Living in London on £32k a year
Discussion
I know plenty of people who get by in London on similar salaries. You'll need to flat share but that's no bad thing. You'll have company and the possibility to make friends. I think you should take the opportunity. Better to regret doing it than not. Also if you work hard there may be potential pay rises you can tap in to, or moves jobs after 2 years. I am in my very early 30's and I know a lot of people between 20 and 30 on similar salaries, so it is definitely doable, but they all flat share.
I moved to London in 2003 (to Zone 1) on £14k. Absolutely the worst decision I ever made! Spent three and a half years there living on the breadline before I finally split up with the missus and moved home to commute in and get back on my feet.
I'd say just do your sums on all expenses and contingency so that you can actually live your life rather than just work to afford to live.
£32k seems reasonable to be able to afford a decent enough lifestyle - just look at rental prices, travel costs, council tax, bills etc first and work out what you'd have left for food and doing stuff that you like.
I now live out of town with the wife, have a house with a garden, my friends and family nearby and a job in the centre of London just a 20 minute train ride away. Worked out well in the end!
I'd say just do your sums on all expenses and contingency so that you can actually live your life rather than just work to afford to live.
£32k seems reasonable to be able to afford a decent enough lifestyle - just look at rental prices, travel costs, council tax, bills etc first and work out what you'd have left for food and doing stuff that you like.
I now live out of town with the wife, have a house with a garden, my friends and family nearby and a job in the centre of London just a 20 minute train ride away. Worked out well in the end!
My flatmate does it on under £30k - he lives in a nice area (Putney), spends about £750/800 on room plus bills (I pay slightly more for a bigger room and sole use of the garage), rides to work and back the majority of the time so that's basically free (after the initial outlay for bike and kit) which leaves him with £1200/1250 per month for food, drink and general living. Don't really see what the issue with that is.
Depends where in London. Some people consider a job in Kingston being "in London" whereas I consider it being outside London. And if the job was in Kingston and you got a flat in Surbiton, you could walk in plus enjoy a nice life.
Even if the job were in Wimbledon (which some may also consider in London) and you trained it in from, say, Surbiton, you'd still be laughing. Then again, you could probably get a flat in Raynes Park and walk in.
Even if the job were in Wimbledon (which some may also consider in London) and you trained it in from, say, Surbiton, you'd still be laughing. Then again, you could probably get a flat in Raynes Park and walk in.
Job would be in Braham Street, not far from the Tower of London so very central.
OP is a he. Name is a long story!
I'm not sure about advancement opportunities really. The main issue was that I wouldn't be seeing any benefit of the increase over my current job as it's much more expensive to live in 'the big smoke'. Some thought required.
I had considered staying in the Wimbledon area as the district line runs past where I would be working so it would be a single tube and no change required.
OP is a he. Name is a long story!
I'm not sure about advancement opportunities really. The main issue was that I wouldn't be seeing any benefit of the increase over my current job as it's much more expensive to live in 'the big smoke'. Some thought required.
I had considered staying in the Wimbledon area as the district line runs past where I would be working so it would be a single tube and no change required.
I would highly suggest you live closer to work and cycle. Forrest hills way ins't all that far and quite cheap. Your travel will chip away at your disposable income very quickly and also take part of your soul. I cycle everywhere in London, it's faster and cheaper + gives you exercise which you would normally need from a gym which is £60 a month if you are lucky. Trust me when i say live close to work. Stuff like going for a beer on a friday after with work mates doesn't become a "I have to leave at 10 because I need to get my train".You will have a lot more fun and spend a lot less.
Also worth saying - Taxi's are very expensive on an eve in London, another reason to live near where you go out or on ones of the lines which will be running 24 hour. I naively got in one the other day from Kings Road to Chiswick (5miles ish) thinking I would see change out of £20. Got me to about the Youngs Brewery had to walk the last few miles.
Also worth saying - Taxi's are very expensive on an eve in London, another reason to live near where you go out or on ones of the lines which will be running 24 hour. I naively got in one the other day from Kings Road to Chiswick (5miles ish) thinking I would see change out of £20. Got me to about the Youngs Brewery had to walk the last few miles.
Edited by V1DL3R on Thursday 12th February 12:02
As others with their feet on the ground have said that's plenty - just go for a flatshare rather than looking to rent a place on your own. You'll end up with more space and in a nicer area for less money.
