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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

High Earners on MN?

811 replies

BitOfFun · 13/10/2020 08:49

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.

OP posts:
NoSleepInTheHeat · 13/10/2020 10:05

Both DH and I do IT development for finance, this gets you £100k-£150k if you are relatively good. The best ones can earn way more than this, the not so great ones would maybe be on £80k.

Very male dominated industry but I think this is because women are not really interested in IT, when I was studying most of my girl friends were studying marketing, advertising, etc. I have never faced discrimination though, I would even say I often get better treatment because of being the only woman in the team.

Siw2020 · 13/10/2020 10:06

I am a NHS doctor on 32k.
Know of many doctor colleagues on similar pay working through this covid19 pandemic. Fellow nursing & other allied healthcare colleagues also on similar pay.

movingonup20 · 13/10/2020 10:06

I've met very few people in my life earning £100k. When people here talk money often it's household income (so £50k each, far more common). Remember the average income is £28k!

I'm fortunate that we are in the "haves" category. But it's hard graft and good choices not luck. I'm still getting used to the concept that dp's "bonus" was more than my annual salary.

Chocaholic9 · 13/10/2020 10:07

@CakeRequired

I take some posts about income with a pinch of salt tbh. People don't necessarily tell the truth on anonymous forums

I take them all like that.

There are jobs out there like that obviously, and I know someone who does have a job like that. They don't have the time to spend their days on mumsnet, they are always working or doing stuff outside of work. They don't even have kids either. Yet all these people on here earning that much money, have kids and have hours of free time to chat nonsense on mumsnet? Yeah sure. Grin Not working very hard then.

Can't speak for anyone else on here but I own a business that allows me to work part time. Plenty of time for mumsnet or whatever else.
WakingUp55643 · 13/10/2020 10:07

Wow! I can't believe how much you all earn! Not that I'm saying it's undeserved in any way, you obviously all work hard. Good for you.
I'm in NE England and earn 23k for 30 hours pw as a CAD Programmer / Draughtsperson. I've got a degree, which hasn't helped me at all, and find myself stuck at this level. I could earn more, but I'm working around school and other caring responsibilities, so I have to be happy with what I've got. But at the age of 43 I would have hoped to be doing better..... DH earns less than me, works in insurance, and although is supposed to work 37 hours, it's more like 50 hours, which is ridiculous. Therefore every penny in goes out again, no savings Shock

cabotstove · 13/10/2020 10:07

@ANoTail I think a lot of it is driven by the cost of housing. People know they are earning well but are confused by the fact they can't afford things that would expect to be able too. Me 65yo neighbour on the right never earned more than 40k, thinks income taxes should be higher & has 2 properties paid off, combo worth 1.8m. My 25 yo neighbour to the left earns about 120k I would guess, renting for catchment & paying 75% more in rent then my mortgage.

Kitten9 · 13/10/2020 10:08

It's a tricky one. I completely believe in maximising every opportunity, delaying gratification and thinking about the future when you make big decisions, but a lot of people do this and they still aren't making huge amount of money. A lot of it really does seem to be due to luck and privilege.

My DH and I run a business together from home and we have earned over £200k this year - of course we have worked incredibly hard but we are also very lucky and privileged to be able to do this in the first place. I'm 31 so still relatively young and don't have as much life experience as many on this thread, but I don't think it's as simple as saying 'work harder and make better choices!'

movingonup20 · 13/10/2020 10:12

@Quandaries

That is goady, sorry, I suspect the normal people just don't stay in touch with you, state school kids will be very varied by middle aged - of my classmates a couple are dead, one is in prison for drug smuggling, one in prison for fraud (or was, think he got out recently), plenty of the girls had lots of kids and are now grandmothers, I'm the only one as far as I'm aware who is living the kind of lifestyle you can describe as affluent and I'm not earning it! Average income for the U.K. is £28k

JeffreysPantsAflame · 13/10/2020 10:12

Chap who is over my son's Multi Academy Trust for schools in Leeds earns over £200k, Sir John Townsley Tes article but the man has worked miracles with failing schools.

But I agree with PP that talking about salaries in schools and what jobs actually pay compared to the local housing market may well put a rocket under some kid's arses. That instead of just falling into jobs some might strive for a choice in where they work and what they do.

