To ask what you earn?

[working925]

Just read another thread about earnings. How old are you and what do you earn? I'm nosey!!

This thread would have bummed me out so much back when I was on NMW, I remember thinking that salaries about £16k were not for 'people like me' and people who achieved them must be magicians of some sort as I just couldn't imagine anyone ever paying me more than the bare minimum. I'd love to do some kind of career coaching for teenagers to show them options and pathways to get into a decent salary/profession as I fumbled my way through and it'd have been great to have some guidance or just someone telling me my skills are actually worth something.

I'm 33 and earn about £32k pro rata (now £19k for 3 days), Dh is 30 and earns £36.

I don't understand what people earning £50k do with their money. We seem to live comfortably in a nice area, pay mortgage and childcare, go on hols etc and never feel like it's tight, and compared to most of this thread aren't huge earners!

Just seen other questions...

Degree yes although unrelated to current field, also professional diploma.

Area- Scotland not too far from city

Kids- 2

Imissgin - what's your job?

The question was 'what do you earn?'. Why is everyone going on about what their partners earn??

I read ‘you’ as plural too. We count everything as family money and in our case particularly 40% of his income is ‘mine’ in the form of shares.

Why would you read 'you' as plural?

Off topic but relevant - a lot of women seem to think of their DH's earnings as being theirs and will talk about 'we earn...' etc. That's great until he fucks off and leaves you working in a NMW job because you gave up your career to look after the kids.

35, strategy consultant. Freelance so income varies slightly depending on what day rate I agree. Have several chronic health conditions so sometimes if I have to take time out I'm earning nothing.

Current role have been in over a year and earned £115k p.a. for 4 days a week. No paid holiday or sick pay obvs.

Low six figures when I work - ie not having a break

I remember earning much less than that and seeing a post on here (probably from Xenia) about aiming for £100k

I thought ok then moved jobs and increased each time

I work in the creative industries which are not known for paying well - unless you own your own company, so you have to stick around to do it

By my age I really should own my own company as others do, but I've had vast amounts of time out, many years to do other stuff, look after children and just haven't built up anywhere near the contacts others would have done with potential clients

I assume people are mentioning partner earnings as it is relevant to build a picture, after all it's a different story being on £25k with three kids and a SAHD than if you're on £25k but your partner is on £50k. Household income is relevant.

But I agree, often I see people share their OH's earnings with the sort of pride/boast you'd imagine they'd have if it was their own earnings! I suppose they feel it's family money depending on their personal set up. For example we're fairly neck and neck now and as an unmarried youngish couple we see our own money as ours, keep a joint account for household money like bills rent and food, save an equal amount but then the rest of it is our own personal money. Perhaps if we shoved it all in one account I might feel as if his earnings were mine too and vice versa.

Good point about the dangers of relying on your OH's income too much if things go wrong though. That'd be my worst nightmare and why I'd never sacrifice my own career for the sake of the relationship or family, other than a short period of time while kids are young if we have them.

No way would I get into a position where I can't jump back into a decent paid role and support myself if I needed to. You're too vulnerable.

@sofato5miles - can you expand a bit more on what you do as I work in marketing and would like to know how I can earn £84k.

@Si1verst0rm - wow good for your DH! £10 mil would do me!

35, £59k. DH is 37 and earns £12k and stays at home 2days a week.

I assume people are mentioning partner earnings as it is relevant to build a picture, after all it's a different story being on £25k with three kids and a SAHD than if you're on £25k but your partner is on £50k. Household income is relevant.

But I agree, often I see people share their OH's earnings with the sort of pride/boast you'd imagine they'd have if it was their own earnings!

Agree!

It can be relevant depending on the discussion. So for example if someone was talking about finding it hard to survive on a FT NMW job, it would be utterly disingenuous of me to post that I earn in the teens and we feel comfortably off, without mentioning that this is for a couple of days a week of work and is the secondary household income.

But yeah, it's interesting that in these discussions, often with no context at all to suggest it's appropriate, people will mention their husband's! And it's not like this is a household income thread either.

I'm also interested that people generally put annual figure before deductions. I think in that way in terms of salary itself, ie I know X job should pay about 35k rather than whatever it is a week or month, iyswim. But although I had an idea about the way income tax rates work in the UK, I never really built it into my thinking until I stopped working full time, if that makes sense.

I'm proud of this: £22K to £36K + 15% in 3.5 years.

I'm 33, finished uni just after the crash in 2009, utterly crap lookout, degree in English Lit from a prestigious uni, no career guidance at school/inept guidance from parents.

Initially worked in publishing because I was good with words, got up to 26K at 28, was an editor. Then after a redundancy thought 'what the hell am I doing in this dying industry with this crap money' and at 29 applied to become a very junior junior in a marketing/pr/comms agency on £22K. It was really, really hard.

I didn't fit in with a lot of my peers; was a lot older/on a different wavelength. Business worked out I was quite academic, so was placed in the team which had the hardest, most intensive work, 10-12 hour days all the bloody time. Gritted teeth, worked there for 2 years, got up to £24K.

Then a year and a half ago, buggered off to current job next level up at £28.5K. Rose to £32K.

Have just got a new job with amazing agency for £36K + 15%. Fully intend to work my arse off and get to next level up within a couple of years, though hopefully will need to fit in a year's maternity. Company are flexible and are unlikely to have a problem with a 4 day week, so with good childcare I should be able to keep cracking on. I would love to be able to reach serious money in the next few years.

If you work out the salary they pay me and then divide it by the hours the expect me to work and not the 39 I’m contracted to then less than minimum wage. I’m 24.

Good for you pandarific. I almost said something similar in my post about being proud of going from £13kish to £32kish in three years. But I felt it sounds braggy. Whereas having seen your post it didn't sound like a brag at all, just someone rightfully proud of a fantastic achievement. It's funny how we're socialised to downplay our achievements. Even moreso when related to money.

Thanks very much LemonShark. And bloody well done to you too! How did you do it?

I've never said it out loud to anyone apart from DH. And in terms of this thread it's small fry, but it's mine and I will build on it, you know?

I always read threads like these and feel bad that I've not achieved enough. But then I remind myself it was never in my makeup to be a natural at finance / IT / STEM, and I honestly didn't know how to capitalise on the talents I do have. I will get there... and if nothing else, my children will receive bloody excellent careers advice.

I do find it interesting about the husband/partners higher salery been included. It makes sense re income but if this was a thread geared towards men would they do the same?
One of my cousins is a high earner & her husband doesn't work now (kids in school), my Auntie hates it & lots of the extended family are judgy about it. Even though a large number of the women in my family never worked & have been supported by their husbands.

My DP earns less than me and we both work full time.

Thanks panda! I went back to uni for a two year MA to qualify in a profession (think health and social care) having volunteered since 18 in similar roles. Qualified there, got a job in the field on £18k, promotion to a better role after six months (£22k), did that for 18 months then a promotion to do some further postgrad study for a year (£26k while training and £32k upon completion). It will go up to £40k over the next eight years. Lots of hard work and being in the right place right time. Three years study total beyond my initial unrelated degree.

That's amazing Lemon - well done you!

For those who think the "you" in OP's question is plural, do you think if your husbands were asked "how much do you earn?" they would include your salary? If not, why not?

Or what whoop whoop already said! ^ Woops!

My DH wouldn't include my earnings. I didn't include his because i felt the you was singular rather than household.

TheDodgyShoesOfDrFoster

Some would. Some wouldn’t.

Just like on this thread.

Tell me yours I’ll tell you mine