Am I being unrealistic? How old are you, and how much do you earn?

[adhdneedsajob]

Doing my tax return and depressed at how little my self employment brings in.
I have a degree in the arts from a RG university and over 20 years experience in the workplace I am 45 ffs and barely scraping £1200 a month
But am barely making any money

What do you do and how have you got there and how can I charge more for what I do?

Yes I think I remember reading this about the making your age in k
I think that's one of the things that made me ask about age.
Thank you for all the replies..

I was never expecting this kind of response and I agree that possibly other lower earners don't want to share. I don't work full time at the moment I should have shared that... but that is also because self employment is a choice to allow me to work round the DC and because I am probably not utilising the time I have to the best of my ability- another reason to be depressed l suppose:
I am very aware I didn't transfer my BA into anything professional/vocational.

As you may tell from my user name I have (formally undiagnosed/unmedicated) ADHD and I think this has had a real impact on my career
I did work with one client for ages while my kids were younger.
I have a huge amount of experience in a wide variety of topics - but am not a master in anything.
I am also better working in a team...
just wondering if there's any point in retraining at this point. And if so what?

I remember reading in Cosmo or a similar magazine when I was a teen that you should aim to earn the same annual salary in thousands per year as your age

Haha yes maybe that's where I got it from, I felt a real sense of satisfaction when I started earning more than retirement age 😂

.

I'm 46 and earn around 800 per month working 3 hrs a day in a job I love. Retrained and started over in early 40s and happiest I've ever been. DH takes home about 5k a month so we manage nicely. In principle i hate being dependent but it works well for us. I was SAHM for years so enjoy my little pay packet every month.

39, admin, 30 hours a week and earn £23k a year with up to an additional £4k bonus at Christmas.

I'm 42, I earn approximately £70k a year

I'm gobsmacked by comments like this.

Do you think people choose to be on low incomes?!

I'm a teacher.

48 and about £120,000 a year, self employed so lots of tax deductible expenses. Id need £180,000 paye to be in the same position.

It’s about pushing back, though, you’ve got to remember we are in a employee short market, especially at the lower end. There is literally never a better Time than now for you to negotiate a better deal for yourself, if you have the courage to do so.

Are you suggesting that people in low paid work who don't ask for a raise are cowards?

If DH asked for five grand a year more for the work he does he'd be laughed out of the office.

Honestly what planet do some people live on!

I think that’s rather the point, instead of twisting my words, why don’t you look at the positive that if he gets laughed out the office he is in a great position to go and get another job with a 5K pay rise and then who’s lost will that be? Because they will struggle to recruit to replace him.

My advice would be to secure the new job at five grand more. Go to your boss and say look would love to stay but unfortunately I’ve been offered a new job at 5K more do you want to match it or should I get my stuff?

I think you are missing that in many industries minimum wage is the standard. DH works in the kitchen at Wetherspoons, there’s no other kitchen he can go to that’s going to pay anything else but minimum wage. Likewise people in retail, care work, lots of public sector roles.

And where will he find this mythical job that will pay him five grand a year more for doing what he does now?

Are you actually serious? Did you want me to wipe your arse for you as well?
we have the lowest unemployment rates since World War II. I guess you can only lead a horse to water though. I wouldn’t get out of bed for five grand a month, maybe I’m worth listening to or not no skin off my nose is it?

Gosh, you're rude aren't you.

Some people simply don't understand that certain jobs only pay so much. DH is at the top of his pay band on £27k. Stamping your feet and demanding more money in his role - either with his current employer or a new one - would be the quickest way to be shown the door.

How embarrassing for you

The OP asked mumsnetters the question

Not sure why we need to know about "hubby"

45 years old, own medical business which I set up 15 years ago. I earn approx £80,000 and work 4 days a week.

Is this a typo? 19?

I took that as a piss take but you're right it could be a typo on the age with truthful salaries, which is of course incredibly helpful to the OP who would only need to put in a decade or two of hard work and study to get to that position so if she's lucky she might manage it by retirement age.

BA,MA, PhD: 3m per annum, media.

Christ that's nearly £30k A MONTH 😮

@OwlBabiesAreCute that's before tax though. PAYE jobs in that bracket are heavily taxed and there will also be pension contributions (student loans likely paid off).

Probably closer to £17k

I have found this helpful in lots of ways and depressing on others.
Thank you to those who have been kind enough to Dm me
I am still not sure as to what to do next... I have a lot to think about