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Original poster

Do you have friends with very different financial outlook?

55 replies

Silverclocks · 09/04/2022 20:02

I was chatting to a friend/aqaintance this morning, he has applied for a new job, salary £45k. He's so excited, £45k is apparently huge to him, much more than he ever thought he'd earn (he's in his late 40s). I have what I think of as a fairly ordinary job, salary £45k. I certainly don't feel rich, but I have enough.

I don't ever tell anyone what I earn or anything else about my finances, but now I'm wondering what I do wrong, he seems live a similar lifestyle to mine! We're both single with adult children, FWIW.

OP posts:

Duracellbunnywannabe · 09/04/2022 20:05

The average uk salary is 26k. Your salary is far from ordinary for many.

latriciamcneal · 09/04/2022 20:14

What do you mean what you do wrong? You're living your life as you enjoy, and so is he. Perhaps he's more frugal.

My friends and I all earn differing amounts of money.

Original poster

Silverclocks · 09/04/2022 20:15

£26k is a figure that's been used for a long time but the average UK salary is now £33k, higher in SE

OP posts:

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Danikm151 · 09/04/2022 20:19

45k is almost double my salary. I would be gassed.
The average may be £33k but that is because some people have ridiculously high salaries and others have ridiculously low.

BertieBotts · 09/04/2022 20:22

I think your perspective can change, I could identify both with your friend particularly in the past, and with you more recently. I'd still be very pleased to earn £45k myself though. It's not in my current salary range.

Projecting a bit based on my own experience and therefore assumptions which may be wrong - are you putting away money to savings whereas he is spending all that he earns, meaning you have a similar amount of "disposable" income?

RagzRebooted · 09/04/2022 20:23

I was really exited to get a pay rise this year and be on £35k. It seems like loads to me, but I don't have any friends or relatives who earn more than that, as far as I know.

BertieBotts · 09/04/2022 20:24

I certainly would not assume either he or you are doing anything "wrong" - as long as you can afford your lifestyle then there is no sense in comparing it to anybody else's.

Ragwort · 09/04/2022 20:30

I'd love to know what you consider is a 'fairly ordinary job that pays £45k'?

LittleSnakes · 09/04/2022 20:33

What type of average is £33k? Mean, median or mode?

Original poster

Silverclocks · 09/04/2022 20:35

@LittleSnakes

What type of average is £33k? Mean, median or mode?

Median. The one the ONS uses.

OP posts:

Original poster

Silverclocks · 09/04/2022 20:37

@Ragwort

I'd love to know what you consider is a 'fairly ordinary job that pays £45k'?

It's a middle management admin job in the public sector. No specific qualifications required.

OP posts:

Patchbatch · 09/04/2022 20:38

I'm not really sure what you're getting at, surely you can realise how a salary like that seems like a pipe dream for a good chunk of people? I grew up on a council estate, parents always worked hard but no quals and never much above minimum wage- i never dreamt I'd earn more than £50k, I still find it odd and feel almost weirdly guilty as I know I don't work harder than a lot of people on less.

Patchbatch · 09/04/2022 20:40

It's a middle management admin job in the public sector. No specific qualifications required.

Surely experience is required though, people don't walk into middle management jobs straight from school. And actually if he has no quals and he's worked his way up that's not bad going at all.

AnneLovesGilbert · 09/04/2022 20:44

Yep. My sister has £300k in the bank, her husband has a huge salary, they still talk about scrimping for things. Friends who have a household income of £25k and 3 young kids who seem comfortable and manage a decent lifestyle.

marihen1 · 09/04/2022 20:47

I think most people do have a different financial outlook depending on how much they earn. 45k is a lot of money to some people and others may think that its a low salary. I can fully understand why he would be over the moon with that amount of money if he's not used to it and i can understand why you think yours is fairly standard because you're used to having that amount of money. Im sure once he's on that wage for a few years he will be used to it, living on that wage. I remember going from apprentice wage to a proper salary and thinking omg what am i going to do with all the extra money. It very quickly started to feel like i wasn't paid enough because you live on what you earn i suppose.

Original poster

Silverclocks · 09/04/2022 20:47

@Patchbatch

It's a middle management admin job in the public sector. No specific qualifications required.

Surely experience is required though, people don't walk into middle management jobs straight from school. And actually if he has no quals and he's worked his way up that's not bad going at all.

Yes, of course, we've both been working a long time. Hence "ordinary" job that pays a bit more than average.

OP posts:

Beercrispsandnuts · 09/04/2022 20:55

Op people live to their means . If they are on 25 k,of course 45 seems a lot, if you are used to 65, 45 feels like it will be low.

Sone of my friends earn leSs, some more, who cares, these are not big differences.

moonlight1705 · 09/04/2022 21:14

Or he is in a charitable industry like me where figures of 45k are for the top of the tree.

I have a very complex fundraising job and in charge of development for a charity...I earn 26k so would love a job that had 45k but it simply doesn't come up much in my line of work.

Beercrispsandnuts · 09/04/2022 21:16

@moonlight1705

Or he is in a charitable industry like me where figures of 45k are for the top of the tree.

I have a very complex fundraising job and in charge of development for a charity...I earn 26k so would love a job that had 45k but it simply doesn't come up much in my line of work.

That’s very sad as it’s not much Above min wage really for the same hours. I guess it’s because you’re doing it for charity?

CoreyTaylorisHot · 09/04/2022 21:16

Have you looked at NHS pay scales? And the level of qualifications they need and how they are considered good jobs and then compare to your salary.
Health care assistants maximum £19,000, where you need qualifications NVQ level 3. Qualified nurses where you need a degree: maximum £31,000, Ward sisters/charge nurses/junior nurse practitioners where you need a degree, significant experience and extended skills maximum £39,000 and ward managers/senior practitioners etc Maximum £45,000.
Yes you are on a good salary compared to most! This is just one small example.

autienotnaughty · 09/04/2022 21:18

One of my best friends earns 100k as does her oh. They act like it's normal and are the most tight fisted people I know. I earn 24k (pro rata)

My aunt is a multi millionaire I often get used lipstick and second hand scarves as gifts.

RightOnTheEdge · 09/04/2022 21:35

I have never and will never earn anywhere near 45k. I would feel like I'd won the lottery if I got a salary like that.

Ragwort · 09/04/2022 22:02

I'd love more details of what exactly a 'middle manager in admin in the public sector' means ... what sort of department do you manage? Seems a huge salary to me.

I am not jealous, perfectly happy with my salary which would be £20k if I worked full time, charity retail .. so responsible for raising as much as possible for the charity I work for, managing volunteers (which can be demanding), long hours of course and working weekends, Bank Hols etc but I love what I do.

AffIt · 09/04/2022 22:11

My salary and that of my OH is much, MUCH higher than that of most of our friends.

I never mention it, and try to subtly put my hand in my pocket for meals/drinks etc as often as I can without it being too blatant.

MySecretHistory · 09/04/2022 22:12

How do you all know what friends and family earn?

I dont have a clue what anyone other than DH and I earn. It just isn't a conversation I can imagine having with people

(ok I do know roughly what 2 friends earn as they do the same job at same company as DH used too but that's speculation)

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