Do you have a good work life balance and earn a good salary?

[hayre]

My cousin works in London as a lawyer and he earns lots and lots and lots of money. However, he is ALWAYS working, to me it seems dull (he agrees), he doesn’t see his wife much, and they can still only afford a fairly grotty flat in an OK area. The guy is super bright.

His brother was never quite so bright, and worked up in an insurance firm in Wales and now earns less then his brother. However, he sees his partner, they have an absolutely gorgeous house, lovely lifestyle, enjoys the work and has free time. I’d say he has the right work life balance.

What career do you have that provides a good salary but you don’t work every hour under the sun?

Someone once told me that a good salary is always 10k more than you currently earn! I have to say I agree with that!

We earn the same as you OP 75k pa. Similar jobs too. Our work-life balance is fine.

We do however live in the northwest. So apart from high childcare bills (the same as our friends/family is SW), our salary goes a lot further due to housing costs. We save a good sum.

We should have a mortgage paid off at 40 which will allow us mote freedom career wise should we need it.

I would rather live in London a city of culture, amazing food, theatres, opera, in a small house than Wales. So would most people ... hence the house prices

This sort if thing really depends on where you are in the country I think.

We are nowhere near earning 100k (I'm on 45k and dp's on 35k) but in our area of the northeast we are comfortable, can afford holidays etc.

Accountant. Killed myself for 8 years at a Big 4 firm working 80+ hour weeks at busy times. But then could go in house on £70k plus bonus for 9-5 (I’ve worked past 5:30 about 12 times in two years and never at home unless actively working from home).

I feel like the jammiest, luckiest worker alive. No, I can’t make every assembly but between me, DH and the CM someone always goes. And we can afford really decent childcare (so if DC are sick our CM will still have them as DS1 is her only full timer).

We earn approx £100k between us and live in London zone 4. Couldn't afford anything nice closer to town but are happy living here.

I'm a civil servant and have good flexibility - apart from when our Minister wants/needs something urgent. Then I have to stay late.

DH works in construction and generally finished by 4pm.

We're in outskirts of London (30-40minute commute from home to city centre) with combined salary of about 65k (would be more but I'm part time). We can afford our bills fairly easily, but can't be too frivolous with our spending. Our house is big enough for us, but smaller than most of our friends where at least one partner is a high earner. We can't afford holidays abroad very often but the kids can do the activities they want to do every week. Neither of us have to work crazy hours/shifts/weekends and have some element of flexibility with working from home (DH) or swapping hours/working time back (me). And neither of us work in central London, so quick commutes. We are also lucky to have family nearby who do some childcare when needed/in emergencies, which I think is a huge help in reducing stress at times.

I would say our work/life balance is pretty good. We have to do without some things that might be nice to have, but we don't want for anything we need. As a previous poster said, I think most people have to compromise to some extent, either with their take-home salary or the impact on home life.

Housing association / Developer manager level will be £75k -£120k , flexi time, work from home generally 9-5 and good holiday allowance.

Mine’s pretty good. I’m an actuary for an insurance firm. (As opposed to a consultancy.) Work 3 days a week but spread over the week so I can do school drop off and pick up 4 days out of 5. I pay higher rate tax.

You have to really like (and be good at) maths though so not a career for everyone!

Mine is pretty good. I work 8.30-4.30 never weekends, occasionally work in the evenings. 1 or 2 days a week from home. Earn about 125k. In house lawyer.

I've cut to the end....

I am shocked by how many people I know are keenly racing to the bottom in the UK now.

People are proud of their 5.30am wake up, their 12-13 hour shifts. They imply a degree of 'lucky-ole-you' laziness in those who, actually, won't work their tits off. (Who are in a position to earn enough to be comfortable without working 3 jobs- respect to them).

I earn £28-30k pa doing 23hrs per week, plus some voluntary overtime, plus on-call (not huge amount). DH earns £60k p.a as an 9-6 Mo-Fri help desk manager.

