to believe the Mumsnet High Earners?

[LigPatin]

Every time there's a thread about earnings, there's always multiple posters who claim that most people on the thread must be inflating or plain lying about their salaries.

Whilst I recognise that people lie, especially on anonymous forums, I find it quite sad that people prefer to dismiss these posts as lies rather than take inspiration/education from them (or just not care).

I come from a poor background - we never had enough money to the point that food and electricity use was rationed. We weren't on the streets, but that was a looming possibility. We lived (mostly) within the midlands.

I fell into nannying as a career (having dreamed of being a primary school teacher) and my first job was in Kensington. The housekeeper had been gossiping about the rent on the house we worked in - it was £3k a WEEK. This was 2012-ish. I remember wondering how on Earth anyone could afford paying £200k+ a year on rent alone, when - in my mind - earning just £50k was amazingly rich.

I remember walking through Kensington and Knightsbridge and Chelsea and seeing thousands and thousands and thousands of these houses, all huge and grand and all presumably commanding similar rent or sale value than the one I worked in. They were all clearly lived in and used.

Perhaps it was arrogance, or naivety, but I figured that if there were enough people who could afford to pay £1k, £2k, £5k+ a week on rent (or buy million pound houses), then there must be a lot of money out there to be earned, and I couldn't see any reason as to why I couldn't find a way to get a share of that money.

That's sort of how I feel about these earning threads - hundreds of people are posting about their high salaries and instead of scoffing that they must be sad-sacks who hang out on Mumsnet to lie about their lifestyles - I think it's inspiring and encouraging to see so many women out there making amazing money and securing their futures.

FWIW - I was 21 back in Kensington, amazed at the £3k a week rent. I'm coming up to 30 now and my average yearly income is about £120k. I remind myself every day of how lucky I am, and how 21 year old me would have been incredulous. Though I'm, of course, absolutely nowhere near being able to rent a £3k a week house

That would have been the same insult? Why are you trying to use me potentially having a low salary as an insult? I don't get your point? What's bad about having a low salary? Just for clarity - explain to Mumsnet what's bad about it?

I wasn't talking to you Jessica

Is that you,Ms Barrallo?

Responding I mean.

I believe the posters.

I don't get why so many people need to make snide remarks about higher earners.

If you don't like it then leave the thread? There are plenty of people who earn very well in the UK, and plenty who do not.

It also depends on what you class as a higher earner too

My mum is on a low salary and she's one of the most hardworking people I know. I pay my mums mortgage for her, do you take that as me showing off or a nice thing to do?

Doing it = nice thing to do

Telling people you do it completely out of context = showing off

The main thing I have assumed is that those on high salaries (and I would consider that 100k and above) don't often post on those threads but agreed OP there are plenty of people who earn a great living and it is open to anyone to aspire to try to manage their career in that direction . That said, I am increasingly concerned that grammar/independent schools ensure that children know that they can have such aspirations whereas I find that my dcs who go to non-selective state schools are getting the message that they will never get a good job/never be able to afford a decent lifestyle/house etc. and are constantly being pointed in the direction of mediocrity rather than aspiration (and if you can't be aspirational when you are a teenager when can you be?).

So basically OP people on here need to be suitably inspired by people on high salaries and if they just work hard then they'll be earning what you are?

Sure thing.

Published data from HMRC for 2019 shows that 321,000 people in the UK earn over £150,000/annum. You can obviously draw your own conclusions about the % of these 321,000 people who are on MN

There are quite a lot of women here who are in medicine, law, finance, IT, business etc.

I posted above that NHS consultant basic salary is roughly £80k - £110k. And that's without private work.

Think how many female consultants there are in the NHS. Some of whom post on here.

Someone in corporate law or finance for example can earn a lot more than that.

Yawn OP

@MrsTreglowan

Well there must be an awful lot of skivers because a lot of those claiming six figure salaries are on here all bloody day that's why they're not believed.

Probably because they are either taking a break to make a cup of tea, are having lunch, or are on an exceptionally boring zoom call

Starting a thread boasting "I am on £ xxx a year" is one thing

but you should be able to answer a question, directly and indirectly, where you salary or income is relevant without being accused to be fantasist, a liar, and the usual MN "I don't know ANYONE who.."

