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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you earn a lot LESS than 50k per year?

361 replies

Afternooninthepark · 04/04/2020 13:40

On the back of another thread which was asking about £50k + earners (and me being naturally nosy!) I just wonder if there are many on here earning a lot less and wonder what you do for a living?
I’ve been on Mumsnet for years and there does seem to be many very high earners on here with some very interesting careers.
I’m not one of them unfortunately. Dh earns around £35k pa (45 hrs pw) and due to some health issues I only work very part time. We are both in everyday kind of jobs not careers but we are very happy nonetheless.
Anyone else earning an ‘average’ wage in ‘average’ jobs?

OP posts:
Glitteryone · 04/04/2020 19:00

Recruitment Manager, £28K

Not enough for the level of responsibility that I have. However, I started in recruitment 12 years ago as an administrator and I’ve more than doubled my salary since then.

I expect to reach around £35k in the next few years.

Lulu1919 · 04/04/2020 19:01

TA in a private school ...I earn under the Taxable Threshold

527040minutes · 04/04/2020 19:03

Before I left after having my youngest I was on £16.5K as a pensions administrator. Currently freelancing, earning all of about £20pw term time Blush

Oh's on £52K as a sales manager so it does balance out, but was on about £28K when we met working in customer service

BertieBotts · 04/04/2020 19:09

Wages are very low in the UK, which would be fine if the cost of living was similarly low but it isn't.

BlueChangling · 04/04/2020 19:10

£24,000. I know it's not half as much as people on here earn but I'm extremely proud that I've gotten this far with only two GCSEs

I was told at by my careers advisor in high school, a teacher that I'd previously looked up to and throught so much off, that there wasn't much point in us meeting as I wasn't that bright and would probably just end up on benifits like everyone else from my estate, unsurprisingly it knocked my confidence and I just stopped trying from there as I thought what is the point? This was in the mid 2000s.

I look back at 16year old me and see such wasted potential.

BatleyTownswomensGuild · 04/04/2020 19:10

University lower management tier. On 36k pro rata but p/t so it's around 17-18k

LargeGinOnTap · 04/04/2020 19:11

Support staff in a school full time tto 15k

feelinguseless101 · 04/04/2020 19:12

I recently got a promotion and I'm now on £39k (ft). Prior to that I was on £33k. I was the lowest paid of most of my friends - only 2 paid less than me for full time equivalent. I'm now equal to 2 friends and higher paid than 1 (so 3 total). Most of my friends earn £50k +.

DH is in IT and earns more than £50k, our household income just tips in to 6 figures. We have a large mortgage and 2 kids in full time child care. We have less spending/ saving money than when our combined income was barely more than I earn now but our bills were much lower. If we didn't have kids we'd be rich.

wiltingflower · 04/04/2020 19:12

Teacher
£26K before tax
Take home a bit over £20K

Thymelord · 04/04/2020 19:15

Office manager in north west england, I earn £25K. Husband is an engineer in a factory, earns £22.5K. I personally know one person who earns more than £50K. The vast majority of the high earners on MN are total bullshitters. They're the ones who post on here all the time, day and night, yet are conveniently always on maternity leave, or working from home. Aye, course you are.

ComeOnEileen11 · 04/04/2020 19:16

£34,000; FT solicitor, coming up to 3 years PQE. Although I have just gone on maternity leave. Thinking of going down to 4 days after this maternity leave though which would take me to roughly £27,000 before deductions.
DH is an engineer on £43,000 including shift pay.

wineandsunshine · 04/04/2020 19:17

Teaching assistant - 25 hours - 11k PA
Husband is an insurance underwriter on £41k + bonus

I want my own class soon!!

Seeitsortit · 04/04/2020 19:22

FT specification writer, £19.5k

Thymelord · 04/04/2020 19:26

The thing on threads about high earners that I notice is that they seem no happier then those of us who are low earners. Sure their house is bigger (but we still have a nice house), their holidays are fancier (but we still get away) and their cars are flashier (but ours still get us to where we want to be). More income just means more outgoings really

That's a really lovely way of putting it Smile Genuinely, I'll remind myself of that when I'm moaning.

NemophilistRebel · 04/04/2020 19:29

Comeoneileen11 I expected much higher salaries for fully qualified solicitors. It must take years to get qualified

dementedma · 04/04/2020 19:29

I know one person who earns over 200K. Everyone else in my social group or family earns less than 50K.

MurrayTheMonk · 04/04/2020 19:30

Care home Manager. 31k a year.

flirtygirl · 04/04/2020 20:05

I get 39p per hour for a 168 hour week with no breaks unless she goes for a walk.

Full time carer to daughter with asd and add and some physical problems.

£66.15 per week carers allowance or £3439.80 per year.

ChristmasFluff · 04/04/2020 21:09

If I were working full time I'd be £34,000 per year before tax. I'm roughly half time. I could up that to £43,000 full time if I'd go back to NHS, but it's shit, so I'd rather not.

I'm still working now, so I'm clearly an essential worker. That's ok by me.

Eeyoresstickhouse · 04/04/2020 21:11

I work in a sustainability role. Term time only just over 15k a year.

LittleLittleLittle · 04/04/2020 21:29

@Thymelord lots of them will live in London and the SE where wages are and incomes were higher. I actually recognise or know other posters who have posted on here so I know they are not lying.

notangelinajolie · 04/04/2020 21:35

Nope. Furlough takes us to just about national minimum wage. And only one wage coming in. We will be ok though - we have never had a lifestyle that needs much money. Quite looking forward to spending time together at home tbh and that costs nothing.

EileenAlanna · 04/04/2020 21:49

@Butterfly98 yes, I'm good at budgeting. Grew up in a poor family & got excellent training from my late mother. I buy reduced/special offers etc as first preference every time. Got 2ltrs of milk for 11p today, first time I've been out & shopped in over 2 weeks. I grow veggies from seed in pots & use the market here in Birmingham a lot for fruit, great bargains there. I lived on a boat with exh before I got this job & had to furnish the flat, Ebay, charity shops Freecycle etc. Got a lovely Art Decco bed for £10, loads of other good quality furniture & furnishings. It's almost looking chic these days. Also, never walk past a skip without having a rummage through, you never know what great stuff people have thrown out.

tarasmalatarocks · 04/04/2020 21:54

A lot of this is all relative too, if you are lucky enough to have a low mortgage or affordable rent or live in a cheap area then you are probably quids in compared to others. We work together with a business and earn around £74,000 after taking out business costs , maybe £92,000 before costs. Had the business 16 years and taken a lot of trials and tribulations to get to this level . Husband works more than full time, I work around 28 hours.

Oceanblueeyes21 · 04/04/2020 22:19

I am a project coordinator for a tech firm and I earn £29,000 a year. This is my first graduate job though and I plan to become a project manager in the next couple of years and earn around £40k by then.