How Much Is Enough?

I had a very interesting and illuminating discussion with a good friend of mine over the Christmas period about making money.

My friend is in the building trade and works as a floor layer.

Obviously due to the recent recession his work flow has dried up somewhat in recent months and he told me that this was causing problems in his marriage.

Basically, he explained that for the last few years he had been earning some great money in the building trade and he quoted figures of £80,000+ per year but now recently his wages have dropped to around £30,000 per year.

He explained that his wife was now complaining that he didn't earn enough money and that he should try and earn more somehow.

I said that I was staggered he was earning that much in the first place but that I still thought £30,000 per year was a good wage.

He was under the impression for some reason that my partner and I earned a lot of money ourselves - we don't, comparitively, but we do feel that we earn enough for our needs to feel comfortable.

I have always had an ambition to work from home and earn around £3,000 per month which I don't think is unrealistic.

I was just wondering what peoples thoughts were on this.