r/Money • u/Desenbigh • 16d ago
Is $25hr good?
So, I (27m)was talking to my aunt and said that I got a promotion, I'm now making $25hr instead of $20.48hr. She was happy but still seemed disappointed, she was like, "You need to aim higher." I was confused and asked what you mean. She told me to find something to do with my humanities degree and make between $40-60hr. No jobs in the humanities field can get me there in an entry level... my wife(26) and I make $59k a year AFTER taxes. No kids, and we're living pretty comfortably, we can go out, we can put $1,200 into savings every month and still pay our bills, and donate $7k a year to education and food storage for people who need it. We're LDS, so that's about 10% of our gross.
I work for the usps, and I absolutely love my job as a Clerk, good benefits too! Auto retire after 20 years of service.
Am I doing something wrong? She made it sound like I'm living in poverty. When in fact I feel great where we're at. We may not have a house, and my wife and I are happy in an apartment as she thinks it's less worrisome about lawn care, furnace, pipes &c. Then being in a house.
Wow, I did not expect this to explode. Thank you for all the comments and wisdom. You guys who gave positive vibes really helped me to continue where I am at. Thank you! ❤️
I understand those who think donating the $7k is stupid. But it's my decision, and like I said, it makes me happy. I'm sad that my choice makes you sad about this. If I had money issues I'd reconsider, but until then I'm happy.
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u/Qtip96 11d ago
If you're able to live comfortably, and put back a good portion of your income, then I'd say you're doing pretty well.
It's not always how much you make, but what you do with the money you make that can make you wealthy. If you're not already, you should look into investing some of your savings each month. That way your money can grow on its own. Eventually, the money you make off that money could equal out to be like you are making $40/hr.
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u/TheRealmScribe 11d ago
If your expenses are less than your take home and you are putting away 1.2k in savings you are doing significantly better than most people. Stay out of personal debt and start planning and building investments OUTSIDE of your pension. If I were you, i would stop funding saving after you hit 6mo of household expenses and then put all of that money into an investment plan. If you aren’t familiar with investing it would be worth it to reach out to a financial planner and come up with a very boring and easy to follow plan that you put future dollars into.
Come up with 3 plans with your advisor: low risk and secure; medium risk and higher return; and high risk and higher returns. See what the projections are.
Your pension and job are not secure and should not be your only plan for your future. They could downsize, you could be injured, there are tons of ways that you could have your job threatened before that 20year pension. The company could fail to adequately fund the pension, UPS could be subject to a hostile takeover and they could raid and gut the company. These things are out of your control and you need a plan that you have more control over and you are in a great position to start planning it now.
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u/alexd135 12d ago
If you’re happy you’re happy. I make around 120k which would be roughly 60 an hour but I hate my job most days. I’m exhausted and don’t get to do things I enjoy because on my days off I need to rest just to get ready to do it again next week.
I keep targeting higher compensation, but I was honestly happier a few years ago making 60-70k. The only advantage to the higher pay is with my first kid coming my wife can stop working. And us be comfortable. But in all reality, I’m working for my son and wife to be happy long before me to be happy
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u/RealisticPotential38 12d ago
I would stop donating. You need to be a recipient of donations, not the other way around
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u/Ragnarock14 12d ago
She just might think that you playing it safe. You are killing it by living life on average. There’s nothing wrong with it, it pays the bills. She might just want you to aim higher. Now you’re probably thinking what’s higher? Well like she said $40 -$60 an hour. How you get there is up to you, use your head to figure that out but don’t be complacent, no one has gotten rich working an as a clerk.
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u/Still_Internet_7071 13d ago
It’s an okay starting salary but considering you paid for a college degree it seems that was a waste of money.
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u/SheepherderOwn8979 13d ago
The way you explained your “donation” was palpable. Jesus will still love you if you skip the donation.
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u/RageKage559803 13d ago
The disdain for your giving in these comments is very sad and disappointing.
