To be unsure of how much I actually believe on here

I think everyone's impression of what's normal is entirely skewed by their own life circumstances.

The fact is, lots of things are normal. It's much more common to send your kids to state schools but it's still "normal" to send them to private school.

The average full time salary is... whatever it is. £37k? (I just looked it up.) It's still "normal" in many circles to earn much more and much less than that.

Mumsnet to me always feels more Scottish and more neuro-diverse than "normal" but that's entirely from my perspective.

I find it odd that people can't seem to imagine that people live in different ways to them. I find it in all kinds of discussions, where people make massive assumptions about how to behave at work or what to spend on holiday.

.

I would have thought that they can spend so much time on MN because they earn megabucks
Those in senior positions or those who work from home as consultants can earn a lot of money and still have ample time to browse MN
It is not as though they are on MN for hours on end

It's not just salaries or family - there are a lot of threads where the same behaviour can be seen, fantasists?, trouble makers?, it's hard to tell what the motivation is. I just think "Ok" and move on.

In your opinion, based on what you see. That is your reality, that is all. Be thankful that you believe that it is so rare in real life. I cannot say the same, based on what I have seen, that does not mean that I believe that the opposite does not exist!

I earn £36k, live in a HA home, single parent have 4 grown kids who I can't afford to give money to. They are all really clever and nice and we are close.
Shop on vinted, have one holiday a year if I am really lucky and always skint.
Not exciting reading is it?😂

Oh I am so curious 😁

I can never help thinking if you really do earn megabucks (£200k plus) would you even be wasting your time on here? I’m on here because I’m not earning mega bucks and have time to waste lol.

There's only one poster who I recognise as a complete fantastist. Most post names don't stick with me (a few usernames tgat are good, one that seems to have the same view as me no matter what the topic etc)

I haven't seen them in a while but anyone who recognises "Dear reader, I married him" not matter what the topic will know what I mean.

Edited. Posted twice.

I have a pretty decent marriage of over thirty years...would I fuck want sex three times a day.
I retired in my forties...not my choice. DH doesn't earn loads but we're mortgate free, decent paid for cars and holiday regularly with the dogs (in the UK due to my life limiting condition).
You don't need what you're saying to be happy. If you earn £200,000 but live in London, have three kids in child care, transport costs and a huge mortgate, I probably have a lot more spare money each month.

The point being, you can spin a situation whichever way you want to.

Enjoy your wine. I know I will.

Yep loads of people lie on the Internet.

😂😂😂 love this 🙌🙌

Hmm. I don’t know. We have a very high annual income, I’m a stay at home parent, happy marriage. I think I hit many of the “unbelievables” - but I promise you I’m real. I guess I read Mumsnet a lot because I have a lot of time on my hands. I don’t post that much though.

OP, I've no idea if yabu on most of the points but I can vouch for my ds17 being 6'2" and rake thin.

It has its downside. He will happily munch his way through vast bowls of pasta carbonara and a bowl of salad, then eye my supper before having three tangerines and half a packet of hobnobs for pudding. The snack cupboard seems to empty itself.

Trying to find trousers with a 26" waist and 33" inside leg isn't easy either. 😁

Well statistically around 1 in 100 working adults is on £200k+

And 1 in 20 earns £100k+.

So, that’s how common that is…!

I feel like I could be one of these posters you talk about. Financially, we are well off. My DH does do a lot around the house. I don’t have a cleaner though, we don’t have sex three times a week and my DC were barely even in the 50th percentile 😂😂

I do shop at Lidl though

Crumbs1 posted a photo of “her” bedroom on a Show Us Your Bedroom thread.

Someone else then found the same picture on the website of a luxury hotel.

Not seen Crumbs1 since.

For me, it's the incredibly complex threads that go on and on. The writing has a very similar style although the events / circumstances are very different. They have a very dramatic or performative style to them. The developments take on different directions and there are contradictory statements made later to placate other posters who challenge them.

I do sort of follow some of them, but very much view them as entertainment. I'm not really sure what these writers get out of these threads that they start and very much manage. Again, entertainment I suppose. Pity they don't have a way to monetise it though!

The London private schools are more like £30k+ a yea now btw, not £20k+ a year

The poster in question was quite dismissive and unpleasant and was using her ‘fake life’ to make others feel bad.
I suspect that’s what was behind it. It was still an incredibly strange thing to do though.

Rugby playing Son / Willowy Daughter off to a “ Russel Group University. Good-looking husband on 6 figure salary, with a mystery “hobby”. All the women are size French, all the men are Strapping. Holidays all must be Self-Catering, probably in France .. if Spain it must be in the hills. Camping is ok, as long as it’s not on a regular Campsite .. Glamp-sites only. All MILs are awful .. and small children are “being in the trenches” (horrible term, when you consider when the Men in the Trenches actually went through). No toilet brushes, and sex-washes are compulsory (we miss you Penis Beaker). Food left out of the fridge for more than 30 seconds is to be thrown away, and anything past the “sell by” date will definitely give you Salmonella.

… and A&E NOW

I think more people are telling the truth than you think, it's just certain people will be posting on some threads more than others. Some threads are obviously going to attract more people on high incomes, not just those asking about salaries but also S&B, home decoration, private education, pension planning, travel, cars etc etc. Like a PP I've seen people claim they don't believe people are telling the truth on a thread I posted on in good faith (a discussion on S&B about how many coats people had, nothing I'd consider worth boasting about and nobody was claiming to have what I would consider to be crazy number of coats).

We all live in bubbles and mix with people very like us so a strangers real life experience can seem unlikely but that doesn't mean it's a lie. I have a good income commensurate with my age, education and experience, as do all my friends. Doesn't mean I think people on here who say they are financially struggling are lying even though I know no-one who is in that situation.

Weirdly I notice more the number of people with exceptionally unfortunate lives.
Disabled DC. A chronic illness of their own.
Fake friends. Unsupportive family.

It shocks me, genuinely, that SO many people can have such terrible misfortune. It’s so rare irl.

I think it's because most people don't dare expressing their feelings in real life.
It's a good thing that we can see the reality for many somewhere.

A bit like that ridiculous claim : you fall in love with your baby the minute he's popped out -which manage to shame and destroy what little confidence some struggling mothers have. PND IS a thing

It's helpful to read that it's not all love and no regret. No one needs children to be successful, and no one should feel the pressure to have them.