Rumbletumbleinmytummy · 13/10/2020 10:15

Management consultancy here. Money like we earn is made by high paying contracts, working flat out. A few years ago DH was making 40k a year, we changed a bit each year or so, we work smarter as we go along and make a lot more money.
I'm late 20s, hes mid 30s. In a sector he has spent his entire working life in.
A good portion of it is luck

movingonup20 · 13/10/2020 10:15

@EachPeachPearSums

I know a lot of scientists, nobody earns £100k I can promise you. Exh earns £80k and is as senior as he can get and that includes consultancy fees for overseas governments in normal times

JaceLancs · 13/10/2020 10:16

I don’t know anyone personally on 100k and am 50+ (North west)
I think MN is more middle class and lots based in London and the south skewing the figures along with those who exaggerate
I earn well above average but it’s taken me a long time to get to this level and unless I change direction completely can’t get any higher
If pandemic continues to wreck the economy there will be many above average earners who are hard hit too - let’s hope it lessens the gap between the haves and the have nots and the north south divide

MillieEpple · 13/10/2020 10:18

Wealth creates wealth. All the best paying jobs are about maximising other peoples money or entertaining them. My best paid job resulted in the CEO getting two £500,000 bonuses from the board and shareholders doing well . My current job is far more socially useful and more skilled but i'm not maximising anyones wealth so its not paid very well. My DH is the same - he's worked basically making fast toys for rich people and now works making something sustainable. Its harder and more technical but not as well paid.

IJustWantSomeBees · 13/10/2020 10:18

@jinkjinkjink may I ask what kind of lawyer you are? I have just started my LLB.

PrimeraVez · 13/10/2020 10:18

I moved to the much-hated-on-Mumsnet Dubai when I was early 20s.

Been with the same company now for ten years, and earn well in excess of 100k a year, tax free, plus receive money towards schooling and flights.

I'm overpaid for what I do. I'm not changing the world or making any meaningful impact on anyone's life. But I am expected to be 'on' 24/7 and as an expat, it's always hanging over your head that this life could be taken away at the flick of a switch.

And then there's the fact that I haven't been able to travel and see my family in the UK for ages, and a trip home at Christmas is looking increasingly unrealistic Sad

FraughtwithGin · 13/10/2020 10:20

I was watching the repeat of a tv programme over the summer about restaurants hiring new chefs to achieve certain aims.
One restaurant stated, at the outset, that it wanted to appoint a chef, who would gain it a Michelin star, and the owners were prepared to pay 150k for the right person.

ANoTail · 13/10/2020 10:20

@MillieEpple

Wealth creates wealth. All the best paying jobs are about maximising other peoples money or entertaining them. My best paid job resulted in the CEO getting two £500,000 bonuses from the board and shareholders doing well . My current job is far more socially useful and more skilled but i'm not maximising anyones wealth so its not paid very well. My DH is the same - he's worked basically making fast toys for rich people and now works making something sustainable. Its harder and more technical but not as well paid.
This! There are some threads on "bullshit jobs" from a while back that were quite enlightening.
butterpuffed · 13/10/2020 10:25

Isn't it lovely how all the high earners on MN never seem to be busy and always have time to flood these threads every time they come up Grin

CounsellorTroi · 13/10/2020 10:26

@MillieEpple

Wealth creates wealth. All the best paying jobs are about maximising other peoples money or entertaining them. My best paid job resulted in the CEO getting two £500,000 bonuses from the board and shareholders doing well . My current job is far more socially useful and more skilled but i'm not maximising anyones wealth so its not paid very well. My DH is the same - he's worked basically making fast toys for rich people and now works making something sustainable. Its harder and more technical but not as well paid.
So true e.g a City lawyer will earn a hell of a lot more than an in house legal adviser working In the public sector.
Quandaries · 13/10/2020 10:26

[quote movingonup20]@Quandaries

That is goady, sorry, I suspect the normal people just don't stay in touch with you, state school kids will be very varied by middle aged - of my classmates a couple are dead, one is in prison for drug smuggling, one in prison for fraud (or was, think he got out recently), plenty of the girls had lots of kids and are now grandmothers, I'm the only one as far as I'm aware who is living the kind of lifestyle you can describe as affluent and I'm not earning it! Average income for the U.K. is £28k [/quote]
Wow. Where do you live?

I don’t know a single person who has ever been in prison.

We had one girl who got pregnant in school but, other than that, the vast majority went to university and most didn’t have children until they were late 30s, let alone becoming grandmothers.

As for the goady “I suspect the normal people don’t stay in touch with you”, I rolled my eyes at that particular dig. What’s your definition of a “normal person” because I certainly don’t class people by their earnings, and didn’t state mine on this thread.

TweeBree · 13/10/2020 10:28

I have several friends in the TV & Film industry who make that and more. Not actors.

Upherefordancing · 13/10/2020 10:29

Placemarking as about to go out! I've often wondered this too...

Kitten9 · 13/10/2020 10:29

@butterpuffed I'm self-employed so I'm on Mumsnet more often than I'd like to admit Blush

julietteb18 · 13/10/2020 10:29

I'm 26 on £60k as an ACA working in consulting. DH is a teacher (31) on £95k. I'll be on 6 figures before I'm 30. We work long and hard hours but he enjoys his job but has about 50 tantrums a day. I enjoy some of my work but sometimes I feel inadequate and I am in therapy.

Bluntness100 · 13/10/2020 10:30

I am unsure why you think like this op. My daughter has started as a trainee commercial lawyer, her salary is very high, her friend, a female, is an investment banker, both just graduated,.

There is a spread across mumsnet, snd many average or low earners, of course there is also high earners too.