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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Are the majority of people on here well-off?

332 replies

ThisBloodyNoiseInMyHead · 04/03/2022 20:13

As the title says, are most people on here financially well-off?

I've read about a woman who earns £32k a year, another who decorates every year, one who has got 1 4 bedroomed detached house, anther who has got a "budget" of £1 million to buy a house.

I live in a 1930s semi (mortgage paid), my husband earns £25k, I don't work (recovering from being very ill last year)and we haven't decorated for about 6 years. Am I the only working-class -strapped for cash- person on here?

OP posts:
Rubyupbeat · 05/03/2022 09:27

@Moonface123
Probably the nicest post I have ever read on mumsnet Flowers

hobstey · 05/03/2022 09:38

@bullbyh how early & how long does it take to get to the big bucks if you don't mind me asking?

Dillydollydingdong · 05/03/2022 09:46

I'm a pensioner on about £1600 per month but tiny mortgage and a few thousand in the bank. I consider myself well off as I can pay all my bills and have a few luxuries like meals out and holidays.

bullbyh · 05/03/2022 09:51

[quote hobstey]@bullbyh how early & how long does it take to get to the big bucks if you don't mind me asking? [/quote]
There is some luck involved, like with anything - but I know quite a few people who started on around 30 out of uni and ended up on around 100 within 2-3 years.

That was quite a few years ago and salaries have only gone up since I started.

I started on around 30 and within a year was on around 50 and within 2 years I was on around 85-90 or so.

Not bragging. I'm not special in any way. It's just how it works in my industry. You have to play your cards right and show willingness to learn and be available at all times, but it's definitely worth it. It's not a 9-5. It's more like, whatever you need to do to get it done you do. But it's very flexible at the same time. So you may have weeks where you only really work from 11 am to 4 pm. Or some Fridays, where you don't have calls and can pretty much take a long weekend.

But in return, when you're on holiday and need to do a couple of things, you need to keep your eye on your emails. If something urgent comes in and you need to log in to take care of it, then you do it without any complaining. It works for me.

hobstey · 05/03/2022 10:01

@bullbyh I'm definitely interested & considering moving into. Are there any courses you recommend? sorry for so many questions.

bullbyh · 05/03/2022 10:01

[quote hobstey]@bullbyh I'm definitely interested & considering moving into. Are there any courses you recommend? sorry for so many questions. [/quote]
PM me, I am happy to help.

hobstey · 05/03/2022 10:02

Thank you, I will

Lampzade · 05/03/2022 10:05

Op, you own a house which is mortgage free. You are extremely fortunate

JTK392 · 05/03/2022 10:08

I think you just notice what sticks out to you. We earn well and so do most of our friends so MN has genuinely been surprising to me the other way.

Me as well. I had never heard of UC and other benefits. Quite an eye opener.

UndertheCedartree · 05/03/2022 10:09

You're not the only one. I'm a single mum who can't work due to illness. Obviously things are, tight. Add to that 4 years down the line my benefits aren't sorted and I get no help with my housing costs. I'm too scared to put the heating on except now and again to get the shopping dry.

UndertheCedartree · 05/03/2022 10:10

@JTK392 - lucky you! UC is a nightmare!

HoneyItIsntGoodLuck · 05/03/2022 10:10

My starting salary in 2000 was £25K. And that was an entry level job. I haven’t lived in the UK for over a decade, but I do get a sense that the variation is wise.

If you have no mortgage, then that in itself is a very privileged position.

qualitygirl · 05/03/2022 10:11

I think you just notice what sticks out to you. We earn well and so do most of our friends so MN has genuinely been surprising to me the other way.

Yes this, I think wages are fairly low in the U.K. to be hones! Teachers here in Ireland START on 36k and before anyone says it's more expensive in Ireland...I really don't think it is. Looking at what those of you in the U.K. spend on bills it's much the same.

JTK392 · 05/03/2022 10:12

[quote UndertheCedartree]@JTK392 - lucky you! UC is a nightmare![/quote]
I’m sorry to hear that, if you need it, you should be able to access it without it being a nightmare.

UndertheCedartree · 05/03/2022 10:12

@UndertheCedartree

You're not the only one. I'm a single mum who can't work due to illness. Obviously things are, tight. Add to that 4 years down the line my benefits aren't sorted and I get no help with my housing costs. I'm too scared to put the heating on except now and again to get the shopping dry.
Ah, my brain is bad at finding the right words and even where commas go now it seems!

You're not the only one. I'm a single mum who can't work due to illness. Obviously, things are tight. Add to that 4 years down the line my benefits aren't sorted and I get no help with my housing costs. I'm too scared to put the heating on except now and again to get the washing dry.

UndertheCedartree · 05/03/2022 10:13

@JTK392 - thank you ☺️

hobstey · 05/03/2022 10:14

I have teacher friends, they all earn around 50k in London. My brother is a deputy head on 85k. I'm always accused of lying on here though!

Thoosa · 05/03/2022 10:14

Me as well. I had never heard of UC and other benefits. Quite an eye opener.

That I find eye popping. Never having needed benefits isn’t unusual - especially if you’ve been lucky with health, career and so on - but the whole Universal Credit fiasco was headline news for yonks. How would you avoid hearing about it unless you avoided all news programmes?

Rummikub · 05/03/2022 10:18

I am amazed that Oo weren’t aware of UC
Is this true about other benefits too?

I’m not disabled but I’m aware of slack/pip/ esa etc

I’m not well off or run my own business but am aware that there are measures taken to avoid paying tax.

I don’t understand how people live in that much of a bubble.

I’ve always thought that those going into politics should spend 6 months living h on benefits, see what it’s really like. And without accessing support from contacts.

JTK392 · 05/03/2022 10:21

Universal Credit fiasco was headline news for yonks. How would you avoid hearing about it unless you avoided all news programmes?

I did avoid all news programs for years - I have a reason but too long to go into - my DH would know all the details as he has always avidly follows news and politics.

Sky recorded programs, not on social media, wfh, and intention to not stay apprised of news. For a time.

Merryoldgoat · 05/03/2022 10:21

@bullbyh

That’s interesting - I’ve fancied learning to code for a while. Maybe I’ll look at some courses. I always thought it could complement accountancy (which is what I do now).

Thoosa · 05/03/2022 10:23

I’ve always thought that those going into politics should spend 6 months living h on benefits, see what it’s really like. And without accessing support from contacts.

Does anyone else remember that Matthew Paris programme along those lines? Ancient now, but it was on BBCiplayer archive for a long while.

whoruntheworldgirls · 05/03/2022 10:23

We're well off. I wouldn't be if i were single though, it's our joint income that gives us a good lifestyle.

Thoosa · 05/03/2022 10:25

That would explain it then @JTK392

For ages there were headlines about some unfortunate claimants dying without any income, as well as the political wrangles.

Rummikub · 05/03/2022 10:25

@Nidan2Sandan

Our joint income is £94k and we're constantly skint Grin but then we have a mortgage to pay and live in an expensive area of the country.

We also pay a large proportion of our monthly income into our pension as we dont want a skint future and our retirement age is 10 years away.

I don’t see this as skint.

You have options and are making choices eg paying more into pensions to secure your (early?) retirement
That’s what being well off gives you - choices.

My pension is estimated at £2k a year I am v scared about the future. I dont have the choice to pay more into my pension as my money is going to the mortgage and bills and fuel. I though appreciate I have a mortgage and that makes me better off than others.

It’s a scale and perspective