To wonder how people afford to live with these jobs

[Dreamer14]

I have worked in the private sector for nearly 20 years. In a high paying industry too. However… I’m bored. So very bored.

My Monday dread starts on Friday nights. I’ve changed company and the feeling is the same. I feel isolated because I work at home all the time. I don’t feel like I’m being the best version of myself. I’m grumpy as I’m unhappy etc.

I’ve thought for years, I’d love to go do something completely different. Each time I try… I give up because I simply can’t afford to work 37 hours (with all the childcare I’d need) for £20k.

I would love a job helping others. I look at NHS and school jobs, council jobs, charity jobs etc. but the pay simply isn’t enough. Am I doing something wrong? Have I missed something?

We would like to move in next few years but if I went to bank and said I earn 20k they wouldn’t lend me nearly enough. I don’t have a rich husband! I’m the main earner.

I'm working 37 hours a week and hate every moment. My dream situation would be slightly less hours so I can pick my kids up one day a week and something I love that involves a bit more human interaction.

It's not impossible but you have to be prepared to compromise in other places. I gave up a better paying job I hated and took a part time wfh job I enjoy but pays much much less. I'm happier but... Holidays are now cheaper, we will not be moving, we only have one car etc. We live carefully to make me working part time work. I am definitely happier and we manage so it's all worthwhile.

PS I also do some work for a charity voluntarily because I like it.

I’ve worked in Pharma for over 30years and completely disagree they treat their staff poorly. Good wages perks and buy back holidays. If you are wfh make sure you get outside for an hour everyday this small step will improve your mental health and you may have more clarity about your situation.

Thank you all. I think you are all right. I will do some volunteering, try to get away from my desk for lunch.

the grass probably isn’t greener for now. Maybe one day.

i still think these jobs should be significantly better paid than they are. I hope one day soon that it changes.

The grass is not greener - most jobs get boring after a while. You have a lot of freedoms in life that such a salary allows and only work 37 hours.

Why not so some voluntary or charity work in your spare time? Or consider moving on to a job where you mentor colleges in your sector.

I work in education, earn approx 22k and work term time only (could up it slightly if I went full time) however its the price we pay for me being around during holiday periods for our DC as DH works away significant periods of time.

My manager is also flexible with DC school events, appointments etc which helps massively.

I don't get overtime paid but can take TOIL so I try and get a few days together for flexibility

Most of the TAs in mainstream I know were older women with children and no choices. Many of them were better qualified than the teachers, and often more capable. Some much more so. Some nowadays are youngsters expected to work up into teachers. In either case, suddenly schools are struggling to recruit on the low wages they can provide.

I can only reiterate that this is why people in the public sector are annoyed. Their wages have not increased significantly over 20 years while it seems everyone else’s has, giving us the weird situation now where retail and cleaning staff are paid the same or more as staff in jobs requiring skills, education and qualifications - and the associated debts. The amount of benefits available for everyone else does not help. I personally would be better off now if I hadn’t bothered to work at school, which kind of makes a further mockery out of the education system.

Going from 60k to 20k is ridiculous. Why would you move to entry position.
Unless you have kids 20k is well livable. You just don't get own apartment most likely

make sure you home working office is a separate space, not a standard living space. Take an outside lunch break. Have evening hobbies. Sit on the board of a local charity. Exercise at least three times a week. Lots of things people who work in the public sector for little pay and no overtime pay, cannot afford the time or money to do. You have many options around a 37 hour week.

I earn roughly £22k a year working for the NHS. I get about £150 a month in universal credit. I have no help towards childcare as I don't need to use childcare due to the hours I work being the time ds spends with his dad. I have no help towards housing as I have a mortgage and they only help with housing if you rent.
I manage pretty well, I was on slightly less but I've upped my hours to help with the rising living costs. I however live in a cheaper part of the UK and have a small mortgage. I have no idea how people in the south cope on this wage, especially single parents who own there own home.

OP, I would look at similar project manager roles in the charity sector/public sector that you can move into, with transferable skills. I have worked in the charity sector for 15 years and now work freelance in a similar role to yourself. Lots of charities are very open to hiring people from the private sector with transferable skills and experience, it’s good for getting a fresh perspective and additional skills/experience/contacts. My role isn’t necessarily beneficiary-facing but I get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from it, whilst earning enough to support my family. And I very rarely get any Monday morning dread-I genuinely love my work! ☺️ Happy to chat more/help if you want to message me

NHS and school jobs, council jobs, charity jobs etc. but the pay simply isn’t enough.