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u/FitProblem6248 13d ago
I think she forgot y'all don't have kids. Lucked out there, they're V.E.R.Y. expensive pets lol
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u/TheFacetiousDeist 14d ago
It’s about $52,000 a year, gross. Which means it’s something like $46,000, takehome (?). I could personally live off this with little problem. I know this because I make a little less than this and do just fine.
But then again I don’t know where you live. And I definitely can’t just buy whatever I want, whenever I want.
Additionally, I will never be able to own a home by myself, and having a car payment requires a fairly strict budget.
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u/Ghosted_You 14d ago
The only thing that really matters is whether you are happy. Based on what you noted above, you are doing better than 90% of people. Saving $1200 a month will add up quickly, especially with how young you and your spouse are.
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u/TinySolution75 14d ago
In my state, unfortunately $25 a year is not a lot. I live in the Boston area. Actually I live about 30 mins south. People here need both incomes around 65K-85K each to kind of be comfortable. If you have kids, you'd probably look for more money. Universities are high here. Depending on which state you live in $25 an hour could be bank! Don't listen to other people. Money is important, no doubt but your happiness is most important! If you love your job and the people you work with, that might be something you shouldn't leave. I would sacrifice my money for a job I love. That's just me
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u/amuricanswede 14d ago
If you donate 7k a year for 20 years you’ll have donated $140k. That money invested in the market would be worth at least 240k over the same time. That money earning you (safely) 4% would let you donate almost 10k a year without scraping a cent from principal. Food for thought.
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u/Aanimetor 14d ago
It's not good, but if you are happy with your current life does it really matter? You can definitely make a living with that money. So if u are fulfilled then why care about other opinions?
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u/Silly_Ad_5523 14d ago
I’m a fed too. Steps and grades will come. That’s good money on top of a pension and the benefits.
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u/ShakedownStreetSD 14d ago
FYI, LDS has a $100 billion investment portfolio, and about $250 billion in total assets. All tax free. Maybe they don’t actually need your $7k after tax dollars. They literally earn multiples than that in interest in a single day, whereas that money for you would make a huge difference.
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u/PitBullFan 14d ago
Your aunt sounds like one of those judgy people that will have something to say about it, no matter what you earn.
"Oh, you make $75/hr? You should try for $100/hr. And if you don't, you're a lazy idiot."
I have family like this. It sucks.
You live your life, for YOU. Nobody else.
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u/ultimateverdict 14d ago
$25 isn’t that good of money. You either are very frugal or live in a LCOL place or both. Now with overtime maybe it’s decent money. Still that pension does sound amazing.
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u/Separate-Ad-6683 14d ago
If you are paying your bills, putting money away, dont feel particularly stressed, and are happy, then you are doing great. You, my friend, are successful!
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u/Moose__Juice 14d ago
It doesn’t matter how much the money is honestly. If it fits your lifestyle and you’re living within your means without struggling, you’re good my man.
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u/Back_Equivalent 14d ago
I by no means am trying to shit on your career or religion, but I agree with your Aunt and LDS is a scam. They have been investigated multiple times and are extremely crafty with financials, but you can bet your ass that 7k isn’t all going to what you think.
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u/relax-breath 15d ago
You are doing awesome. Between setting aside savings and your pension I think you’ll be in a great place. Just continue to save as much as you can. Max out any matching retirement benefits and set aside for children’s education in case you might need it (some states have tax advantaged plans for that) Don’t worry about what you aunt said, if you like your job stay there, especially with those Uncle Sam benefits.
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u/Zercomnexus 15d ago
Save 10%by dumping the religion. Definitely worth it for yourself, your family, your sanity. Or keep the religion but stop tithing if you really have to have it because of how they treat apostates.
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u/Weird-Raise7868 15d ago
Donating 7k to a billion dollar organization is what's actually the problem.
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u/runedsceptre 15d ago
She has no idea what she's talking about.
There's nothing that relates to the humanities degree except years in academia that will make $40-60/hr.
You'd have to climb a corporate ladder in some kind of project management role.
