Anyone gone from earning a very good salary to minimum wage?

I took redundancy while on mat leave with the plan to eeeek it out until little one went to school but saw an absolute belter of a job that was perfect for me I couldn’t not apply only 19.5 hrs a week….. so a massive difference I do miss the disposable income but I’m learning to be a bit more savvy and have started saving for things like DH big birthday next year already! And have some of my redundancy bridge the gap if I need to!

This new job is worlds away from what I did with the local council so the pension is quite good and it is an amazing job that fits around my little girl and I genuinely absolutely love!! It has been hard going from somewhere I’d been for decades and knew inside out to being the new girl but I’m finally finding my feet!

Sort of? I left a very highly paid but hideous job and set up my own business. Sold my house, my car, basically everything I owned and lived on fresh air and panic for about 5 years!! Could have all gone very horribly wrong but fortunately it didn’t and I’m happier now than I’ve ever been.

Yeah. Earned £30 an hour 11 years ago. Became a SAHM for 8 years, went back to a different job at NMW. No biggie for us though (we dont need my income) and I enjoy being out of the house doing something for me again.

I left a job (due to redundancy) which gave me an amazing package, paid off my mortgage so I didn’t have that outgoing and took a just above minimum wage hourly paid job.

I’ve never been happier.

I left a job I hated to retrain I was on 42k when I left
1st year of retraining-25k
2nd yr- 28k
3rd yr -31k
1st yr qualified-40k
promotion after 1.5 years -50k

it was worth it it in every way.

Yes your worth isn't your job. My mother said to me, on your deathbed, will you have been happy you worked non stop and didn't see your children or have many memories with them etc and she was right - helped me accept a more humble life and I'm happier for sure.

My story is probably a bit different but it's something that could happen to absolutely anyone!
I had a similar salary to you working FT (same for DH) ... I'm now a bit above minimum wage and do 30h/week.

We both lost our jobs through covid and found it difficult to get back on track. DH has a job that pays about 2/3 of his old wage.
For me, I had an accident a few years ago, as a result I couldn't go back to the work I was doing due to an ongoing health issue. I tried similar jobs in the field, but it didn't work out, again due to my health issues... so here I am, having to accept my limitations. My current job is fine, I work in a non clinical role for the NHS and like it. (I also did a stint in retail and worked as a cleaner.)
On the plus side, I threw myself into cooking and learning about nutrition. Now that the DC are older teenagers, I have started to do a regular hobby.

Life is ok, but it took a few years to accept and adjust to the new me as so many things I took for granted are off limits- sometimes due to health sometimes due to money.

Always remember, happiness comes in many different packages!

but I feel like my career has pretty much gone to shit since kids.

Yep, mine too. I work 2 days a week now, that is all that I (we?) can fit in around DH's more-important-than-anything-else-ever job. 🙄 My career has definitely taken a back seat and stagnated since kids! Which is infuriating because I worked SO HARD to get my qualifications and launch my career comparative to DH who just walked into a job and landed on his feet effort free.

Thank you. I am actually really proud of myself and the job I've got has been my dream so I feel blessed.

I was made redundant in Sept. I was on a great salary. I am really struggling to find any work at all, never mind in my field and/or similar salary. It’s gruelling.
I am a lone parent. Seeing things like “competitive salary of £24,000” and then requiring at least a degree and all manner of skills and experience is depressing. I cannot run my home and support my family on that.

I was a high earner pre kids (in excess of £100k), then had a few years as a SAHM, then returned to work earning £36k but half time (so £18k). This was my choice as we couldn't combine three kids with two long hours stressful jobs. I've worked my way up since then and I'm now 0.8FTE and earn somewhere between the two! I enjoy my job.

Yes but my finances were in order in the sense mortgage free etc
It all depends on your start point.
I went from high paying role to wfh freelance to sahm. Although money is a very delicate subject in the sense idk what someone's concept of high paying is.
Partner was in a high paying role, retired for a year and got fed up and went to a lower paid role where there is ZERO stress. ZERO. The amount of work is questionable vs his previous role where it was relentless. So questionable I wouldn't call it working, but hey.

The big but is our roles allowed us to independently of each other be mortgage free, paid into pensions etc basically become comfortable (although I had parents help too).

If you can pay your bills, secure your future etc it's the best thing we did. Our previous lifestyle was more high life but at the same time after kids and older age makes us want to chill. For me the hardest was first two years battling with having less than before but now we are very happy. Stress is minimal if any (usually health), no fucks given about what people think, future stable. A much happier lifestyle but only because we can afford the basics and still have luxuries that are important to us like private healthcare.
So even with financial security, my ego was a bit battered for a couple of years coming from high stress high paying to being a SAHM. Before anyone jumps on me - father of kids passed away so I quit work and focused on the kids and my parents helped etc but I was already very stable. Tried to freelance etc but I struggled and then ego etc.

Well done you! It’s not easy to come back from
that. I applaud you

Kind of but not the same scenario. I went through a horrid job and had to leave as things were pretty much as bad as they could get. Luckily I got a better paying job quickly, but it doesn’t have the same benefits and I’m worse off long term so it still makes me feel off-path

He earns pretty well and was by far the main earner so it wasn’t an option for him to cut back to sort out our family commitments. But we have also had to budget more carefully.
Im 45 so I am a bit concerned I would never be able to go back to what I call ‘proper’ work as by the time the steps are old enough that I don’t need to be at home I will be 53 and therefore considered past it.
thar said at this point I don’t want to do that anyway.
I thinking of retraining a bit or becoming a volunteer magistrate just to pad out my cv a bit.

Yes, i halved my salary due to having a breakdown. It took me 6 years to sort myself out and just recently I've got a new job, earning more than I ever have done! I'm so used to cutting my clothes it feels amazing having some spare money.

Me. I’ve gone from earning about 60k to minimum wage part time. I had to to accommodate a situation with my step children’s school runs. But in fact I absolutely love it! Love the job, the reduced stress and being at home more so a better work life balance. Miss having disposable income however.

Yes I got made redundant in the first lockdown. Had to take a job that was just about half the salary I had been on because I needed to work and jobs were slim pickings those days. Then had a child, went part time after Mat leave and salary halved again. Got made redundant from there also and now I’m earning more than I was in the original job, with potential to increase salary much more over the next year.
I can’t deny that there was a financial impact on me during that process, however things are much more stable now and will be even better when my child joins school and I don’t have to pay for private nursery fees anymore.
If you need an income, you may well have to take a job at a lower rate, but maybe select something that has a development path (either in that company, or the industry) so that in 2-3+ years your salary will potentially increase to more than you were most recently on. Sometimes starting on less with the right company is a good route in the long run… Ultimately when juggling a family & work, there will have to be some sacrifices along the way unfortunately.
Hope you find something suitable..

I have definitely 'settled' in terms of career.

I work FT and have done for the last 6 years (DC in Y6 and Y9). My workplace is extremely flexible which I appreciate more than a pay rise.

I could have gone for promotions but my DH has a demanding, high wage job so it helps that I do the majority of child stuff.

I think my scenario is extremely common.
From my experience when I look at my peers and friends, the women who got the BIG promotion before having DC and could afford a nanny or has a SAHP have carried on the same career trajectory. All other women either plateau or reduce hours /leave the workforce.