AIBU to think many Mumsnet posters seem to be high earners?

Nope. Still absolutely not. Absolutely categorically NOT

The vilification comment was a more general observation and wasn't directed at you personally.

It is relative. Someone in poverty in the UK is significantly better off than someone in poverty in South Sudan. A high earner in the UK can be paid significantly less than their counterpart in the U.S.

When higher earners make threads about struggling, it’s usually in relation to how they were previously. Spending power has decreased, and now even higher earners are struggling to pay for things they could quite comfortably afford just a few years ago. That’s a problem, and there’s nothing wrong with talking about it.

There’s also the propensity for some posters to make any thread about finances, about those with the least. As if every conversation has to revolve around them, and that no one is entitled to complain unless they’re on the lowest economic rung.

Well yes , but I'm not claiming I don't! But someone in my area, (where houses, nurseries and commuting costs are extremely high) on £60k could genuinely be struggling.

But if they say that, people just point to the average UK wide salary tables and say they are well off, end of story

OP did not make any such distinction.
She asks whether MN posters are high earners. She used 60K as a high income. Since she did not specify a country or region, and MN is a UK-based platform, I think we need to use the figure for a UK high earner.
60K is a high earner by UK standards.
I completely understand that different places have different living costs.

Earning 100K outside of London is a very high earner by UK standards.

You have more disposal income than most on here. I hope you have a long and happy retirement.

A lot of people say i earn <insert double or more average salary> but I dont feel rich
...because after paying for <insert things like mortgage, nursery, bills, travel>
...there is nothing left....
Or because they mostly live around, work with, and socialise with people earning the same or more, so it feels very "average".

Ignoring the fact that most people on lower incomes also have to cover housing, childcare, bills, travel etc.

Earning more means you have more options, and generally means you spend more (and potentially there is more grey area between whats essential and whats nice to have...)

Well exactly! The rich like to be all faux-poor to try and make some kind of point.

As I said, I do t think I am particularly rich. Range Rovers are two a penny in my part of the world!

@CandyCrushLevel14809 it’s all relative. I would say a high earner is anyone over 100k outside of London. 80k doesn’t go as far as you think living in a relatively affluent area, nursery fees , large mortgage etc . My partner earns slightly less but we still have to budget.

DH and I now have state pensions and private pensions (not public sector) and we would be considered quite badly off by MN standards BUT, we have no debt, are mortgage free, own our car outright, have solar panels that mean our utility bills are negligible, don't live an extravagant lifestyle but can afford to eat out and take off for a few days and stay elsewhere in the UK without having to count the pennies and can afford to pay student DD's rent.

We aren't wealthy, but feel comfortable.

I would agree as others have said that the demographics for MN is a lot of high earners and statistically a lot from London too . I also agree that costs / locations are a factor too . Different salaries in different areas may be comparative ie if you live in area where accom is costly you may end up with a similar disposable income to someone earning less but living in a cheaper area .

There are so many variables about those that are able to earn well that they do so because they “work hard “. I have an issue with this if taken in isolation .

As there are many others who “work hard “, but never achieve the same salary level / comfortable lifestyle . I am not disagreeing that they do work hard and aren’t deserving of their success . But it is sometimes the implication , that they deserve everything they get and others don’t, because they don’t/ didn’t work as hard as them .

It is just that over simplification that I find annoying . There are so many variables about why one person has become “ successful “and it isn’t just down to luck .

I appreciate I will be over generalising , but race , poverty , traumatic life events , disability of the worker ( and other family members , sheer luck , connections , talent , intelligence , parents , aptitude , mental health , the parenting you received , your grown up home life - kids / partner etc are all in the mix and may play a part in those that can earn high and be successful .
There are of course those that can get through many obstacles in life and may be driven to do better than their eg their parents and to earn well .
If you have a good start in life , have a supportive parent (s) family you will already have a head start . You will have a financial and emotional cushion , you may be able to do internships , go to uni , have better connections from school , hobbies that may open doors for you .

I am not saying that connections will automatically get you a successful career as you will still have to do the job , have the required skills . One obvious example is nepo babies and a bit of a cliche , but Brooklyn Beckham got amazing opportunities but appears not to have had the talent / dedication to finish his course in photography and ultimately wasn’t a success in this career .

