If you are minted....

[FeralBeryl]

*What is your/ partner's career or job?
*
Not a TAAT more a TIBAT (inspired by a thread)

Someone has a monthly take home pay of £11k
Not going to lie, I fully intend to suddenly obtain the necessary qualifications overnight for whatever it is. sure there'll be an online course....

I know there will have been a great deal of sacrifice, no work home balance etc. I'm not wanting to judge at all-I'm enthralled

Please.

That's interesting. I only got on board with DH taking risks and setting up his own company when I was promoted into a permanent job - I was insistent on having enough to pay the mortgage every month from my salary.

When our DC were born we split everything equally, and in fact initially DH went part time and I carried on full time. Then he started his company and DS started school and it got too much - so I dropped to part time.

Initially I loved that and picking him up from school - and I still work 80% in an jntellectually challenging job, so I'm fine mostly. But suddenly I realised the other day that I do everything now. I wonder how we got here so quickly.

The plan is to do this for a few years to earn enough to buy a big family home. If it goes on for longer we will see what I feel about it!

TBH we have never taken any great financial risks.

When I gave my job up ( as a lawyer) to write it was a risk to me personally in terms of career but DH earned enough that it would be over egging the pudding to say we took any real risk.

The risks we have taken have been in terms of how we have lived our lives. We have been extremely willing to do things differently to accommodate our work. I see on MN that this is anathema to many. Life should look like x. It should follow Y. We have been prepared to ignore those prescriptive ideals.

It has thus far been fine. We have a happy family. My teens are happy. DH and I have a happy marriage.

Interestingly my DC seem to be prepared to take risks. I don't Know if that's to do with how they see us roll.

Yes my career (nurse) effectively ended in order to allow my husbands career (Doctor) to flourish. His hours and commitments meant it was virtually impossible for me to do my job and still provide a decent homelife and stability for our ds. Do I resent this? Yes frankly sometimes I do, and occasionally to the point of feeling sorry for myself. But i do actually believe it's been better for ds, as there was too much stress in our house when we were both working.

The hard work thing on this threads grates on me tbh as a wife to a deputy head who works 15 hour days plus all day Sunday is brilliant at what he does but constantly stressed and burnt out yet money is a constant worry

OhTheRoses You do have a spectacular lifestyle. I'm surprised that you cannot see it. Look at what the averages are for people in this country, e.g. net pay and housing, and you will see how spectacular indeed your life is.

I agree thirtyrock. Totally different profession but my DP works in hospitality. Works his arse off, highly unsociable hours, very little time together and is bloody good at what he does. He works so so hard and money is very poor.
Hours/energy at work don't often mean big bucks.

Thirtyrock I totally understand. As a nurse I made crap money and worked my arse off. And although DH gets a decent wage as a Doctor it's nowhere near what his friends who work "in the city" earn.

My husband works on an oil rig. Cash not bad shall I say.

Wow some of the salaries are eye watering. It's made me ponder what I would do with so much!

We own our business, as part of a family business, so although our division is run by DH and I, it's not just 'ours'. Collectively we employ over 120 across 5/6 businesses. We in our department will turn over about 1.3mil this year and have just seen 250GP in the last six months. We draw one token salary between us of 30k p/a as to be honest we are reinvesting and don't need much.
Although our assets are company owned we don't pay any or many bills. No mortgage, all utilities paid through the company. Private schooling through the company for all family children at private or boarding schools of their choice. Family and education is very important to us, we are working to provide a better tomorrow for our brood - hopefully full of choices. We have an inherited family business (I also come from a self employed business owner background and worked in our family business from a young teen until married).

Neither of us are educated beyond 6th form, neither have ever had an interview for a job, never written a CV or worked for someone else. It's not in our make up to do so.
We live in a 3 bedroom house on private land, a Land Rover and truck, basic stables nothing flashy. I have a BTL house with a mortgage on it of 100k, worth about 150k. I don't consider us flashy people - although I suppose that depends on your interpretation, I wouldn't spend more than £150 on an outfit for a special occasion, and took my £300 wedding shoes off after the church so I could sell them as nearly new (ha!) and DH has a similar mentality, however neither of us would think twice on spending a lot on the country pursuits we support.
I do think we are doing well for our ages (30,35), but we are putting in the hours for it in a big way. I hope one day we get to a position that can stop.
I'd really like to retire at 50, my mum died when she was 50, so I suppose this is something of a bench mark for me.

Thirty - do you work too?
I think as someone said up thread, there isn't a suggestion that the non-minted don't work hard. Lots of people work long hours or in physically exhausting jobs for little pay - often less than your DH will earn. I think it is particularly depressing though when someone does a long a exhausting job which is also highly stressful and hard to leave behind and forget after work. At least with a lot of the physically exhausting work, at least when workers go home, they can switch off from it.
The work of teachers seems to grow over time, as do the stresses and pressures. It really doesn't seem very appealing to me - people's enjoyment and satisfaction gained from teaching children gets overtaken by all of the other stresses which come with the job. And as a non-niche job which doesn't generate revenue for a business, it's never going to be well paid.
Do you work too? What's your household income like?

My DH has recently moved into freelance IT Project Management but is not earning anywhere near £11k per month! (probably half that). How do you move up to the £11k level? He has lots of really good experience but left school after O'levels.

