Disposable Income

Since 2001, over 90,000 cyclist's have joined Cycling Forums to discuss topics from general cycling to equipment, training, racing and travel or vacation destinations (especially in europe during the tour de france). We also feature an great deals in our online store, 100's of articles, classifieds and product reviews.

What's your level of disposable income?

Disposable income is the amount of money that you have left after paying income tax, social security, mortgage/rent,
food bills, utility bills, local taxes.
In other words, the amount of money left in your pocket that you can choose to with as you wish.

The reason I ask is that the media are reporting that despite full employment, despite excellent wages and wage increases,
despite historically high growth in our economy, despite historically low interest rates, people in this country's disposable
income fell by 11%, to 12% of their net (after income tax) income.

The reason disposable income levels have fallen is because of peoples level of indebtedness has risen (car loans, credit card loans,
store card debt, social spending in pubs/restaurants).

What percentage of your net income (net income being income remaining after income tax) is disposable?

I'll start the ball rolling - my disposable income is 42% of my take home pay.

It looks like about.......roughly 52%. Of course 52% of nothing is nothing. :D

I meant real money, JH.

not 52% of zero!

I meant real money, JH.

not 52% of zero!


Yes I know,it is still around 52% but was about 3% at an earlier age.

What's your level of disposable income?

Disposable income is the amount of money that you have left after paying income tax, social security, mortgage/rent,
food bills, utility bills, local taxes.
.I get paid monthly, taking that and my own business interests...

its roughly £1,500 per month, after taxes, mortgage, food, clothes and socialising that is.
about 50%, same as JH

the wife is slightly less.

What's your level of disposable income?...I operate with a Flexible Vortex Family Account - Whatever income there is (I am paid from the US) goes into an account which gets ransacked by my family (This is the Vortex part). The Flexible part refers to how flexible they are in using 100% of what is available - like oil on troubled water, there is a calming USD $0.00 left over, regardless of the waves of fluctuations coming in.
I am truly grateful to them for their overwhelming consistency as it makes budgeting so much simpler.

The concept of "disposable income" does not exist in my household.Shoes,dresses,make-up etc. are regarded as "essential items".
Beer,bikes and boats are regarded as "trivialities and toys" for which I should be pathetically grateful. :)

The concept of "disposable income" does not exist in my household.Shoes,dresses,make-up etc. are regarded as "essential items".
Beer,bikes and boats are regarded as "trivialities and toys" for which I should be pathetically grateful. :)


I refer to my original post"52% of nothing is nothing".

I refer to my original post"52% of nothing is nothing".It must be "Secret women's business".When the vows are exchanged,I'm sure they are secretly awarded a degree in creative accounting.

It must be "Secret women's business".When the vows are exchanged,I'm sure they are secretly awarded a degree in creative accounting.


Nah, they are born with the dreaded "shoe genetic syndrome".

Nah, they are born with the dreaded "shoe genetic syndrome".
Shoot, I am just the accountant, my spouse is the CEO and Chancellor of the Exchequer.....I've got no idea what goes on.

Thanfully, I am still allowed to retain fiscal responsibility portfolio in my household.
Otherwise my wife, who suffers from the "I've got nothing to wear" syndrome,
would gladly employ Eoin C's fiscal vortex principle.

I refer to my original post"52% of nothing is nothing".
Have you seen the price of pantyhose these days!!!! They used to be a couple of bucks a pair, now your lucky if you could find a pair of socks for a couple of bucks....

Thanfully, I am still allowed to retain fiscal responsibility portfolio in my household...My wife and I share fiscal responsibility. I am responsible for the part where the money comes in the door, and she is responsible for the part where it goes out. In addition to allocating expenditure resources to her own corporate departments (Which I don't have access authority to - I'm told there's some kind of mix-up with my name in the IT Dept, but I'm sure it will be fixed soon), she occassionally grants AFE's for expenditures that I have pleaded for. These are usually amortised over an extensive period and are provided via a modern dripfeed system.
I am very fortunate to have her assuming such a thankless task. Her attention to detail is impressive. Without her continuing advice and intruction, I would probably not have known that a diamond is a necessity, not a luxury.