I would also flag up that those that have been in care / looked after outwith their birth family - don’t always have the financial / emotional / family cushion / buffer that others have . They may not have a fall back position e.g being able to move home with parents to save money after losing a job etc . They may not be able to pursue the ultimately higher earning career , as they can’t afford to make financial sacrifices now , may not have means / access to driving lessons / a car which may be necessary for certain jobs . Again this will also depend on location ad larger cities have better public transport networks .

But you still earn more than the average where you live.

Now we know it’s sarcasm as MN taught me long ago the genuinely rich only drive battered 20 year old Passat estates.

Believe me, you feel like a crappy failure turning up to a party in 4-year old Range Rover SE, when everyone else is driving brand new Range Rover SV Ultras!

Definitely 😁

Sarcasm?

I earn £400k, with another £400kk bonus if I’m lucky! I don’t see myself as a high earner. My boss earns £1m+, and compared to Elon, I’m a pauper! I’m just a working class gal who’s done ok.

Besides the cost of living crisis means I often have nothing at the end of the month with credit cards aplenty!… especially as it’s kind of expected in my world that your children will go to private school, you wouldn’t be seen dead without wear designer labels (esp shoes and handbags) and you would look out of place turning up in a mid-range car that’s not relatively new (pre-2025).

I am also quietly quitting on my job because I am burned out

And that is why I never progressed to the dizzy heights of a 6 figure salary because I didn't want the pressure and responsibility that goes along with it. I had other reasons as well, but that was a major factor.

I also see a lot of posts from women who are trapped in abusive relationships because they can't afford to leave.

And loads of posts from people who have lived in rented accommodation for a long time without a hope to buy their own home.

While I am very much the same person, earning more than £50K (but much less than £250K) enabled me to buy a house of the size I want in the location I want, and to have a couple of foreign trips a year plus nice meals out on a frequent basis. Also I have a car that I enjoy very much and don’t have to make most decisions based on whether I can afford them, more whether I like / want to do them.
None of this would have been possible on £50K. Money makes a very big difference, although good health/mobility makes the biggest one.

I think Mumsnet was originally middle-class London/London suburbs and you had netmums for a broader demographic. Mumsnet has widened out a lot now but there are still “yummy mummies” on here, along with professional/corporate mums.

I quite like that about the site since it offers a broader perspective. I’m also on the Family Lowdown FB site and I would say that although I’ve learned a lot from it, a lot of posters seems “less educated.”

I earn six figures but low six figures rather than high six figures.

I mean, it's not relevant to what OP asked. That's all.
She didn't say "relative to the cost of living where you live", she didn't ask about outgoings, she was just stating a bare fact.

If you earn 60K you are classified as a high earner - that cannot be disputed.
I am probably taking things too literally and of course the thread has, as expected, moved onto exactly what you're talking about.

Even though someone is a high earner, they may not feel like it. That doesn't mean they can start saying they don't earn much.

I see a broad mix of trying to rub two pennies together ranging up to clear affluence across the range of posts I see. I think it’s also likely an element of comparison to the average where posters actually live - so low income in a deprived area but managing fine can seem middle class, while well paid but with a load of debt/costs and in a wealthy area can seem poor. And there is also an element of the attitude of the poster - are they very “woe is me, I can’t get UberEats every night this week as I’m paying for the holidays next week, I’m always broke”, or are they “I actually enjoy frugal pursuits, cooking from scratch, growing my own and have a good community around me so I don’t feel poor”.

I earn over £100k and am married to a man who earns a lot more than that. I don't care who does or doesn't believe me. Its the Internet, I will never meet the disbelievers. I also regularly name change, so it would be easy for someone to think I am multiple different people if I have mentioned my income under different names.

I am also quietly quitting on my job because I am burned out but cannot afford to completely quit for another 6 months.

I just don't agree with this - it is absolutely relevant where you live.

I am a reasonably high earner for where I live, but I would be significantly poorer if I lived in central Manhattan. I don't know why we can't make the same distinction between London and hull?

Well we agree on your last paragraph.

As for the rest, I did not vilify or metaphorically paint the backs of high earners, nor discuss taxing the example 60k a year person you refer to.