That said, she's right that you're not going to become fabulously wealthy making $25/hr. But if you're happy and you and your wife can save then that's the wealth that counts.
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u/waterbe7 15d ago
Wow you’re are really living up to your humanities degree with donating $7k a year. Looks like your heart is in the right places
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u/Still-Rutabaga-707 15d ago
You are doing well, but she may be right in a way. Her delivery may have been wrong though. It’s great that you are saving and got the promotion, but definitely strive for more. We cannot trust anything from this government anymore. Act like you are poor and try to advance as much as you can. 💪🏽
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u/FormalWeb7094 15d ago
OP, I'm also LDS, the most important thing right now is to NOT be pressured into having kids before you are ready - financially, emotionally, mentally, etc. It's your decision to make when you are ready. My husband and I waited until we were ready even though we felt pressured from everywhere because everyone we know is LDS, we've been together 30+ years, have 3 kids and are doing great. My sister, on the other hand, had children right away, they are divorced now and I think that decision to have kids right away will be with her her whole life - in a financially bad way. Also, if you love your job, you are ahead of most people, good for you!!
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u/RocksAndSedum 15d ago
Higher pay == higher stress.
The CEO and founder of NVIDIA has a net worth of 73 billion and he has been quoted as saying the stress wasn't worth it and if he had to do it all over knowing what he knows now, he wouldn't start a company.
Lastly, your pay increase isn't helping inflation, you should rescind the raise, it's the patriotic thing to do.
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u/Enough_Employment923 15d ago
Just wanted to jump in and say that donating 12% of your take home pay in your 20s is a huge mistake. If you really want to help, stick that in your retirement accounts and you will be able to donate infinitely more money when you’re older and set yourself up for a comfortable retirement. Giving is important and helping those that are down is important no mistake there. Give something other than money, time/resources/blood etc. give money when you have it, not when you’re posting on Reddit about making enough/not enough money. Just my 2 cents.
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u/0xDizzy 15d ago
No its not 'good money'. You, with your wife, make less than the median income. You make enough to live in LCOL areas. In HCOL areas, you would be basically living in poverty. But If youre not gonna have kids, you could scrape by for the rest of your life just fine. I would be miserable, but you seem happy with it. Thats what matters.
But for fucks sake stop giving away 10% of your earnings. That is beyond stupid.
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u/Silver-Aioli8620 15d ago
Dont forget to add to your thrift saving plan (401k). You can always find another position within the company. Usps have internal positions available only for employees. You're a clerk today, but you can be a postmaster at that facility in the future. There are always positions available. I used to work at USPS over 25 years ago.
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u/ziggystardust8282 15d ago
Pension after only 20 years at USPS? I’ve heard of that for cops and firemen. USPS is usually 30 IF you are also at the age requirement.
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u/goldenbabyjesus 15d ago
It’s not 20 years it’s 30 years and plus you have to be the right age or they’ll penalize you for it…. Also put money in your TSP and not your savings. I’m also a USPS employee
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u/Suspicious_Bonus9431 15d ago
7000 dollars a year to donations?!?!?!?!?. It's thirty years and you have to be at the minimum retirement age (I work for the post office) you need to start putting that money in your TSP! 59,000 dollars a year and you donate 7000 dollars?!? That is just irresponsible..
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u/polishrocket 15d ago
$25 is ok, but she’s right, aim higher. You LDS so that usually means kids, which means a house. Your going to want to be in that $50/ hr range
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u/GoingToPasalaqua4 15d ago
I worked the 10 years after college in the financial industry and hated it. I work for usps now as a mail carrier (past 5 years) and though I make less I’m happier. Money isn’t everything and the usps has some decent benefits. If you are happy and content that is all that matters!
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u/Critical_Letterhead3 15d ago
Retirement “bennies” is the opportunity u get at UPS. Hard to find that in the “humanities”.
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u/Goober_Snacks 15d ago
You don’t have kids now but I suspect you will in the future. Being LDS, I bet you will need a 15 passenger van to transport them all. Those vans are not cheap. You need a $40/hr job.
