High Earners on MN?

[BitOfFun]

How? The actual leader of my county council doesn't earn more than £100K- where and what are all these super-maxed out occupations? I genuinely don't understand how mumsnetters (often relatively young) access these magic jobs I've never heard of.

YABU- they are there for the taking, you just made poor choices

YANBU- people here are very creative and there's an outside chance they may be lying exaggerating.

VinylDetective Isnt it? I think I’ve maintained my stance without wavering. If people want to earn a high salary they usually need to take the first steps, then take a few more. It’s not inevitable but neither is it impossible for many. Many decide it’s too much to aim for, too much to give up or compromise about. If you choose not to aim high, with a single minded determination, you can not really be surprised you remain on a lower income. It’s hardly rocket science, is it?

Yes and there's nothing wrong with not earning much either (as my son does - delivery driver, very happy). Money isn't the main thing that makes people happy. I like having a fair bit but it is not getting physically or mentally ill which makes me happy. HOwever if you do want to earn more there are things most people can do to increase their chances.

It is a bit like my very positive child who is like me - the eternal optimist. When she was 9 we were at an air port and she was sure she would win top prize in a free prize drawer so she picked one after another 100 entry papers up and scratched them off - scratch card thing. She won top prize - a cruise for 2 down the Nile!!!!! Now most people would pick one entry up fail an give up but she is like Robert the Bruce's spider - if at first you don't succeed try and try again. If you are pessimistic and think you will always fail then you tend not to try things so you are never even in with a chance [never extend this principle however to gambling as that is a mug's game].

When commenting that not everyone can be a high earner it’s important to remember that not everyone wants to be.

My DH is not interested in money. He is not any happier now we have lots of money compared to when we didn’t. Genuinely doesn’t matter to him.

I am loads happier. Which is what has always driven me.

It does ends aswell on your up bringing
For me having plenty of money gives me a feeling of security, I couldn’t cope with a partner that had no money sense or built up debts etc and didn’t have a serious attitude towards money

God this is depressing reading. Where the fuck did I go wrong?

I'm also finding it a depressing read - but for different reasons. Surely the more you're paid the more you spend and become reliant on that amount of money - it's addictive and then you're all slaves to money!

All of my friends and family earn far less than any of you here. We live in London too. And no one is in debt or struggling. We all live simpler lives but are happy. None of us have made wrong choices.

Lawyer here, in the process of moving jobs. I have very little idea what sort of salary someone with my experience should command because there's not enough discussion about it (18 years qualified, North West) so I have picked a number I would be happy with and bravely gone with that.
The occupation is irrelevant; most people are not aware of salaries in the UK and I think that is something that should change. We should talk more and then maybe women would have a better idea of what they should be paid, rather than, I suspect, accepting a much lower salary.

I agree

We should talk more about it

I didn’t realise what I should be being paid until I started being more direct with other people in other businesses

I am a rare female in a male dominated industry and I think that’s meant I didn’t get what I should have done for a while

@Onedropbeat how did you start those conversations? Genuinely interested to know.

I asked a recruiter what she thought of the number I picked and she said she for 4 days she thought that was at the top end of the scale. It made me feel that I wasn't selling myself short.

it's addictive and then you're all slaves to money!

Unless you're independently wealthy or live off the grid and survive hunting and gathering, aren't we all? And I certainly thought more about money when I didn't have any, wasn't sure if I can make a rent and any unexpected expense like washing machine dying would have been a massive issue.

dustballs quite the opposite.
Money gives you freedom and agency (especially creatively).
I’ve been poor and I’ve been rich - one is highly preferable to the other

Surely the more you're paid the more you spend and become reliant on that amount of money
No. I have no mortgage. No school fees. No big car. No designer clothes or handbags.

I do have a big house, big investments, a big pension. Holidays are my indulgence.

I’m sorry if that offends, but earning well means I have the luxury of accruing wealth which can support me and my family now and in the future. I’m in my 40’s.

Surely the more you're paid the more you spend and become reliant on that amount of money

It’s all about choice. We have a small mortgage for tax purposes, we have 2 cars - one is a 5 year old Renault, the other is a luxury car but the overheads and maintenance are relatively small. We don’t have a huge house, we don’t need it.

We put money into savings, pensions, and I’m starting to invest now. We choose to pay for luxuries like access to private airport terminals even if we weren’t flying private (when we could travel), adult only resorts with private villas, chauffeur services, a full time housekeeper, a gardener for our small garden so we don’t have to do it (it’s €600 a year so not madly extravagant).

Money buys freedom and choices. Some choose to spend more and more as the income increases. We choose to spend the money on conveniences and comfort and make the rest work for us to earn more.

You're a slave to money whether you earn £100k or claim job seekers allowance.

@HelloMissus

dustballs quite the opposite. Money gives you freedom and agency (especially creatively). I’ve been poor and I’ve been rich - one is highly preferable to the other

This exactly.

