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

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

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

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 .

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.

@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.

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!

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...)

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

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.

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

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.

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

Nope. Still absolutely not. Absolutely categorically NOT

Well surely it does depend on the context, if you’re in the market for some heart surgery I can guarantee a heart surgeon will be a more valuable (and worthwhile) investment than me

I'd rather have have brain surgeons over bin collectors

I think there some high earners in here but there are also many wannabe types who lie. They tend to be the ones who bring up class all the time because they are desperate to be considered 'middle class'. In my experience, people with money never look like they actually have money.

I think a lot of people initially discover MN via the Education Board when they are researching / Googling various independent schools. To use the London schools as an example, there are always running threads about 11 plus entry for St Paul's Girls; how likely is my DD to get into Godolphin and Latymer compared to Putney High, etc etc etc etc. The 7+ and 11+ London independent school threads run every year and are very active. I think a lot of people then discover AIBU this way. Same with the uni threads - the Oxbridge threads can get quite heated and people might come into AIBU or Chat for some light relief. 😆

It's all about relative perspectives. Of course there will be very wealthy people on here or very high earners. Why wouldn't there be? And why would anyone expect most other users to be in the same demographic as them? This is the internet, not a local community club!

I think you're right. I also think that people who graduated and went straight into working/living in a world where everyone knows where those schools even are, let alone knowing all the entry requirements and stats like the back of their hand, have a tendency to assume their "normal" is, well, usual. And it isn't as a percentage of the population. Hence "I'm struggling on £120k, woe is me". Because their version of a "high earner" is their mate who gets a £1m bonus.

I'm talking human worth though.....

Higher earners often work less actual hours than lower waged people. High salary doesn’t mean busy it means high level of responsibility, experience etc. Often you put in the leg work when on a lower salary so that when you reach the higher bars you can chill out a bit as you have more autonomy.

I agree most of my friends earn way under 50k .. infact nobody I know uses MN as they think it’s pretentious left wing snobs .. I only stumbled on MN 17 years ago when I was researching prams for my first born .. I’ve just sort of hung around since then.

I think you might be wrong about people with money, people with money do look like they have money, everything they wear says money but not in a wearing a CD t shirt kind of way.
The men are easier to describe they look like they quietly wear their handmade suits and shoes, their cashmere jumpers and their tailored shirts, they excel at the off duty preppy look, more often than not, look fit and healthy, they take care of themselves. They do look obvious - that's the point - it takes knowledge to dress in an understated way that screams money.

Totally disagree.

Me too. My bro has a million quid on the bank but looks like a hobo and has zero style....

Exactly. I know a few people with millions in the bank, plenty of assets and and you would never ever think it 😆