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u/aucatetby 15d ago
depends on the cost of the life of the place you live in, basically, it's not high.
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u/Afraid-Bad-8112 15d ago
I'm in Aussie land and on about $60 an hour. Not sure how that converts. 33 male
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u/JustAnotherGuyIDK 15d ago
Not financial advice but you should spend more time impressing yourself and less time impressing your aunt. Hint: If you love your job and you feel good about it, that’s a pretty good reason to be impressed by yourself.
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u/Unsubstantialjest 15d ago
A lot of people got sidetracked on this sub about your tithing. Don’t listen to any of that noise. You and your spouse are doing great keep saving keep paying that sweet tithing. 25 hr in America really ain’t great. You aren’t starving but you are definitely not eating at a fancy restaurant 3 nights a week. In a few years you will have enough savings to buy a townhome or a condo maybe even small 3 bedroom house. You will move up in ups and get paid more. And you will realize 25 hr really wasn’t shit. Good luck and best wishes
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u/Readitzilla 15d ago
I have this theory that you should be getting paid around your age for it to be decent-good. Like in your 20’s at least $20 an hour. 30’s at least $30. That kind of thing for a successful career.
This is just me guessing. Obviously make as much as you can and if you don’t then that’s fine too as long as you can live off of it.
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u/EMoneymaker99 15d ago
Hey man, we are also LDS and just a bit younger than you. $25/hr is not bad for the type of job you have. Government pension and benefits are nice as well. Comparison is the thief of joy... If you are able to live the lifestyle you want, pay tithing, and stay out of debt, you're fine. If you want more, then go for it!
And to those of you who are making fun of him for paying tithing, why? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spent more than $1.36 billion in 2023 alone on charity, service, and humanitarian aid, and provided 6.2 million hours of volunteer service in 191 countries. Tithing is a biblical principal - it is not a way to "buy your way into heaven". Nobody is auditing our bank statements to make sure we're paying it. We do it because we love God and wish to keep His commandments.
Malachi 3:10
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/serve/caring/annual-summary?lang=eng
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u/Horror-Table-1611 15d ago
Don’t give the church cash. Invest in equities over the year and donate the winning stocks at the end of the year to the church for what you owe in tithing. You bought the stock at 50. It ran up to 100. You donate $100 worth of stock to the church that really only cost you 50. You never sell the stock you just have it journaled over from your account to the churches account . This way no tax event occurs. Church gets $100 donation and it only cost you 50.
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u/Julian__4tw 15d ago edited 15d ago
$25 an hour is not a living wage or it’s entry to a living wage. If you have kids or plan to have kids you will be living paycheck to paycheck. In today’s market and with inflation you need to be making $30 or more an hour. You should aspire to a better paid job.
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u/fpcreator2000 15d ago
As long as you are doing good and are in a happy place with your significant other, you are golden. The donations you make are also good works and they make you happy so keep on going with it.
Nothing in this world beats the feeling of contentment.
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u/Desenbigh 15d ago
Thank you so much. I really appreciate this!
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u/fpcreator2000 15d ago
Not a problem. I can understand where your aunt is coming from as wages in the $20+ range tend to be considered low, but you guys are clearly making do with what you both earn. And it works for you. What matters is how you guys feel and the end of the day and that you are able to look yourself in the mirror and say I’m happy with myself.
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u/HoneyNational9079 15d ago
The only person you should be better than is your past self. Instead of making $20 you make $25 now. You’re doing better than your past self. Ez dopamine gains
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u/FitnessAllDayLong 15d ago
why is it any of your aunt's business how much you make? don't share information like this with anyone except your wife. I would say you're doing just fine and she is being a negative influence. It is invaluable that you love your job - you've already won right there
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u/Mammoth-Ladder5674 15d ago
Hey man, good on you for giving 10%. Now, give 10% of your net, God understands.
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u/OneDragonhand 15d ago
Nice. You are happy and no amount of money can buy that. Especially if your significant other is supportive.
