To think the problem with wealth inequality is that rich people don't know how rich they are?

Because you want to give your family a stable life where
you can put the heating on whenever you want, not have to think about the cost of food, go on holiday, maybe even give your children a fantastic education so you are giving them the best start in life you possibly can.

The government spends £13k (in 2022/23) per person including children. To be a net contributor for a family of 4 say the family has to contribute £52,000 a year in taxes. That’s almost a six figure salary and that’s just breaking even! That’s not being a net contributor. The net contributors are subsidizing all those people who aren’t.

Because you want to give your family a stable life where
you can put the heating on whenever you want, not have to think about the cost of food, go on holiday, maybe even give your children a fantastic education so you are giving them the best start in life you possibly can.

The government spends £13k (in 2022/23) per person including children. To be a net contributor for a family of 4 say the family has to contribute £52,000 a year in taxes. That’s almost a six figure salary and that’s just breaking even! That’s not being a net contributor. The net contributors are subsidizing all those people who aren’t.

I certainly wouldn't. Why would you spend more time at work than with your children?

What do you pay for me eg?

This is what some people don’t seem to understand. That a six figure salary comes with sacrifice - you sacrifice work life balance, time with your kids. Because you are trying to make a better life for your family. You are taxed almost out of existence to pay for people who won’t make the same sacrifice.

That’s awful. Where’s your work/life balance?

You have completely misunderstood my premise.

No. Because your whole premise is wrong.You don’t need money to prioritise friends and family. What if your friends and family are either skint, or just getting by, or are comparably wealthy? Matters not a jot. If you need money to have good relationships with your friends and family, then you should rethink those relationships.

Yes (you would take lunch/dinner breaks during this of course)

9am to 10pm?

9-10 is our standard day.

Can I ask what your usual hours are?

Does it really need pointing out that to many money is a priority because friends, family and experiences are the priority?

Most people need to have money in order to prioritise friends and family.

It's the difference between obtaining safety and being privileged enough to never have to worry about such a thing

Meant I moved out 1h from the office instead of 1.5h yes (staying within the main London area for tube/bus/taxi options if train is unavailable). During busy times it is not unusual to stay in the office past 11pm and be back for 9am.

The boss's opinion is relevant because it reflects certain industry expectations which become difficult to meet when housing is at such a premium.

We got "rich" by saving like hell as soon as we had jobs. For years, me and DH had no holidays, no new clothes, nothing like jewellery/handbags, I have no engagement ring and our wedding was a reg office cheapy for 10 people. Our furniture was stuff from our childhood bedrooms. That was it. There have been periods (spanning years) where we have worked 7 days weeks. Every spare penny went against the mortgage. We now own our house outright and DH earns a very good salary having been in the same industry for 30 years and working exceptionally hard in it.

We have worked our guts out and definitely harder than people in 35h pw jobs. Regularly, we both worked double that and more.

I feel very angry at the govt looking at us as cash cows. We own a band G property. We earned every fucking penny. We did not have generational wealth or any shit like that. Nobody in our family ever went to uni before us and nobody even had any A levels.

We aren't even swimming in money as people seem to think. In fact, the top I'm wearing is about 15 years old and has a large area where the fabric has simply worn away. I could afford a top, but I don't care about the state of my current one. DH is still working tonight, wearing a 2nd hand suit. We could afford to replace these clothes but that isn't how we've got rich.

If we were younger, we would emigrate. The UK has gone to shit with more than half the population not being net contributors. That's what we have to fix, not demonise people who've done well.

@OneAmberFinch the fact your boss frowned meant you didn’t move out?

Yes London. Desirable - as desirable as I could afford :) on the outskirts of a slightly nicer area and about an hour commute each way to my job. We did consider moving even further out; my boss (who owns freehold in Chelsea) frowned when I mentioned we were considering this and told me when he was my age he always tried to be 15min from the office in case a client ever needed him.

We got "rich" by saving like hell as soon as we had jobs. For years, me and DH had no holidays, no new clothes, nothing like jewellery/handbags, I have no engagement ring and our wedding was a reg office cheapy for 10 people. Our furniture was stuff from our childhood bedrooms. That was it. There have been periods (spanning years) where we have worked 7 days weeks. Every spare penny went against the mortgage. We now own our house outright and DH earns a very good salary having been in the same industry for 30 years and working exceptionally hard in it.

We have worked our guts out and definitely harder than people in 35h pw jobs. Regularly, we both worked double that and more.

I feel very angry at the govt looking at us as cash cows. We own a band G property. We earned every fucking penny. We did not have generational wealth or any shit like that. Nobody in our family ever went to uni before us and nobody even had any A levels.

We aren't even swimming in money as people seem to think. In fact, the top I'm wearing is about 15 years old and has a large area where the fabric has simply worn away. I could afford a top, but I don't care about the state of my current one. DH is still working tonight, wearing a 2nd hand suit. We could afford to replace these clothes but that isn't how we've got rich.

If we were younger, we would emigrate. The UK has gone to shit with more than half the population not being net contributors. That's what we have to fix, not demonise people who've done well.

Do you live in London and, if yes, do you live in a desirable part of London?

I just don't know who you are talking about when you talk about people who treat money as a priority.

I live in a 2u2d, I have one child and another on the way, I would love a bigger family. I likely need a bigger house for that. We were at the edge of affordability just for this house. To the extent I dream of pay rises and promotions it's because I hope we can do that before I age out of childbearing years.

I know I am lucky in many ways, I'm easily able to put food on the table, I don't worry too much about bills. It's just that housing is this huge, huge expense which massively affects my life and it's not because I "bought a McMansion".

I find it kind of strange that people just accept that young people are in this situation. Someone with my income should not be worrying about whether it was irresponsible to have a 2nd child or whether a 3rd is an impossible dream.

We got "rich" by saving like hell as soon as we had jobs. For years, me and DH had no holidays, no new clothes, nothing like jewellery/handbags, I have no engagement ring and our wedding was a reg office cheapy for 10 people. Our furniture was stuff from our childhood bedrooms. That was it. There have been periods (spanning years) where we have worked 7 days weeks. Every spare penny went against the mortgage. We now own our house outright and DH earns a very good salary having been in the same industry for 30 years and working exceptionally hard in it.

We have worked our guts out and definitely harder than people in 35h pw jobs. Regularly, we both worked double that and more.

I feel very angry at the govt looking at us as cash cows. We own a band G property. We earned every fucking penny. We did not have generational wealth or any shit like that. Nobody in our family ever went to uni before us and nobody even had any A levels.

We aren't even swimming in money as people seem to think. In fact, the top I'm wearing is about 15 years old and has a large area where the fabric has simply worn away. I could afford a top, but I don't care about the state of my current one. DH is still working tonight, wearing a 2nd hand suit. We could afford to replace these clothes but that isn't how we've got rich.

If we were younger, we would emigrate. The UK has gone to shit with more than half the population not being net contributors. That's what we have to fix, not demonise people who've done well.

Lucky you. You had a safety net, some of us are the safety net. Money isn't a priority over friends and family, money is a priority because they are our priority. If you don't need to understand that, then yes, you and your friends and family are indeed privileged.