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Original poster

Does anyone here have an ‘average’ job with an average wage?

157 replies

gummybearrr · 09/09/2025 08:45

A weird thread I know but, whenever I see posts on here about income, jobs, wages, I’m just in awe, people earning 100k+ (I don’t think I know anyone who earns that??) and there seems to be so many, all with really good jobs too, no debt, owns their own house, I mean - good for your you’ve worked hard for this, that’s my dream but unfortunately not yet..

so, is anyone here like me? Never really had ambition to do anything when I was younger. I work in retail on checkout (or I did, I’m on maternity) earning min wage, Dh is a manager in retail and earns just a little above NMW but not by much, we have UC top up and private rent, we’ve nearly paid ALL our debt (yay)!!! But sadly don’t think home owning is something we will ever do, I do plan on going to college when DC is older to try and get a good job, (I don’t know what, I’m one of those people who want to do something good but with no clue as to what) but yeah, I class myself as extremely average, to which I’ve never really come across anyone really on Mumsnet!

this is not me slating these people - I wish I was you 🤣

OP posts:
PumpkinSeasonOctober · 09/09/2025 17:05

Remember it’s the internet and people can make up any life and income they want.

JHound · 09/09/2025 16:59

I think this site leans fairly Middle Class hence the wage disparity here between averages in real life.

Crushed23 · 09/09/2025 16:44

mrlistersgelfbride · 09/09/2025 15:18

👋 me! I don’t know anyone on 100k or over.
I’m a science technician, I’d be on 29k if full time but I do 4 days.
Partner self employed earns about 60k, we have 1 DC and are more comfortable than not.
I always wanted to work but I’m not particularly ambitious , I enjoy my free time way more than working.
I live in the north west so things are
a bit cheaper.

Have you ever visited a dentist? Had a GP appointment? Been under the care of a hospital consultant? Do your children attend a secondary school with a Headteacher?

Then you know people who earn £100k+.

Nothankyov · 09/09/2025 15:43

@gummybearrr never too late. I started off in retail. So below average! Nothing wrong with that. If you want something different go for it! If not then that’s ok. You say you don’t know anyone earning 100k but I would hazard a guess that we all tend to hang around within our social circle so if you went on to do something else and earn that then you would know peoples that do to!

FartyAnimal · 09/09/2025 15:43

I think the numbers you see are skewed to people wanting to brag about being high earners., whereas us average/lower paid don't do that. Also, possibly liars/trolls! It's an online forum, after all.

PickettWhiteFences · 09/09/2025 15:39

I earn 37k in a technical role and Dh earns 20k from PT work in the trades. DD1 is disabled which is why dh is PT. Our salaries mean we dont have an extravagant lifestyle but we own our home and second hand car, and have a uk holiday and the odd day out.

mrlistersgelfbride · 09/09/2025 15:18

👋 me! I don’t know anyone on 100k or over.
I’m a science technician, I’d be on 29k if full time but I do 4 days.
Partner self employed earns about 60k, we have 1 DC and are more comfortable than not.
I always wanted to work but I’m not particularly ambitious , I enjoy my free time way more than working.
I live in the north west so things are
a bit cheaper.

Mydogisagentleman · 09/09/2025 15:11

I am a domiciliary carer. I work around 20 hours a week for minimum wage.
DHi s a recruiting person, he is self-employed and makes £35 an hour.
I feel that we are well off. W have a large house. That's mainly because we bought our first one 35 years ago with a 105% mortgage for £34k.
We are able to financially support our DD who is currently almost finished her masters degree

Imagineallthepuppies · 09/09/2025 14:51

JudgeBread · 09/09/2025 11:44

I'm a postie, I make basically minimum wage.

I'd bet my very measly salary that a lot of these high earners with 6 figure husbands and 2.5 6'2" sons in private school who speak 6 languages are actually very average earners talking a load of wank and just role playing their dream life. We can't all live "very rurally dahling".

As they say, don't believe everything you read online.

I said earlier on the thread that our bills are cheap and that is because we live "very rurally dahling". The house that we rent is ‘a project’ to put it nicely but I love where I live.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 09/09/2025 14:37

TeapotCollection · 09/09/2025 09:38

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut are there any jobs going with your company? I’ve worked in admin for years, would love to wfh

Unfortunately not, currently undergoing a restructure and redundancies.

But there's a lot of places now that aren't 'customer facing' and are all online/in the cloud and don't have actual offices anymore.

I do have some face to face meetings, but very few. If my job was advertised, it would say it was hybrid, so perhaps have a look for that rather than wfh?

