Wage watchers: how much does a civil engineer earn?

Civil engineer Igor Vandersmissen, 47, from Bastogne talks about what he earns and how he spends it.

What do you do for a living?

I work for the public office that hands out premiums for the renovation of houses in Brussels. I am responsible for the department that examines applications and makes the payments.

What do you think of your salary?

As a civil engineer I earn a very good salary (€3,500 after tax plus STIB pass, meal vouchers and hospitalisation insurance for myself and my children). And yet, at the end of every month there is almost nothing left in the pot. We have three children who are studying away from home and another two children aged 13 and 16. 

What does the biggest part of your salary go towards?

We live in our own house, for which we repay €750 a month. Food costs a lot for the whole family; so does transport. I have a daily six-hour round trip to work and back. Luckily, part of the cost is covered by my employer, which means I pay only €95 a month. In a way, because we live in an isolated hamlet on the outskirts of Bastogne, we always have to go far. If I want to buy some bread I have to drive for 15 minutes.

Do you have any hobbies?

My biggest hobby is my horses. I make horseshoes the traditional way, but using the latest scientific methods, which are humane for the horses. During the week my horses are out in the field, which doesn’t require much work from me. We also have many animals at home, such as geese, but it’s mostly my wife who looks after them. Because we have such a large family with so many animals, she is a stay-at-home wife.

Do you go on holiday?

With all those animals it is difficult to go away for long periods of time. Moreover, we live on one salary. So we limit our holidays to one week per year. In general we go camping in one of the neighbouring countries.

Is there anything you resent paying good money for?

We do very few cultural activities such as going to the cinema, for instance, because it is extremely time-consuming for us. Clothes are also something I don’t spend much money on. I share my salary between many people, so I have to make choices.

(vab)