Living on 50K military style

**Kitten20** · 12-19-2011, 03:48 PM

The article says "about 50k" and "Jason estimates they would have to take in a civilian salary of $80,000 just to maintain the standard of living they now have for less than $50,000."

So I'd imagine somewhere between 40 & 50k. I would think they would most definitely include housing, as that's a big chunk of civilian pay. But I don't know very much about the military.

**McD** · 12-19-2011, 03:59 PM

Depending on what his MOS (job speciality), any special qualifiers, etc. the servicemember has he can get that bumped up to 50K pretty quickly.

Also, I don't think your calculator takes into account time in service, which affects their pay. If hubby were working full time at his rank, with his time in service, he'd be making a base pay of 40K. 10k a year is pretty easy to make, especially if he has a qualifier.

By qualifier, I mean maybe he has a speciality mos or training that provides extra funding. When I was working as a recruiter, we got an extra stipend every month to make up for the crappy hours and we were provided with a cell phone.

Active duty also gets a clothing allowance. My brother-in-law gets all kinds of extra monies due to the nature of his job.

And since he served active duty, he most like paid into the GI bill and will still be able to use that after he separates from the military to pay for his school.

**Nishu** · 12-19-2011, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by laura-n-sasha

So according to the link, even if he is at the highest in the scale at:
$28,491
Then another:
12,000
for housing
Equals 40,491 but not 50K!

However, if they are also saying that the military also pays for their health benefits, then that could be the 10K extra, but who counts that as "pay"?

I certainly do not count the subsidized housing I get for being a park ranger. While I only pay $150 a month, it comes directly out of my pay. Of course there is no real comparison of what I would be charged each month, because there is nothing comparable to living inside of a National Park.

I just think that the article somehow bumped up his salary as the series was for "Making it under $50K a year." or something like that.

Bah for his area and pay grade is about 2000 a month, which is 24000 a year. What you're saying about subsidized housing has no bearing on the discussion. We pay rent just like everyone else, and when we live in housing, that rent money just happens to equal our bah.

**Nishu** · 12-19-2011, 08:53 PM

E5 with dependents. Bah rate for his base: $ 2019 a month, which makes over 24,000.

Base pay for 4 years in at e5: 2448. This is actually at the low end of the scale, as most rated would find it difficult to make e5 in that amount of time. It makes a little more than 29,000 a year.

He's easily clearing 50k before taxes without taking into account any special pay or benefits.

**LynnLC** · 12-19-2011, 11:18 PM

Not only do I know nothing about military salaries but I suffered a serious brain cramp when I couldn't pronounce the kids names.."Aereus & Crichton". Lol.

**laura-n-sasha** · 12-20-2011, 03:37 AM

Ah, my bad, 2K x 12 = 24K not 12K - in my defense, it was a brain cramp!

Yup, I can see how it could be $50K now.

I was just referring to what I do as a Park Ranger. Totally different from military for sure, but at the same time, sort of the same. Housing can be in the barracks, or for me, I live in an RV with my husband, and so our spot is cheaper than someone living in an apartment with at least another roommate.