Are the majority of people on here well-off?

[ThisBloodyNoiseInMyHead]

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?

*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 know what slack or esa are. I know what pip is because I remember the problems / changes with it years ago and people were rightfully protesting against the changes.

I do know more about tax avoidance as that would be more of a topic of discussion among acquaintances.

People let you see what they want you to see on an anonymous forum.

I could come on here and say I earn £40k a year, nice house, nice car (all true).

But I'm a single parent, get nothing from my child's ex, my house and car are both rented and I'm in debt from a shit relationship.

I am happy and consider myself well off compared to a few years ago when I couldn't afford food or clothes. But salary and things just tell you one part of the story.

DP and I both on 40k each, have a mortgage.
No kids/debt. So after bills we have about £1400 a month as disposable income each. So we know we're fortunate compared to some, but not mega wealthy.

We decided against children to be able to maintain a good lifestyle.

@jytdtysrht

People who decorate every year must have it as their hobby or something. Or feel bad when they see estate agents on TV saying stuff needs updating. We haven’t decorated for years. Furniture is all plain Ikea stuff. Perfectly good.

I saw a video with a couple whose house wouldn’t sell. Fixers came in - got rid of their old sofas and furniture (all functional and clean, just not brand new). Got rid of functional light fixtures because they weren’t standing out enough. Chucking out decent stuff because of image. Instagram and the like has a lot to answer for.

Instagram and house renovation programmes. House fashion is ridiculous. Every six months there’s a new fashionable colour scheme. Nowadays houses don’t sell unless they look like something out of an interiors magazine.

I currently make £500,000 a year selling my homing pigeon.

@SarahProblem

DP and I both on 40k each, have a mortgage. No kids/debt. So after bills we have about £1400 a month as disposable income each. So we know we're fortunate compared to some, but not mega wealthy.

We decided against children to be able to maintain a good lifestyle.

We couldn’t have children, but I can’t deny that we are now in a much better financial position because of it. No mortgage, both have decent pensions, I was able to retire earlyish.

I'm not sure if wld be the majority but I do imagine maybe around 40-50%.

I also see threads at the other end though can't afford any luxuries and struggling.

Is 32k considered a high wage? I’m on more than that (teacher) and I don’t consider it to be a high wage.

You have no mortgage!?! That's genuinely unthinkable to me! I don't even know anyone of working age that has paid theirs off. Those without a mortgage that I know are into retirement!

We earn well as a family and we are definitely comfortable, but even with our regular monthly overpayments on the mortgage we will not have if paid off until into 50s! It's a 3 bed detached. Nothing fancy!

@JTK392

*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 know what slack or esa are. I know what pip is because I remember the problems / changes with it years ago and people were rightfully protesting against the changes.

I do know more about tax avoidance as that would be more of a topic of discussion among acquaintances.

Sorry typos

Slack was meant to say DLA - disability living allowance

ESA is employment and support allowance. Used to be JSA/ income support

@InFiveMins

The posts you refer to always make me laugh and shudder in equal measure - posters either outright lie about their £1m+ a year salaries, or massively exaggerate.

Of course there will be some posters on huge salaries with huge expensive houses but I don't believe the vast majority of them!

Why do you assume people are lying?? I've been shocked by how low salaries on here seem to be, how many have children with unreliable men & how few hours ppl work despite earning low-ish salaries.

Lots of people in tech, consulting, finance, law, mod level to senior corporate roles, c-suite of most organisations will earn a £80k - 250k+ salary. It really isn't beyond reason that a proportion are on MN.

Many of our friends in similar industries and in their late 30s/40s earn similar amounts. Many would not describe themselves as rich due to private school being the norm amongst these groups & most having huge mortgages due to living in SE England.

Also if you are mortgage free like OP & financially savvy you could remortgage, release equity and create other income streams instead of whining on MN!

@Whatsonmymindgrapes

Is 32k considered a high wage? I’m on more than that (teacher) and I don’t consider it to be a high wage.

To be controversial I think teachers nurses and police do earn decent wages.

Teaching has a scale that you can go up with experience. Heads earn a fortune. Decent pension. Fab holidays.

I work in education but in support and I’m not near that £££, crap pension, normal leave entitlement, top of scale, no pay rise for years. I like my job and see the real difference it makes to people.

TBH, I'd love to have £25k a year left after paying housing costs.
Don't think you're doing too poorly to be fair.
I've had periods of having money, also have periods where there's fuck all.

Slack was meant to say DLA - disability living allowance

Oh god I am really embarrassed that I actually thought “slack” could be the name of a benefit. Fucking hell what is wrong with me.

@JTK392

Slack was meant to say DLA - disability living allowance

Oh god I am really embarrassed that I actually thought “slack” could be the name of a benefit. Fucking hell what is wrong with me.

No don’t be. It’s my fault with the typo.

I was 😱 that that was the typo though! Glad o had chance to correct it and I wouldn’t have if I had t seen my post quoted

To me you seem normal .

I'm a high earner now but come from a background where your scenario is the norm / average .

Mumsnet does tilt more MC and of course there are the pretenders

You are not alone OP. Though some may see you as well off for having a paid off home. @bullbyh genuinely interested in your career any pointers for a newbie?

I consider you well off - you own your home outright. You also have a working adult in your home.

Plenty of people not fortunate to be in that position.

I think my lifestyle is pretty okay even by mumsnet standards, 2 DC, small mortgage on a rural village 4 bed detached house, combined income of about £130k, 2 luxury cars (one is leased however) and rarely have to struggle with money. However, this is well above the UK average and some MN's would probably consider us poor!

I cringe when someone brags
"My DH earns £100k+" I have to check what year it is.
Even worse when someone has a huge household income but have to be ever so frugal. I think either you are incredibly shit with money or you haven't a clue what you're on about.
I genuinely enjoy all the money threads though.
We've only ever been average earners but because we've both worked we've never had to be frugal and not been incredibly shit with money either. We're doing pretty well in our 50's. Work part time, lots of lovely holidays, nice lifestyle, investments etc

You own your home outright, my mortgage is 2.2 per month. Get back in your box and accept different people live different lives.

Get back in your box and accept different people live different lives.

Oh the irony dripping off this statement.

It’s 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife.

@nearlyspringyay

You own your home outright, my mortgage is 2.2 per month. Get back in your box and accept different people live different lives.

But do you see that this is a choice you have ? Many don’t have that choice.

Op is asset rich but lower side of income.

I'm regularly shocked at the poverty and low incomes on MN. And the number of people who don't work, for various reasons. And then the other extreme of posters who earn huge salaries, or their Dh does.

Everyone I know is in the middle, paying their mortgage, kids at local school, post about one holiday on Facebook.

Mn shows me/reminds me of the spectrum of the 2 extremes.

In real life, the high earning men I know are all married to high earning women. I even know women who out earn their husbands which seems very very rare on here

^^
Every female in my close circle (sisters, friends- about 8 in total) all out-earn their dh except 1. All in professional roles- solicitor, headteacher, accountants etc.