Plastictreees · 09/09/2025 14:36

cosietea · 09/09/2025 14:22

@floraldreamer something has gone terribly wrong here

Show quote history

This is unfortunately not unusual at all.

Onegingerhead · 09/09/2025 14:33

I work in academia, professional job, PhD, 48K a year. The only people I know who make 100K+ are in IT and not working in academia.

RiderGirl · 09/09/2025 14:27

I'm a nurse on the middle grade of band 5 NHS so I'd say pretty average. DH is a window cleaner also earning an average wage (I probably earn more)

cosietea · 09/09/2025 14:22

floraldreamer · 09/09/2025 10:17

I have an M.A, a B.A and a diploma in a specific mental health category, I do a professional role.
I earn 26k. It's disheartening and makes me feel like an utter failure.l am the most educated in our family and I live in a small terrace whereas my sibling who left school at 16 lives in a (practically) mansion and has no money worries whatsoever. Boomer parents are very wealthy and siblings adult children both earn more than I do, one has one degree but picked the 'right' degree one left school at 17.

@floraldreamer something has gone terribly wrong here

eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 09/09/2025 14:17

This is not bashing people who need benefits but I will never understand a system that means people on average working wages need topping up! That's mad in my mind.

amusedbush · 09/09/2025 14:15

I earn £38k working in an FE college and DH is a postie. Mid 30s, no kids.

We live in an average house (ex-council terrace) in a fairly cheap area, and I drive a new-ish but not very fancy car - which is the only debt we have.

I don't know anyone on the "MN Lifestyle" salary in real life. We go on holiday most years, and we could afford to replace the boiler if it went kaput tomorrow. That's enough for me Smile

Spanador · 09/09/2025 13:54

Mumathome1 · 09/09/2025 13:21

Who do work for? I would love something like this for next year when my youngest starts preschool. I didn't even know these sorts of roles existed! What exactly is admin at home?

Show quote history

Obviously I'm not that poster, but one of my colleagues has a similar role. We all have the option to do our admin work from home. We work in a training company, and my colleague works 28 hours a week around school hours. Most of these hours are done from home, doing accounting/invoicing stuff and answering phone calls and emails. I think roles like that are becoming hard to find but they are definitely out there

Overthewaytwice · 09/09/2025 13:43

I think that what we consider 'average' completely depends on our social circles (obviously there is an actual average income, but in terms of what we see as normal).

I don't know many people who bring home 6 figures but I also wouldn't see minimum wage as 'average' either.

My version of average is one partner on around 50-80k and the other on maybe 25-40k full time equivalent (but usually working part time).

DonttouchthatLarry · 09/09/2025 13:41

I work in sales admin - £29k

stayathomer · 09/09/2025 13:37

I work on a checkout too! About a euro over mw so the highest paying retail job in our town (I regularly hear this, their machine is working 😅)

Kitchenbattle · 09/09/2025 13:36

TrimayrAcademy · 09/09/2025 13:32

I earn 50k and I certainly feel like that is a fairly average salary.

Same…my base is 50k for 39hour week. I work 2-3 days from home. Flexi-time and I’m paid for overtime. My DP earns just over 70k so as a household we do well. No debt. Ample savings. Mortgage.

Dontcallmescarface · 09/09/2025 13:34

I work in factory and DP works in a warehouse we have a combined income of around 60k. Neither of us are particularly materialistic and not bothered about holidaying abroad. We have a good life and are very content with our lot.

TrimayrAcademy · 09/09/2025 13:32

I earn 50k and I certainly feel like that is a fairly average salary.

Mumathome1 · 09/09/2025 13:21

Boo2U2 · 09/09/2025 09:44

This is a refreshing thread!

I work 20 hours a week from home doing admin, and earn about £15k. I love it, total flexibility and very minimal stress.

DH earns £30k as a bookkeeper.

We have a three bed terrace in a lovely area (but reasonably cheap part of the country), a car each and a UK holiday each year. Two primary aged DC. Not loads of spare cash but very much comfortable, and we save about £500 per month.

We are actually the anomaly in our group of friends, who mostly have large detached houses and high flying careers - but also a lot more stress and less free time. Absolutely nothing would convince me to swap!

Edited

Who do work for? I would love something like this for next year when my youngest starts preschool. I didn't even know these sorts of roles existed! What exactly is admin at home?

MegaMinion34 · 09/09/2025 13:10

I'm late 20s, DH is early 30s. I work in science, him in manufacturing. I have a degree and he doesn't. I earn £35k a year, DH earns £27k. I'd say we are pretty average amongst our friendship group. Some earn less, some earn slightly more, some earn significantly more. But most earn around the same. We feel pretty comfortable.