Wage watchers: how much does a bank employee earn?

Bank employee Jan Talboom, 37, from Ghent, talks about what he earns and how he spends it.

What do you think of your salary?

I think it’s not bad (€2,000 per month after tax + meal tickets + health insurance + bank products) but it can always be better. It’s important to judge your wages in relation to your job – and in that respect my wages are acceptable.

Would you look elsewhere if the money was better?

Not just for a higher salary, no. I prefer to work in the city where I live. It has an enormous impact on my quality of life. Besides that, I also find relations with colleagues very important.

Do you save?

If you call paying a mortgage saving then yes, I save. One-third of my salary goes towards it, so there isn’t much to save after that. 

Is there anything specific on which you try to save money?

For some things I consider quality to be extremely important, even though you can save by buying second-hand. I’d rather buy a quality second-hand bike via Kapaza than a new one from Aldi, even though the former is more expensive.

What do you gladly pay good money for?

I love English shoes, because of their durability. I don’t find what I’m after that often, so when I finally do, I tend to stick with the same quality. 

What do you resent parting with your money for?

Gadgets such as an iPhone. Flashy things are not my style, anyway.

Imagine you get a substantial pay rise. What do you do with the extra money?

I’d get all my building works finished, then travel. I’d love to go around South America on my motorbike: Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time.

(mr)