A lot of them advertise low but the payscales can go hugely higher once you're in. I had no idea that council officers can be on £100k+.

I'm confused by OP thinking the only options are her £60k+ job or a £20k one. Most of us earn inbetween. Friend is project manager for county council on about £38k, WFH, very flexible hours. There are some project management roles for local public sector at about £48k. I could apply & get one but I don't want to manage people. I can send OP a link if you like...

Single mother with a useless ex, I work in a low paid job. Without universal credit we would be totally screwed, get about £700 a month UC even though I work full time.

@Dreamer14 I'm in a pretty similar situation, my job gives me very little satisfaction but I do 25 hours a week , whenever I look for something more interesting that's full time the wage isn't enough to warrant the move and the risk. I have it v cushy where I work . I too should do some volunteering .

You could also look into the civil service.

Ps This crazy situation is also why crime and organised crime and the antisocial activities of drug gangs and sexwork have exploded in Britain. Such things are rather more lucrative and accessible than honest work, if riskier. The situation suits our upper class politicians with exotic tastes.

Call this a way to run a country, cos I don’t.

Lots of people have set up their lives so that they don't need huge incomes.

DH and I aren't huge earners but we've also chosen not to have children and to buy a small fixer-upper with a low mortgage and very low monthly costs. We don't receive any benefits or government help and never have done. We're both self-employed with flexible jobs where we can pick/choose what work we do, and take on more (or less) work as needed.

Life doesn't have to be expensive but some choices will always inevitably lead to restrictions and lots of extra costs. I don't think kids are worth the hassle and sacrifice but clearly most of the world disagrees with me

Our project manger in an NHS role is on £40k - of you can be arsed to do PRINCE2 I think you’d be able to do a similar role? (6 day course for £800 or so.)

I earn £19k in the NHS. DH earns £25k as a postman. We're in our early 40's, just paid off our mortgage. We have one cottage holiday a year, one holiday abroad and one weekend away. Teen DD. We manage just fine and always have even when we had childcare and the mortgage. We don't get any top ups from the government just the £80 child benefit that everyone gets.

I work in the NHS and we're stressed, short-staffed (one week, I worked over 70 hours to make up a shortfall), our pay isn't keeping up with inflation and we're blamed for everything, even stuff other sections are responsible for.

You've got a job which pays all your bills.

The term 'entry level' is an completely wrong term..a huge proportion of the country live on 20k type wages their entire working lives. Including large numbers of the essential workers who kept things going during the pandemic.

Carers, retail workers etc aren't ever going to earn much more regardless they don't employ just people in their 'first' job!

I think there’s a middle ground here - I work for a local authority in service transformation. It’s a mix of project management, business change and service design and I love it. I get to work with colleagues from right across the organisation and directly improve the way that people experience council services. I earn just over 40k which isn’t enough for the amount of responsibility but it’s not awful either. The majority of people I work with are hard working and want the best for people. I’m a mix of wfh and office working. Obviously I don’t get any financial ‘perks’ like medical insurance or bonuses, but I work four days a week and can guarantee that I can be there for the important stuff, like nativity plays and poorly kids. I am looking for a new role that pays more, but only because I’ve been doing it for six years now and I need a new challenge. The negatives (other than not getting a private sector wage) are that on the rare occasion somebody is performing badly or has a negative attitude, this is poorly managed. There aren’t many opportunities for promotion and talent management is poor. After a while the best people leave because they don’t get any recognition for what they do. But If you want to do something with a bit more meaning, I think it’s a great place to work. Maybe you could look for something like this?

I work for nhs part time, oh works full time, no benefits aside from child benefit, our combined income is under 3k per month. We are lucky in having no childcare costs and kids currently don't do any clubs. We manage and still able to put money in kids savings every month. I am a penny pincher though and v careful with our finances.

What a lovely post. And good on you and your husband. Cut your cloth to achieve the life you want. 👍

I agree with the above. I don't feel our kids miss out on anything, most surplus money goes on them. I rarely buy clothes for myself, haircut maybe once a year and no other beautifying treatments. We live in a lovely part of the UK so plenty of open space and things for the kids to do and we own our own small home. It is doable.

Hi you can absolutely make 60k in a job with purpose. Roles could be:
Bid Manager for a charity
Project Manager for an NGO
Policy analyst for a government department
50/50 your work. Become a freelance consultant do half your time on stuff that isn't fulfilling and half your time on stuff that does

Alternatively, consider the grass is not greener. That time your spending thinking about doing something meaningful will be swallowed up by financial stress.