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Do YOU earn over 40K? What do you do?

237 replies

MoneyBunny · 31/01/2012 14:19

Obviously only for those of you comfortable with disclosing what you earn.

In another thread I could see a lot of posters saying it's no biggie earning over 40K, however this is just under me and my husband's JOINT income so it does feel like a very distant wage for us.

So, if you earn 40K, what do you o for a living? How many year's experience have you got and what is your education level?

And I do mean to pry.

OP posts:
BenderBendingRodriguez · 31/01/2012 20:29

Another really fascinating thread, especially for someone like me who has cluelessly drifted their entire life.

whereismymind73 · 31/01/2012 20:36

Quite a bit over, it fluctuates but never less than £50k (last year £62k, this year will be less as targets have been increased massively but should still reach about £53k).
No education past school.
Have worked full time since leaving school (18 years ago)
Work as a Sales Account Manager.

DH earns more than me, he left school at 16 and studied at night while he worked full time. He's in HR.

Vinomum · 31/01/2012 20:46

I earn 60k for a 3 day week (100k FTE). I work as an in-house tax manager. Before that I spent 9 years working for an accountancy firm. I have a law degree from a redbrick uni, and tax accounting qualifications.

I secretly worry that one day my boss will realise that I'm a complete fraud and (whispers) I'm not worth the money Blush

Victoria2002 · 31/01/2012 20:49

Nearly. I'm on 38K and I'm a nanny. I studied for. 1year at college and 9m working in a nursery plus did an AS level at evening classes, but the experience plus working in London is what increases the wage, not the qualifications.

Bluestocking · 31/01/2012 20:53

I used to - took a pay cut to move to a nicer job in a nicer part of the country. I'm a fairly senior university manager (not an academic) with a BA and twenty years' experience in the sector.

Honeybee79 · 31/01/2012 20:57

Yes.
Solicitor in the City. 4.5 years post qualification experience. Prior to which: undergrad degree, law conversion (1 year) legal practice course (1 year) and 2 years working as a trainee. Now earn £90k.

nocake · 31/01/2012 21:00

Business Analyst. Degree followed by 19 years experience in various IT jobs. I don't earn as much as I have done. I took a pay cut when I stopped working in London then another one when I moved to my current job which is 10 minutes walk from home. I don't pay £3k a year for a train ticket though so I'm about as well off as I ever have been.

Like Vinomum I do often wonder when someone will realise that I have no idea what I'm doing Grin

DarkMatter · 31/01/2012 21:02

I did before leaving to go freelance. I worked in children's publishing, editorial side of things, and hit £40k after 5 years experience (plus BA from Oxford). Now freelance, I technically earned over £40k pro rata last year, with a 2-3 day week, but no guarantee of 5 days' work each week if I did start doing it full time so not sure it counts...

trixymalixy · 31/01/2012 21:07

I'm an actuary with 11 years experience, I hit 40k+ when I qualified 6 years ago. I have a first class engineering degree and am a Fellow of the Faculty of Actuaries. I live in Scotland so the money goes a bit further up here.

Overtiredmum · 31/01/2012 21:08

Just slightly under. I work fulltime evenings as a Legal Secretary for a large American law firm in London. Its a great job and I love it. No qualifications apart from GCSEs from many moons ago, just hard work and experience.

notquitenormal · 31/01/2012 21:17

I'm and accountant on £40k, based in the midlands working for an American corporation. I do mostly planning and project work and manage a team of 4 people.

I got crap A'levels and started work at 17 as a trainee accounts clerk on £5k p.a. But they paid for my training and I went to college almost every weekend for 6 years, doing NVQs then a professional accounting qualification.

I could do a lot more, but it requires a significant step change in commitment and lifestyle and I'm not interested at this point in my life.

lynlynnicebutdim · 31/01/2012 21:19

Financial institutions claims manager at an insurance company in the city. I am only doing 4 days a wk at the moment (but still doing a 5 day workload!) so take home is about 50k. Full time I am closer to 65-68.

I have a BA in ancient history and feel arse backward into insurance. been working in the industry for approx 12 years now. Started as a trainee and have just gained experience and made some judicious job moves.

Bingdweller · 31/01/2012 21:20

DH earns approx £80k in a new job. Offshore work 6 weeks on, 4 off. He is an engineer, no degree but has 20 years + experience. I work 12 hours per week in healthcare earning £20k pro rata, it's an admin role & I have no higher education qualifications.

AmethystMoon · 31/01/2012 21:22

Work in HR, CIPD qualified, BSc And MSc plus currently studying for another BSc, 11 years experience in field.

TattiePants · 31/01/2012 21:24

Both DH and I earn over £40k. DH earns quite a bit more than me as I have just reduced my hours to 4 days/week.

I am a Chartered Accountant with 12 years post-qual experience and work as a Finance Mgr for a national retailer.

DH qualified as a Civil Engineer but now works as a project manager.

melezka · 31/01/2012 21:24

Three undergraduate degrees and an MA. I teach the academic side on a set of specific vocational degrees. I'm 0.4 time, but have to go in 3 days a week. I have about 15 years of education and industry experience, as I'm not counting the baby years, when I failed in a career plan to have maternity leave etc. I teach only HE, am paid on FE scale, continually undermined by management, and earn about £12k. If I hadn't faffed about doing interesting stuff I'd probably be much better off financially, but also probably - literally - dead of boredom.

melezka · 31/01/2012 21:27

(I didn't misread OP's question - just was interested in comparing)
:)

SlinkingOutsideInFrocks · 31/01/2012 21:29

I didn't participate in the other thread as it all started getting a bit, well, mmmm....

But whether we like it or not, this thread does pretty much back up that OP's assertion that earning over £40K really isn't that big a deal, especially if everyone around you is in the same boat...

Pandygirl · 31/01/2012 21:29

Accountant, degree and professional qualification, 10 years post qual experience.

Helenagrace · 31/01/2012 21:52

Pre-children I earned £60k managing 600 people and a big budget in a London teaching hospital. Realised it wouldn't work with children so was a sahm for five years. Very glad I'm not in the NHS now.

Now I work mostly school hours, and four hours in the evenings and earn around £45k doing a mix of running DH's actuarial practice, running my own training and coaching practice and a decluttering and professional organising business. The latter is the least well paid thing that I do but it's what I most enjoy.

Helenagrace · 31/01/2012 21:54

Forgot the education bit: qualified nurse, first class degree from a good university, PGDip, various vocational courses since then.

ginmakesitallok · 31/01/2012 21:55

I work part-time, but full-time wage would be over 40k - NHS Manager, 10 years experience, honours degree and masters degree. DP is a senior lecturer, degree and PhD and over 40k

daenerysstormborn · 31/01/2012 21:56

i think dh does!, he's a uni lecturer (has a degree & lots of teaching experience in further education & many years self employed), he also tops up that salary by continuing to be self employed.

alorsmum · 31/01/2012 21:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Superfly · 31/01/2012 21:57

Yes - earn just over in a railway Health and Safety role. Left school with 3 O' Levels (which according to a book out at the time was the 'naffest' amount of O levels you could get) and since then have gained professional qualifications. 15 years experience in this particular role.