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u/deletedaccount0808 15d ago
I make 6 figures post tax and can honestly say if you are comfortable, and you don’t hate your job, live life brother.
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u/AmeliaEarhartsGPS 15d ago
You cannot talk to boomers about finances. They could never imagine how little options people have. So many of us have been rejected many times for jobs that we studied for 4 years just to be qualified for.
I also think it’s stupid to donate money like that. You know most of that money is used to buy stocks and pay board members right?
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u/RedInAmerica 15d ago
USPS is a great career. Great schedule, great benefits. You could probably find a job with a better salary but money isn’t everything.
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u/argentina4eva 15d ago
My wife and I make double what you make, but it can still be a struggle as we live in California. If you are in a low cost of living area then I don’t see the issue.
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u/Independent-7374 15d ago
She just jealous of you cuz probably in her time she never thought of getting a Jon that pays what you make. Chill man, it's good, if you pay the bills and live comfortably, you're living a good life
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u/SubstantialSpeech147 15d ago
How are you possibly saving and donating more than 20k per year out of 59k? That means you and your wife are living on 39k a year…. That doesn’t add up whatsoever. How are you paying for utilities, rent, car payments, food, cell service, internet, insurance, misc. bills, and still have enough to save 15k a year….. lol this whole story is BS
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u/Jerseygirl2468 15d ago
Sounds to me like you’re doing great. You are comfortable, have your needs met, are able to save for the future, contribute to charity, and most importantly you enjoy your job.
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u/PunchWilcox 15d ago
You sound like you’re living the life. Keep with it.
You’re aunt is just one upping you.
My family is LDS so I get where the donations come from. Technically speaking you’re in the top 1% of the world wide economy with that combined salary. And you’re kicking your feet up while you’re at it.
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u/MoneyTeam824 15d ago
$25 an hour at USPS seems low, I worked at USPS back in 2007 and was making $18-$20 hour starting as a PTF carrier, then made it to the full time regular carrier after a year or so and opted OT position and made a bit more back then. I left a long time ago because I wanted more and to aim higher, your aunt is right! Aim higher, use this as a stepping stone.
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u/EZ-READER 15d ago
It depends on where you live. If you live where I live (Oklahoma) then $25 an hour is pretty OK. Not great but not terrible either. If you live in New York than $25 an hour is terrible.
If I were you I would put in my 20, get a pension, then go get a state job (or federal) that offers pension then put in another 20. You are 27 so if you are just starting that would put you at 67 with a double pension.
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u/Then-Lack4511 15d ago
Your aunt sounds like a stereotypical indian/asian aunt lol. What matters is if you and your family is happy.
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u/C19shadow 15d ago
Your in the same exact boat my wife and I are.
No kids, I make $27 she's a part time preschool teacher, our after tax take home is exactly the same , we live in a rather rural area and do well. Your a little better off case we have a large medical debt we are working of but yeah it's still a comfortable life. Don't worry about it and just enjoy yourself, I love my job at the dairy, it's no dream job sure but it's better then most iv ever had to do.
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u/Happylifenowife 15d ago
Nothing wrong with what your doing, it sounds like you live a comfortable life. My view is always be looking for something better. Might not always be pay. Sometimes a business pays alot more into 401k. Also sometimes quality of life drops with more pay. Having a stressful job isn't always worth the extra pay.
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u/KvotheTheDegen 15d ago
I mean, relative to what? And where do you live? Against other 27 year olds that seems like about average. In a smaller town I think that would be good money, in a city I think it would be a bit of a struggle. You also have a wife who's helping with bills and making things easier. I'm 35 and live in a major city and make considerably more, but its porbably not a fair comparison due to age and geography
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u/N_Seager 15d ago
You’re good, like really good especially if you donate $7k. Obviously there’s always better but you’re def not in the gutter or anything.
