The Salary Calculator

A new beginning for 2015

by Admin

As 2015 opens, it seems everyone I know is starting a new job! A common theme of conversations I’ve had is either promotions or moving jobs to a new company and new horizons. January is a popular time for people to make a fresh start, and what better way to do that than with a new job?

If you’re considering a move then The Salary Calculator is here to help – find out how much that new salary would bring home for you with the take home pay calculator, or even compare it side-by-side with your current salary with the salary comparison calculator. Maybe you’re thinking of improving your home life with a move to part-time work? The pro-rata salary calculator can help you see what would happen to your take-home if you reduced your hours in your current job.

Maybe 2015 for you is the year you go to university, or one in which you consider it. If this applies to you then I highly recommend Money Saving Expert’s page about the cost of university, and what those fees and loans mean – don’t make a decision about the cost of studying until you’ve read this guide, or at least watched the short video summary which appears just above point number 5.

Tags: 2015, income tax, Jobs, new job, Pay As You Earn, promotion, student loan, The Salary Calculator

How singles can save money

by Admin

Over at Money.co.uk they’ve recently published an article about how singles can cut their costs, or even earn a little extra income. It’s full of useful tips – some of which you may already be doing but others you might not have thought about.

While looking for a new job or getting a pay rise can be a great way of increasing your disposable income each month, saving on bills is just as effective and is often easier! If you’d like to read more, check out 10 Easy Steps to Cut The Cost Of Single Living

Tags: bills, costs, income, savings, single, tips

A fresh start in the New Year?

by Admin

2014 has arrived, and for many people the start of a new year is a time to make a clean break with the past, and move on to new things. Often people join a gym, start a diet (after the excesses of the festive period!) – or look for a new job.

The new job could be a promotion at your current place of work, or a new opportunity elsewhere – and The Salary Calculator can help you as you consider your options. If you’re wondering what a new salary might mean for your monthly take-home, check it out on the take-home pay calculator. If you know how much you need each month and would like to know what kind of salary you should be looking for, try using the required salary calculator.

You might be considering supplementing your income not by getting a new job, but by being self-employed in your spare time. In which case, you can try out the tools at our sister site Employed and Self Employed, which will help you to see how your tax and National Insurance contributions will be affected by your additional income.

If you are making a new start in 2014, best of luck!

Tags: 2014, Employed and Self Employed, income tax, Jobs, national insurance, Pay As You Earn, self employed, The Salary Calculator

Becoming self-employed rather than un-employed

by Admin

I read an interesting article this morning on the BBC News website about the phenomenon of people who are unemployed deciding to become self-employed rather than keep looking for “traditional” employment. Apparently, a significant number of people have found that it is difficult to find a job, but that they have been able to start and run promising businesses themselves – something they have found much more fulfilling than taking Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Our sister site Employed and Self Employed has a tax calculator you can use to see how much tax and National Insurance would be deducted from self employment profits, if you are thinking of starting your own business. There is also a more complex calculator if you already have a job but are thinking of becoming self-employed in your spare time – you can work out how much of your profits you would be able to keep hold of.

If you are unemployed and thinking of starting your own business, you may be eligible for some funds from the government to help you get started. More information is available here about the New Enterprise Allowance.

Tags: careers, Employed and Self Employed, income tax, Jobs, NEA, New Enterprise Allowance, Pay As You Earn, self employed, The Salary Calculator, unemployment

Trying to live cheaply

by Admin

I was interested to read an article on the BBC news website today about the new benefits cap, which was trying to estimate how much money someone needs to be able to live (albeit cheaply). As well as some examples of how people can save a bit of money with cheaper options, it was interesting to me to see things that I wouldn’t necessarily have considered when trying to work out my weekly spend.

For example, they say that the average family spends £9.50 a week on furniture. Now, obviously, most people don’t buy a new piece of furniture each week, and I can’t remember the last time I did – but it is expensive and you will need to budget for some such purchases over the year. You might think that if you were living on a budget you just wouldn’t buy furniture, but it does wear out and does need to be replaced, even if it is replaced with a cheaper, second-hand equivalent.

Also clothing – not something I spend money on regularly, but if you have a job interview you will need a suit – and you’ll have to save for many weeks at a couple of pounds a week to afford it. Things like socks will wear out, shirts will get damaged – if every penny counts, it will be difficult to get replacements, even if you shop in budget shops.

Anyway, check out the link above to read the article in more detail. You might spot somewhere that you could economise!

Tags: benefits, debt, Economy, recession, recovery, unemployment