My wife and I share fiscal responsibility.
i have been trying to implement the principle of 'devolved bugetary responsibility' in our household. My wife and i both work but you would be surprised just how little money gets allocated to the cycling budget. £0.01 per week.
I am trying to raise this to over £100.00 but its proving challenging with long range financial forcasts appear to indicate trouble ahead.. 'holidays' & 'new kitchen' are just a couple of shared responsibilities that already spell death to the cycling budget.

apparently a new kitchen only has a lifespan of 5 year until it has to be completely ripped and and new one put in....including appliances...this was news to me until last week when i was 're-educated'.

i have been trying to implement the principle of 'devolved bugetary responsibility' in our household. My wife and i both work but you would be surprised just how little money gets allocated to the cycling budget. £0.01 per week.
I am trying to raise this to over £100.00 but its proving challenging with long range financial forcasts appear to indicate trouble ahead.. 'holidays' & 'new kitchen' are just a couple of shared responsibilities that already spell death to the cycling budget.

apparently a new kitchen only has a lifespan of 5 year until it has to be completely ripped and and new one put in....including appliances...this was news to me until last week when i was 're-educated'.Ten thousand years ago,mrs.cro-mag was probably telling her husband ..."I don't like these rocks,the clay pots are so yesterday and the firewood smells..funny,and I don't like it!".
Perhaps trawling the "lifestyle" magazines for articles about LA's kitchen (to be photo-copied and pasted to every wall in the house),may restore the correct yin-yang balance to the MP household.
:)

My wife and I share fiscal responsibility. I am responsible for the part where the money comes in the door, and she is responsible for the part where it goes out. In addition to allocating expenditure resources to her own corporate departments (Which I don't have access authority to - I'm told there's some kind of mix-up with my name in the IT Dept, but I'm sure it will be fixed soon), she occassionally grants AFE's for expenditures that I have pleaded for. These are usually amortised over an extensive period and are provided via a modern dripfeed system.
I am very fortunate to have her assuming such a thankless task. Her attention to detail is impressive. Without her continuing advice and intruction, I would probably not have known that a diamond is a necessity, not a luxury.

Indeed you are lucky to have such a bastion of fiscal rectitude managing income and expenditure.

i have been trying to implement the principle of 'devolved bugetary responsibility' in our household. My wife and i both work but you would be surprised just how little money gets allocated to the cycling budget. £0.01 per week.
I am trying to raise this to over £100.00 but its proving challenging with long range financial forcasts appear to indicate trouble ahead.. 'holidays' & 'new kitchen' are just a couple of shared responsibilities that already spell death to the cycling budget.

apparently a new kitchen only has a lifespan of 5 year until it has to be completely ripped and and new one put in....including appliances...this was news to me until last week when i was 're-educated'.

I too would like to see a rebalance between the cycling budget and some other budgets such as Coco-Chanel, L'Oreal, Zara, Prada, Top Shop, Debenhams and the like.

Bianchi needs investment from the likes of me!
I just wish Bianchi would get priority over some of the other corporations named above.

I bought a new pair of cycling shoes - €99.00. First new pair in three years.
Her in doors spends at least that amount perhaps twice a month on "oh, I really do need a pair of those strappy high heels................"

My bicycle was expensive as were the accoutrements that went along with it. I am still waiting for decent weather to bike again.

New plumbing, a new furnace, and therapy bills for offspring, and you are dead. My husband treated himself to a new HDTV by Sony. I re-did the curtains in our living room as soon as I was in shape to do so, post surgically. X-mas wasn't as bad as it could have been. My husband wanted a short wave radio and he got a Grundig. Loves to listen to the Netherlands, Spain, Canada and places all over. I, in turn, got a few bobbles and a Kitchen Aid attachment (which I never use anyway). Since I got a new red Huyndai Tiberon 2 years ago, I am still "atoning" for that sin, that Lucifer that is in the driveway!!!! LOL

I hope business did well and my spouse will get a decent bonus.....to pay for the furnace, you see.


Nothing has been more expensive than comfortable women's shoes, that aren't too ugly to bear wearing. Unfortunately my left hip had to be replaced at so young an age. I am wearing shoes with lots of support and impact taking and spend over $100.00 or so a pair.

I used to be able to wear cheapies that I would buy at warehouses for well under $50.00 usually. Say, 34.99.

I haven't bought their version of "evening shoes" yet. Softwalk will do quite a business as us baby boomers age and age and age.

I too would like to see a rebalance between the cycling budget and some other budgets such as Coco-Chanel, L'Oreal, Zara, Prada, Top Shop, Debenhams and the like.

Bianchi needs investment from the likes of me!
I just wish Bianchi would get priority over some of the other corporations named above.

I bought a new pair of cycling shoes - €99.00. First new pair in three years.
Her in doors spends at least that amount perhaps twice a month on "oh, I really do need a pair of those strappy high heels................"Surely you could have strapped some peat or bark or something to your feet?
..but your ancestors didn't wear high heels...
WAAAH...sexist...children in indonesia won't have work if I don't have high heels...WAAAH...sleep with the dog...
Can't argue with it,can't win! :)