Is 30k a year a decent wage to live on (outside london)?

I am currently earning 23k a year at the age of 24. As a non-grad my future still looks okay as I am working in the field I want (Information Technology) and will most likely be moving up the ranks in my current company. Thing is I have a feeling most I'll earn is 30k at a push as I dont want to moveup to a position where I step away from the tech-side as I enjoy what I do and have found the higher up you go the more you stray from it.

Looking at other tech roles it appears 30k is the general offering (top end) which makes me believe its the most Ill earn in this industry. Do you think its enough to live life on 30k a year and be reasonably comfortable? Or will I have to step-up into management to earn the big money? Again this isn't ideal as I like getting my hands dirty and not snowed down with paper work.

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Reply 1

LPauling

Original post by T-Raw

You can definitely live on it. But it depends what you want in terms of living. A comfortable life style with an okay car and house that will and the odd family holiday. But to do anything like buy a larger house or an expensive car or a big cruise holiday would need careful saving

Reply 2

T-Raw

Original post by LPauling

Thanks I appreciate the advice.. My situation is probably different to most on here as I have a young child and my partner does not work as she has to look after him when Im at work.. I have a bad feeling my money will be supporting us all for a longtime as she has shown little interest in returning to work. If I earn 30 and she earned 15 (she is unskilled) it would be less worrying.

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Reply 3

Allie4

depends what you want your living arrangements to be/what your plans are

renting or buying? by yourself or willing to flat share? when i was making a measly £14k a year I was able to flatshare in London. bear in mind i was living with 2 other people in a dinky little flat in a crappy area. but i really didn't struggle (with finances anyways even though i thought i would) the only thing i struggled with was having to live with those two incredibly nosey, uptight cows.

Reply 4

ODES_PDES

For a single person it is

Reply 5

1010marina

30k is fantastic. A lot of people live on less than half of that. You'll live well

Reply 6

Platopus

Original post by T-Raw

That's a great salary! My family lives of 10K a year less in London and there's 3 of us!

Not true. See above.

Reply 7

999tigger

Depends in your expectations and how you control your spending.

Reply 8

T-Raw

Original post by Platopus

That's a great salary! My family lives of 10K a year less in London and there's 3 of us!

Not true. See above.

Not being rude, but I assume you receive extra income from the government?

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Reply 9

Profesh

As the owner of my non-London, Cotswold-situated apartment, I make do more than comfortably (i.e. bespoke furniture, £400 shoes) on quite substantially less than that; but then I'm also a fiscally scrupulous bachelor, who commutes by bicycle since 2011 and hasn't felt the urge to take an overseas vacation in almost as long, so of course your mileage may vary.

Granted, if I ever look to start a family I might relent and consider plying my somewhat under-valued skillset elsewhere; but it seems to me that if you're expecting anything resembling prudent advice on matters of personal finance from a community of 17-year-old baby hedge-fund managers to whom 'home' is a Wi-Fi equipped crèche in the W8 postal district, you may be angling for disappointment.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 10

Reue

Original post by Profesh

but it seems to me that if you're expecting anything resembling prudent advice on matters of personal finance from a community of 17-year-old baby hedge-fund managers to whom 'home' is a Wi-Fi equipped crèche in the W8 postal district, you may be angling for disappointment.

Bravo!

Reply 11

Reue

Original post by T-Raw

To split your post into two parts:

- Yes, 30K is more than reasonable outside of London. It will sustain yourself and parter with a reasonable standard of living.

- Why do you believe 30k to be the ceiling within your profession? I work in IT and earn more than that without having gone into management. Unless your intended career involves sitting on helpdesk for the next 40 years then it should be achievable to earn more than 30k in IT.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 12

Betelgeuse-

I wouldnt scratch my balls for anything less than 80k a year outside of London. 60k a year if in blackpool

Reply 13

T-Raw

Original post by Reue

Do you work in programming though? I find support roles pay much less.

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Reply 14

mhsc

I work in programming and started on 30k in a completely entry level/junior role, but that is working in London and commuting. So it is hard for me to imagine the upper cap you can hope for is £30k if you have say 10 years experience (obviously a while away). Don't forget you can migrate fields to better paid ones as you gain experience and find roles you think you could excel in. Remember one of the main ways to get big pay upgrades is to change companies, if you have been at the same place for a long time they may slowly increase your pay but if you have experience and another company is desperate to hire someone immediately they will often agree to any sort of reasonable-ish salary. I know many people that went seriously up the ££££ scale by changing jobs every year/two years max. IT jobs are in demand and companies will do anything to find experienced, talented people who can immediately have an impact.

But yes, 30k outside of London (especially in the north) is plenty IMHO. But if you're in IT, and you work hard, you should aim for more.

Reply 15

Platopus

Original post by T-Raw

Not being rude, but I assume you receive extra income from the government?

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My mum gets child benefits, but that's it.

Reply 16

cherryred90s

Original post by T-Raw

Not being rude, but I assume you receive extra income from the government?

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My family has survived on an income of less than £30k. We've never had extra income from the government. It's perfectly doable.

Reply 17

Reue

Original post by T-Raw

Do you work in programming though?

Nope, support.

Reply 18

Drex50

Original post by T-Raw

I earn a fair bit more than 30k, outside of London and find myself living like a king :biggrin:

Reply 19

Napp

It's above the national averege so yes. Albeit if you have family/depenants/expensive habits it will disapear like piss down a drain.

It'sodd i've seen fmilys who live on over a 100k a year live like paupers due to tax, debt etc. [peoples spending seems to disproportiontely go up with wage increases] and people living on 20k a year have far better quality of life.