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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tothink it's utterly ridiculous that a 6k raise would only work out to be £100 per month

376 replies

theduchessstill · 11/02/2018 22:10

I'm just feeling really hopeless at the moment. I earn a decent enough wage and know that I am very fortunate compared to many. However, as a single parent who receives no maintenance I am solely responsible for myself and two children and a mortgage, as well as having to save for a further pay out for ex when youngest comes of age. We do ok, but I have little to no savings and think about money constantly.

I have seen a job that pays 6k more than my current one and is a natural next step for me. 6k seems like quite a step up, but have just put the figures into a calculator and it seems that, taking into account the fact it would take me above the CB threshold, I would be a measly £100 per month better off.

Pisses me off tbh. As I'm in a public sector role I very rarely get other pay rises and when I do they're minuscule. I also think the fact that I would lose CB when a couple with a combined income well above my single one would keep it is an absolute disgrace. It just seems things are never going to get any better for me so just having a little rant, a pointless one as there's obviously no guarantee I'd get the job even if I went for it.

OP posts:
ShatnersWig · 12/02/2018 08:03

I earn £20k a year. An extra £1.2k would improve my quality of life. If it wouldn't improve yours and you would be earning around £50k, you're doing life wrong.

Headofthehive55 · 12/02/2018 08:03

Did I mention cpd which I have to do to keep my job and pay for it myself? It can be hundreds of pounds.

Bluedoglead · 12/02/2018 08:04

I have a commute. I need to wear office clothes. I also have the same costs for kids with uniform and food and I can’t afford to pay into a pension. I can’t afford a holiday. Not even in the Uk camping.

Headofthehive55 · 12/02/2018 08:05

wig that's the point - you earn far less so it makes it worthwhile.

ShowMePotatoSalad · 12/02/2018 08:05

I’m not the person who started a thread moaning that my diamond shoes are too tight.

Hmm. Can't see OP owning diamond shoes somehow. I think her enormous earnings of £46k (how DARE she) is being spent on her kids and put into savings ready to pay off her ex-husband's debts while he pays nothing.

Tinkerbec · 12/02/2018 08:06

This thread is shocking. It really has become; you cannot be sad about anything as I have it so much worse

Nobody should be aggrieved about anything as there is already someone worse off than you. Those moaning typing threads to the op -well think yourself lucky you can actually type. There are illiterate people and disabled people who can’t so stop moaning. Think yourself lucky.

Surely there is something wrong in a country where a 6k payrise is less than half of that.

Someone on 50k should be able to afford an overseas holiday.

Yes there are people who work hard for less . Nobody is saying otherwise. Wages are shit but this thread wasn’t about that.

Also moaners why don’t you all go into teaching? The country is crying out for teachers. There’s adverts and everything. Then you can work up to where op is.

Those saying would it be more stressful?
Have you seen the state of some of our secondary schools.

BeyondThePage · 12/02/2018 08:07

we had a little dance this month because we remembered that we only pay council tax over 10 months - so this month and next we are quids in!!

That £280 will pay for kids activities for the year.

Tinkerbec · 12/02/2018 08:07

Also yes contact CMS at least you will have a date to claim from!

Tell him you give him two weeks to respond or you will take it further.

Dipitydoda · 12/02/2018 08:07

Op yanbu. I won’t go back FT because of exactly this problem. I’m not sure why people are guilt tripping you over what you earn. I spent my teenage years studying rather than parting, funded myself through a demanding degree which meant that I had little time to party got a graduate role and studied on top of working full time for 3years using every weekend and holiday for study/exams. Meaning I was 25 (with debt) before I could have a carefree holiday/Christmas. My job is stressful with long hours. I guess you (and the majority of people in that income bracket) are in a similar position. The jealous people on this thread should remember that the people earning at that level have made a lot of sacrifices and put in a lot of hard work (and continue to do so) to earn at that level. There’s free education in this country most people could have created similar opportunities for themselves

roundaboutthetown · 12/02/2018 08:08

No, you didn't start the thread, Bluedoglead, but you are certainly whingeing and whining, now. Count yourself lucky you've got a dad who pays for your phone and stop showing off about your electronic gadgets.

