Average incomes

[flabbergastedfinances]

Found out that the average family income is around £30,000 a year and I can not believe it. I don't know a single family on anywhere near this low, lowest is possibly 70k mark between two teachers but majority have two earners pulling in 40+ each or one higher earner on 80/90k+

How on earth is 30,000 even possible in light of minimum wage and benefits/tax credits etc? What is even more shocking is that I used the where do you fit in calculator and we are apparently in top 98% of families in the uk. No chance, absolutely no chance.

We might have a high ish mortgage (still only £1000 so not outrageous) and have slipped into bad spending habits (Uber's, eating lunch out every day, new clothes now and then) but we are hardly excessive. We can't afford to run two cars, can't afford foreign holidays, can't afford the posher shops like Boden or northface new and yet this chart tells me we have it better than nearly everyone else in the country?! What am I missing?!

We have a child in childcare a few days a week, so that and mortgage are biggest expenses but combined that's only £1500 and I see everyone else buying £300 coats, spending 1000s on holidays, children in private schools and I am utterly stumped.

How can the average family income be £30,000? Which families are surviving on that? None I know that's for sure and I just refuse to believe that's an actual reality

[RJnomore1]

You’ve obviously not seen the millions of people struggling to put food on the table then op. Lucky you.

[curlykaren]

How lovely for you that your life doesn't expose you to this REALITY.

[LadyGuffers]

WTF

This thread is disgustingly insensitive.

[usersouthcoast]

I'm nervous for you OP

[NC4this123]

🤔 wow - someone rarely leaves their own bubble

[Coldilox]

You live in a bubble. Plenty of people do.

We earn more than the average. We are both professionals, joint income around your lowest earning friends. We’re not excessively rich, we don’t and can’t spend excessively, but we can afford our mortgage, our bills, food, clothes etc, occasional holidays abroad (every few years) and treats for the family without worrying where the money will come from. We recognise we are incredibly lucky.

[EmrysAtticus]

Have you considered OP that you surround yourself with people in a similar situation and from a similar background as yourself and thus don't have a broad view of society as a whole?

[Ninjakittysmellz]

This made me lol, though god knows why!

[MissBax]

Is this for real?!?! I feel so sorry for you that you are so naive and clearly don't have a varied spectrum of friends to be honest. That's something no money can buy!

[MrOnionsBumperRoller]

Will we start a crowdfunder for you OP?

[MrsJoshNavidi]

Averages are weird numbers. They don't really tell us a lot.
For example the average number of legs per person is less than two.

If two people earn £20k each and a third person earns £100k, the average salary is £46.6k. Meaningless.

[HappyDinosaur]

Our household income is 50k, we did feel like we were doing ok but obviously you think not.

[badgermushrooms]

We're on that. I have a middling public sector job and DH is part time in the third sector. We can't afford flashy holidays but we're comfortable. I imagine it helps that our mortgage is only just over £400 a month - we'd be seriously struggling if we were still private renting.

OP, did you imagine that food banks were a sort of quirky hobby some people liked to engage with to pass the time?

[WhiteLaundry]

@MrsJoshNavidi That's the mean, I assumed OP is referring to the median

[ilovesooty]

I assumed initially that the OP was going to day she knew lots of people who earn less. I certainly do.

[PortiaCastis]

Well try living on £74pw job seekers allowance then realise how lucky you are, clearly the foodbank isn't on your radar.
Also, some may post what they spend on various coats etc but I'm very sceptical of that stuff, it all needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as a lot of it is old bollocks

[DisneyMadeMeDoIt]

FWIW I grew up on one PT wage and benefits - we STRUGGLED! We had family who all struggled and friends too - all in the same boat so it felt normal.

I did reasonably well for myself (average office wage) and married a high earner in a respected profession. His family/social circles have no idea what it’s like to actually struggle - ‘tightening belts’ here means cutting down from 7 varieties to 5 on the after dinner cheese boards at Christmas!

It’s laughable and I’m not sure the OP is intending to be goady I think they probably are genuinely baffled that’s the average in the U.K!

[NormandySR1]

We manage on about 30k a year. That's two of us working in the north east. No holidays, no cars but we luckily have our own home. Perhaps pull your head out of your arse.

[Petrichor11]

You’re either blindingly stupid or simple a goady fucker. Either way YABVVVU

[ScreamingCosArgosHaveNoRavens]

Oooh, it's a 'look how rich I am' thread!

[AfterSomeAdvice1234]

this chart tells me we have it better than nearly everyone else in the country?! What am I missing?!

You're employed, and a homeowner. Already more privileged than many...

[DartmoorChef]

How's the weather in cloud cuckoo land OP?

[blue25]

It does depend on your social circle and where you live. We’re in the SE and most people around us have a household income of 100k+.

However, I am very aware that this is something of a bubble and lots of people earn less.

[Jazmin2906]

Wow this post is extremely insensitive to those on the “bottom line”! I really don’t see what OP is gaining from even posting this other than to gloat about how high their wage!!?

[princesspeppax]

My and my DP with 2 DCs have around £35,000 per year and we live comfortably