What percentage of your salary do you save/send 'home'?

Serendipity
By Serendipity

I'm guessing that this will vary quite a bit, since some people are responsible for their accommodation and will have been badly hit by rent rises, whereas those whose employer covers their accommodation costs won't be as worse off.

And then people have different lifestyles, some are more live for the moment and want to enjoy themselves now, whereas others will live more frugally with delayed gratification in mind.

Q1: But just as a rough idea, what percentage of your salary *do you* save or send 'home'?

And is that for personal savings or investments, i.e. are you building up a little nest egg, or are you supporting family back home, i.e. it's all being spent, it's all accounted for, with no savings.

Also, there's an accompanying question:

Q2: What percentage of your salary *do you think you should* be saving/would like to save/send home?

I think some people won't consider the move unless they can make substantially more than they could at home, and they will only make the move if they can save a substantial amount.

What level of savings/disposable income as a percentage of salary tips the balance, makes people think that making the move is worthwhile?

By swissgirl39• 26 Apr 2008 00:29
Rating: 4/5
swissgirl39

i did the same many times and it is always cool to find some old tresures,isnt it?

;-))

me i like it a lot

*When hands reach out in friendship, hearts are touched with joy*

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en.cfm/home

By anonymous• 26 Apr 2008 00:19
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

For 2006, I saved an average of 80% of my income.  The 20% was mostly grocery, clothing, restaurants, and miscellaneous things.

By Beeshah• 15 Jan 2008 05:03
Beeshah

I'll see to it that I have save an amount for rainy days, you know.. there will come a time that we have to retire so I want to enjoy life when that time comes.

By Vegas• 14 Jan 2008 21:59
Vegas

LOL too funny ha ha ha...

Good sense humor...:)

You can't teach experience...

By anonymous• 14 Jan 2008 06:44
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

Save nothing, send Nothing.

"My Salary is like a Womans period, comes Every Month and Last for a week"

By Vegas• 14 Jan 2008 02:07
Vegas

What is this thread???

The Brag and make the TCNs feel like shyt thread???

I think the question was how much you save and send homne...

I save about 80%...

And its deposited in my stateside account...

No family to send it to...

Ithink thread was more directed for TCNs over here with family back home???

Smile

You can't teach experience...

By chiefsittingbull• 14 Jan 2008 01:23
chiefsittingbull

2 cars..one for the missus and one forthe daughter and when i get home i would a car for myself. As for when i am dead and gone i know they will have the money to carry on.....

Naaah ....you prefer to be poor but rich with friends????? Cummon girl you must be kidding LOL. Rich in your heart I am already there!

By swissgirl39• 14 Jan 2008 00:40
Rating: 2/5
swissgirl39

i cant believe it.and you cant take it with you when you pass away.your comment sounds selfish to me.but anyway,enjoy it and be a big spender back home.do you think you can buy the world?why you need 2 cars or more?and a big villa and all that stuff?i prefere to be poor but rich with real friends and rich in my heart.

By chiefsittingbull• 14 Jan 2008 00:30
Rating: 5/5
chiefsittingbull

I dun see may salary at all!!!! I have been here for the past 16 months, alone. Lived in a Nice cosy room provided by the Main Contractorin the Camp. Satellite TV, microwave oven, food in abundance, 24 hrs broadband service......what a life!

Family is back home. I never get to see my salary. I just take what I need here in Qatar, every time i come back from my regular quaterly home leave trips, fully paid for. Only need to spend them if I get down to Doha, and mostly spend them on chocolates and some food. Balance of salary, which is almost 95% is for the needs of family back home and rest in saving and investments!

My house and my two cars back home are all fully paid for. Patiently waiting for the end of 2011,insya'allah..(God Willing)go back home get me a Z4 Beammer, sit quietly and enjoy what life backhome can offer me and my family.

I am only here for the money, lets be frank about that! Fun dun seem to see any fun in Qatar, even tho I try to find some.

So for now its just the ritual weekly trips top Doha, just to keep myslef sane,till I find someone interesting....:-)

By swissgirl39• 14 Jan 2008 00:15
Rating: 5/5
swissgirl39

Swiss is to expensive,the rents are high,the petrol price about 1.90USD per liter,medicals and all insurances and taxes not to forget.money goes away quickly and no way for savings.and no company will give you a penny for it.we have to buy all from our little and poor salary.

