NationStates Jolt Archive

Sinhue's "Debt" thread and Eutrusca's "Top Earner" thread got me wondering...

What is the SES of the average NSer? (Poll coming)

Now I know that many here are under Majority and live at home, but there the question applies to the family.

I've seen several here claim high 5 to early 6 figure incomes, but not many on the low side. (Eutrusca and I seem to hold that "honor"...)

Since the world (fairly or unfairly) pins currency to the US-petrodollar, please use THIS SITE (http://exchangerate.com/) to convert your currency to USD so we will can compare apples to apples.

So, how affluent are we here? Please don't skew the poll with bogosity. You don't need to post numbers (unless you want to), just vote.

Thanks

Between me and my husband, we now pull in $140,000 a year. That's about $113,000 US$. (he makes double what I do, by the way, and I still have that fucking debt from University...he never went)

Only my husband works, which makes a big difference. BIG difference. :rolleyes:

What's interesting is that in a World Poll we're in the top 1%.

Your conversion site assumes that the third world does not exist.

How are we supposed to know how affluent we are just by knowing our annual income in dollars. We also need to adjust for the cost of living index for where we live. Affluence is not monetary wealth, it is material wealth.

Our family income is in temrs of US$50,000 per year, but this makes us very comfortable indeed here. A good three bedroomed house, in a nice neighbourhood costs about US$50,000 so we earn a house a year.

Your conversion site assumes that the third world does not exist.

How are we supposed to know how affluent we are just by knowing our annual income in dollars. We also need to adjust for the cost of living index for where we live. Affluence is not monetary wealth, it is material wealth.

Our family income is in temrs of US$50,000 per year, but this makes us very comfortable indeed here. A good three bedroomed house, in a nice neighbourhood costs about US$50,000 so we earn a house a year.
Good point, but it could get complicated. For example, in my part of the UK, my wife and I earn about half a house a year. However, up north, we would be earning closer to a house or a house and a quarter.

Also, you have to adjust for the relative utility of the houses. How do Brazilian houses compare with UK houses? I'm guessing they offer less in terms of shelter from cold and rain.

I prefer the beer index.

Between my husband and I together, we make more than your poll allows. We are both consultants (Internet Technologies)

Between my husband and I together, we make more than your poll allows. We are both consultants (Internet Technologies)
The poll "allows" everything over $200K in the 200K+ bracket.

So far this year, I've made exactly 0. Hooray for scholarships!

I might start working a bit next year (edit: meaning next school year, starting mid-August), though, just to manage the extra expenses of having a car.

Your conversion site assumes that the third world does not exist.

How are we supposed to know how affluent we are just by knowing our annual income in dollars. We also need to adjust for the cost of living index for where we live. Affluence is not monetary wealth, it is material wealth.

Our family income is in temrs of US$50,000 per year, but this makes us very comfortable indeed here. A good three bedroomed house, in a nice neighbourhood costs about US$50,000 so we earn a house a year.
Well, depending on the neighborhood (and using only "nice" neighborhoods), and using a 2 bedroom house as a "standard", in the town I live in I make anywhere between 1/4 and 1/20 a house a year. So, 3rd world notwithstanding, the "house/yr" standard doesn't really work either.

As White Hats reminded me, we had established a month or two a go, a beer standard. i.e earnings calculated in terms of bottles of beer as this seems to be available in most parts of the world and a good indicator of living costs.

So we earn about 130,000 bottles a year.

The poll "allows" everything over $200K in the 200K+ bracket.

Yeah, I noted, that's why that's the one I clicked.. :p

I'm in the under 15k bracket but I don't have alot of expenses.

As White Hats reminded me, we had established a month or two a go, a beer standard. i.e earnings calculated in terms of bottles of beer as this seems to be available in most parts of the world and a good indicator of living costs. So we earn about 130,000 bottles a year.
Ok, but what is your standard beer for your beer standard? :p

There's Yellow Piss Water and there's Trippel Bock. Big difference. (about 15,700 bottles/yr difference in my case...) :D

So far this year, I've made exactly 0. Hooray for scholarships!IMO, scolarships cout as income. Ditto if you are still getting funds from Home. There is an amount of money you are using per year - regardless of source. That's what I'm looking at/for.

Between my husband and I together, we make more than your poll allows. We are both consultants (Internet Technologies)
You don't happen to have a daughter by any chance? ;)

anyway, I'm a student...so my personal income is around 3 or 4000 I make lifeguarding over the summer.

I calculate my net in $US at 16,029.68.

