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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you have a wage/income that would shock people?

796 replies

Newmumatlast · 27/02/2023 20:40

Inspired by the tipping hairdresser thread, and a post on there about people having no idea what some people earn with an anecdote about a London cabbie earning twice what his nurse wife did.

I just wondered if anyone does a job where people would actually be shocked to know their true earnings based on stereotype- either way. For example cleaner earning loads or lawyer earning very little.

OP posts:
Pleasebeafleabite · 28/02/2023 14:49

LookingOldTheseDays · 28/02/2023 11:36

In my entire adult life, I don't think any of my friends or family has ever sent me a link to a job. The closest I've come is people that I know through work telling me that a certain employer in the industry is recruiting at the moment, or something like that. I find it fascinating that this seems to be a common thing!

Ditto having conversations with people making assumptions about what I earn.

I think maybe half of these are what the poster would like other people to have asked them (they’ve enjoyed this scenario in their head) and the other half are just a general humble brag.

Inhouselaw · 28/02/2023 14:50

sydneysunset · 28/02/2023 14:39

Partners are on more than £1m.

They are a non-equity partner & on less than £150k

Even non-equity would be on more than 300k I’d think. 150k is not possible! My in-house friends (experienced corporate lawyers) earn more than that

Fansandblankets · 28/02/2023 14:52

Switchwitch · 27/02/2023 21:41

Presumably this has more longevity though. My in-laws are tradespeople and they all suffer from physical issues (bad backs, knees, even lung problems from asbestos exposure) and end up having to either hobble in pain to maintain an income or the savvy ones have moved into management

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Yep my husband is a carpenter by trade. He earned a lot of money when he was in his early 20’s refitting boats and pubs. His knees are shot though and he has asbestosis. My dad was a sparky, he also has asbestosis.

Wordsmith · 28/02/2023 14:53

pippinsleftleg · 28/02/2023 10:57

Do you mind me asking what kind of writing you do?

I did some freelance copy writing years ago but stopped as I needed the security of a full time job. I’m in a position now where I can pick it up again but not sure where to start.

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I'm a freelance copywriter working with agencies and direct clients.

Watchinglionking · 28/02/2023 14:55

Inhouselaw · 28/02/2023 14:50

Even non-equity would be on more than 300k I’d think. 150k is not possible! My in-house friends (experienced corporate lawyers) earn more than that

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Totally agree.

Bagatella · 28/02/2023 14:56

Eastmeetswest1 · 27/02/2023 21:57

Most people think I’m a SAHM to 4 children and am around for my elderly parents.

In reality, I work once the children are asleep / early mornings before they are up / any free time round the their activities and now earn more than my husband who gets to go to his job Mon - Fri 9 - 5 (some flexibility). I could count the number of people on one hand that know I have my own co.

Can I ask what you do?

Fansandblankets · 28/02/2023 14:56

Watchinglionking · 28/02/2023 09:26

@Widowtoaworkaholic are you outside of London? What area of law do you practise?

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That’s bonkers. I earned £17,000 as a legal secretary 30 years ago!

Trentgirl · 28/02/2023 14:56

SproutsAndBaubles · 28/02/2023 09:26

Also work for big publishers. I will DM you.

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@SproutsAndBaubles I would also be interested in good publishers to approach for nonfiction if you have time for another DM. I usually do better than £20/hr but haven’t yet hit CIEP suggested minimums for publisher work. Thank you!

LittleLIDL · 28/02/2023 14:57

I can actually believe this about Law MC salaried partners. Let me guess, are you a woman? You should be on twice that, and I bet all your male colleagues are.

My father was a career diplomat and the highest he ever earned was £132k. There were a lot of perks for us when living in a fancy High Commission, but it was a horrible bump back down to earth when he retired.