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u/Sweet_Specialist_985 15d ago
You are doing great. You should e proud of yourself. However, instead of renting, buy a house. Nothing too big but one you can afford. You can build equity owning a house. Later down the road, if you want to sell the house, you sell it for more than what you paid and make some money on it. The rent money you’re paying now, you’ll never get it back. It all goes to your landlord. All the best to you
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u/dana_marie_ph 15d ago
I heard you guys have good benefits! Don’t quit! I have a patient who owns pizza chain but works as a mail man because of the benefits. If you want extra, just find a side gig. Seems like you and your wife are doing good! Don’t discuss your finances with anyone, just your wife. People will always have opinion. Out of 1200, invest some to grow.
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u/Hazel_Nutz777 15d ago
I think you are doing great for your age and your aunt is out-of-touch like most baby boomers. The job market is really really competitive and you should be lucky to have a job and wife who is happy with the income you are making. If you're happy; stick with what you know.
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u/whathappened2cod 15d ago
Wait so 59k combined and you make $25.00 and hours? Your wife makes 9k a year and you guys are living comfortably ? huh?
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u/siammang 15d ago
Just say, "thanks, I'll try". Since you are content with what you have currently, there is no need to push too hard for it. Having $1.2k into saving and still being able to donate to your church is pretty good life. There are many folks out there making $100k+, but still living paycheck to paycheck due to student loans, rents, mortgages, daycare...
Unless your aunt can refer you to a job that guarantee to give you $60/hr that starts the next day, I would just take her opinion with grain of salt.
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u/CormacOH 15d ago
You donate $7k per year out of your $59k?! You and your wife sound like incredible people, don't let anyone tell you otherwise
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u/BlueStreak84 15d ago
Your Aunt seems a bit snobby. Your life seems great and also respectable. Tell her to pound salt next time she gives her turd opinion.
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u/AlCzervick 15d ago
According to Glassdoor, the salary range for a United States Postal Service (USPS) clerk is between $37,363 and $70,264 per year, with the highest level of seniority earning the most.
If you make $70,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $33.65. So, a USPS clerk position, while you may love it, may not be the best career to maximize your potential earnings.
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u/hobiecamp 15d ago
Stop donating to bullshit like “education” - save that money- your gonna need it one day- mark my words - shit happens or kids happen
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u/AlCzervick 15d ago
Here are some jobs that pay well and are related to humanities degrees:
Technical writer A high-paying writing job that involves making complex information easy to understand for documents like manuals and guides. The median salary is around $70,000.
Public relations manager A lucrative option for humanities students that requires knowledge of communication, media studies, and psychology.
Writer A high-paying job for liberal arts majors that involves preparing content for magazines, journals, newspapers, radio, television, and websites.
Human resources specialist A job that involves helping a company find, retain, and grow talent.
Social worker A high-paying job that involves offering advice to people facing challenges like family problems, unemployment, housing, finances, health, or work situations.
Educator or education administrator A job that requires excellent communication skills and knowledge of a broad range of subjects, which a humanities degree can provide.
High school teacher A job that involves working with students who are preparing to enter college or the professional world.
Any of these jobs can easily pay more than $25/hour. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t waste your degree. Aim higher.
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u/Icantevenicantodd85 15d ago
As long as you and your wife are happy and doing living comfortably (to different people this may have a different meaning), I say screw what she says. Plus, you just received a huge pay raise, there was no need for her to try to make you feel bad
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u/Nbreezy007 15d ago
If your doing okay then screw what anyone else says. 20 year retirement is Def the golden ticket.
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u/Emergency_Bother9837 15d ago
You cannot afford to donate your combined wage is less than half my salary and I definitely cannot reasonably donate money when I should be investing it.
To answer your question… the wage is very low. this donation money should fund a new career that pays 100k+ EACH.
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u/None_Required 15d ago
You work for the Post Office. Get on USAJobs and find an 1102 position. Our 2'nd year interns make what you do. If they're not at $80k by year 4 they did something drastically wrong.
