£22000 puts you into the top 1% income earners - do you need any more?

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Well, I guess we all live our lives differently. Having 20 quid a month to spend on clothes from a charity shop isn't my idea of fun. Nor is 2 weeks in a tent in the middle of nowhere. But again, it's horses for courses.

I like it. I love finding old clothes with a story behind them. I love looking like myself, not like I bought everything from the same place as everyone else.

I find camping peaceful. I go to a beautiful place. I love the smell of the sea and the sound of rain on my tent. I love walking around and watching the wildlife. I love going to antiquarian bookshops and just looking at all of the wonderful stories surrounding me.

A crowded beach, tourist tat and a load of alcohol fueled parties is my idea of hell on Earth.

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Reply 61

Maid Marian

Original post by Reue

It gets considerably harder once you have rent, a car, family etc.

£22k is indeed a decent salary, but not a life of luxury.

I won't have a family and a car is very unlikely.

Original post by Jeena_hunt5476

Not ridiculous. So much money will go after electricity bills and water bills etc, food will cost quite a bit every month, clothes (lets say you buy something every 4 months) will take away some of that, gifts etc during christmas, nights out etc and after tax it would be a bit less. One cannot live comfortably earning 22K there's a reason why this salary is below average.

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I don't eat much food, I don't buy many/any gifts, I don't go on nights out.

Original post by Friar Chris

Wait until you pay taxes, bills, insurance, debts... 22k will find you living very uncomfortably.

People get by on minimum wage; I'm sure I'll be ok.

Reply 62

dozyrosie

Bus drivers earn 22K a year, given overtime etc. Maybe good for pond life no good for sharks. No disrespect to those studying bus driving.

Reply 63

Reue

Original post by littlenorthernlass

I won't have a family and a car is very unlikely.

I'd bet money on neither of those being true.

Reply 64

joey11223

People clearly have very different life goals, some are happy with much less than others. I'd say I'm pretty frugal and my hobbies are inexpensive...and I get to reduce the fruit/veg bill lol.

Personally living the midlands, I'd be okay on £22k IF I had no other responsibilities, as in as a single guy. If I had a family it would depend on the joint income, I'd be happy on £22k but only if my partner's income got the combined above £35k, and then it would depend on how many kids you're wanting, you'd want more if you wanted a large family of course.

Reply 65

dozyrosie

The thing that we can say about this thread is people make do with what they have. so someone living in Africa on 30p a day may feel blessed. It is too relative. Expectation is the key word, what do we expect from the world. There should at least be a balance between our hedonism and our conscience.

Reply 66

username738914

Original post by dozyrosie

Bus drivers earn 22K a year, given overtime etc. Maybe good for pond life no good for sharks. No disrespect to those studying bus driving.

Daaaamn, they earn £30-35k here.

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Reply 67

dozyrosie

Original post by Princepieman

Daaaamn, they earn £30-35k here.

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London I presume, or is it the Gorbals? I got my stats from the bus company advert £353 a week plus overtime.

Reply 68

Катя

Original post by Bill_Gates

£22000 puts you into the top 1% income earners - do you need any more?

Lets say you own a house outright and own a car.

Realistically do you need to earn more to be happy? (i.e even if you had a high paid job you could give the rest to charity for example).

What bull****, the average income in this country is ~25k for starters.

Wealth is also important - lots of people are sitting on a ton of cash from property.

"1% level" is more like £500,000+ wealth (in property) and ~£80k salary, minimum.

Reply 69

CherryCherryBoomBoom

My boyfriend is 26, earns 17K and probably will not earn much more due to not having ambition for any particular high-paying job, and he's pretty content with it. He lives at home at the moment and is able to save loads for a mortgage, which he is hoping to get with me (I have trust fund money that I'll use for my half). I'm just a student at the moment and I work part time, and I have no idea what career I'll end up in or what I'll earn, but hopefully it'll pay decently enough to combine with my future husband's salary and live comfortably.

Reply 70

username738914

Original post by dozyrosie

London I presume, or is it the Gorbals? I got my stats from the bus company advert £353 a week plus overtime.

Aberdeen and yeah, I got mine from the adverts as well.

Reply 71

Katty3

Original post by Катя

Op was referring to the global 1%.

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Reply 72

dozyrosie

Original post by Princepieman

Aberdeen and yeah, I got mine from the adverts as well.

Oil money? An influx of Birmingham bus driver refugees are heading your way. Mind you I visited Edinburgh a few years ago, visiting family and the fares were astronomical.

Reply 73

moggis

Original post by Coollad1999

Because I want more than just a car and a house. I want a million pound house (in London that's just an average size house) and a Benz. I want my kids to go to a really good school and live in a good area. I want to be able to buy whatever I see at a supermarket. I want to be able to go travel the world, going to different cities every year with my family. I want to be able to support my parents who have worked so hard at £22000 and yet have little to no savings for their pension.

So yeah, £22000 won't be enough; that's less than what most lse/ucl/Oxbridge/imperial graduates make in their first year.

The good news is that £22,000 a year is enough to buy 'whatever you see' in a supermarket.

As long as you're not a wine snob.

On a serious note though ,have you spent even 5 minutes wondering why it is that you want all those things?

Do you not see any of that as a problem?

Have you wondered how you will cope should you succumb to illness or accident and have to survive on benefits?

The problem with all your wants is that were you to satisfy them you would likely still want more.

Reply 74

a noble chance

Original post by Bill_Gates

Why should income be determined by what one needs?

Reply 75

moggis

Original post by Katty3

Just wanted to say good for you.

I have been poor most of my life and I never regretted it. I lived for the moment and have always felt sorry for those who chase money.

Sadly I'm a millionaire now but I still remember the good old days with fondness.

Reply 76

moggis

Original post by a noble chance

Why should income be determined by what one needs?

Because once most people start earning more than they need to be happy they tend to start buying things they don't need.

While this is a good thing for the economy it's not necessarily the best thing for ones happiness.

Because owning things usually leads one to want to own more things.

And owning things really doesn't tend to increase ones happiness very much.

Reply 77

Howard

Original post by littlenorthernlass

I won't have a family and a car is very unlikely.

I don't eat much food, I don't buy many/any gifts, I don't go on nights out.

People get by on minimum wage; I'm sure I'll be ok.

No car. No family. No nights out.

You're really shooting for the stars aren't you?

Reply 78

Fullofsurprises

Original post by PetitBourgeois

You need to earn around £75K (maybe slightly more) to be in the 1% (which would be great - I'd be content with earning £50K tbh).

Maybe he's referring to the Global 1% though I am not sure what the figure for that is.