Am I that poorly paid???

[londongirl12]

Partner and I both work in emergency services. I'm on about £32k, he's £40k ish. We always thought that we didn't earn too bad, however Mumsnet always makes me feel like we're terribly paid! So many people commenting they're on £60k+. Is that just a small % in f the population, and a lot of them just happen to be on mumsnet? Or does the general public actually get paid a lot more than us? Not that u can do much about it, just more wondering I suppose

I think you earn well, especially as a couple! You earn more than me (just )

As long as you're happy with your lot and can meet your expenses, that's fine.

There are plenty of people on here with low income/benefits! It's a mixed bag.

That sounds like a very good wage
My husband is normally on 40k but has had a paycut despite having to work full time through lockdown.
I work as a learning support assistant to SEN children. I earn £700 a month but for most of the year I have been on £300 a month due to surgery.
That's £8400 PA I earn!

A lot of it depends massively where you live, here in the North East that would be a really good salary but for my London based friends it would be low. I earn much less than you but have a tiny mortgage, my business pays for my phone and vehicle so I have very low outgoings and a decent amount of disposable income. Apples and oranges...

I guess it comes down to the sector - im a social worker and on the same as you with no hope of ever owning property or stuff like that ...

But I'm on far more than I was when I was on income support so I am proud of how far I've come.

It is galling though that our sectors are underpaid

Well, I'm on minimum wage at £8.72 an hour so I totally get what you mean about the high wages on MN. Makes me feel shit. But also, I'd love to earn 32k I think that's a good wage OP. I guess someone on 60k wouldn't though.

Unless you’re in London I think it’s a decent combined income. Even if you’re in London, it’s enough to live on.

I wouldn’t pay too much mind to posters here declaring their income, you never know if it’s true or not. There’s actual millionaires on here apparently, so no point trying to compare yourself as you just can’t measure up

It all depends on what sector you work in. DH and I work for the NHS and neither of us have ever earned anywhere near 60k. My DD who works in a completely different sector earns more than me
As long as you are well and happy, that's all the matters.
Comparison is the thief of joy.

It's all relative to age,location, etc. If you were both say 25 and living in Manchester, I'd say you have great salaries. However, if you were in your 30s living in North London, that'd perhaps tip it down to average.

You aren’t on bad money at all and if you enjoy the lifestyle you have who cares what others earn.

I think though if your emergency service job is for example a paramedic or police officer you are badly paid for the risk you take doing that job but that’s a whole other thread.

As others have said, location, sector , experience etc all make a difference Statista says £30k is the median salary at present. www.statista.com/statistics/1002964/average-full-time-annual-earnings-in-the-uk/

Thats a decent wage imo.
Mumsnet is full of high earners - or people that say they are.

Well depending on hours/shifts/years of service/risk those figures could range from good to OK to shit tbh.

Is this a stealth boast?

It’s a very decent wage EVEN in London. There are hundreds of thousands living within the M25 on way less than that (despite what MN says).

This feels like another one of those posts

Of course you're not poorly paid, you have a combined income of £72k. Of course this doesn't mean you're well off because we have no idea of outgoings.

I’m on £8.72 per hour. If I had your terribly low salary I’d feel like a pig in muck! 😀

That's a good household income. You'll probably be working a lot harder for it than most in the private sector.

I think you already know you have a very good household income. However I knew of a family with an income of £90k plus in a modest earning area who needed debt advice. It's about living within your means.

@midsomermurderess no not a stealth boast at all. I'd just seen so many posts recently where people saying oh I turned down a job that was £75k. And I'm like what the hell!!

I'm a teacher, living in the South East and earn about £40K. I consider myself well paid.

Well DH earns approx 18k pa (full time), I 'earn' 3k pa approx (carers allowance - disabled adult child). I think you have a very good income, I also think you know you do.

I would love your salary!

I’m in my early 30s, in the North West and on a similar amount to you (teacher). I’d say I’m one of the higher earners among my friends with some earning a lot more. Highest earner in my friend group is on around £50k but he is the anomaly, most of us who have professional jobs are on around £25-35k.