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

HaveringWavering thank you.

Here we go, only 17% of the top 1% of UK earners are women:
www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/comment/article-7357395/Who-1-Britain-one-them.html

I expect there are people who don't believe others who post about their salaries on here because it beggars belief that anyone with half a brain cell would post about their large salary on a site where so many are poor or on benefits. I mean really, what kind of shitty person would do that? Someone with precisely zero self or social awareness. The only plausible answer is that they're making it up for attention.

I believe that some of the people that post on MN to say they earn over £100k do, but statistically some of them are lying. I’m more inclined to disbelieve the ones from posters who sound thick as two short planks, but it’s not an exact science.

However, the cringiest thing of all is when people boast about their husband’s career/achievements as if it reflects on them.

It didn't offend me, I was trying to do you a favour by pointing out that you're making a complete fool of yourself on a public forum.

"Proof"

@MapleMay11

Any career that pays £100K+ a year, would permit very little spare time/leisure time.

This simply isn't true. There are many people earning six figures who run their own businesses and have lots of free time and very little stress. We need to stop perpetuating this myth that earning a high salary involves working ridiculously long hours.

Absolutely

@TheWaif

I expect there are people who don't believe others who post about their salaries on here because it beggars belief that anyone with half a brain cell would post about their large salary on a site where so many are poor or on benefits. I mean really, what kind of shitty person would do that? Someone with precisely zero self or social awareness. The only plausible answer is that they're making it up for attention.

if you are feeling so insecure, you should stay away from social medial.

People don't have to lie or hide their life to protect someone who might be offended.

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

@UrAWizHarry

"Proof"

😂😂 brilliant.

I don't think anyone who doesn't believe is automatically a low income earner who needs to be inspired by MN success stories, as you assume.

I also think some of the disbelief comes from posters on MN going on about their high-income life, then on most other threads, they're having a race to the bottom - with everyone trying to show just how hard they have it with £200 pounds a year earnings for a family of 5, living on one chicken carcass a month.

Granted, it may not be the same posters but it's just weird! Taking everything with a pinch of salt is safer than believing everything you read online.

I'm confused why do we have picture of a blank email?

@EmbarrassingMama

Isn't the point of the thread that when people give their salary, half the people on here kick off and accuse the high earners of lying?

Which is...exactly what has happened here, proving the OP's point?

Exactly... oh sweet irony The upshot of this is that while being able to earn well IS a privilege - it’s also used as a stick to beat ambitious women over the head with. Men make no secret of their desire for money. They deliberately go into high paying roles that they don’t hate. Women on the other hand are told to ‘do what they love’, ‘prioritise job satisfaction’ blah. Also ambition seems to be a dirty word. We need to change this. I picked my career for pure £££ and I’m not ashamed to say so. Everyone else who’s judgy or jealous can fuck off.

I think there are two reasons and it’s not that people are lying: first, these threads are self selecting so high earners are more likely to comment whereas low earners might feel ashamed or embarrassed so not comment. Second, mumsnet skews toward a middle class, middle income demographic.

For what it’s worth, I am a very high earner and don’t lie on these threads...

Also can't work out what the picture says. Why is it so blurry?

I’m always amazed by the salaries on those threads and I agree with others that it would be really great to know how people are getting 60k+ jobs?

It can’t just be hard work/education? Clearly some fields pay better than others but I also wonder if some people are just in the right place at the right time?

OP, I’m sure there are some very high earners on here and some fantasists.

I don’t think that many people are really inspired by salary alone. Many of the people who inspire me the most do difficult jobs for very little pay. For example, I am far more impressed and inspired by my friend who works night shifts in a care home for people with dementia than my own cousin who went to public school/Oxford/banking and now earns £300k plus (a lot more in a good year).

I don't think anyone who doesn't believe is automatically a low income earner who needs to be inspired by MN success stories, as you assume.

it's less about inspiration as such than normalising what is ... normal.

Nothing wrong with choosing to become a SAHM or a part-time working mum at all. But it's good to see that if you chose differently, your gender doesn't matter as much as people pretend.

Just look at the posters pretending it's WFH women who suffered during the lockdown .

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!

Seriously the level of jealousy by MN people on here is astonishingly high.

Just because you earn £100k+ doesn’t mean you don’t have time to do things others do.

Why don’t those who criticise so much work smarter instead of just slinging mud? Perhaps that’s why you don’t earn much.

@Artichokepiglet

I’m always amazed by the salaries on those threads and I agree with others that it would be really great to know how people are getting 60k+ jobs?

It can’t just be hard work/education? Clearly some fields pay better than others but I also wonder if some people are just in the right place at the right time?

Yes, London.

@Blyatiful

What do you do now, OP, and how did you get there? I only know two people who earn over £100,000. One is a very senior civil servant and the other is a surgeon.

@LigPatin: I'm also interested to know what you do to earn £120K in your late 20s?

I am in my 40s, and earn a good salary but not that - working for a large multinational. My friends earn similar after Oxbridge, further study/professional training and 20 years of work... (most are between 60-100K in London, with the few earning more than that in Finance)

I would like to know as I am open to a change

@TheWaif

Wow, what a fucking horrible thread.

Wow, can see why you shouldn’t get paid much

@CHIRIBAYA

The contributions to MN that I find inspiring and encouraging don't tend to relate to income but rather values and attitudes. Income on its own doesn't reveal much about someone's qualities or lack of. I couldn't care less what someone earns, how big their house is, what they drive or where they holiday. What I AM interested in is who they are as a person.

Spot on!

@Artichokepiglet

I’m always amazed by the salaries on those threads and I agree with others that it would be really great to know how people are getting 60k+ jobs?

It can’t just be hard work/education? Clearly some fields pay better than others but I also wonder if some people are just in the right place at the right time?

In my experience, the higher up the tree you go, the more people you will encounter who have got there through luck and circumstance rather than hard work.

I think @JessicaaRabbit got frustrated because she wrote an entirely plausible piece about her road to high earning (which could be bollocks but I'm inclined to think is not) and one particular poster elected to ignore that, and rather insist that it was bs because not in the entire history of human existence has a high earner been free at 11:30 am on a Friday to play golf/go the gym/fuck around on MN. Which is absurd.

It's not like she posted her payslip, ffs.

Although I'd be happy to see it. As a £9-12 ph employee, I've heard tell of this 'disposable income' . . .

I think that it is important that women realise that they can potentially earn more money than they do
Employers rely on people keeping quiet about their earnings to pay people ( usually women) a lower wage.
I am all for women posting their earnings , whilst recognising that some posters may be a bit economical with the truth. You will get the odd fantasist.
However, there ARE people earning £100k +