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A question for people in the US

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  • C Offline
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    Christian Graus
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    I was depressed again in filling out the survey to note that my earnings ( $44k give or take ), equates to just over $20k US. $20K Australian is probably what a factory worker or office junior makes and is enough for a house in the outer suburbs, a used car and a holiday up the coast every couple of years. The question is, what does $20K US get you, in terms of lifestyle ? Is it proportionate to our relative dollars, or not ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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    • C Christian Graus

      I was depressed again in filling out the survey to note that my earnings ( $44k give or take ), equates to just over $20k US. $20K Australian is probably what a factory worker or office junior makes and is enough for a house in the outer suburbs, a used car and a holiday up the coast every couple of years. The question is, what does $20K US get you, in terms of lifestyle ? Is it proportionate to our relative dollars, or not ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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      Ric 0
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Well it depends what part of the US. In New England it would be about the same, but extremely hard to buy that house.

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      • C Christian Graus

        I was depressed again in filling out the survey to note that my earnings ( $44k give or take ), equates to just over $20k US. $20K Australian is probably what a factory worker or office junior makes and is enough for a house in the outer suburbs, a used car and a holiday up the coast every couple of years. The question is, what does $20K US get you, in terms of lifestyle ? Is it proportionate to our relative dollars, or not ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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        BlameUS
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        If you are single, $20k is not bad. But you probably have to live in apartment.

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        • C Christian Graus

          I was depressed again in filling out the survey to note that my earnings ( $44k give or take ), equates to just over $20k US. $20K Australian is probably what a factory worker or office junior makes and is enough for a house in the outer suburbs, a used car and a holiday up the coast every couple of years. The question is, what does $20K US get you, in terms of lifestyle ? Is it proportionate to our relative dollars, or not ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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          Michael Dunn
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          $20K/year in a big city would be po'. Way po'. My living expenses are about $2K a month, or $24K a year. That includes rent (I'm in a high-rent area of town), food, car, insurance, etc. Although now that I'm working again and get medical coverage through my company, that'll knock $300 off the monthly expenses. --Mike-- http://home.inreach.com/mdunn/ #include "buffy_sig"

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          • C Christian Graus

            I was depressed again in filling out the survey to note that my earnings ( $44k give or take ), equates to just over $20k US. $20K Australian is probably what a factory worker or office junior makes and is enough for a house in the outer suburbs, a used car and a holiday up the coast every couple of years. The question is, what does $20K US get you, in terms of lifestyle ? Is it proportionate to our relative dollars, or not ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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            Stan Shannon
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            I reckon 20K 'ed be right good red-neck wages. You could afford a trailer, though probly not a double wide, an old pickup, a bass buggy, a dog, an assault rifle and a couple of illigitimate kids, though you might have to dump one of the kids on grandma if you wanted to keep stocked up on beer and ammo for the rifle. You couldn't take a vacation up the coast, but you could have a dang good time get'n drunk down at the nearest farm pond and trying to shoot the heads off snap'n turtles when they come up for air. (That's how I plan on spending my retirement.)

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            • C Christian Graus

              I was depressed again in filling out the survey to note that my earnings ( $44k give or take ), equates to just over $20k US. $20K Australian is probably what a factory worker or office junior makes and is enough for a house in the outer suburbs, a used car and a holiday up the coast every couple of years. The question is, what does $20K US get you, in terms of lifestyle ? Is it proportionate to our relative dollars, or not ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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              John Uhlenbrock
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              I consider that on the low side. I have an internship for $14/hr, though I don't get benefits, have restricted hours, don't work all year, etc. Couple years at Wendy's and you can make $10/hr, thats 20k-ish. (no offense, thats just a comparison) However if you move here, I assume you will make more for what you do here, than you would in Australia. Tell us what you do, and we can tell you how easy those jobs are to get, and what that profession makes in different areas here. :rolleyes:

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              • J John Uhlenbrock

                I consider that on the low side. I have an internship for $14/hr, though I don't get benefits, have restricted hours, don't work all year, etc. Couple years at Wendy's and you can make $10/hr, thats 20k-ish. (no offense, thats just a comparison) However if you move here, I assume you will make more for what you do here, than you would in Australia. Tell us what you do, and we can tell you how easy those jobs are to get, and what that profession makes in different areas here. :rolleyes:

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                Christian Graus
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                I'm a C++ developer. I live in a backwater, so I get less here than I would for the same job on the mainland. Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                • S Stan Shannon

                  I reckon 20K 'ed be right good red-neck wages. You could afford a trailer, though probly not a double wide, an old pickup, a bass buggy, a dog, an assault rifle and a couple of illigitimate kids, though you might have to dump one of the kids on grandma if you wanted to keep stocked up on beer and ammo for the rifle. You couldn't take a vacation up the coast, but you could have a dang good time get'n drunk down at the nearest farm pond and trying to shoot the heads off snap'n turtles when they come up for air. (That's how I plan on spending my retirement.)