As your job's going to be in the City I'd look for something in east London. Sure you could come in from Wimbledon but it's further than it looks - 45min on the tube. Anything on the DLR, most of the eastern Overground (change at Whitechapel + 2 stops), or a lot of the Central line (Liverpool St is 10 min walk) are inside that time. North west london could be a good shout too - the combination of Metropolitan and Jubilee open up a lot, and as Aldgate is the end of the Met. You'll get a seat for at least part of your journey home each day!
Unless you have friends in specific areas I'd say look for somewhere with a reasonably direct tube/rail connections. Sure you might find somewhere really nice but if it means taking 3 lines to to/from work every day it just becomes a ballache.
As your job's going to be in the City I'd look for something in east London. Sure you could come in from Wimbledon but it's further than it looks - 45min on the tube. Anything on the DLR, most of the eastern Overground (change at Whitechapel + 2 stops), or a lot of the Central line (Liverpool St is 10 min walk) are inside that time. North west london could be a good shout too - the combination of Metropolitan and Jubilee open up a lot, and as Aldgate is the end of the Met. You'll get a seat for at least part of your journey home each day!
Unless you have friends in specific areas I'd say look for somewhere with a reasonably direct tube/rail connections. Sure you might find somewhere really nice but if it means taking 3 lines to to/from work every day it just becomes a ballache.
Hoofy said:
Depends where in London. Some people consider a job in Kingston being "in London" whereas I consider it being outside London. And if the job was in Kingston and you got a flat in Surbiton, you could walk in plus enjoy a nice life.
Even if the job were in Wimbledon (which some may also consider in London) and you trained it in from, say, Surbiton, you'd still be laughing. Then again, you could probably get a flat in Raynes Park and walk in.
I think you'd still be flat sharing on £32k in Surbiton if you wanted to live a reasonable lifestyle. You could rent a 1 bed flat for £900 a month, but bills would take that up to, say, £1,300. Then you'd be into £225 a month for a Travelcard (assuming you cannot walk from Waterloo).Even if the job were in Wimbledon (which some may also consider in London) and you trained it in from, say, Surbiton, you'd still be laughing. Then again, you could probably get a flat in Raynes Park and walk in.
That leaves you under £500 to pay for everything else. That means it is at least possible, which it probably wouldn't be in a nice-ish place more centrally, but moving into a flatshare is probably a good £600 a month cheaper.
The other consideration is does the OP want to actually feel like they are living in London 'proper', because if he does then Surbiton, (or realistically anywhere outside of zone 2) doesn't really give you that feel.
I'd try a flatshare within walking distance of the office to start with - the less salubrious areas would probably only be £100 a month more than Surbiton, so you'd be saving money overall when taking the travel costs into account.
MissChief said:
Job would be in Braham Street, not far from the Tower of London so very central.
Do it. Look for a shared house or similar east of Tower Hill on the District Line, but not too far out as you want to enjoy C. London. Maybe somewhere like Bow or Mile End.London is fantastic, end if you're not daft £2K a month take home is absolutely fine.
Reading another thread, the OP has teenage children. So I'm guessing he isn't exactly a young one himself.
Is it really worth moving to London when you are hundreds of miles away from your family, having to live your life in someone's spare room and worry how to budget every month?
To make such a sacrifice there has to be some gain. I don't see any in these circumstances.
Is it really worth moving to London when you are hundreds of miles away from your family, having to live your life in someone's spare room and worry how to budget every month?
To make such a sacrifice there has to be some gain. I don't see any in these circumstances.
Edited by Driver101 on Friday 13th February 17:27
Driver101 said:
Reading another thread, the OP has teenage children. So I'm guessing he isn't exactly a young one himself.
Is it really worth moving to London when you are hundreds of miles away from your family, having to live your life in someone's spare room and worry how to budget every month?
To make such a sacrifice there has to be some gain. I don't see any in these circumstances.
This is the case. I'm going to wait and see if I've got through the first part of the telephone interview and then say thanks for the opportunity but no thanks. It's too big a change as my youngest is only just 13. Perhaps in 3 years or so but not yet.Is it really worth moving to London when you are hundreds of miles away from your family, having to live your life in someone's spare room and worry how to budget every month?
To make such a sacrifice there has to be some gain. I don't see any in these circumstances.
Edited by Driver101 on Friday 13th February 17:27
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