Bluedoglead · 12/02/2018 08:08

How do I go in to teaching then? Tell me please. How do I?

Where do I get the qualifications from? Who looks after my kids while I do it? How do I afford to eat while I’m training? How do I get to the training college? The nearest one is 2hrs from me. How? Tell me. Do. Please. I’d love to hear.

tomhazard · 12/02/2018 08:10

I hear you op. I really need to make some more money this year as we need to increase our savings.
The only way I can do this is to go up to full time from three days and take on more responsibility than I want giving me a 17k pay rise. This gives me an extra 600 pounds a month which is what I need but it's a huge amount more work.
Frustrating for you

FluffyMcCloud · 12/02/2018 08:11

I went from a part time job to a full
Time job - earning 11k more. I lost tax credits, and have a huge childcare bill now where I wasn't paying any before. My 11k increase gives me £150 a month more after all associated costs. I don't even pay tax on much of it cos it's a terrible salary.
But. I don't have to worry about tax credits every year, increase or decrease or do I owe money? Etc. It's my money and I'm earning it! And I love the job and blah blah blah.
But yes, it sucks. I work bloody hard every day and I have £40 a week more than when I had 3.5 days off every week...

Worldsworstcook · 12/02/2018 08:11

You know sometimes you're better off giving up a thread? You're damned if you do because of the haters and the supporters are not really supporting. Go enjoy your half term and seek financial advice :)

Abra1de · 12/02/2018 08:15

I agree: perhaps the OP worked harder at school or university than some of those moaning here that they don’t earn as much as she does. Perhaps she waited before having children until she was settled in a good career.

Good for her and I hope she finds a way of making her salary increase work well.

TenancyTroublesAgain · 12/02/2018 08:15

"I’ll save my pity party for those on a fraction of your c£60k salary thanks. 🙄"

As someone who makes extremely little money I can still see how it's frustrating for a large raise to only equate to an extra £100, why can't you?

roundaboutthetown · 12/02/2018 08:16

Bluedoglead - so, what do you want? Do you actually want to be a teacher? Are you convinced you could do the job? Do you want more benefits to help you live more comfortably? Or more money for training? Fwiw, I know people in your position who have managed to get into teaching. There are now many ways to get a foot in the door and there is a huge national shortage of teachers, because it has become a grotesquely pressured, controlled job. You could do it if you wanted to and had the ability. They are desperate for more teachers in this country.

GrainOfSalt · 12/02/2018 08:18

Yes, that's shitty. I earn far less than you OP (and recieve tax credits etc) but don't resent the fact others earn more. If I had a payrise and actually received less than a quarter of it I would be pissed off too. Why are people so fucking selfish and resentful of the earnings of others?

Bluedoglead · 12/02/2018 08:18

Oh right. So I didn’t work hard enough at school? Nice. And I’m a - what’s the phrase du jour here - early breeder so I deserve to have nothing? I deserve to be cold and never have a bath or be poor? It’s my own fault?

You don’t know my background. You have no idea.

Bluedoglead · 12/02/2018 08:19

Really? You know enough about my exact position to know I could get in to teaching?

Abra1de · 12/02/2018 08:19

If that’s aimed at me I didn’t aim my post at you.

Sevendown · 12/02/2018 08:21

Stop paying your ex’s debts.

ShatnersWig · 12/02/2018 08:23

hive Although we also know it's not £100 but more, the OP hadn't worked it out right. But the OP was going on about it not improving the quality of life. You can do a fair bit with an extra £1.2k.

It's a huge red herring anyway because the financial position of the OP is NOT due to her salary but due to her ex and the fact that for some unfathomable reason he has not been paying maintenance or his debts. THAT's the issue here, quite honestly, not the salary.

kaytee87 · 12/02/2018 08:24

Typical mn race to the bottom.

Op yanbu. I'm glad you got som

kaytee87 · 12/02/2018 08:24

Some good advice re pension

(Posted before I meant to)