> Software engineers have a different relationship to salary than most people and it shapes expectations It also shapes expectations over what we think we will

> Software engineers have a different relationship to salary than most people and it shapes expectations It also shapes expectations over what we think we will be expected to pay for personally, and what those costs are likely to escalate to be by the time we must pay for them. Give me $80k/yr and my quality of life locked in on that (healthcare/retirement included of course!) and I'd sign the paperwork tomorrow. The issue is that there is no way the costs are going to be reasonable enough if I get "unlucky" to say that is anywhere near enough money. The difference gets put into savings, not spent. My family who have never seen what things cost (e.g. subsidized medical insurance, etc.) are perfectly content and happy making far less, and state that it's simply lifestyle inflation for others. I think it's more ignorance is bliss, and they always know (and utilize) the fact they have family doing much better than them to call if times get truly tough. When you're the only backstop you have for yourself, and likely many others counting on you, that $80k sounds like pretty much nothing running a few not-ideal life scenarios. tldr; $80k certainly gives a very reasonable lifestyle, but as soon as the music stops it turns into pain city really fast. It's less needing more money to have a nice lifestyle, and more middle class economic insecurity.