:-(((

By cactus007• 13 Jan 2008 23:58
Rating: 4/5
cactus007

I saved 80% of my salary and enjoy a nice life with my wife since we have no kids yet.Accomodation,medicals,transport are taken care by my company.I don't send any money to anybody since most of my extended family members are doing well.I got good deal with one of the banks here for timely deposits so my whole lot of income is tied up in this.

I beleive in saving for the rainy days.As an eduxpat,one never knows what can/will happen as there are feelings of job insecurity all over the Gulf region.They hire and fire without warning or cogent reasons for doing so.

Welcome to the country of masters and slaves.Going back to the 10th century.Huh?!

By anonymous• 5 Jan 2008 00:14
anonymous

I save nothng or impossible to save

By Think-Twice• 5 Jan 2008 00:01
Rating: 3/5
Think-Twice

Hi,

I'm a penny saver. I save 100% of my basic salary & 20% of allowances ... money sitting quietly on my bank a/c back home :o)

As expat, we never know what will happen here tomorrow. Better to keep something for ourselves to make the investment justified ...

Think2

By anonymous• 26 Dec 2007 20:03
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

I have a little orthodox outlook towards this. I know that I'am here for money which means money in the bank. I send money home not because my parents need it but because they invest it for me. I have been here for a little more than three months but my parents already managed to buy a small land with my money for me. Amazing! But a little planning works. And guys,if you are approaching or above 30...you need to take this stint at Qatar as a wonderful opportunity for saving some dough. But thats strictly my personal opinion.

Life is Beautiful...Indeed!

By silversurfer• 26 Dec 2007 19:47
silversurfer

Yah,

and that was just after Georgie-boy was speechless at the hotel porter who asked him "Where did it all go wrong?" when he stumbled on Besty in bed with Miss World, masses of cash all over the bed, and champagne on ice!!

Still, it did for him in the end.

SS

By Xena• 26 Dec 2007 16:27
Xena

the only thing I know about saving is how to spell it....;-)

By Appleofyoureye• 26 Dec 2007 16:18
Appleofyoureye

Sad to say, its in the negative side

By nib• 26 Dec 2007 13:16
Rating: 2/5
nib

i save %60 of my salary:) but it is not a big amount. and my life quality sucks:)

By Oryx• 26 Dec 2007 13:01
Rating: 3/5
Oryx

Wasn't it George Best who said:

I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.

By silversurfer• 26 Dec 2007 12:56
silversurfer

SS

By lzxcoco• 12 May 2007 13:28
lzxcoco

r u controlling your salary or someone else.. ?

By Laz• 9 May 2007 12:47
Rating: 4/5
Laz

I save my basic salary...ALL OF IT!!!! the housing allowence and the transportation allowence I get cover my car rental, house rent, plus I have enough money to spend during the month and buy clothes...LOL so my basic net salary goes striaght into my savings...LOL Dont' tell my parents back at home...LOL but I guess they will start to doubt my savings once I get my new Audi TT end of this month, then they'll be like: HMMM if u have enough money to buy a TT, how come you don't send to us?!!!but guess what? then ill tell them...well I had alot of savings money for the last year but now I paid it all to the TT so we're back to square 1...LOL

By foolsday• 8 May 2007 17:59
foolsday

so far i dont have any savings yet, every month i send 30% of my salary to my parents, and the other 70% its up to me.

Computers have lots of memory but no imagination.

By Edna• 8 May 2007 15:49
Edna

Esalvo76: nw you make me home sick for mentioning "chicken joy" :-(

'm single too w/ free accomm. I havent touched my first month pay yet but my goal is to send 6-10% to my parents, 34-40% my monthly allowance and save 50% thru time deposits. otherwise i would just go home and plant sweet potato :-)

Make it a pleasant day!

By Serendipity• 8 May 2007 15:33
Serendipity

Did someone edit my post? To add in some html code? So that the questions were clearer?

Thank you!

By mafiwasta• 8 May 2007 14:54
Rating: 4/5
mafiwasta

My accommodation is taken care of by my employer & so's the car, so I get to save roughly half of my monthly salary. Savings are split between pension and savings for buying a house back home next year.

