buy healthy food.

Why are fairy’s on the Internet always airy? What’s that all about?

Dr. Bre · 06-11-2019 2:15am

antimatterx wrote: »

I don't mean to offend people, but I'm wondering how people live off low wages (20/30K), buying houses, raising families. It seems impossible to me.

I'm 23, I make 32K as a software engineer, but I live with my parents so I can save a good chunk of money every month. I realize I'm lucky and I'll probably be on 50-70K in 2/3 years, but for people who won't get great raises, how do you live (especially in Dublin)

They get a free gaff. That’s how

boring accountant · 06-11-2019 2:16am

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

How?
A tenner a day is still 70 euro a week. A family of 4 would be spending 280 on shopping a week, thats ore than allot of families can afford.
Its very difficult to stay healthy on a small budget.
A bag of healthy food is much more expensive than a bag of processed food. Combined with how quickly fruit and veg goes off, its not practical for poor people to buy healthy food.

Processed food isn't cheaper than healthy food, although granted, you do have to shop in multiple places to get the best value.

StupidLikeAFox · 06-11-2019 2:18am

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

How?
A tenner a day is still 70 euro a week. A family of 4 would be spending 280 on shopping a week, thats ore than allot of families can afford.
Its very difficult to stay healthy on a small budget.
A bag of healthy food is much more expensive than a bag of processed food. Combined with how quickly fruit and veg goes off, its not practical for poor people to buy healthy food.

I'll try do the maths for you tomorrow if I can skive off work for half an hour thumbsup.jpg

lainey_d_123 · 06-11-2019 2:25am

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

How?
A tenner a day is still 70 euro a week. A family of 4 would be spending 280 on shopping a week, thats ore than allot of families can afford.
Its very difficult to stay healthy on a small budget.
A bag of healthy food is much more expensive than a bag of processed food. Combined with how quickly fruit and veg goes off, its not practical for poor people to buy healthy food.

Not a chance a family of 4 trying to be careful with budgeting is spending anywhere near 280 a week. Food scales up well...you don't just multiply the cost of one person's daily food by 4.

Even a single person doesn't need to be spending 70 euro a week on food if they're watching the pennies. A bag of pasta, couple of jars of passata, mushroom, onion and herbs is less than 5 euro and will do at least 3 meals in the week, porridge oats are dirt cheap, a loaf of brown bread and some cheese and ham with a banana/apple does a week of work lunches.

I can never quite believe the amounts some people spend and think are normal. I spent years earning terrible money and was forced to be frugal and live cheaply because I simply had no choice. I can't believe people who do their weekly shop in Centra, buying jars of sauce and other overpriced items, along with the daily Starbucks coffee and muffin and then claim Ireland is just too expensive to live in.

ceadaoin. · 06-11-2019 3:06am

boring accountant wrote: »

Processed food isn't cheaper than healthy food, although granted, you do have to shop in multiple places to get the best value.

I think part of the problem is stocking up the cupboard with the stuff you need to get initially in order to make healthy meals from scratch on a regular basis. Herbs, stock, tomato puree/sauce, flour, beans etc as well as cooking equipment. It can end up seeming like a lot, even though it's not a regular thing and works out cheaper in the long run. I can see how that can seem daunting if you're on a strict budget.

population · 06-11-2019 4:16am

ceadaoin. wrote: »

I think part of the problem is stocking up the cupboard with the stuff you need to get initially in order to make healthy meals from scratch on a regular basis. Herbs, stock, tomato puree/sauce, flour, beans etc as well as cooking equipment. It can end up seeming like a lot, even though it's not a regular thing and works out cheaper in the long run. I can see how that can seem daunting if you're on a strict budget.

Agree with this.

Graces7 · 06-11-2019 6:34am

boring accountant wrote: »

Some days less than a 5er.

Less than E20 a week here. We pensioners know how to manage money.

Graces7 · 06-11-2019 6:41am

boring accountant wrote: »

Processed food isn't cheaper than healthy food, although granted, you do have to shop in multiple places to get the best value.

By " healthy food" do you mean fruit and vegetables? All the main shops have several fruit and vegetables on offer at 49 cents each week. So no need to shop around; check online before you go out.

Same with chicken, meat. Always " specials".

And buying own brand also eg porridge oats, cereals .

I get groceries delivered every two weeks; supervalu, and they have an excellent web site for shoppers. And are in keep competition with the other main shops

Graces7 · 06-11-2019 7:06am

antimatterx wrote: »

I don't mean to offend people, but I'm wondering how people live off low wages (20/30K), buying houses, raising families. It seems impossible to me.

I'm 23, I make 32K as a software engineer, but I live with my parents so I can save a good chunk of money every month. I realize I'm lucky and I'll probably be on 50-70K in 2/3 years, but for people who won't get great raises, how do you live (especially in Dublin)

carefully...

Wanderer78 · 06-11-2019 7:13am

Give it a few years, when younger generations realise how much they've been fcuked over by our current policies, when a good chunk of them realise they ll never be able to buy a house, their working conditions are dreadful, and may never improve, critical services such as health care are in bits, only a matter of time now

How do people live off low wages?

Comments