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[caption id=“attachment_609” align=“alignleft” width=“227” caption=“It doesn't take much to make a dog happy”][/caption]

How much would your annual income need to be before you feel “comfortable”? How much would it need to be for you to feel rich?

Ironically, some days I feel more rich than comfortable. I live with roommates that make a lot less money than I do, and I don’t have the money shortages they do. But I think I would need to spend five times more on rent to really feel “comfortable” about where I live.

I could go out tomorrow and pay two times as much for a nice, quiet one-bedroom apartment, still close to work. But I have a dog, and in order to both live without roommates AND have someone to let the dog out, I’d want to rent a house with a yard, plus have enough money to pay for someone to take the dog on an afternoon walk (since busy season requires being away from home for over 12 hours a day quite often.) Being able to afford that would make me feel comfortable.

I think “comfortable” is when any extra income you earn stops going to improve your housing, or allowing you to eat out or attend entertainment events as much as you want. Depends on what your needs and priorities are, of course.

For me, any extra income I get, I’m torn between saving for retirement/future down payment, and paying for more expensive rent somewhere. The problem is, salary jumps right now are not enough to pay for my ideal situation - yard + dog walker, but interestingly, the cheapest situation (sharing a house with roommates), is the next best choice right now.

I’d feel rich if I could add the international trips - the difference is, I would happily sacrifice the trips to have a more comfortable daily living situation, so once I can afford those, they will be an added perk.

This oft quoted study found that up to $75,000 in income, money DOES buy happiness - I think that this level is often where you hit the “comfortable” threshold, where you are content with your car, your home, and being able to afford some entertainment when you want it.

I think at a $75,000 salary in Atlanta, I could be very comfortable with my life. In San Francisco, where I think I’d like to live someday, I probably wouldn’t be able to afford the same level of comfort (or freedom from stress). So in Atlanta I can be comfortable, but to be comfortable in San Francisco, I’d have to be rich? haha.

What level of income do you think you would be content with? What would it take so that bills and unexpected car repairs don’t stress you out? So that you can live in a home that suits your needs?

Photo by Hitchster on Flickr - not my dog!