If you have choices, there's no need to martyr yourself.

Household income of £90k. Lecturer and data analyst. Very good work-life balance.

I, luckily do, I work 2-3 days a week, mainly from home, and mainly earn more than I did full time. I can flex and work any hours I want as long as I meet deadlines/ get my work done which means I can do lots with my 3 year old and work around her most of the time.

Was awful but I have changed roles. Earn 70-75k, do a few hours on occasional weekends but more to take a bit of pressure in the week iyswim. Otherwise maybe a 45 hour week on average with at least one day wfh.

In professional services and a fair number of my colleagues are similar BUT the change I made was to move from London to a regional role. Salary is much lower but so are the pressures. However, much more stagnant career options and progression so good and bad on both sides. Happy with my choice for now but may switch it up again in a few years when the kids are older.

I’m a senior teacher and DH works alongside emergency services in a specialist role. He’s on shifts and gets loads of time off but we have little choice about when and where so almost zero flexibility when kids ill etc. I currently have a big commute and am paying for private education for DCs at the school I work in. Am actively looking to change jobs and move DCs to a local school so that I can afford to work three or four days a week but take home the same money. In term time my work life balance is non-existent. I am permanently stressed and unhappy and our family life is suffering greatly because of this.

CarpetGate Can I be nosy and ask what type of data analyst you are? (IT, social science, etc)
There's a (social science) analyst role I'm currently thinking of applying to but am a bit scared of

(I have no job ATM, am about to finish uni so lurking for ideas!)

Fuck me. I earn less than £8000, top it up with benefits and feel like I have a good work life balance. Can just about pay my mortgage and bills and have some money left over. £50k is a bloody good salary but not a normal salary for most people!

‘I would rather live in London a city of culture, amazing food, theatres, opera, in a small house than Wales. So would most people ... hence the house prices’

This is the most ridiculous thing I have read all day.

Put your figures in here op.[https://www.ifs.org.uk/tools_and_resources/where_do_you_fit_in]

I'm on 42k, work 8:30am - 4:30pm with an hour lunch, can also work from home when needed and can flex my hours. My home office is under ten minutes from my house, with one day a week at another office an hour away (but get paid mileage which basically pays for all my petrol usage each month).

All in all, I am extremely fortunate. After all bills are paid, I have just under 1k to play with, the majority I save.

I'm relatively early on in my career and recently qualified, so my cushion should increase. Until childcare ruins me

I'm a corporate paralegal and earn approx £65k. Work 8:30-4:30 usually with the flexibility to work from home if needed. Drop the kids off at school on my way in. I used to be a lawyer but worked much longer hours with ridiculous amounts of stress. Dropping down a level caused a few raised eyebrows (not least Mr. Arkela's) but I wouldn't change it for the world.

I work a 45 hr week, sometimes a bit more....start work between 6.30-7.30am and finish between 5.30-6.30 depending on shift with an hour lunch break and I earn roughly 20grand.....3 kids but 2 adult now and a 16 yr old in college....

Actually I can't think of much worse than living in London. I can see and hear the sea from my house, in wet & windy Wales and I wouldn't switch for city life.
No work like balance at the moment, working for family business messes that up!

@arkela £65k for a paralegal role

I don't earn much anymore but have a fab work life balance and money isn't super tight. We aren't well off at all but unexpected bills are fine and we manage about 3 holiday's a year (not long haul). DP only just earns over national average and has a terrible work life balance though...

OP the average salary for full time work in the U.K. is £35K. If you combine it with people working part time, the average falls to £29K.
The vast majority of Brits have to manage their “work life balance” on nowhere near the salary you suggest!
I was fortunate to earn £85K for a 32 hour week for the final ten years before I retired, but when I was a junior doc, I did up to 120 hours a week, for an hourly rate at night of less than the hospital cleaner. With no social life at all- I went home to sleep.