The Perfect Salary for Happiness: $75,000

[ALBballer]

http://blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2010/09/...-75000-a-year/

Location is obviously a factor but the number seems about right. At 75k you don't have to worry about monthly bills assuming your spending habits are not out of control and in most part of the country you can live a good middle-class life.

[DCL]

highly disagree.

too low.

maybe in a third world country.

[Akrazotile]

Depends laregly on what kinda work youre doing too.

[bluechox2]

75k in pocket change is nice, as a salary...cant even feed yo family

[DCL]

it's like hearing a kid say the perfect allowance for happiness is $100.

$100 may be more than enough for a little kid, but sooner or later, he or she is gonna realize, fk man, this ain't shit. can't even buy a playstation.

same thing with 75K salary. might be appealing to a young single person whose current salary is half of that. but as he gets older, have a family, have one or several kids, that 75K ain't shit. AND when he figures out retirement planning and the need to save a few to put into longterm planning, that 75K is easily depleted after taxes, basic expenses, child care, and all that shit.

[Patrick Chewing]

I make 60K

[DCL]

that's why u don't have kids

well, i guess it's also age-related too.

if you make 75K as an 18 year old, you are probably in cloud 9 heaven.

but yeah, once family and kids enter the equation, new things will quickly come drain your salary at a different level.

[Akrazotile]

it's like hearing a kid say the perfect allowance for happiness is $100.

$100 may be more than enough for a little kid, but sooner or later, he or she is gonna realize, fk man, this ain't shit. can't even buy a playstation.

same thing with 75K salary. might be appealing to a young single person whose current salary is half of that. but as he gets older, have a family, have one or several kids, that 75K ain't shit. AND when he figures out retirement planning and the need to save a few to put into longterm planning, that 75K is easily depleted after taxes, basic expenses, child care, and all that shit.

Yeah but these days most people who make 75k are probably gonna marry someone who's making a decent income as well.

[sundizz]

Simple math:

SF 1 bedroom apartment: $2,700
Utilities/parking: $300
Car insurance: $150
Car payment: $300
Gas: $175
Student loan payment: $200
Meals: $400
Gym membership: $50

$4,275 of monthly bill. This doesn't even take into account any entertainment spending, and any other random bills (like a hospital visit/vaca, car maintenance).

Let's say $5,000 to cover base + any minor unexpected stuff. You would need to make $60k after taxes just to have a very low middle class life. It really makes living with others/getting married/having a 2nd owner worth it tenfold in a big city. That tax benefit you get from marrying a broad is literally money.

[Shade8780]

You're telling me you'd rather make $75k a year than $100m a year?

[knickballer]

If you can't like on 75k/yr then you need to re-evaluate your spending habits..

[DCL]

If you can't like on 75k/yr then you need to re-evaluate your spending habits..

of course, you can live and survive on that amount, and even less than that figure, but i wouldn't call it "perfect salary for happiness."

check out sundizz's breakdown. that's just very basic stuff without even factoring any fun.

fun = happy, and fun costs money.

[bigkingsfan]

Living with parents = endless happiness

[Patrick Chewing]

Simple math:

SF 1 bedroom apartment: $2,700

Uhhh that's the problem right there. Move to the suburbs.

[GimmeThat]

I'm pretty sure the term you are looking for

is "ball of dough"