“100k isn’t a big salary”

[cadburyegg]

I’ve just logged onto instagram and YET AGAIN a post comes up headed “100k isn’t a big salary, here’s why”. I’m so sick of seeing it. Most of us earn nowhere near 100k. I don’t spend my time moaning on instagram about how hard done by I am and there aren’t news articles about it. I don’t even feel like I AM hard done by. I feel lucky to be earning less than half that and to have a reasonable flexible job. I’m not going to the press saying poor me poor me because I don’t feel sorry for myself. Yet there seems to be shitloads of “awareness” posts about how shit it is for high earners and how it’s so sad they don’t have free childcare. I know people can have high expenses and I know it’s all relative and I’m probably overreacting but I seriously do not care anymore. It doesn’t mean the salary isn’t high. I’m so sick of seeing these out of touch posts. 🤯

Well a significant number of people manage because they are topped up by the state in various forms so that’s a bit disingenuous.
2.7 million people are topped up by universal credit.

Well, that's just patronising af.

Totally agree, but highly unlikely that they’ll touch lower / middle income earners…

Do you think people get their wages topped up by UC to £68000?

Exactly this.

I have just had a pay rise taking me from £100k to £115k but luckily I was going to go down to 4 days anyway as have a baby on the way so by the time I go back to work I will be on just under £100k for 4 days. Any payrises and bonuses beyond that I will salary sacrifice because it simply isn’t worth it to take them as cash when you factor in loss of childcare hours and the tax. People really don’t understand how hard the tax hits you as soon as you get to £100k. A couple with both earning £49k is much better off than a couple with one earning £100k.

Having said that, £100k is obviously not a bad salary. We are in the Midlands where it goes further than in London but it’s definitely not enough to live the kind of life of luxury that some people think.

You can’t stop people complaining about their income - but you can take a bit of responsibility for you own irritation levels, it’s not rocket science, I’m sure it’s already been mentioned - stop reading these posts or do you enjoy picking that scab. Find something more productive to do with your spare time.

@Absentmindedsmile I do not have a chip on my shoulder about high earners (some might) or people running profitable businesses so long as not exploiting their employees. Most people earning that much are working hard and longer hours than 37 per week, a few might be living on a trust fund but that's few so will discount that. I am pleased that people are successful and do not grudge them their slary/ earnings etc or their nice house car or holidays

My gripe is people earning that much complaining it is not that much or barely managing or being skint /broke without a thought on how the 98% earning less mostly much much less are coping and even in London it is well well above median.

okay so those on 100K might not have quite as much discretionary spending as before due to cost of living crisis but the COL hits the poorest hardest, coping with a 10% increase in food and fuel costs on NMW is a lot lot harder than coping with 10% increase on 100K

Yes some do in London, there are examples of people having over 70k a year of benefits, mostly housing cost related.

If you've spent maybe up to 10 years of your life in post-school education, during which you haven't earned and have had to pay for some of that education, and you are now 20+ years into using that skill, and take decisions every day which carry life or death responsibility, then I'm sorry, in 2025 it isn't a big salary, given that an Aldi manager starts on £51,615 and is on £67,315 after four years........and this thread shows why well qualified people are leaving the 'race to the bottom' UK.

I make sure I don't earn over 100k and put everything else above it into my pension. I'm sure people will be all along moaning about this too. I have no incentive to go for promotion or try and earn more. It won't benefit me today. Maybe in 20 years but that's not an incentive. I think this is wrong as it stalls so many things, incl tax.

I know I'm lucky and privileged. In London it gets you a good lifestyle. Not that of a king as many still assume. Obviously that's a hundred times better than not being able to buy a property and having to be careful with money all the time, but it's not a lavish lifestyle. Especially if you are single and pay all yourself.

yawn i live in London. Earn around 100k. Im not rich, far from it!!! So ... it depends on your location and perspective. I have a sibling. Only their annual bonus is more than my gross yearly pay. They probably think im poor as a mouse. I also can imagine for people earning 20k I sound minted. So ... look in your own garden and mind your own business. Stop judging who feels rich or poor, i can feel whatever i want regardless of my income.

I earn less than a third of £100k full time. The only people I know who earn above £100k are friends who are lawyers.

The average salary is said to be 30k. So yes, 100k salary is large. I don't see many jobs for £100k where I am.

I agree. I don't have a chip on my shoulder either. We live extremely comfortably "near a little northern town, where not many people live" according to one patronising poster.

We just don't have huge outgoings any more.

Doctors, teachers, nurses, Local Government officers, engineers, accountants, lawyers, architects, and every profession requiring qualifications earns more than £30,000. That’s the point in having a profession!

£100k salary

You even used that word. Salary.

People know what a £100k salary is. It's literally £100k salary.

Our house hold income is well below that, but still pretty good. I only work from home part time (what I bring in is essentially pocket money if I’m honest) but DH works for himself. Maybe it’s because we both grew up very poor, but I feel like we are very rich. My kids have their own rooms, we have a trampoline, and we have and ice dispenser on the fridge so we are basically the 1% as far as I’m concerned. I think it just depends what you’re used to - maybe for someone who grew up with high earning parents when the cost of living was lower they do feel like it’s not a lot.

It’s not patronising it’s reality.

🤦‍♀️

Before I emigrated I was earning over 100k a year in the South East and whilst yes it was a good salary, it wasnt amazing and life wasnt rosy, I am not complaining and everything is relative but 100k in the SE isnt huge.

Before I moved out of London I was paying 1800 a month for a 2 bed flat living next door to a mom who was having some of her rent paid by the council. I couldnt afford to stay in London and send my son to the same nursery that she did (and she had her nursery fees paid by the government).

Then when I moved out of London I had to pay 500 a month to stand on a train and commute into London 12-15 hours a week. Thats a big chunk of cash, I couldnt afford a car and didnt go on holiday for 3 years.

Depends where you live, your age and outgoings. My DP earns 125k and I can promise you we are not at all wealthy. Now if I was bringing in a big wage too that would be different. But I'm a low earner and we’re not even going on holiday this year.

I don't earn that amount but 100k in London doesn't go very far after housing and childcare cost.

Indeed.

You think that teachers and NHS workers, for example, are all topped up by UC? That isn't true and if it was something would be very wrong.

😂

🙄