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                  Christian Graus
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Here's a question - does the US government pay women to raise a tribe of bastard children who never know which of their uncles is their father ? Because in Australia, there is a single mothers payment that increases per child. I'm sure some women rely on this payment for reasons beyond their control, but there are certainly also dero whores who breed for a living. Recently we had huge political uproar because a single woman wanted to have a child through IVF on the basis that she didn't want to have sex. She felt it was a violation of her rights that this was refused. What rights ? The right for my tax dollars to pay for her to be fertilized because she's a man hater ? The right for my tax dollars to pay to raise the child ? Or the right to have my house robbed by her mixed up kid in sixteen years, because it was a boy and she hated him too ? In a sense I am glad - I'd rather have my taxes pay welfare to worthless individuals than for the safety net to be so tight that people who deserve a hand are cut out. But it still makes you wonder, doesn't it ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                  • C Christian Graus

                    I'm a C++ developer. I live in a backwater, so I get less here than I would for the same job on the mainland. Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                    Jason De Arte
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    $20,000USD in Southern California? I don't think so... Maybe if you ride your bike to work & rented a room. ;) The jobs around here may pay a bit better, but the cost of living is _so_ much higher than even the rest of the country. A quick search came up with this interesting international salary calulator http://www.homefair.com/calc/intsalcalc.html?NETSCAPE\_LIVEWIRE.src=homefair

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                    • S Stan Shannon

                      I reckon 20K 'ed be right good red-neck wages. You could afford a trailer, though probly not a double wide, an old pickup, a bass buggy, a dog, an assault rifle and a couple of illigitimate kids, though you might have to dump one of the kids on grandma if you wanted to keep stocked up on beer and ammo for the rifle. You couldn't take a vacation up the coast, but you could have a dang good time get'n drunk down at the nearest farm pond and trying to shoot the heads off snap'n turtles when they come up for air. (That's how I plan on spending my retirement.)

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                      Alvaro Mendez
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      ROFL :-D That's very funny. You seem very familiar with that lifestyle; or perhaps you just have a great imagination. Thanx for the humor.

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                      • C Christian Graus

                        I'm a C++ developer. I live in a backwater, so I get less here than I would for the same job on the mainland. Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                        Alvaro Mendez
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        I'd say that a C++ developer with several years of experience should be making a minimum of $50K/year anywhere in the US. Anyone with experience making less than that needs to ask for a raise or switch jobs.

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                        • C Christian Graus

                          I was depressed again in filling out the survey to note that my earnings ( $44k give or take ), equates to just over $20k US. $20K Australian is probably what a factory worker or office junior makes and is enough for a house in the outer suburbs, a used car and a holiday up the coast every couple of years. The question is, what does $20K US get you, in terms of lifestyle ? Is it proportionate to our relative dollars, or not ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                          Dhandapani Ammasai
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          20k wouldn't go very far in Silicon Valley/Bay Area. For my modest apartment, I pay nearly 20k as rent per year. --------------- Dan Ammasai ---------------

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                          • C Christian Graus

                            I was depressed again in filling out the survey to note that my earnings ( $44k give or take ), equates to just over $20k US. $20K Australian is probably what a factory worker or office junior makes and is enough for a house in the outer suburbs, a used car and a holiday up the coast every couple of years. The question is, what does $20K US get you, in terms of lifestyle ? Is it proportionate to our relative dollars, or not ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                            Chris Losinger
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            sounds a little low for what you describe. maybe $35K will get you that small house, used car, small vacation. i'd be much more cofident saying $45K, though. -c ------------------------------ Smaller Animals Software, Inc. http://www.smalleranimals.com

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                            • C Christian Graus

                              Here's a question - does the US government pay women to raise a tribe of bastard children who never know which of their uncles is their father ? Because in Australia, there is a single mothers payment that increases per child. I'm sure some women rely on this payment for reasons beyond their control, but there are certainly also dero whores who breed for a living. Recently we had huge political uproar because a single woman wanted to have a child through IVF on the basis that she didn't want to have sex. She felt it was a violation of her rights that this was refused. What rights ? The right for my tax dollars to pay for her to be fertilized because she's a man hater ? The right for my tax dollars to pay to raise the child ? Or the right to have my house robbed by her mixed up kid in sixteen years, because it was a boy and she hated him too ? In a sense I am glad - I'd rather have my taxes pay welfare to worthless individuals than for the safety net to be so tight that people who deserve a hand are cut out. But it still makes you wonder, doesn't it ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                              Chris Losinger
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              yes, we have something similar. we call them "welfare mothers", as in Neil Young's song, "Welfare Mothers Make Better Lovers". -c ------------------------------ Smaller Animals Software, Inc. http://www.smalleranimals.com

