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.

I work in the public sector, as a teacher. I'm still quite junior, so will be earning c. £26k from September. It's not a massive wage, obviously, but I don't feel underpaid. It will continue to go up for another 3 or 4 years.

I still really resent being told that because I don't work in the private sector, I don't know what the 'real world' is like. Why is teaching (and nursing) not 'real'? Yes, there are certain perks to my job (mainly the holidays), but there are also parts that are much more difficult than most other jobs (very few of my peers have to take work home, very few have to go into work outside normal hours etc).

I went into this job with my eyes open, knowing the up and downsides, and decided it was something I wanted to do. Other people have options. If working in the public sector is so cushy, you can choose to train as a teacher or nurse.

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

It's hard to explain. Given, if circumstances hadn't changed, I would still be swanning around in my own little luxurious bubble enjoying flashing the cash and justifying to myself that I work hard so therefore I deserve it!

However, now I know what it's like to struggle...Hmm..Honestly, it's made me a much nicer person. I'm a lot more aware of the fact that actually, most people struggle. It's not the norm to be able to go where you want/do what you want/buy what you want. I used to just blow £250 easily on an afternoon shopping - few clothes, nice lunch in Selfridges, nails being done, new perfume etc etc. When you are doing that, you think it's normal! It's not!

When you have money, buying presents for someone just becomes a case of handing over the visa card for a £100 coffee machine or something. Now, I really have to think how I'm going to make £10 buy something that my friend will actually cherish. I make my own cards. I still gift things for example beautifully (they don't look like crap!) but a lot more thought has to go into it.

I'm currently 26 weeks pregnant, and the only maternity clothes I have are a pair of jeans from Red Herring maternity - given to me by a work colleague I barely know, as she 'knew' we struggle financially. I could have cried with happiness. I baked her a cake to say thank you. The old me would have just spent a fortune on beautifully put together outfits and not batted an eyelid.

Honestly. I'm just a much better person for having experienced both sides. Hopefully, we won't always be this poor, and we both work hard. But this much is true, if/when we do start earning again, I will be choosing my ways of spending with much more care and thought! :)

I don't think I have used the term 'Rich Bitch' at all, just clearing that up in case of confusion.

Yabu and naive

I agree with peedoffbird I too am a nurse in the nhs and top band 6 so earn around 35k, I think it's a good salary but it's all relevant to your outgoings. My dh also earns the same salary but also has a company car so that helps. We are always skint, why? Because stupidly we have debt coming out of our ears and are mortgaged up to the hilt. We have been stupid with money over the years and are paying for it now. I fully intend to cut my cloth just as soon as I get out of this debt.

Dueling I did - and I included myself in the category.
Any of us who can afford wine, holidays, gym membership and after school lessons for our kids have NO idea what its like to be truly poor.

Sally I agree it gets on my nerves when people moan about teachers holidays and pay when people are free to train and teach. I have friends who are teachers and are very happy with their jobs.

However the reverse is true and anyone in the public sector who thinks we have it a but easier (with free mags and champers??) could also switch over.

All the public v private stuff is a waste of time.

It seems get worse in a recession as initially the private sector got the brunt of it, but it effects everyone and public sector workers as much as anyone else, do of course your in the real world.

Being well off doesn't automatically make you a bitch. I've known plenty of bitches who are poor and average too. Lots of wealthy peopel have been poor, I don't understand the thinking that they have no clue what it is like to struggle as many do.

I think Peppin's rundown of costs in the SE is pretty fair. Our household income is is over 50K (but WAY under 70k) , but after mortgage repayments, commuting, childcare etc we are really really struggling. (We would be better off if one of us stopped work and did the childcare, but in the longer term that is not the route we want to go down... in this climate, we do not want to be giving up jobs). Certainly we have to think hard about extras. I am doing a spinning class- and it had to be quite seriously budgeted for. It is 2£ a week extra.

As I said upthread- I think living on the 'average' wage is really bloody hard. I do not think there is much left over for luxuries or good living.

Duellingfanjo you did say that £1600 "left over" was a lot of money when the point of my post was that I do not have £1600 left over, in fact nothing. £1600 is just where it gets down to after childcare, rent and a few other major monthly costs. There's still food, clothes and bills to pay for out of that £1600.

Depends where you live and what your outgoings are - I earn more than that and we struggle from time to time when OH's business is slow. But our house is expensive, travelcard, council tax, insurance is all higher because of living in London. Childcare costs are a joke. If my kids were in FT childcare I'd have £500 left to pay mortgage, bills, food etc. I really want to live in Sweden.

Oh but yes, I do not have any idea what it is like to be truly poor. I have the ability to go to a spinning class. It bites, but I CAN afford my train fares (even though they are extortinate.) We have options. So, I am not claiming to be poor- but like anyone I would love to be on more. :)

You get shafted for childcare all over the country. Mine ft is about 100 less a month than sil in central London. My housing is 200 less dps commuting the same cost.

Oh, that was £12 a week extra for spinning, not 2.

I agree on the chldcare- but it is commuting that really kills it for us. And unless you are an MP [gratuitous dig] you cannot claim tax relief on it. I worked it out once that I essentially work until September each year to pay Southwest trains.

Blue that's a really lovely explanation of how you changed. I was intrigued by how you'd answer that question.

Actually, no that may not have been right.... I cannot remember how i did the sums. I DO recall though that i worked out that I, personally, work until after lunch to pay Southwest trains and the tube)

Interesting blue
Was just curious by what you meant.
You must have on a fair old wack!

We earn well, but I wouldn't spend like that, no way!

But my partner pays 300 a month. No work here so has to train an hour.

Apologies Peppin if my posting sounded harsh. I just feel that compared to some £1600 after rent, childcare and petrol is quite a healthy wage. However as a single wage it's probably not great. Could you get some tax credits?

Myfriend is a teacher and she works really really hard (and I have been known to do the odd 70 hour week so I know a hard week's work when I see one) . She does planning in the summer holidays and is highly restricted as to taking time off. SO I think she does live in the real world

ON another note as Peedoff says I count myself lucky because many are worse off than me and I also have enough to afford holiday etc. I am sure Peppin realises there are people worse off than her so give her a break.

However I thin it's crap that to feel good I have to say oooh well there's loads worse off than me and count my blessings. I think it's crap that people have to scrimp to go on holiday or afford food and that somehow we have both public/private that doesn't pay a decent wage . I just don't understand how house prices keep going up. Not sure what I can do about it though. ANy ideas?

Last week I was on a wage that meant I earned £15,500 pa, but the company went bust. I had a job interview today and got (thankfully) a very similar job but for £3,000 less.

I wish I earned anywhere close to that

chipsand mayonaise - slow day in the office was it?

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!

While I agree that 70K is a great salary, in most areas it is not in the 'super rich' league, the above comment is just unkind and unnecessary.

Ok get the hint I am being vvvur.

I'm on a good wage, live in the midlands and will accept it and get a grip. After all I have around 35 years left to earn that bit more ;)

I'm not stupid, I just thought I would be earning a little more at this stage. Yes I have many friends who are nurses, some on less and some on a hell of a lot more doing the same job.