How much $$$ do you make?

[boscobel]

Interesting topic. I am jealous of so many of you high-earners. I am an accountant at a University and I made a little over $50k, and that's with no degree. I think I do pretty well for myself in an area that usually requires a degree. I take night courses, but it will take years to complete a BA, so I really wish I had buckled down when I was in college and completed it.

[scporcelli]

Im a Retail Manager for a Children's clothing store and I make $45,000.00 a yr plus bonuses....Ive been with the current company since Sept of 2008, before that I also worked retail from the age of 16. I love my JOB, all though I do drive over 40 miles one way at least 5 to 6 day's a week....

[MoonPalacePookie]

I'm an economic analyst for a consulting company. I make about $67k plus bonuses. I love my job and am surprisingly good at it considering my undergraduate degree is in marketing and all through college I thought I hated numbers, go figure.

[caroline]

I'm also a Police Officer and like Lucy106, believe we're so underpaid. I got into this line of work with the best of intentions and there was a time that I loved my job. Now? It's a paycheck... and I'll be doing something else at the first opportunity! My 'warm & fuzzy' got up and left a long time ago!

[SunBride]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morgan I make $25,000 (starting in july $26,000), as a graduate student in a science program....$25,000 doesn't sound like a lot, but we live very good. Mike has a real job, but we keep everything seperate for now (changing next month). I pay half the rent, etc. I'm able to max out my IRA each year, save for a down payment on a house once we settle somewhere & still live very good. I'm very to see I can live so well on this ammount. I've had a full salary before, but it was before grad school so i was stashing away 1/2. I don't know what it feels like to live off a full salary. I'm still in budget concious, college mode.

Morgan, you reminded me so much of myself! I finished University 2 years ago (masters in economics). I had generous scholarships at the time, plus was working during the summers during my bachelor degree, and working as a teaching assistance / research assistant during my masters. So throughout those 5 years of school my income was probably about 20 000$ per year, with 5000$ of that going towards tuition and the rest for living expenses and spending money. I thought it was definitely enough! I even had enough to go on an all-inclusive vacation every year! Overall I'm pretty thrifty though - I'm careful with my money, although I do spent a lot (love to shop!) but save where I can. Even though my boyfriend (now husband) was working those last few years making approx 50K I still paid half the appartment rent and half of everything else. The money he had more than me he was using to pay for his car and saving towards RRSPs (registered retirement savings funds in canada).

Since I was doing so well while in school, I couldn't imagine how it would be once I was working and making over twice that much money! I started my first year at 48 000$. My spending habits have definitely increased (although I still penny pinch with a lot of small stuff, like stocking up on whatever groceries are on sale, I spent a lot more on medium priced items) but nowhere near doubled. Most of the extra money goes towards paying our mortgage. I went from paying 400$ a month rent to paying 1500$ a month towards our mortgage (my "half" if you will, although in reality all our money is put together) plus a few hundred a month is other house related expenses I didn't have with the appartment (i.e. property taxes). So that's where about 13 000$ (annually) of the extra money I make now (compared to being a student) goes. Most of the rest goes to taxes (hardly had to pay any before because of student tax credits). I probably only spend at most 5000$ a year more than I did as a student on normal stuff, so my quality of life hasn't changed enormously (except for being in a beautiful house rather than an appartment!) It's so nice to think that at this rate (we are very aggresively paying down our mortgage with double payments) we will have our first house paid off in under 10 years!!! Of course we could have gone for a better house, but to me a 4 bedroom practically new townhouse was more than enough for a young couple with no kids.

Anyways, sorry to have gotten sidetracked a little there....

I have a masters degree in economics, and I work for the federal government as an economist / policy analyst. When I entered the workforce 2 years ago I was making 48000$ (ES2, for any other cdn gov't employees out there) and after one year got an automatic raise to 55 000$ (ES3) and in a few months (shortly after the two year mark) I should hopefully get another raise to 66 000$ (ES4)!!! Although the starting salary wasn't overly fabulous for a masters in economics (although definitely fair I think) I find the raises in the first few years pretty generous. Most people who do the same work as me will top off around 90 000$, unless you go into management in which case you could make a bit more (not that much more, our senior managers could may way more money in the private sector).

[Davematthews16]

I work at RE/MAX setting showings, entering new listings, and cutting agents HUGE checks. I make around $30,000 a year and have full medical/vacation bennefits which is HUGE! I have a lot of down time at work, and can't complain!!!!!

[Jackie]

I am an associate probation officer, who is overqualified for the job and way under paid! But it is a foot in the door and if I can get a better position with in the next year or two I will be right where I want to be.

So the answer to the question is NOT ENOUGH DAMNIT!

I have to bartend on the weekends just to make sure the student loan bills get paid, not good not good at all, lol.

[SunBride]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pisces I'm a teacher in my first year substitute teaching and this year I have made about 37K. Teacher salaries are higher in Canada though it seems. Starting full-time teachers with one degree are 40k, teachers with 10 years are 65k, and it's up to 80k for those with masters & 15 years. I hope to get my masters in 10 years or so when I my kids are in school full-time (my non-existent kids- haha)

just also wanted to comment that teachers' salaries aren't really that high everywhere, it really depends on the province. My in laws were teaching in N.B. and even with 25 years of teaching they were only making a little over 50 000$ (with a regular teaching degree, no masters).) which I don't think is a lot considering they had a university degree and 25 years experience! I'm making more than that now with just 2 years work (sure, I have a masters though, but even if I didn't I'd be making that much, if not now than in a year or two) so I can't imagine that being my top salary!

[AmandaR]

I work in Human Resources as a Recruiter and make $40k. I have a BA in Communications and "fell" into HR 3 years ago working an entry-level job at a staffing company that paid just $25K. I was driven and worked my way up into a Management role, and then ultimately left the company for less micro-management and more $$$. Together DH and I bring home about $70K and we live comfortably on that. We know what we can and cannot afford. We have student loans and drive used cars, and refuse to put anything on the credit card that can't be paid for by the time the bill arrives.

[tvt]

I am currently working a job I love, with a paycheck I hate. I make 36000/year and about 5,000 in comission, and work anywhere from 50-80 hours a week. I love my job, but I took a serious pay cut when I moved to AZ from MN. We're talking a 20k pay cut, so it's been an adjustment for me to live on less. However, at my current job I have serious potential for making good money if/when I get a promotion. Probably tripple what I make now. So I'm sticking around for the light at the end of the tunnel!

 

However I will say, at my last job I make good money, but HATED my job. And from that I've learned that I'd take a job that I loved with bad pay, over a horrid job with good pay any day of the week. I was misrable at my last job, and now I enjoy going to work.