pay "raise" vent (sorry)

carig63

So, a raise I received last month went into effect this month. My yearly salary increased by $5,000. Of the difference, I'm bringing home a whopping $156.21 extra each month. Don't get me wrong, every penny is a little bit of a help, but really? I'm supposed to feel like that's my big congratulations for working my @$$ off for 6 years?

IdigDirt

Was that the only raise in 6 years? 

amatistajoy

That seems like a pretty decent pay raise.You didn't get just a few pennies thrown your way. Based on your vent, I don't feel sorry for you. I think you should be grateful. If you are unhappy with your work or feel you can be happier elsewhere, then start looking.

tosababy

$5k sounds like a good raise to me, especially in the current economic environment.

Iblamethebeer

amatistajoy:

That seems like a pretty decent pay raise.You didn't get just a few pennies thrown your way. Based on your vent, I don't feel sorry for you. I think you should be grateful. If you are unhappy with your work or feel you can be happier elsewhere, then start looking.

ouch?

OP -- I'm with you.  Whenever I hear the annual, gross amount of a raise it seems huge and then when it come out in my paycheck and I see how much it actually works out to per month it seems a lot less exciting!

bumpuser511563

At least you got a raise. Some of us will not see any raises for awhile due to the economy. If you don't want it, give it to me.

tosababy

Also, how did $5k/year become only $156/mo.  That's less than 40% of the total amount. You're not being taxed 60%.  Is a lot of it going into retirement or something?  Or is it really $156/pay period?

Ago

Sorry dude, but I have to say that sounds like a great raise.  We get 2% if we get anything at all.  I fought tooth and nail for 5% this year.  Many people aren't getting anything.

jlaOK

tosababy:

Also, how did $5k/year become only $156/mo.  That's less than 40% of the total amount. You're not being taxed 60%.  Is a lot of it going into retirement or something?  Or is it really $156/pay period?

I'm wondering the same thing. $5000/yr = $416.67/month. At a 25% tax bracket you'd bring home $312/month. Is the $156 bi-monthly?

jlaOK

tosababy:

Also, how did $5k/year become only $156/mo.  That's less than 40% of the total amount. You're not being taxed 60%.  Is a lot of it going into retirement or something?  Or is it really $156/pay period?

I'm wondering the same thing. $5000/yr = $416.67/month. At a 25% tax bracket you'd bring home $312/month. Is the $156 bi-monthly?

itsmevkb

I'm hoping I get a raise this year and not another pay freeze.  And then, I'm hoping that my raise will be large enough to cover the inevitable increase in my health insurance premiums. 

Congrats on your raise.  I know it's never as much as it seems it will be.

ss+el

I've had the same employer for 21 years and my raises rarely amount to more than $100/mo before taxes. If that's your first raise in 6yrs, yeah, I'd be peeved, but as other pps said, in this economy, that's not bad at all.

DTNZ4Ever

I havent had a raise in 4 years. I work for a not for profit funded by the state. I'll take your raise from you. That is a week of groceries.

amatistajoy

DTNZ4Ever:

That is a week of groceries.

This. Even though PP have questioned the amount you are actually bringing home from the raise... even $156 is substantial to me. I guess it depends on spending habits and your view or value of a dollar. 

RoxyLynn

Ditto, trio, quadro, whatever.  We haven't had raises for 5 or 6 years and our benefit costs have gone WAY up.  $156 would at least help defray some of the chunk eaten up by the bennies.  Sorry you're disappointed.

Strunella

I would have been thrilled with a $5,000 raise.  My raise this year was the lowest in the history of my career (with several companies).  1%.   A 1% raise?  Really?   I told  DH that a raise is usually a thank you, but a 1% raise is a F-You.  

stdldb29

I will chime in...I got a $300 raise this year. WTF is even the point of that? Perks of being a teacher I guess. 

greenhope

I could do a lot with an extra $150/mth...

CrazyToast

As a teacher, with the COL going up (especially insurance I have to pay for out of pocket), and the UNPAID furlough days we have been taking - I actually bring home less than I used to 5 years ago.

BeachBum73

Lol...I've barely received a cost of living raise for the past 10 years!!  My expectation is that big raises are a thing of the past.  If you want a huge salary increase, you need to look for a new job.

Sunidaze

I gotta agree with most everyone else here.  You got a raise.  Be thankful.  Be thankful you have a job and be thankful you got any raise at all.  Kinda reminds me of when I lost a job due to downsizing a few years back a (now former) friend empathized with me by saying:  "I totally know how you feel, I didn't get my bonus this year."

mben1119

Wow. I would be THRILLED to have a raise that big.

KCD053109

That sounds like an amazing raise. I've received one raise from my work in the 6 years I've been employed here and it wasn't even that generous. And then there is my DH, who also hasn't received a raise in 5 years. Oh, I'm sorry, the raises that he has received automatically went into the retirement plan - gotta love city raises. And actually, with the adjustment being made to what is being contributed from his income to the RP he is actually taking a pay cut. Still trying to figure that one out.

groovygrl

LOL. I have been making more or less the same salary for 11 years at 3 different jobs and I have a master's degree. I have never gotten more than a 4% raise and that was the good years, and was at my last job for 6 yrs and got a 3% raise one time, the first year b/c after that the state was on a salary freeze for all employees and no one got raises for the next 4-5 yrs. (disclaimer, I have chosen to apply for & take jobs that did not offer more money in order to expand my skill set & have other perks like flexibility, but still hard to feel bad about your raise.)

Unless you make over $125,000/yr, a 5K raise is more than a 4% raise which in my experience seems to be around the standard annual raise in companies who do annual cost of living raises in decent economic times (unless you got promoted or are taking on more responsibility or something?).  If you make $150,000 or more then yeah, I guess it is less than a typical COL raise but in the last 5+ years there are boatloads of ppl getting no raises so I can't imagine complaining that much.

DaisyJanie

We got a 3% COL adjustment this year, plenty of people at my work are like, "ugh, why even bother?" but I think it's great. An extra $120 take home per month is nothing huge but it's an extra 2-3 dinners out (we eat cheap). 

grounhogswifey

I work for the local government and some of my salary is funded by the state so I'm am by no means a very high earner. We got a COLA at 3.5% year before last. It had been several years since we had anything. We just got a 5% raise on 7/1 but that is to cover our pension contributions that we pay OOP now. Our county kicked in .75% just to make sure our take home wasn't affected. I nearly crapped my pants with excitement when I saw how much of a raise 5% was. I would be more than thrilled with $5,000!

jovencita1224

Seriously? I work for the federal government and our pay has been frozen at 2010 levels the past 2 years and there is talk of them staying frozen for another 5. Plus, with the increases in health insurance premiums and the changes to our retirement where we have to put in a bigger %, my paycheck has actually decreased each year for the past 2 years. This doesn't stop my daycare, gas, and food prices from increasing though. 

I would love to have an extra $150. Actually, I would love for my paycheck to not continue to go down while our cost of living goes up. I get that this is a vent, but I don't get why. At least you got a raise.