@MsFogi

The main thing I have assumed is that those on high salaries (and I would consider that 100k and above) don't often post on those threads but agreed OP there are plenty of people who earn a great living and it is open to anyone to aspire to try to manage their career in that direction . That said, I am increasingly concerned that grammar/independent schools ensure that children know that they can have such aspirations whereas I find that my dcs who go to non-selective state schools are getting the message that they will never get a good job/never be able to afford a decent lifestyle/house etc. and are constantly being pointed in the direction of mediocrity rather than aspiration (and if you can't be aspirational when you are a teenager when can you be?).

That’s the problem this thread is trying to highlight! Nobody’s disparaging low earners or saying that it’s NOT a privilege to be able to be a high earner (not everyone will have what it takes). But it is possible. And we should be encouraging those who want to try. There was a great article in the guardian about a working class girl who went to Oxford and now pursuing a PhD. Family attitude was ‘education isn’t for people like us’ but was encouraged by school and teachers , look where she is now. Now I’m not conflating education and high earning but the point is that snickering at people just because you can’t do it or are jealous is a terrible attitude. Equally terrible is people flaunting it or pretending that lower earning jobs are not necessary.

@LobotomisedIceSkatingFan

I'm not at all surprised to find a high earner posting at 11.52 am on a work day. She might not be in the UK; she might be on annual leave. But most of all because highly-paid jobs are also very often high-discretion jobs. If you're a receptionist for Big Pharma, you'll probably get a bollocking for SM use at 11:52 am. Someone pretty high-up? Not so much. They're probably not monitoring her in the same way, now, are they? I'm sure she gets her work done.

Exactly, besides if you expect people to join Global calls in the middle of the night, the flexibility has to go both ways....

[quote notalwaysalondoner]For those asking what do you do to earn £150k at 31, I’m an Oxbridge educated, London based management consultant for a top 3 strategy house. It’s stressful and long hours and I’ll probably stop after having a baby. It’s also highly competitive recruitment (

So you looked at the big, fancy houses and worked out a way to sell something that the rich people in those big, fancy houses wanted and needed?

I think everybody knows that if you can sell something to rich people that they actually want and need, you'll make a fuckton. Especially if you've been in their homes, so have direct experience of the lifestyle, language they use and emotional/practical priorities, rather than just a rough idea from what is in the media.

Although, at only £120k for running a temping agency, you've not cracked the super rich market, really, have you? More the middle class market in a particular area. Perhaps you need to set your sights higher rather than providing childcare solutions to GPs and accountants?

I don’t doubt these high earners on mumsnet exist , but I don’t find anything inspiring about people being overpaid.

@TatianaBis, I am perfectly aware that there are roles which attract high salaries and I wasn't suggesting that women don't or are not capable of earning over £150,000. It is simply a fact, that a very small minority of the population in the UK earn over this amount.

I loved this post. A nice rags to riches story from an OP very grateful for what she has and has worked hard for.

Ten pages of comments mostly proving the point she was making that instead of a positive / trusting response, a high salary gets derision and disbelief.

Thousands and thousands and thousands of houses? Really, that many?

Here is the link to the article I am referring to: Nannies to the rich and famous reveal luxurious perks of job

@HaveringWavering

We NEED women to say that they are in high level roles, in high paid roles and that's it's NORMAL.

And also to bust the myth that it is not achievable without making intolerable sacrifices such as being massively stressed, never seeing your kids or having no time to post on Mumsnet!

true to a point

but it IS harder to reach a high level role after refusing to get an education, refusing to consider unpaid work experience, refusing to put yourself forward and do the minimum hours...

It's not impossible, but it might take more luck

Not forgetting the fact that many high earners are more relax NOW because they put the hours at uni and/or at the beginning of their careers.

@LolaSmiles

So basically OP people on here need to be suitably inspired by people on high salaries and if they just work hard then they'll be earning what you are?

Sure thing.

Why does someone else saying they worked hard at changing their lives in a specific way that was important to them mean that you don’t work hard?