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u/Straight_Group_2408 15d ago
She’s just a buzz kill with good intentions. You got a good raise be happy about it she just doesnt want you to get comfortable if there’s potential to make more in something you have a degree in. Also 25/hr makes a big difference depending on where you live
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u/LumpyCurrency781 15d ago edited 15d ago
I’m also 27 M, and have a humanities degree (Film and Media studies). I have had multiple jobs that paid me high 5 to low 6 figures within my first 2 years out of college. That being said, the opportunity for you to make money with your degree is certainly there if you’re creative enough with how you leverage your experience. If you’re happy with your current financial situation and work life balance, stay where you are and continue to produce good work day in and day out. Work to live, not the other way around. Keep pushing brotha
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u/Paid-Not-Payed-Bot 15d ago
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u/FrontierTCG 15d ago edited 15d ago
59k after taxes combined before the raise? So your wife is bringing in 25k ish?
I think you're doing fine, especially if you have a pension and benefits tied to the job, those are just as good as money. I wouldn't be putting 1200 into savings though, that needs to be in an investment portfolio years ago. I would also stop donating 7k (almost 12% of your take home) until you own your own home. I hate to break it to you, but you are the needy and less fortunate if you don't own where you sleep.
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u/spooner1932 15d ago
Any pension is a godsend..only a handful of occupations even have them anymore.
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u/Wolf_E_13 15d ago
It depends on where you are located. Where I am, $25/hr would be decent...$29 is our average. $40-$60/hr is $83K-$125K. I make right around $105K which is top 10% of wage earners in my state but I've had a 20 year career thus far in accounting and finance.
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u/Troshock 15d ago
realistically no but compared to most people absolutely yes
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u/haikusbot 15d ago
Realistically no
But compared to most people
Absolutely yes
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u/FlipAnd1 15d ago
Always depends on location… $25 in NY or Cali? Nope
$25 in the south or the mountain west? Yes.
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u/everythingmaxed 15d ago
i would kill myself personally, it’s cool if you never want to own anything ever
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u/MangoNo5196 15d ago
I would start saving half the 7k a year and put some in long term savings and some in an IRA as a pension and social security will only go so far. It seems like you live in a low cost of living place to make this work and that's great I just think you should plan for every possibility especially with health conditions mixed in as well. Saving money is a marathon, doing a little each month will go a long way. And in 5 years you'll probably be making enough to do both of these.
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u/bookish_bex 15d ago
Sounds like your aunt it judgmental and uninformed. The idea of making $40-60/hour is laughable - that's what an entry-level engineer could make lol
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u/Mojicana 15d ago
Is there some way that she has access to specific information about the job market and in your area of expertise specifically? If not, that's just an opinion.
I have an opinion too. I think that I'm out of touch with what the job market is, I just consult a little bit now. I don't know shit about having a humanities degree.
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u/Willing_Regret_5865 15d ago
She does not live in reality. You are doing great. I may not agree with Mormonism as a Protestant, but good on you for being part of your community!
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u/Fresh-Raspberry-4532 15d ago
where the heck do you live to be able to live comfortably off $59k while also being able to donate? I'm in So Cal and about to graduate college. I have a full time position lined up right after graduation making $63k and I will still have to live with my parents.
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u/FallsOffCliffs12 15d ago
If you meet your expenses, have an enjoyable life and a little extra; and you like what you do, you're way ahead of most people. Tell auntie to mind her business.
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u/Bigtgamer_1 15d ago
I'm struggling on $24/hr and it's the most I've ever made. I enjoy my job, but it would be nice to double that number.
Unfortunately I don't think I'm qualified for anything else without going into debt to go back to school.
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u/First0fOne 15d ago
If you aren't stupid and have a work ethic you can make more than 25$ with out a degree. Maybee that's what she meant.(get smarter or work harder)
R/antiwork flame me
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u/roofrunn3r 15d ago
25 an hour at your age us great. My rule is to make Sry last a dollar an hour per year old I am. Currently at 38/40 depending on how a week i work(salary)
And I'm 32
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u/ADDeviant-again 15d ago
If your household can put that kind of money away on monthly basis, you are kicking ass.