You don't happen to have a daughter by any chance? ;)

Yes, actually I do.. and when she starts kindergarden, I'll let you know.. lmao!

Mine is currently about $61k USD.

You don't happen to have a daughter by any chance? ;)

anyway, I'm a student...so my personal income is around 3 or 4000 I make lifeguarding over the summer.Your real income is higher than that... Scholarships & Grants/stipends for University are income. If you didn't have it, you couldn't be living as you do, so therefore it is income.

As White Hats reminded me, we had established a month or two a go, a beer standard. i.e earnings calculated in terms of bottles of beer as this seems to be available in most parts of the world and a good indicator of living costs.

So we earn about 130,000 bottles a year.

But what is the cost of a bottle of beer? Here a 12 pack of bottles is $9.99 USD. And thats on Fosters, on sale. Cheap beer is a 18 pack for $14.99 on sale, reg $16.99 USD. Bottles though, not cans.

Your conversion site assumes that the third world does not exist.

How are we supposed to know how affluent we are just by knowing our annual income in dollars. We also need to adjust for the cost of living index for where we live. Affluence is not monetary wealth, it is material wealth.

Our family income is in temrs of US$50,000 per year, but this makes us very comfortable indeed here. A good three bedroomed house, in a nice neighbourhood costs about US$50,000 so we earn a house a year.

Also property ownership matters. If you're broke but living on a bundle of farmland you're better off than being broke in the ghetto.

Whatever I finds, I keeps.

But what is the cost of a bottle of beer? Here a 12 pack of bottles is $9.99 USD. And thats on Fosters, on sale. Cheap beer is a 18 pack for $14.99 on sale, reg $16.99 USD. Bottles though, not cans.

The point being that a bottle of beer is a far more equivalent unit of value than any currency measure. It does not matter what a bottlew of beer costs, you can judge comparative wealth/affluence by comparing how many bottles of beer you could buy. Beer has pretty much the same utility and the same level of demand the world over. The factors affecting its local price are generaly constant from one place to another (I know there are exceptions such as Iceland where taxation distorts the price dramatically). What is US$1 worth where you live. Well that depends on how many beers it will buy. Not the other way around.

Also property ownership matters. If you're broke but living on a bundle of farmland you're better off than being broke in the ghetto.

I was not discussing the value of land ownership. I was looking for a way of comparing real value across different economies. White Hats reminded me of the beer standard, so I will stick with that and forget property.

Ok, but what is your standard beer for your beer standard? :p

There's Yellow Piss Water and there's Trippel Bock. Big difference. (about 15,700 bottles/yr difference in my case...) :D

The bog standard local beer that comes in bottles. A lot will depend on whewre you are as to whether it is yellow piss water (USA) or decent beer (Czech republic), but it is as good a universal value standard as we have been able to discover. There were suggestions of McDonalds or Mars bars, but these were too cultural and limited. Beer is available everywhere except strict Islamic states.

I'm under 21 (the legal drinking age in the U.S.)
Therefore I cannot buy any beer.
Therefore I have an annual income of 0$. :D

well between the wife and I we make over 200k. It is something different though. We own alot of property so our net worth goes up every year. Not actual cash per week or month per se. I own parts of a couple companies which gets me some income. Also my own business brings in a varied amount each month. It is difficult to track how much we actually make on average. I actually measure our net worth. It goes up well some years and sometimes it is flat.

Well, I make about A$200 a week. That's all. Working part time as a waiter in a little restaurant and take-away place.
It's embarrassing, but it pays my car...

The bog standard local beer that comes in bottles. A lot will depend on whewre you are as to whether it is yellow piss water (USA) or decent beer (Czech republic), but it is as good a universal value standard as we have been able to discover. There were suggestions of McDonalds or Mars bars, but these were too cultural and limited. Beer is available everywhere except strict Islamic states.
I guess the "bog standard" would have to be a Coors or Bud or Miller long neck... I really wouldn't know though because I would buy skunk-scented bile first. :eek:

Well, I make about A$200 a week. That's all. Working part time as a waiter in a little restaurant and take-away place.
It's embarrassing, but it pays my car... Tips included?
Hey that's OK. I'm a desk-bound "professional" with an 8% loan on a $36KUSD college degree and only walk away with $324.24/wk.... :(

(after 3 years of temping while looking for someone who would hire a 31y/o "newbie-grad" (over a 21y/o one) I finally gave up and went to work for my father in a field I have no desire (or training) to be in.

It sucks to be me. :(

Well, I make about A$200 a week. That's all. Working part time as a waiter in a little restaurant and take-away place.
It's embarrassing, but it pays my car...

