Where were you at at 32?

[Dinglehopper12]

Hello,

I am married with 2 kids and an ok job (£4 per hour over NMW)

every one on mumsnet seems to earn millions!!

I feel so filled with envy when I hear of people from school that have done well, should I have achieved more with my life?

don’t want to feel like a failure as obviously that is just negative.

At 32 you still have so much time to establish yourself in your career. I was married, had just bought our first home and was pregnant with our first child. Wish I'd appreciated all the disposable income we had back then!

Decent job, lived alone, dating DH & about to start a masters degree. Got married & had DS in late 30's. Earnings went downhill as went p/t then into voluntary sector.

I was married with 2 kids and was retraining in a new career.

I’m well into my 40s now, the kids are teenagers and the career is going well. I don’t earn millions 😆 but I have professional respect and job satisfaction.

I found the first half of my 30s challenging. Young kids, working…it’s tough. Don’t be too hard on yourself. But also don’t write yourself off if you want something different / more. You’re young and you CAN do it.

I am 32. I have a decent job on paper but my boss is shit which makes it boring and unenjoyable. I’m in the career/industry I wanted, but I don’t enjoy it anymore and wish I’d chosen something else! I earn 46k and own a one bed flat in south London. Live with my dog, no kids, boyfriend but no plans to move in together. I’m happy with this, don’t want kids or cohabitation really. For some people it would be their worst nightmare though I guess. What do you want in life?

I’m only 36 so not much past 32. But 4 years ago I was taking the plunge to start a new job and a 2 year training course that went with it. It was hard but so worth it now. I was engaged with a 2 and 5 year old

I’m 32

Just had my 3rd baby (oldest is 7)

You earn more than me, I don’t work currently and have only ever earned MW.

I have been doing loads of free courses lately (well, not for the last 8 weeks, but during pregnancy!). National Careers Service have lots of useful free courses and free careers advisor appintments if you feel that’s something you need. OpenLearn are good too.

They say on average people have 3 careers in their lives. You have loads of time yet!!

I was a teacher and a single parent and moved 200 miles north so I could afford to buy my first house. It was 1987 and the interest rate was horrendous. I could barely make ends meet but by being extremely frugal managed not to get into debt.

Don't waste your life being envious of other people.

Married, own home, decent job (£50k/year) with a 1 year old DS.

I am 31 and currently on mat leave with DD, DS is 3. Big atab

I am 32.

I'm married, own my home and run my own business. DH is also self-employed. We have two cars and multiple animals and absolutely no desire to have DC.

We don't struggle financially either.

@ThinWomansBrain were you always so patronising though? What need was there in that comment at all?

Op, I’m 35, kids age 6 and 2, working full time for 28k and studying a level 4 chartered course. It’s bloody hard work, but I can see that by 40 I’ll be well out of the other side and on the road to an easier life (or at least I hope so!)

At 32, this time of year, I had a newborn DD, a very, very, part-time job and the prospect of another, part-time but slightly better paid job; DP had just found out her contract wasn't going to be renewed and she'd go back after maternity leave but would be out of a job by January.

Since then (I'm 37), DP got a new job and has been steadily getting promotions; she earns a bit over 30k now. I had a job earning similar, but made a career change recently and now early 11.50per hour and work part time. We do worry about money a bit, but mostly it's been wonderful.

Some people on MN (and in RL) earn masses; some don't, but I think in general the people who are happiest are the ones who have 1) really put some time into discovering what they want from life and how to get it and 2) figured out how to live within their means, whatever those are. Some very big earners are also very big spenders and lurch from crisis to crisis.

Just married, pregnant with my first DC, earned £27K, lived in a damp, tiny, 2 bed 1930's semi, our very happy first home.

Now at 42, still married, 2 DC 8 & 10, earn £45K and live in a lovely modern 4 bed detached. It's amazing how much things can change in 10 years.

1 baby, marriage failing after only 18 months (H having affair, unbeknown to me at that point), job that used to pay £40k reduced to £25k due to industry wide downturn in business (and later on down to £15k). Basically not great! Enjoy the positives in your life and try not to compare 👍. The only upside about how fucked my life got in my early 30s was that there was no headspace or point in comparing with others 🤣.

Oh, and I think everyone periodically thinks 'argh, what have I done' about some aspect of life. Who's to say what counts as having 'done well'?

Sorry, typing one handed under sleeping baby didn't end well!

Fairly middle of the road job, around £35k. Own our home, we moved in here 3 years ago but bought a tiny terrace first 7 years ago.

I feel like we are lucky, we aren't exactly rolling in it but still have plenty of time to focus on careers after the kids start school and we then won't have childcare fees to pay.

phone did it itself, not really important though is it? (Necessary question mark)

Married, 3 children, bought our second home last year which is our dream home. DD in private school, DS 1 & 2 in their nursery. DH owns quite a large business which he has built up on his own. I no longer work other than doing admin & wages for the business.

I'm 32.

Married for 11 years and have 2 DC, I don't work. I didn't go back after my eldest was born because the childcare costs would have been more than my wage.
Now struggling to get back in to work and find something that fits around DC's and DH job.
I understand how you feel, I feel as though everyone else my age has established careers and their life together. However I had my DC what is considered to be young (24&28) so I chose that over building a career.

I am 32

I am happily married for 9 years and one dc who is 6

I have a ‘good’ job it’s busy and demanding but my higher level managers have confidence in me and I get results, feel like I should earn more don’t we all but I can’t grumble on 44k

we have good income can go on holiday abroad every year to nice places, have money for dc to do expensive clubs like golf horse riding etc

nice house which is our second step up the ladder but it’s what I would want to have at this stage in life as houses go

to be honest I do feel at 32 like there is so much more ahead of us- career wise especially- we’re still just starting out and not being where you want to be at 32 isn’t awful! Hopefully a lot of life ahead

you are not a failure what do you want to achieve what’s your next goal?

Living in a small house with two young children. Stuck in an okay paying job but nowhere to progress due to childcare, husbands job seeming to be going nowhere
7 years later we live in a large 4 bed house, both of us have moved up the career ladder with significant pay rises. We no longer have any money concerns but the flip side is it comes with a bucket load of work related stress.
A lot can change within a few years

St 32 I had 3 kids, divorced alcoholic husband and bought my council house.

At 32 I'd been married for 8 years, just bought the forever home, on a little over £100k working insane hours in a City firm in the run up to partnership. No DC. Got the partnership, had the DC, ended up too ill to work again - be careful what you wish for.

Married with 2 kids. Renting. Earning about 21k but working 3 days a week in a dead end job I hated. Feeling particularly down as I'd finished a PhD just before my first child was born and hadn't managed to continue my career after having kids. 6 years later not a huge change except I'm now in a career I love. Not the one I expected or planned but still one that uses my qualifications and skills and fits in around the kids. Still work part-time and still renting, not sure we'll ever earn enough to buy to be honest but it's my main goal.