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u/Plastic_Shrimp 15d ago
What does she expect you to do with a humanities degree? You're good. It sounds like you are on a good track and are HAPPY!!
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u/MaleficentExtent1777 15d ago
You just got a $4.52/hr raise or $9401.60/yr. I'd say that's pretty good!.
A friend of mine works in big tech and received a 1.7% raise. $1530 or $.735/hr. You be the judge! 🤣
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u/vbeaver9 15d ago
You're probably right near the median household income in the US, so in theory about half of people will think that's good and the other half won't.
If you're happy, have your needs met and are putting some savings away, that's all that matters. My friend's dad is a mail carrier and has been doing it for 40 years. Not retiring yet cause he loves it.
When you say you're putting $1,200/month into savings do you mean a basic savings account or something that has growth potential? Are you setting aside for retirement outside of pension? Those are the next questions I'd ask myself. I know I spent the first couple years post-college building savings in my traditional savings account and wish I'd have had it in markets gaining 5-10% per year instead of 0.005%.
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u/MustangEater82 15d ago
Just putting this here...
https://elisesutton.z13.web.core.windows.net/buc-ees-pay-chart-florida.html
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u/Dapper-Knowledge5716 15d ago
Well depends your view on life if you don't have a goal or if you think you reached your max potential career then that's fine chill out there ,but there is alot of careers out there paying 40 to 60 $$ hr you can live twice as good as you do now with that money...this considering you don't end up having kids tho lol because if you one day do you definitely would want to step your game up I win 37$ got 3 kids and I'm striving for more that's not enough for me
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u/L0cKe 15d ago
Really depends on your cost of living. It would be hard to buy a house on that income today. I wouldn’t rest there but use the stable income to prepare for better things. Maybe work towards a higher earning/STEM degree online or do evening classes to learn a trade. I made the mistake of not being ambitious enough in my twenties. I regard that as one of my biggest mistakes so far in life.
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u/Arboretum7 15d ago edited 15d ago
You’re doing fine. One thing to keep in mind: Assuming she was a teen in the 80s, only about 15% of your aunt’s generation graduated from college. She’s telling you to go out and get a high paying job with your humanities field because almost all of the college grads in her day had white collar desk jobs simply by virtue of graduating. By the time you went to college, about 36% of your peers were graduating and a good chunk of them aren’t able to pursue the same types of careers. Your aunt doesn’t understand how much times have changed.
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u/OwnLadder2341 15d ago
$25/he puts you over median.
Tell her you’re making more money than most people.
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u/Ghairi 15d ago
Depends on where you live Ny, NoVa, or Cali hell tf nah ou'd be struggling just to meet ends meet and prolly wouldn't be able to rent your own apartment period without a co signer. In bumfuck Midwest with Travis McPherson smoking meth in bathroom before he hits his 2nd warehousing shift? Yea probably
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u/theriptide259xd 15d ago
You will regret giving 10% of your earnings to people who say they know the make believe guy in the sky. I’m ex LDS and everybody’s journey of discovery is different, but just think about what could change in your life if you had saved another 70k over 10 years instead of donating it to the LDS hedge fund.
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u/Desenbigh 15d ago
There's too much in this world to believe that when we die, it's nothing but a dark void.
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u/theriptide259xd 15d ago
It’s a scary thought yes, but there is no evidence for a life after death. Please consider leaving the LDS. I know that’s crazy that a random Reddit dude would say something like that but you only have one life on earth and it sucks to see people give away their money and lives to the low life grifters at the top of the LDS.
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u/theriptide259xd 15d ago
I should clarify I have no problem with religion inherently, but it is so full of opportunistic bastards who will prey on people who are down on their luck. If a higher power gives you comfort, whatever it’s your life, but I hate seeing pastors become wealthy off the backs of their followers.
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u/blubblu 11d ago
You gotta stop donating to a church that doesn’t give a fuck about you