-------------------------------------------------------------

"I feel there is going to be a change, but we're the ones that gonna do it, not the government. With us, there's a saying, 'La esperanza muere ultima'. 'Hope dies last'. You can't lose hope.

By xelull• 8 May 2007 14:22
Rating: 4/5
xelull

been ere from Nov.. but got no saving yet so far.. spent it all for wedding back home.. erghh.. luckily marriage is s'pose to be 1 off thing!

Really really really hope I can start saving next month.. or all my sacrifices by coming ere will be for nothing at all!

-HUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-

life is so darn doog

By fatal_error069• 8 May 2007 14:02
fatal_error069

well it have been about 10 days for me in qatar ... and all these answers to that question gonna make me return back home :-p

i dont think that i can save anything in the first 3 months....specially that i should go back to lebanon .. and u know . masarfi masarif .. and after that ... i hope i can save some .... :-D

By anonymous• 8 May 2007 13:50
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

I missed it too "CHICKEN JOY"...personally speaking it's taste better than bacon =)

Cheers!

By ainarl• 8 May 2007 13:39
ainarl

Now I missed the JOLLIBEE fried chicken waaaahh:-(

By sweet16• 8 May 2007 12:55
Rating: 2/5
sweet16

What we earn here we spent here. No savings at all!!!!!!

There is no part time business also here like in europe so that we can work hourly basis in the evenings......

I am a new joiner. Please welcome me.....

By anonymous• 8 May 2007 10:08
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

With the high cost of living in Qatar, I spend 30% to have a decent accommodation here and save enough each year to be able to spend it traveling other countries the next year though I make it a point I have 8 to 10% of it for monthly remittance for my nephews & nieces for them to enjoy JOLLIBEE!

Cheers!

By ainarl• 8 May 2007 09:54
ainarl

Unfortunately ZERO! I spent all my earnings here and live happily ever after. We only live once... life is too short. i live my life the most of it, . Happy Life:-)

By hamad0611• 8 May 2007 04:56
Rating: 4/5
hamad0611

can somebody liveing qatar help me and do they pay as well as the Usa. I am a american living in usa i speak both english and arabic and a little spanish. i have 3 aa defrees in Radiologic science , liberal art and behavioral science.

By anonymous• 7 May 2007 23:27
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

Just nominal savings.. Pretty high cost of living out here...

By r7• 7 May 2007 22:11
Rating: 5/5
r7

I just blow it all up on myself or waste it on some silly gadget or shop.. either way few days after the salary i start looking forward to the next months pay :) hopefully ill learn to control myself ....

By anonymous• 7 May 2007 22:07
Rating: 2/5
anonymous

This had happend to me too.. Indians anywhere in the world are helpful... but not in their home country...

By DaRuDe• 7 May 2007 21:27
DaRuDe

hi seren nice question. my salary no saving no sending :P all wasting around :D

[img_assist|nid=13339|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=180]

By han19• 7 May 2007 19:48
Rating: 5/5
han19

i am waiting for you in the newly started arranged marriage thread by starlight..........pls go easy on me......LOL

happy heart

DRIVE SAFE,someone is waiting for you at home

By Gypsy• 7 May 2007 19:44
Gypsy

My salary is all for me! me! me! LOL. The joys of being single with no responsibilites.

[img_assist|nid=13228|title=I feel your scorn and I accept it-Jon Stewart|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=180|height=180]

By p00103740• 7 May 2007 19:41
Rating: 4/5
p00103740

All U get is 10; u pay 6.5 as rent 1 as child expenses (school),grocery 2, Water elec phone 0.5 so wheres the money to send 'home'??????????????????????

Despite the cost of living life's still popular!

By p00103740• 7 May 2007 19:41
Rating: 4/5
p00103740

All U get is 10; u pay 6.5 as rent 1 as child expenses (school),grocery 2, Water elec phone 0.5 so wheres the money to send 'home'??????????????????????

Despite the cost of living life's still popular!

By han19• 7 May 2007 19:35
Rating: 5/5
han19

what do i send home: zero.

another important question..........whats my balance: another zero by middle of the month........i want to LOL but cant.

what should i save: well first i would like to save some here to think about sending part of it home.

oh.....i am gonna be depressed now.

with the rising costs, it doesnt get any easier.....but hats off to all those who do save in a tight budget and send money back home.hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

happy heart

DRIVE SAFE,someone is waiting for you at home

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