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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to know what you consider a good salary?

107 replies

Llanali · 02/02/2017 14:53

I'm relatively new to MN, and I keep seeing this phrase " XXX earns a good salary" so I am intrigued! What is a good salary ? £20k? 30k ? £100k?!

Is there an official guide to such definitions somewhere? I wouldn't ask my friends or family a personal question such as their salary, so the idea of what is good isn't one I have really considered.

OP posts:
IMissGin · 02/02/2017 15:01

Depends on the job

tovelitime · 02/02/2017 15:01

It's so subjective and depends on your area of the country, your outgoings and your expectation of what a good standard of living constitutes. It also depends on what sector you're talking about. In my sector I would say that £40-45k is a good salary. My husband would consider multiple times that to be good and wouldn't even acknowledge a recruiter for that, he'd only open discussions for salaries well into 6 figures. In my industry 6 figures is nearly unheard of unless you're a CEO of a big company

BeyondThePage · 02/02/2017 15:03

One that leaves enough left over for fun stuff after the bills are paid.

CripsSandwiches · 02/02/2017 15:05

I think it depends on the job. Mumsnet is fairly middle class so what's considered good is probably a bit larger than average (maybe 40-50k+?). It also depends a lot on circumstances. If your job allows you to do school drop off and pick up I would say good was £20k+. If you commute into London and work long hours (therefore needing a childminder/SAHP/Part-time Parent) good would be at least £55k+. If you live up north, somewhere with good value housing and have two working parents not doing long hours I would say £40k is "good".

By "good" I mean you're very comfortable but not rich.

Original poster
Llanali · 02/02/2017 15:05

Thanks- that's what I thought basically! There are too many variables, so couldn't understand how people could talk about a good salary with any clarity when surely that's different for everyone!

Tovelitime- yes, I agree industry plays a massive part!

BTP- that's probably the best definition there is I guess!

OP posts:
CripsSandwiches · 02/02/2017 15:06

I think everyone would agree over 100k is good though.

early30smum · 02/02/2017 15:07

Totally depends on sector, area of the U.K. and also what you have to pay for out of your salary. So for example my salary is pretty low, and if we had to pay childcare out of it for 2 kids full time, I'd be paying to work. As they're both at full time state school, the only childcare cost we have is breakfast club. So my low salary is actually 'good' for us as it's extra to what my DH earns and we're not paying childcare out of it. But if my DH only earnt what I did there's no way we'd manage. What we consider a good salary for him is at least x 4-6 what mine is. All comparative I think.

statetrooperstacey · 02/02/2017 15:07

Or, on the other side of the coin, I don't have a salary. I have an hourly rate, and get paid weekly. Grin
So prob £30,/60,000? And upwards obv Depending where you live, where I live £30,000 would be considered good.

Vagabond · 02/02/2017 15:08

I think no matter what you earn, you struggle. I literally know people on a joint income of £400k +++ who struggle with mortgage and private school fees.

Eevee77 · 02/02/2017 15:09

A "good salary" in my circles would be £35,000+ but I think a mumsnet perspective would set it considerably higher

NapQueen · 02/02/2017 15:10

A good salary for us would be mine and dhs current pays combined, so that one of us could sahp. So 32k?

A good salary in conversational terms in our area (north east) would be 50k plus.

CatThiefKeith · 02/02/2017 15:10

Mine is 22k, but I work flexi time which allows me to do school runs and then catch up in the evening. Sometimes I get up early and put a couple of hours in from 6-8 so I can just finish at 3. I love it.

DrCoconut · 02/02/2017 15:14

Up until 4 years ago my DH earned 12k. He's now on 17k and it's considered to be above rock bottom if not great. I get £11k for 2 days a week. But our area is very cheap (because good jobs are rare!) a mid terrace house can be yours from 50k, 65-70k if you're picky about the area of town. Semis start at about 85k.

mambono5 · 02/02/2017 15:16

A good salary is enough to get a decent home around London (commutable to work), pay the bills and have enough for a couple of holidays a year. That shouldn't be too much to ask, should it. Sadly, the more you earn, the more you are taxed and the less you get help (if you get any help at all), so you do need a decent amount to have a "good" salary.

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 02/02/2017 15:24

I think anything over the average salary is good. So over 25k. We have a joint income of about 35k and get by ok. I would like to be able to save more.

tovelitime · 02/02/2017 15:24

A good salary is also a reflection of your worth on your industry. My last job was £30k and I felt that it was a very low salary because it didn't reflect my experience but it was local and flexible and gave me the title and responsibilities I wanted. To feel that my salary reflects my experience and market worth then £50k is a good salary. My husband has grads on £45k basic and around £60k after their bonuses and they have no other responsibilities. Therefore in their industry they're looking at £100k before they even consider themselves to be on good money as what I consider good based on my work is entry level to them

JeffreyNeedsAHobby · 02/02/2017 15:28

I think good salaries tend to go to men who work in cities or from home.
Not many good salaries go to people who actually help other people (carers, teachers etc) but to mainly men who earn profit for large organisations.

A good salary to a care worker would be £25-30k.
A good salary to a banker or top sales man would have an extra 0 on the end. The money isn't where it is needed IMO.

Hellmouth · 02/02/2017 15:33

To me, a good salary means having enough after paying bills to pay for holidays and not have to worry about money. Which will vary depending on what area you are in and your circumstances. My partner and I have a combined income of 45k (take home just under 3k per month combined)?which looks ok on from the offset. But we're in the south east so rent takes up a third, childcare takes up a third, then the last third goes on travel to work , eating and paying for debts, insurance, etc. There is no money left but we earn too much to get any help, it's very frustrating.

Sorry, mini rant over :)

Hellmouth · 02/02/2017 15:34

there shouldnt be a ? after combined ffs!

maggiethemagpie · 02/02/2017 15:34

That's capitalism for you Jeffreyneedsahobby. But IMHO the alternatives are worse, so it's all we've got.

Astoria7974 · 02/02/2017 15:46

To me it means being able to save and not worry about money. I live frugally and well within my means, and made some wise investment decisions that got me my own home and 50k in the bank within fifteen years ( with a salary of 14-18k). I'm now married, have a salary of 30k, husband earns broadly the same, and with our frugal lifestyle my salary Is nearly all saved. We have kids. We bought a bigger house. But we don't go on expensive holidays buy a lot of the must have gadgets, or eat out very much.

orzal · 02/02/2017 15:49

80% of workers pay basic rate tax so I would say anyone paying higher rate tax.

FetchezLaVache · 02/02/2017 15:49

Depends on the job

I reckon it depends on the Mumsnetter, too.

trilbydoll · 02/02/2017 15:49

Enough to have choices. I was able to go part time after having dc, and I had 10/11m mat leave both times. DH has just taken a pay cut for a less stressful job, and that's ok too. Partly the reason we have choices is we didn't massively overstretch ourselves to buy our house, but you've got to earn enough to buy the house you want without overstretching!

EagleIsland · 02/02/2017 15:50

In my industry I was on £23k in the UK, I moved to the US and am now on the equivalent of £50k.

A good salary for me is one that pays all bills, leaving DW, salary as the fun money.

I consider being rich as having the above and enough is savings to be able to replace all our possessions