..to struggle to comprehend huge salaries?

[missbunnyrabbit]

I was reading the thread about how much people earn having been to grammar/private schools and I just cannot get my head around how much lots of people earn. My head just cannot imagine such huge salaries. People earning over 100k, what on earth do they even do with that money? Do they buy everything gold-plated? That's a joke BUT I have no idea what anyone does with that sort of money or what it could be needed for. This isn't a bashing thread or anything like that. I'm just a bit stunned.

Does anyone else's brain struggle to imagine such huge amounts of money?

I don't think people are saying that others should feel guilty for being high earners - well I'm not anyway. I think what is bothering people (me!) is that people pretending they aren't high earners when they are.

@Justheretoaskaquestion91

Has it ever occurred to high earners with two kids that it isn't actually mandatory to live in a massive house just because you earn a shitload? It is POSSIBLE to live in a normal sized house even if you earn lots of money

Sure but the point of working your arse off is to be comfortable. I don’t know about you but I think a big house is more comfortable as is a fancy car etc. You sound v bitter.

Ps it doesn’t mean people aren’t also giving to charity. And also the tax is high and paying for lots of things

Well I have a comfortable 4 bed house and a new (lease) car so I'm certainly not bitter. But I have always said that should I win the lottery I would not have a bigger house- completely unnecessary. The money could go to much better use elsewhere. Cleaners 'work their arse off' too by the way

Hubby on just over £100k and I run my own business which I will probably take out just under £50k (cos of dividend levels and taxation). We work our arses off! And our jobs are stressful. One in private school moving the other hopefully from next Sept.

Couple of holidays. 6 year old car.

Kids clubs add up:
Swimming
Three types of dance
Tennis

Will soon start team sports - hockey and netball

House is not big 4 bed semi but we have a cleaner. Low mortgage cos our outgoings are high due to school fees with both in that’ll be £26k net don’t see us moving ever!

Mumsnet is clearly anti aspirational. Men don't feel guilty for earning more and indeed will be in competition to increase earnings and in order to decrease the gender pay gap so should women. Don't apologize for your income celebrate it.

But many people with high incomes on here don't celebrate it, they try and say they don't have a high income! That's the main issue here..... Those that have two holidays abroad and eat in restaurants twice a week and do all sorts of other stuff that costs money trying to say they're just average, that's insulting to people who do have average incomes.

I’d love a bigger house but as we’ve committed to private school not likely

How much do you earn OP?

Eat out once a week, theatre trips etc etc

at the earlier poster claiming rich bashing. As funny as the poor oppressed, middle-aged, professional white male.

Refreshing to read some of the posts that acknowledge what they earn is a lot if it's £100,000 or more and allows them more choices. That's great! I'd have a lovely time spending £100,000 a year.

The 'woe is me, some people are richer than me' posters - get a grip.

Thank god the higher earners I know don't bore on about how they have no money left. Just like I don't complain to someone on a lower income than me that I can't afford to get my living room redecorated at the moment. It would be vulgar.

Is it really more comfortable to live in a big house or is that a social response?

I personally find a big house with all the things I like/being able to buy whatever I like very comfortable. I’m very grateful for what I have and I don’t kid myself that part of my happiness comes from financial comfort.

Cleaners 'work their arse off' too by the way

I didn’t say they didn’t. Lots of putting words in people’s mouths on this thread.

@Isabellabasil

I don't think people are saying that others should feel guilty for being high earners - well I'm not anyway. I think what is bothering people (me!) is that people pretending they aren't high earners when they are.

Absolutely this. Being a high earner is great, you can afford lots more, you have more choices, etc etc.

Just please don't pretend you're not a high earner!

I'm sure you do work your arses off. But so do many, many low earners

@Isabellabasil but then what about this lady: metro.co.uk/2021/10/16/what-i-own-irene-who-put-down-a-400000-deposit-on-her-clapham-house-15427606/

She is a lot richer than me as I cannot afford a £3200 mortgage with 2 children in tow (or probably ever esp if I had to pay childcare) and it would take a lot more than cutting back on restaurant going/holidays/day trips to be able to afford that! But every recent buyer who bought a london terrace would have that kind of income to even get the mortgage. And many of those who have bought london terraces have kids (with the relevant child expenses too). This doesn't even include the many many people in the country who have moved out of London but still have similar budgets and mortgages.

Are they all rich too? Even though she has a lot more money than me, I don't think she is rich, she is on the upper tier of middle income (and with a generous parent). We can't all be rich? Some people have defined the top 1% as 'rich' and I would agree with that definition but Irene the solicitor with the £1 million clapham terrace is not it.

@HarrisonStickle

Mumsnet is clearly anti aspirational. Men don't feel guilty for earning more and indeed will be in competition to increase earnings and in order to decrease the gender pay gap so should women. Don't apologize for your income celebrate it.