I probably made the point above which is relevant to dustball's point that if you can increase your income without always increasing your spending as you get better off that tends to be a good idea. I accept that when income goes up most of us do then spend more (I don't look at what goods cost in the supermarket for example most of the time other than to check the final bill hasn't got a major mistake on it). I remember when we didn't buy hair conditioner as only buying shampoo saved money and that kind of thing. I don't really have particularly expensive needs or wants other than on things like a nice house and school fees (and I do like steak although I also love tins of sardines). When I set up on my own in 1994 and could have done badly but did very well instead (big risk at time) we paid off our mortgage and I could have stayed in that house but was only 35 so we bought this bigger one which I am delighted with and don't want or need a bigger and bigger one so am content for life now.

Then I did one of the most expensive things uo can do if you pay school fees - had twins. Lovely. Best thing and thing I wanted most at 37 years having children 4 and 5.

in a sense I have been utterly boring. I replicated my parents - professional careers, detached house, funded children at private schools from age 5 - 18 and at university.

Nobody ever worries about men being slaves to money if they earn more!

My income puts me in top 0.1% of earners in the UK but I am relatively careful with money. Not so careful in that I am counting the pennies (dh annoyingly does that even though he earns similar to me) but careful in that we live very well on a fraction of our income and save the rest. I come from an ordinary background (state school educated and full grant at uni), and could easily have been told all the things I have heard on this thread about high earners. Honestly, i think we do other women a disservice when we focus on the roadblocks rather than the art of the possible. Not everyone from someone with my background will get there but I don’t see it as a reason to not try or to not encourage our daughters to try if that’s what they want.

Bucking the trend - we earn well and we enjoy the fruits! We save, we give to charity and we spend without (much) guilt. Life is for living and we spend enough of it working. No need for a hair shirt. I have friends who earn masses but won’t spent it - I hope they’re happy with their choices, it only annoys me when they try to get out of paying for a round at the pub or the taxi home or they try to insist we go to a crap restaurant so they can save £5. Most people I know with money enjoy every bit of it.
If our business fails we have a down sizing plan, we’ll be happy to live with - we don’t need money to be happy but while we have it we’ll enjoy it.

The odds might not be favourable but many people do earn very well from starting out in traditionally lower paid professions such as nursing. We had a family friend who was a nurse and ended up as a chief executive of a hospital. While that isn’t a route for everyone, clearly there is a career pathway that allows some people to rise to the top. There will be parallels in lots of sectors that wouldn’t traditionally be listed in the high paid professional bucket.

My husband is on £150k in a non-traditional profession. He started out on about £20k. He would probably stay at that level unless he could get a deal that included shares.

I started on the same, had two mat leaves and part time working that have probably dented my earning potential but I still expect I’ll be on somewhere between 60 and 80 for most of my career. I don’t know if I’d want to make the sacrifices that come with the much higher paying roles.

One of the key routes does seem to be getting on a recognised development scheme. I found with my graduate scheme, it as relatively easy to get to middle management and good wages. The very senior levels are a different game.

I don’t think we’re slaves to money but we have high fixed costs as we’re in the nursery phase of life. I agree with the posters up thread that money gives you choices. Sometimes I have pangs of guilt that I’m working when I could probably choose not to but it enjoy work and think I’d struggle later on without the sense of purpose it can bring. Me working will also give us options re private schooling, earlier retirement for us both, nice holidays etc.

Yes we are all slaves to money in the sense that we are all having to survive.

But I’d rather live simply, forget private schools, posh cars and holidays etc -

There’s a different type of person that strives for huge wages. Round here people are intelligent and kind and they live for more than big wages. We have other goals and passions. We’re proud of our work.

You’re right it’s about choices. But both men and women make good choices too when they have goals other than making loads of money.

I’m guessing a lot of this work you do is screwing someone over somewhere. Is it sustainable work? Are you proud of the work you do? Are you making a (good) difference to the world.

All of this matters more than how much you earn.

I’m guessing a lot of this work you do is screwing someone over somewhere. Is it sustainable work? Are you proud of the work you do? Are you making a (good) difference to the world

This is the shit that pisses me off on MN? Why would you assume this?

Wow, judgemental much? I can't even be arsed to answer.

@Dustballs

I’m guessing a lot of this work you do is screwing someone over somewhere. Is it sustainable work? Are you proud of the work you do? Are you making a (good) difference to the world.

All of this matters more than how much you earn.

I work with online retailers so provides a valuable service but I'm definitely not saving lives. My DH works for one of the biggest tech companies as a headhunter. I wouldnt say we are screwing anyone over or doing anything unethical.

On the side I donate a lot of free time to helping small businesses with marketing and helping to understand their business proposition and my DH gives an enormous amount of time helping people out of work with their CVs particularly young black men, helping them get roles in good companies. We've also both been into schools many times to offer career advice.

So I don't think it's fair to claim we make money off the back of unethical practices and we certainly both try to "give back"

@Dustballs

I’m guessing a lot of this work you do is screwing someone over somewhere. Is it sustainable work? Are you proud of the work you do? Are you making a (good) difference to the world.

All of this matters more than how much you earn.

matters to you, but I am ok with what I do, thanks

None of you talk about what you do. It’s all just boasting about how much money you make.

It’s clear to anyone reading that that is your main focus and concern.