disposable income

noun

: income that is left after paying taxes and for things that are essential, such as food and housing

I don't have enough disposable income to buy such luxuries.

Examples of disposable income in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Even with utilities averaging a couple thousand dollars a year less and healthcare and transportation costs far lower than in the Silicon Valley, the Los Angeles renter winds up with much less disposable income than counterparts on the Peninsula. —Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024

Luxury retail bounced back quickly because consumers with disposable income were more eager to spend, Lapinsky said. —Omari Daniels, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024

Still, amid the sacrifices many are making to ensure there’s a social safety net in the country, there are those with disposable income who can invest. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024

As the cost of credit card debt and mortgages fall, consumers’ disposable income increases. —Indy Guha, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024

Hostels exist for a reason, to open up the possibilities of travel to young adults with little to no disposable income. —Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024

New technologies made chores easier, freeing up couples’ time, and growing wages gave people more disposable income. —Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2024

There is no reason why some of our disposable income shouldn’t go into startup and scaleup companies. —Trevor Clawson, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024

Blaming inflation only on Biden doesn’t take into account the full economic picture, and the administration says disposable income is up. —Journal Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2024

Legal Definition

disposable income

noun

dis·​pos·​able income

: income available for disposal: as

a

: the income remaining to an individual after deduction of taxes

b

: the income of a debtor in bankruptcy that is not necessary to support the debtor or the debtor's dependents