To think £31500 pa is less than average wage?

[Elderwand]

That's it, I work as a nurse in the Nhs, I'm 33. , just thought at this stage of my life I would be earning more. (unhappy & bitter) have 2 young DD, So career change at the mo would be difficult.

It does show what a distorted subset of the population Mumsnet posters are

50% of workers in the UK earn less than £18,000 a year
63% of workers earn less than £24,000 a year
85% of workers earn less than £42,000 a year
99% earn less than £100,000 a year

get real and realise that most of you (us) are rich bitches have NO idea what its like to be truly poor.

Jupiter depends what you mean by NEED really. But rude saying that though, plenty of people earn good money without spending it by the bucketload.

"If you don't have the imagination to see why anyone would need more than 70K then I'm not surprised you 're a million miles away from earning it! "

seriously? Most people survive on a lot less, most familes survive on a lot less. It's a very lucky household who has one pwrson on a £70k wage, let alone 2.

What are the reasons why someone would need more than £70k?

It's absurd to talk about " need". No one needs more than one pair of shoes, more than two bedrooms, a holiday, TV etc etc etc but I expect a great many people in this country have them, no matter what income they are on!

I think peppin has given a fairly good example of where 70k might go! It's not an unreasonably high salary, good, but not wildly rich (by any stretch)

Wow, juptierscock, you really are a charmer, aren't you? I don't earn much so I must have a lack of imagination? Actually, I've been ill for most of my adult life, which is why I don't earn so much.

I don't suppose any sort of shit like that will ever happen to you though, so you can continue with your wee, imagination-filled, horse-riding thrill ride of a life. Must be fucking lovely.

The person flagged up 70k had said it was more than anybody would ever need and examples have been given here, that for some people, it is about what is required if you live in the southeast, have several children and commute.

Of course it's a good salary, but it's not more than anybody would ever need and that's without being extravagant too.

I'm only saying need as you did in your last post. So remember what you say before you call me absurd! Ta.

If we all earned under 70K the country would be comlpetely fucked as there'd be simpy not enough tax money to keep us in the debt we're in!

And yes, we could all live on less than that but many don't have to and enjoy not having to .

DamnBamboo, it is still nonsense. I have friends who meet all those criteria and they have a household income of less than that and are perfectly happy.

Lacking imagination, obviously, they all sit slack-jawed staring at TOWIE of an evening, but they are fine.

So what's your point jupiterscock?

People DON'T actually need 70k after all? I see. They just want to.

There is a finite number of jobs that pay 70 grand. Not everyone can have them. That's sort of the way a capitalist economy works. So thanks a massive bundle for saving the economy and all, but if it wasn't you it would be someone else, so you can probably dismount your high horse.

YABU, I think the average is £26000. I have come to accept that I may never earn over £21000 pa. There are many reasons for that, mainly because I am not career minded. I don't have ambition and I don't want the stress.

I think perceptions of what is a 'good' wage are completely subjective. Whilst one person might be happy and able to buy everything they want on £14,000, another person might think £85,000 isn't enough.

I don't think it's for anyone else to judge what is too much/not enough when it comes to personal finance.

If you don't feel you earn enough, look at oher options- what are your promotion chances like? What about specialising? Postgraduate education?

"If you don't have the imagination to see why anyone would need more than 70K then I'm not surprised you 're a million miles away from earning it! "

is what you said Jupiter.

then
"It's absurd to talk about " need". "

So those of us who don't have the imagination to see why anyone would need are not allowed to talk about 'need'?

If you don't have the imagination to see why anyone would need more than 70K then I'm not surprised you 're a million miles away from earning it!

Wow. What a silly cow you are!

Of course everyone could find plenty of things to waste their money on if they had lots of it. I hope you never find yourself in a position where you no longer have money. Although maybe, with your current stinky attitude, it would do you some good, and you would find out about the real world

I've had my merc driving, 5 bed detached, private school etc lifestyle - It all changed. I coped. I adapted. I changed. I'm a much nicer/better person for it now. Much better
Just remember, karma. That's all I'm saying!

I'm confused. I commented as you said if anyone can't see why you need 70k to live on then they lack the imagination to earn it (bull)

Now you say you don't need it but it's pretty nice to have it (I agree)

Not sure what your point is really.

I am going to agree with vanessachin. You say it all for me!

I am confused - Why are you bitter if you have the chance o do something new - you just said career change not possible? Startups usually pay less to begin with anyhow so could be worth it in long term.

All my firend are driving bmws and mercs and audis. I drive a fiesta. I try not to be jealous!

Pekka "average" may be around £26,000 but as that includes hedge fund managers, the median (half earn above it, half earn below) is a better measure - and the median salary is around £18,000
over 60% of workers earn less than the "average"

Her point is that poor people are lacking in imagination. It always amazes me that so many wealthy people somehow think they're actually better/harder-working/more intelligent than poor people. Any sociological study into success shows a very different story.

Blue why do you equate having less money with being a better person? Why would money have made you a less nice/worse person?

Yeah, I feel BM must have been working in the private sector pre-crash

BUPA International - deducted from income
Free tea, coffee, snacks, biscuits - free tea and coffee, pay for own biscuits etc.
Heavily subsidised lunch in staff canteen surrounded by Henry Moore statues
6 weeks' holiday when any holiday at all was a bonus - inexplicably, the canteen is more expensive than getting lunch at other places, even though it is supposed to be subsidised
Loads of sick pay - depends. If you take the piss you lose your job
Car parking space in central London - HAHAHA. Nope.
Free books and magazines - nope, unless you count the occassional promotional brochure?
Free tickets to glamorous events - nope
Free clothes (sometimes) - I once got a free promotional t shirt that I now use for the gym
Free computer - no
Massive discounts on music and films - no
Flight upgrades - HAHAHAHAHAHA. I wish. And business travel (on the rare occassions that it happens) is cheapest option available, which could, in all likelihood mean Evil Ryanair
Champagne brunches - nope.
Contributions to private pension - yes, but this has been reduced
Share options - there is a share scheme, but you pay shares and get half a share free. These are, however, tied up for at least three years, so if you leave before you lose the free shares. There have previously been share options, but they're worth about 1/10th of what they used to be, so no one exercises them (or if they did, they'd be very dim)
Taxis home after 8pm - nope
Free dinner if I was working after 8pm - nope

Got confused with my bullet points there, but canteen is more expensive than other shops/eating somewhere else. Five weeks holiday per year

Duellingfanjo I have not actually said what I earn. Only that it is more than £31,500 and less than £70,000. And the point at which I was down to £1,600 still left utilities, insurance, car, food, clothing to pay for. At the end of the month there is NOTHING left. And I don't actually earn £70k. Hence constant debt. I do not have a husband or partner to lean on either. I earn a good salary yet have no savings, no pension, and my lifestyle is by no means luxurious. We scrape by. So earning a good wage in the south of England as a single parent certainly does not put anyone into "rich bitch" territory.

Lets face it, we would mostly all like to earn more money. I know people who bring in a lot of money each month but are riddled with debt and so are much poorer than me in real terms. I run a household on less than £20,000 and it's a bloody struggle and I don't go into overdraft. Then again no holidays or meals out here. small mortgage thank God. It really pisses me off when I hear people saying they can't cope on £30,000 odd. You need to cut your cloth. I consider myself doing ok as there are people much worse off than me.