Everyone starts at the bottom. Dont feel bad. My first paycheck for a weeks work was $75. That too was to pay for my car. Welcome to life :p

I stopped a moving fan with my finger to win a bet to buy gas money..

Anyone? Any bets you want to see me do? Please, I will eat anything!

Tips included?
Hmm, in this type of restaurant people don't tip much (and in Oz it doesn't seem to be as common as in the US anyway).
And we're being commies here as well. If anyone gets tipped, we put the money in a common box, and then split it equally.
We do that because without each other, none of us could provide any good service.

Yes, actually I do.. and when she starts kindergarden, I'll let you know.. lmao!
haha...a bit young...I think it is supposed to be the older one who is the "sugardaddy/momma". *sigh*...I'll just have to find a different way to get money.

Your real income is higher than that... Scholarships & Grants/stipends for University are income. If you didn't have it, you couldn't be living as you do, so therefore it is income.

Unfortunatly, I have no scholarships. I don't get why one of the most expensive universities is so tightassed when it comes to scholarships, but hey, thats life. Grants, none. Partially subsidized loans, $1,268 a year. Which I will be paying back.

I'm 19, so my technical family is just me. My parents are kind enough and giving enough to pay for nearly all of my college and continue to support me, but that is not income...just a very large and extended gift.

If you want to include my family, I forget exact numbers, but I would say within the top 2 or 3 brackets. Dad is an internal medicine doctor in CT, so good pay. Mom is a school/visiting nurse (try faking sick with that combo)

So I guess it depends if you include my parents as my family now, considering they legally are not, and if you choose to include their generous donation to the "keep me fed, clothed, sheltered, and educated" fund

Tips included?
Hey that's OK. I'm a desk-bound "professional" with an 8% loan on a $36KUSD college degree and only walk away with $324.24/wk.... :(

(after 3 years of temping while looking for someone who would hire a 31y/o "newbie-grad" (over a 21y/o one) I finally gave up and went to work for my father in a field I have no desire (or training) to be in.

It sucks to be me. :(
I might be you....except no workin' for my dad...

I might be you....except no workin' for my dad...
Well, if you've been married for 11 years to someone with Bi-Polar I (disabled/heavy medication required), then you might be my clone...

If we're all rich enough to have a computer and Internet access, we're all part of the 20% of the world's population that owns 80% of the world's wealth - so I think we're pretty affluent...

I live with my father still, and while he earns enough to be middle class, the location makes us seem lower middle class because rent and food is so much, leaving very little for other items (excluding personal investments).

Small price to pay to live near the police station in a neihgbourhood known for it's very low crime rate.

Sinhue's "Debt" thread and Eutrusca's "Top Earner" thread got me wondering...

What is the SES of the average NSer? (Poll coming)

Now I know that many here are under Majority and live at home, but there the question applies to the family.

I've seen several here claim high 5 to early 6 figure incomes, but not many on the low side. (Eutrusca and I seem to hold that "honor"...)

Since the world (fairly or unfairly) pins currency to the US-petrodollar, please use THIS SITE (http://exchangerate.com/) to convert your currency to USD so we will can compare apples to apples.

So, how affluent are we here? Please don't skew the poll with bogosity. You don't need to post numbers (unless you want to), just vote.

Thanks
I'm making somewhere between $20k and $25K, though that might go up significantly if I score a predoctoral grant this fall. Funny thing is, I feel rich rich rich! I have pretty much everything I've ever wanted, and can even afford to start putting money into savings. I think I could be perfectly happy if I never made more than like $50K...adjusting for inflation and tax changes, of course.

However, ubercongrats to my mom, who made over 6 figures for the second consecutive year! We were low-income throughout most of my childhood, but Mom is just so damn talented that it was only a matter of time before fame and fortune starting falling into her lap.

<snip> I think I could be perfectly happy if I never made more than like $50K...adjusting for inflation and tax changes, of course.
<snip>
Yah. It's all about attitude. If you don't "need" the consumer crap pushed at you every day you dont need as much money to have a decent life. That's why my lifestyle looks more monied than it is... I don't spend anything on non-essentials, but what I do buy is Quality (even my 153,000mi car still looks good...)

IMO, if I could just make my age in $K (with annual increases) I would be estatic. (hell, that would be an $18K raise!) That would put me soundly in the "lower middle class" financially and I might actually be able to pay off my student loan debt and persue a hobby or two - like restoring my '68 Beetle or golfing more than once a year.