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                              • C Christian Graus

                                Here's a question - does the US government pay women to raise a tribe of bastard children who never know which of their uncles is their father ? Because in Australia, there is a single mothers payment that increases per child. I'm sure some women rely on this payment for reasons beyond their control, but there are certainly also dero whores who breed for a living. Recently we had huge political uproar because a single woman wanted to have a child through IVF on the basis that she didn't want to have sex. She felt it was a violation of her rights that this was refused. What rights ? The right for my tax dollars to pay for her to be fertilized because she's a man hater ? The right for my tax dollars to pay to raise the child ? Or the right to have my house robbed by her mixed up kid in sixteen years, because it was a boy and she hated him too ? In a sense I am glad - I'd rather have my taxes pay welfare to worthless individuals than for the safety net to be so tight that people who deserve a hand are cut out. But it still makes you wonder, doesn't it ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                                Stan Shannon
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                Well, now, that's sort of the problem with safety nets, isn't it? Either you are laying on them or they are laying on you. Either way, you just end up getting all tangled up in them like a rabbit in a snare. The question is this, do you want to be safe or do you want to be free? You can't be both.

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                                • A Alvaro Mendez

                                  ROFL :-D That's very funny. You seem very familiar with that lifestyle; or perhaps you just have a great imagination. Thanx for the humor.

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                                  Stan Shannon
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Nope, believe me, imagination has nothing to do with it. Been there, done that.

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                                  • S Stan Shannon

                                    Nope, believe me, imagination has nothing to do with it. Been there, done that.

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                                    Stan Shannon
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    Except for the illigitimate kid part.

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                                    • C Christian Graus

                                      I was depressed again in filling out the survey to note that my earnings ( $44k give or take ), equates to just over $20k US. $20K Australian is probably what a factory worker or office junior makes and is enough for a house in the outer suburbs, a used car and a holiday up the coast every couple of years. The question is, what does $20K US get you, in terms of lifestyle ? Is it proportionate to our relative dollars, or not ? Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                                      Ravi Bhavnani
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      $20K/yr would be considered very low for a software engineer in the Boston/Cambridge area. I reckon the starting salary (BS in Computer Science, little experience) at a large company in this part of the world would be $50K+. The salary for a sharp junior engineer (same qualifications) at a start-up (early-stage, well-funded software shop) would be about $15K higher. But I'm stressing "sharp", since their requirements are more stringent. Decent 6 figure salaries are the norm for experienced start-up engineers, but the hours aren't fun and you don't have a life outside work. All said and done, I think it might be unfair to equate A$/US$. The cost of living greatly influences the bottom line. Today, you'd be hard pressed to find a 3 bedroom house for less than $400k in the suburbs closer to Boston. It might be different where you live. Also, a 3 week vacation is the norm where I work, yet most of my friends in Europe and Oz get 6 weeks or more a year. Interestingly, consumer electronics, cars and gasoline seem to be cheaper in the US than these places. /ravi "There is always one more bug..." http://www.ravib.com ravib@ravib.com

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                                      • S Stan Shannon

                                        Well, now, that's sort of the problem with safety nets, isn't it? Either you are laying on them or they are laying on you. Either way, you just end up getting all tangled up in them like a rabbit in a snare. The question is this, do you want to be safe or do you want to be free? You can't be both.

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                                        Christian Graus
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        I guess it depends who you ask. I'm happy to be free, but down the road in single mother heaven, I think they'd sing a different tune. I believe 40% of our taxes here are spent on welfare. I was reading yesterday that we spend a ton more on trying to stop welfare cheats than we save, and seen people suggest this means we should stop trying. Questions like how many more people would cheat if we didn't try to stop them ( I'd guess 99.99% of people would ) don't occur to such people. I sometimes wonder if it's our education system or if some people are just born plain stupid. Christian #include "std_disclaimer.h" People who love sausage and respect the law should never watch either one being made. The things that come to those who wait are usually the things left by those who got there first.

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                                        • A Alvaro Mendez

                                          I'd say that a C++ developer with several years of experience should be making a minimum of $50K/year anywhere in the US. Anyone with experience making less than that needs to ask for a raise or switch jobs.

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                                          Joseph Dempsey
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          hmmmmm.... I hope not that low... I managed to START at that... after a few years exp I hope to be making a little more per year..... just for comparison (as said before, no offense) I made about 23,000 waiting tables when i was 18 yrs old. Joseph Dempsey jdempsey@cox.rr.com Joseph.Dempsey@thermobio.com "Software Engineering is a race between the programmers, trying to make bigger and better fool-proof software, and the universe trying to make bigger fools. So far the Universe in winning." --anonymous

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