Does everyone on MN earn loads of money!?

[whatsausername]

for context, I earn 27K per annum and so does my husband. We have one DC. We are early 30s.

I just feel all the posts I read on here more or less everyone is loaded. Don’t get me wrong we can comfortably pay our bills but we have to save for anything big (holiday Xmas etc)

we still private rent. I’d love a mortgage but it’s not gonna be in the next 5 years for us.

everyone on MN seems to have huge houses, loads of holidays and multiple DC’s 🫣

Not me. Minimum wage.

I think you're right; the people who engage in those posts are self selected and I suspect more likely to want to talk about their financial situation if they are higher earners.

I mean, sure- there are bound to be some well off people on here just as there are in life in general, but in my experience, the ones bragging about being mega rich have often been caught out from previous posts claiming something quite different.

I've seen this happen a few times with various topics.

People can say whatever they like online and I really would take it with a pinch of salt.

No, a lot of posters will be lying through their teeth.

@whatsausername

If i just told you my salary ie just gave you the figure, you would think I earned loads but I can assure you it goes absolutely nowhere.

No holiday this year. Have to stringently budget, meal plan. No new autumn wardrobe loading. No summer wardrobe happened.

But that is my own fault for living in London, I suppose!

I think MN attracts a lot of professionals, people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and in relationships (often times with other professionals) and these factors all mean it skews higher.

When I was a 23 year old trainee solicitor on £14k pa I didn't post on MN. Now 20 years later, married, 3 kids and no longer on £14k, I do.

Plus threads being self-selecting I guess.

I’m not in your situation as I’m older but I’m around your dap and I’ve actually mentioned this to my husband as I’m astounded by some of the financial difficulties people have, despite being high earners. I know many people will say it’s relative to outgoings but the ability/acceptance to tighten your belt as a family is an essential skill for everyone, irrespective of income. In any case, I hear you!

Not me 🤣

I joined Mumsnet just over ten years ago when expecting my first child and was earning under the average wage as was my husband but we are both high earners now (each over £100k without bonuses and shares). I share this because the perspective is important but I also do wonder whether it has something to do with the vast age ranges of people who remain on mumsnet ie. those without children, trying, expecting, babies to toddlerhood to school and those that have grown up children or are grandparents. Naturally, this is going to mean people have significantly varying incomes and life experiences.

I think I find all the "high earner" stuff on here jarring too because they are not the people that I normally encounter in my everyday life. I know of maybe 2-3 higher earners tangentially in my wider circle of friends/acquaintances - they do things like work in strategic management, aviation or are medical consultants. Most people I know earn much less but are "comfortable". I am early 40s and only started earning more than minimum wage a few years ago, but I am earning more than I ever thought I could in my profession, so I feel pretty satisfied in that respect.

What do you think the point of 'bragging' is if nobody knows who you are?

Only 4% of the uk population earn over £100k. 1% if we are talking about women.

Read into that what you will when it comes to believing what’s posted on MN

I have only ever earned an 'average' income however others define that. Teacher but came late to it as a career so very small extra pension
DH also has small added pension to state pension so while we are both alive we are quite comfortable. Mortgage paid off. Good holiday every year .. a cruise or high end Italy and one cottage holiday in this country with DD and family which so far we've paid for. Things will change dramatically when, inevitably one of us dies and the household income will basically half overnight even though all household bills will stay the same. We are realistic about our potential future income and feel grateful to feel 'comfortably off' at the moment. We make the most of both having our health at the moment and can enjoy our life in modest ways. We are both 73.
I do believe the threads on here where some people have amazing incomes and life styles and I enjoy reading about them. In our big extended family we have 30 somethings in great relationships and two amazing salaries in the household, the more 'average' like ourselves and some who are really struggling. If that's the case in our one family it is bound to be the case on an open site like Mumsnet. 😄

It’s called self selection bias.

I earn a decent wage but not 6 figures. I feel that’s rarer on MN than min wage. Ie. I count the pennies but can afford things, I have one holiday but it’s in a credit card and paid off slowly, I can save every month but not thousands.

Definitely not me! I “should” be as I had higher than average salaries 12 years ago but not since losing my first child and then going on to have a profoundly disabled child.
I work 10 hours a week and earn £4,600 a year.
I think that places me in a weird category of person.
My DH earns not a whole lot more than you OP as a self-employed professional (which doesn’t include his outgoings).
I have no idea what it would be like to have a six figure income.

When I joined Mn as a pregnant 30 year old I was on 25k a year, DH on £19k, now I have an 11 yr old and am about to turn 42 and I’m on a 6 figure salary. There’s a range on here and people move up and down based on stage of life and what they are focused on.

I think it attracts both ends of the spectrum (or at least people who say they are on both ends of the spectrum), there are a lot of people who say they are earning £150k a year and an almost equal amount of people who have no money at all and are really struggling.

My husband & I are statistically higher than average earners but depending on the MN thread at the time we are either rich rich or very poor! There’s not many people in the middle who post about it, but they do exist and are probably the majority!

Nope not me

Didn’t you upload your payslip when creating your MN account to prove you are past the minimum income threshold?

In my early 30s I'd say we were quite similar to you. We had my eldest when I was 29. When she was 1 I went back to work teaching 2 days once a week, and my DH was a newly qualified teacher (what would now be ECT1).

We both earn more now as we've moved up the career ladder a bit (not massively though) over the last 8 years, and we have 3 more DC. House isnt massive but is comfortable enough.

I suspect on average people on mumsnet are older than you - many join when they are ttc or have one small baby, and they're still here as children grow up. You have lower income than average here because you are younger.

Who knows, but it happens. Multiple posters on MN have been exposed as fantasists, including the Paris bedroom one I mentioned.

I think that this forum attracts (generally) a slightly older audience, who are more likely to be earning more/ progressed in careers/ have got inheritance.

although as many have pointed out- plenty of people could well be telling an absolute yarn .

we are low earners I suppose (teaching assistant and bus driver) but we feel comfortable, with fairly low outcomes .

people in my social circle all tend to earn a lot more than me .(well I don’t think anyone earns less than a teaching assistant 🤣)

Comparison is the thief of joy and all that .

I could look at those threads and feel awful about our income . I have ( and probably will in future) look at large family homes and be green with envy/ sad that we would never be able to afford that .

but I also know that there will be people who see us having nearly finished paying off our terrace house/ no car payment/ spent a week in Greece this summer and a full £600 in savings 🤪 and be envious of that

Some do. Some pretend they do.