Your perfect job won’t be so perfect unless it pays enough to support your lifestyle… or at least pay the rent. Before you start looking for one, you should know how much money you need to live on, and how much you’d like to live on—there is a difference! Use the following “thinksheet” to figure those two amounts.
Your Salary Range Thinksheet
| EXPENSES |
AMOUNT YOU NEED |
AMOUNT YOU WANT |
| Home (mortgage / rent) |
$ |
$ |
| Food |
$ |
$ |
| Clothing |
$ |
$ |
| Telephone / Internet |
$ |
$ |
| Utilities |
$ |
$ |
| Household items (e.g., light bulbs, paper towels) |
$ |
$ |
| Home maintenance / repairs |
$ |
$ |
| Pet (e.g., vet, food) |
$ |
$ |
| Car (e.g., gas, maintenance, registration) |
$ |
$ |
| Entertainment (e.g., movies, cable TV, eating out) |
$ |
$ |
| Education (e.g., workshops, books, periodicals) |
$ |
$ |
| Alimony / child support |
$ |
$ |
| Debt (e.g., loan and credit card payments) |
$ |
$ |
| Medical (in addition to insurance premiums) |
$ |
$ |
| Professional services (e.g., accountant, lawyer) |
$ |
$ |
| Career development (e.g., counseling, workshops) |
$ |
$ |
| Insurance premiums (e.g., home, car, disability) |
$ |
$ |
| Retirement contributions |
$ |
$ |
| Property taxes |
$ |
$ |
| Bank fees |
$ |
$ |
| Charitable donations |
$ |
$ |
| Vacation |
$ |
$ |
| Other |
$ |
$ |
| TOTAL |
$ |
$ |
| SALARY RANGE (Totals x 2)* |
$ |
$ |
*Multiply your totals by 2 to roughly allow for social security, federal and state income taxes, and unpredictable expenses. For an accurate calculation, consult your accountant who will take into consideration your income tax bracket and status.
26 Job Interview Tips
21 Sample Interview Questions
Salary /Job Search Coach
Your Salary Range Chart
Your perfect job won’t be so perfect unless it pays enough to support your lifestyle… or at least pay the rent. Before you start looking for one, you should know how much money you need to live on, and how much you’d like to live on—there is a difference! Use the following “thinksheet” to figure those two amounts.
*Multiply your totals by 2 to roughly allow for social security, federal and state income taxes, and unpredictable expenses. For an accurate calculation, consult your accountant who will take into consideration your income tax bracket and status.
26 Job Interview Tips
21 Sample Interview Questions
Salary /Job Search Coach