But many people with high incomes on here don't celebrate it, they try and say they don't have a high income! That's the main issue here..... Those that have two holidays abroad and eat in restaurants twice a week and do all sorts of other stuff that costs money trying to say they're just average, that's insulting to people who do have average incomes.

You said it much better than me! I'll stop now

60% of Oxbridge students come from either private schools or grammar schools.

So if it's 25% private, then another 35% are grammar, that leaves 40% to come from the rest of the state system, which includes some very good sixth forms and schools.

I don't know the stats but I'd guess intake from ordinary state schools doesn't make up a huge amount of the overall intake.

That's even more depressing @HarrisonStickle.

Nice username btw.

@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream

OrangeMiBody Touched a nerve? Are you a high earner who doesn't give anything to charity?

No. I’m one of the many high earners on this thread who posted (before you did) and mentioned charitable activities and how I help my family and causes I care about.

Absolutely, it’s touched a nerve because you’ve posted with authority (“NOT ONE”) that nobody on the thread made any reference to philanthropic activities and how awful it was.

You invented that. In your head. It was not reflective of what happened in the thread at all.

Then, when called out on it, you’ve changed your narrative.

@bordermidgebite

Is it really more comfortable to live in a big house or is that a social response ? Do you really believe you are happier because of the big house ? Data suggests that rich people are not actually any happier than those who live above poverty levels.

House- Yes. You only have to look at all the threads on here about arse hole neighbours, parking and noise issues blah blah. I've bought may way out of any of that hassle.

Data can be made to show anything but:
I've been penniless and miserable, whilst being rich I've been irritated,angry, annoyed, pissed off but I've never once been miserable.

As an illustration, an employee (with 2 children) who is paying student loan repayments and putting the basic amount into workplace pension will only get an extra £20k per year if their wage increases from £50k to £100k per year.

Of the extra wage of £50k, £30k of that is taken as deductions.

@Chippymunks

That sounds great! Good for you. I'd love not to worry about my white goods packing up! (Yes, that was my priority on your list !)

@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream

SleepyMombie I'm not not sure about 'many' posters, although I may have missed some who have mentioned those things. I have certainly read a lot of posts of very high earners who mentioned living in very large houses, private schools, lots of expensive holidays, lots of eating out, paying a lot of tax, private tutors and lots of clubs.

Has it ever occurred to high earners with two kids that it isn't actually mandatory to live in a massive house just because you earn a shitload? It is POSSIBLE to live in a normal sized house even if you earn lots of money. Then your money doesn't all get eaten up- you could volunteer, give a huge portion of your salary to charity, the possibilities are endless.

The wealth could be distributed more fairly than it is in most cases I feel.

If you had read the thread, you'd have seen that such people are mostly not living in massive houses or living extravagant lifestyles. The areas that you need to live in realistically to commute to most high paying jobs involve high mortgage costs for modest family homes and due to long working hours, significant childcare costs. After tax these expenses often leave little disposable income even on high salaries, particularly for single parents. They are not luxuries or choices: the only alternative to avoid the housing and childcare costs would be to quit the job and move away and live on benefits, thus paying less into the system that supports the lower earners. Would that be better?

HarrisonStickle, I hear you, that one caused me so much worry when I was a very young single parent attending uni. That’s why I listed it.

I'm sure you do work your arses off. But so do many, many low earners

No one is saying that they don’t. I don’t personally control how much people get paid. I think plenty of people deserve to be paid far more. The comments about working arse off are in response to people saying stupid shit like “you don’t need a big house” (from someone with a 4 bed house) “give all your money away” etc.

@InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream

I've read most of the thread, and the thing I'm most shocked by is that out of ALL the posters who admit to earning huge salaries, NOT ONE mentions using any of it to help those less fortunate than themselves. No wonder society is fucked and the rich just keep getting richer

The people earning huge salaries pay shit loads in tax, which helps people!

OrangeMiBody well to be fair I did state I had read MOST of the thread (there are 500 posts) and in my later post did concede I may have missed some. Apologies if you are one of the exceptions.

House- Yes.
You only have to look at all the threads on here about arse hole neighbours, parking and noise issues blah blah. I've bought may way out of any of that hassle.

I agree with this. Our house isn't a mansion, but it's detached (quiet), on a nice cul de sac with lovely neighbours, has plenty of parking and a garage, and is in a low crime area. When I WFH I do so in my own study, and DH has his own study so we have no disturbances.

Money doesn't buy you happiness, but it does buy you a nice living environment and removes many of the factors that might otherwise cause stress.

Also btw I was always told never to mention giving money to charity as it completely negates the idea of doing it as a selfless deed if you go around bleating about it.