It really does come down to balance..... if you want a lifestyle that gives you trips away with the family to all those places that we only ever dreamed about and want to eat and drink out at the best (actually it doesn't have to even be that good) dining establishments in town then as an FO you will not have a lot left. If you want to live like a sand hermit you will probably save some cash.
Having said that if you on the other hand want to stick it out till that elusive upgrade happens, things get remarkably better. I have been able to save (after upgrade not before) without too much sacrifice and sometimes when I look at what we actually spend I feel a little guilty at the amount of cash that flows out of my account for more luxury items than I would have ever been able to have back home in the 1st world.
Working 90+ hours every month..... not fun, and yes agree with all above it is not sustainable and God only knows where this sorry mess that the management here have created will end.
You come here and first off you love the place but after a while you start to see the crap that flows under the surface and realise just how unimportant you are in the grand scheme of EK. You are working for an Arab Airline, they don't allow unions for the simple reason they don't want the workers to have a say, so the contract you sign is pointless and empty the minute you place the pen on the bottom line, it only serves them if you by some strange reason you want to request something. i.e. "oh no that's in your contract" when you want to move from the crap villa in the back blocks of Mirdiff.
As you guys say.... my 2 cents worth.