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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what your goal salary is?

601 replies

SmokeyApo · 14/04/2021 14:40

Hi all, just being nosey here Grin

I have been thinking a lot about career progression and asking for a raise lately, and that got me thinking about what my goal salary is. As in, the salary that I would like to earn at the peak of my career (let's say between age 40 and 50).

So I will ask: what would your goal salary be?

I won't share mine for now just because I don't want to influence the answers, but I will happily share it later on.

OP posts:
marshyindigo · 15/04/2021 15:41

Earning £50k but get 27% pension with me only paying 5.45% and very flexible working. I won't get into the really high salaries in the civil service for my sector but for now the overall package is great for me and I do feel like I'm "doing good" in a sense.

Salanda · 15/04/2021 15:55

Between 100-150k. At 70k in my early thirties so one or two steps up would take me to the lower level of that, three steps to the upper level (not sure if I want that/want the hassle).

lubeybooby · 15/04/2021 16:00

50k is probably maximum on my currently trajectory, but I'm very happy and have amazing life balance and can eventually earn that much without changing any of my freedoms and cushy lifestyle so I'll take it. Currently at about 28k

sqirrelfriends · 15/04/2021 16:05

I always thought that 50k was a princely sum and wondered how anyone could possibly spend so much. Now that I'm an adult and have a household income of over £150k I find that it's actually doesn't go as far as I'd like.

SoUmmYeah · 15/04/2021 16:06

Mine was £40k, which I achieved this year.

I'm public sector though so I'm not able to earn the mega mega bucks. I don't I'll hit £50k before my career ends, jobs at that salary level in my sector are like hens teeth (as in 3 people in the department in every local authority).

coffeemonster23 · 15/04/2021 16:08

@justwant2beamum

Can people who earn £50k plus please share with the rest of us what they do 😂😂
Work for a pharmaceutical company. Most people earn over £50k plus bonuses and benefits. Admin jobs start at £35k ish. Senior directors £150k - £250k.
gwenneh · 15/04/2021 16:17

@justwant2beamum

Can people who earn £50k plus please share with the rest of us what they do 😂😂
Head of Marketing for an environmental firm. As just discussing with my DH, not doing anything groundbreaking, but making decisions and creating strategy that puts the money in the bank.

Draw a direct line between what you do and how much revenue you can bring in, and you can name your price (in the private sector.)

Moonpeg · 15/04/2021 16:25

sqirrelfriends
Try living of the minimum wage then!! 😫

MrsChuckBass · 15/04/2021 16:26

I'm 30 and I earn £40k basic plus some overtime so roughly £45-£46k.
I'm in line for a promotion in the next 6 months so then will be into the £50-£60k bracket.
I'm a nurse in the private sector

dotdashdashdash · 15/04/2021 16:52

justwant2beamum

Can people who earn £50k plus please share with the rest of us what they do

DH is a programmer.. He is on £70k+

I'm a doctor, £45k currently. Might top out at £70k.

MindBodyChocolate · 15/04/2021 17:15

@justwant2beamum

Can people who earn £50k plus please share with the rest of us what they do 😂😂
Solicitor. If you choose a commercial area (ie advising businesses) you’ll exceed £50k a year quite quickly. There are (in my view) many upsides to the job apart from the money but hours can be long and unpredictable and it’s quite stressful at times.
justwant2beamum · 15/04/2021 17:20

@MindBodyChocolate I am a solicitor and I do commercial, I personally find the money crap, hours crap, work crap and even most of the time the people crap 😂😂 I have been trying to career change but with little success as everyone wants bloody experience of the exact industry I want to move into (which I don't have)

MindBodyChocolate · 15/04/2021 17:25

[quote justwant2beamum]@MindBodyChocolate I am a solicitor and I do commercial, I personally find the money crap, hours crap, work crap and even most of the time the people crap 😂😂 I have been trying to career change but with little success as everyone wants bloody experience of the exact industry I want to move into (which I don't have) [/quote]
Do you work for a high street firm? Even top 200 firms (by revenue) will pay £50k plus with a few years experience. If you want to dm me I’m happy to discuss options - I’ve worked in lots of law firms and am now in house.

JeanClaudeVanDammit · 15/04/2021 17:32

Can people who earn £50k plus please share with the rest of us what they do

Finance Manager in public sector

Frazzled2207 · 15/04/2021 17:38

@JeanClaudeVanDammit

Can people who earn £50k plus please share with the rest of us what they do

Finance Manager in public sector

I don't earn 50K but I used to be a headhunter and that would be on the low end of what a good one would earn .If I go back to it (currently SAHM) I'd hope to earn at least that much. I did start at entry level many years ago though.
CliftonGreenYork · 15/04/2021 17:38

I think it depends where you live and what your goals are in life. I earn £30k and Husband is on £60k. We have no kids and will be mortgage free in 4 years. He plans to give up his stressful job (Assistant Head) get a ' normal' job on £30k and we will move to Glasgow. With no mortgate we think £60k between the 2 of us will be more than enough to have fun life and still have great holidays.

Pea1985 · 15/04/2021 17:41

I feel like I'm aiming low compared to most on here! Im currently 35 and on £38k fte (but I'm part time 2.5 days so only actually receive £19k). Im expecting to go back full time when I'm around 40 and would be happy with £40k. My hubby's on £60k and we are pretty comfortable even with me being part time right now, so when I go full time that will feel like a big difference.

mynameisbiggles · 15/04/2021 17:42

At 50 I was on £185K. At 60 I'm on £25K (pension)

mynameisbiggles · 15/04/2021 17:43

But I'm much, much happier with no stress!

Zoejj77 · 15/04/2021 17:43

My salary would be OK if it wasn’t for all the deductions!

Spaceshiphaslanded · 15/04/2021 17:44

I wanted to earn enough to get both kids in the school I wanted, and 2 awesome holidays a year.
I am 35 and this year will be £124k. I don’t need any more - but in a strange/fortunate?! Place that I’m expected to still be ambitious and want to go further in my career and if I’m not seen as ambitious will risk losing my current role. I have enough for everything I want/need with change.
I’m incredibly lucky. Just hope I can sustain it until I don’t need to anymore.

shivawn · 15/04/2021 17:55

Top of my scale is 65k so I guess thats what I'm aiming for although its only 8k more than I'm on now and I'm still pretty young...

If I could aim for any figure I'd be happy with 80k.

Feefsie · 15/04/2021 17:57

Is this just based on salary or the whole package? I couldn’t buy some of my benefits, for example BUPA for my DH and kids with no exclusions or moratorium. I don’t pay any extra for this, plus I have an excellent non contributory pension, sick pay, parking, holidays and life cover.

RagzReturnsRebooted · 15/04/2021 17:57

£40-50k
I'm a nurse, so it will be tricky but not impossible. Only qualified 18 months ago.

Dublto · 15/04/2021 17:59

Wow people on mumsnet are rich! My fiancé and I have a combined annual income of 40k, we live in London and I thought we were doing well tbh. Average household income is around 30k in the UK, remember how blessed you are.