Meanwhile I'm working part time 3.5 days a week and take home net pay of about £1600 per month, but am lucky enough to get 11 weeks paid holiday.

this is a fascinating thread, with so many topics being raised!

Definitely not rich, but make enough to not have to worry and put some aside for retirement/DC - (15k month). I grew up in a large family, barely making it most weeks. As a high school drop out and teen mother, I was not expected to do much. Luckily for me, I 'fell' into an industry by sheer luck that it turns out I am really good at managing. I have worked incredibly hard in the business, learned all aspects of what makes it work well and eventually rose to the top of my field. Typical working day 14-18 hours, including commuting cross country for many years, being home 2 nights a week and sometimes less. It made more sense for DH to stay at home (his earning potential much less ultimately - and frankly much better at it) and this has continued even after DC have long left home. We did not feel we could keep a home, children, marriage alive with both working to this extent. 7 years ago I took a 50k pay cut to stop cross country commute, and sleep in my own bed at night with my DH. Do not regret it for one moment, and while still out 12 hours every day (and available nights/weekends in an emergency) it feels like this is totally manageable. Luckily, have been able to make up the difference in bonuses most years since then, so not a terrible loss.

I know how very lucky I have been, and am very grateful for all of!

Just wanted to pop in to agree with a PP who talked about job satisfaction. Although we have taken risks to have DH's business and DC have benefitted in terms of education and lifestyle they're all creative types. One is a journalist and one a (singer) nurse. One was a musical theatre actress who has gone into the City, disillusioned with that lifestyle. One is an Architect, the youngest is a teacher. So none of them has chosen to put money first. Interestingly though - is this from our example? - Architect is a partner, journo is freelance, performer is encouraging partner to start own business together, as is nurse. The only thing I take from this is that if you bring them up to thing the sky's the limit: it is!

Think not thing

With bonuses we have both earned that much each this year but I only pay myself once a year. DH has had very big bonuses this year and share sales.

£40,000 a year to have 2 children at uni.
Big mortgage.
Lots of holidays but then I work 16 hours a day 6 days a week when not on holiday. I make myself take Saturday off.

I was a teacher before kids - now work as a health care assistant as fits in round school and kids. Would love to retrain as nurse but probably unrealistic financially. Was chatting to husband about this thread and he always says that neither of us were mega hard working academically (did ok but both 2:2s from ex polys) and he sees that as limiting choice with careers. Though as an ex teacher you have to have amazing skills and real talent and enthusiasm to be successful at it- he has this - I didn't!
I live in an area where engineering seems to be the career that brings in the money.

I accept the criticism. Apologies. It's relative I think. Where we live it is unusual to drive a modest seven year old mpv. We aren't conspicuously wealthy at all - our neighbours would think we are fairly mediocre.

In response to the poster who asked about sacrifice. Yes I have often felt like a single parent with money. Not at parents evenings, not at home fo bath or bed, not around to lend a hand in a crisis. I have bundled dd out of bed to take ds to hospital if he's been in court. But we are a team and Ihave vern as much a factor in his success as him - he knows he couldn't have done it without me.

Risks? Yes? Some big ones around property in the early days.

Great thread by the way especially for us nosey ones !!

DH is an IT consultant. He bills €1600 a day as he's very in demand in a niche knowledge area. He's the MD if his own company.

I'm employed by a large IT firm, earning a salary of €65000. I prefer being employed as my salary is guaranteed. DH can be a couple of months between contacts but the high daily rate means we're ok during those gaps. Actually he's not had gaps in 2 years now that I think about it.

We aren't massive risk takers and tend to save most of our income.

This post is fascinating. Making me very jealous though!

I've found this fascinating to read.

Feel it's something my daughter should read

My parents are very wealthy.
My mum is a very senior nurse within the NHS. Stepdad head of department at a top university. However their wealth comes from family money, my mums dad wrote books from which she gets a share of the royalties each year and she still has a lot of money left from the divorce from my dad 12 years ago.
I'm a student nurse and DH is a chef. We don't earn a lot of money but have a lovely lifestyle thanks to my parents being extremely generous. They've just recently bought me and my brother houses each

to add to my already long post. I actually love what I do. I am excited (most days) to go to work. I feel valued and respected and that matters. I could not have worked these hours without the satisfaction it brings me, no matter how much it paid.

As a Chief Operating Officer, what I bring to the table: Plain speaking; common sense; love of numbers and finance and ability to project and analyze given data; willingness to do what must be done - roll up the sleeves! - including hiring and firing; spending wisely for those who make the money. Strategic thinking and planning laid out in plain language so that everyone can see what their part is. Honesty and integrity. In a business of big egos, these two are key!

This is a very interesting discussion but none of the jobs or businesses appeal to me whatsoever. I was earning £35k as a teacher, which for my age and background was good. None of my circle earned more than me.

Now I've given that up for an easy 9-5 (still generous holiday) for £20k. Absolutely no way would I go back. 70 hour weeks for 39 weeks a year (and quite a lot in the holidays) was too much for me, so in some ways I take my hat off to those who do this week in week out but it's definitely not for me.

Time has more value to me than money, I've discovered.