I work around 20 hours a week in brand and communications strategy consulting to the food industry and average £200k pa. I have school friends who are KCs and MPs, partners in law and accounting firms, hospital consultants etc and I’m sure they think it’s just a little low-grade part-time hobby job because I have no fancy letters appended to my name.

pippinsleftleg · 28/02/2023 14:58

Watchinglionking · 28/02/2023 14:55

Totally agree.

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Thank you

ibunofit · 28/02/2023 14:59

Orangetapemeasure · 27/02/2023 21:27

DB is a butcher and earns £100k

Ok, that one did surprise me!

speakout · 28/02/2023 15:01

CattySam · 28/02/2023 14:48

I am a Librarian & DP is in IT. Same employer.

Everyone (outside of work) assumes that he’s the breadwinner when in reality I run a university library and am on 59k and he works on an IT help desk and earns 28k.

It is difficult to correct people IRL without feeling bad for DH. Who is wonderful and does more than his fair share of everything else to make up for the pay difference. He’s also had some MH issues which have affected his career projectory so I don’t bang on about it. People’s assumptions piss me off no end though!

I have a similar situation. my OH works full time ( IT security), neighbours would see me making several trips a day, in gym gear, yoga mat under my arm, walking in the woods, gardening, coming back from shopping etc.
In reality I earn more than him.

Original poster
Newmumatlast · 28/02/2023 15:01

DepartmentOfMysteries · 27/02/2023 21:58

I've been a doctor for nearly 3 years and earn less than £24,000. I have to pay indemnity, professional registration fees, exam fees, parking charges etc out of this as well. I am part time, but not significantly less than what many would consider full time, at about 33h a week, including weekends and evenings.
It has surprised me a lot how much many tradespeople charge as an hourly rate. Some of them charge over 10x my hourly rate, plus materials.

It's criminal that are paid so little imo

OP posts:
Barelyable · 28/02/2023 15:04

I'm on software sales and earn around £200k inc commission (50/50 split) and none of my friends would have a clue. I think they think I sell PC's in PC world and not multi million $ solutions to the Government!

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 28/02/2023 15:04

Boxe · 27/02/2023 21:44

We have a household income of just over £300k. I think people would be shocked because we don’t really tell people what jobs we do and, if we did, I don’t think they’d entirely link them to salaries.

Intrigued!

Which sector?

Original poster
Newmumatlast · 28/02/2023 15:07

todaystoday · 27/02/2023 22:37

I don’t really want to say my job title.
But I look very young, single mum, work 3 days a week and have young children.

My very small business (I’m the only employee) turned over £280k last year and I made about £150k profit.

not wanting to say your job title makes me think OF but whether it is or not (no judgment at all here) that's really fantastic - well done you!

OP posts:
Bansheed · 28/02/2023 15:14

Watchinglionking · 28/02/2023 14:41

Really? I'm a fairly senior associate at a non magic circle law firm and get paid £150k. That can't be right. Associates of approx 4 years' PQE at magic circle firms would be earning 150k.

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Yup. My non equity partner mates are on around alot more than that

pippinsleftleg · 28/02/2023 15:15

Wordsmith · 28/02/2023 14:53

I'm a freelance copywriter working with agencies and direct clients.

Show quote history

Thank you

Bagatella · 28/02/2023 15:21

pollykitty · 28/02/2023 08:46

I don't know if it would shock people but I'm a freelance writer and I get the impression that people think I earn about 20K/year. That I do it just to get a bit more income in, to supplement my husband's salary. We live in a small house and have an unremarkable car and never do anything really exhorbitant. The truth is I earn about 5x that, it stays in the bank and my husband and I are planning our retirement.

Can I ask how you got started?

Ritualofayurveda · 28/02/2023 15:21

"Junior" doctor, graduated 9 years ago, 40k.

LittleLIDL · 28/02/2023 15:24

I’m really shocked seeing how little the doctors earn.

Bagatella · 28/02/2023 15:28

Plenanna · 28/02/2023 10:31

I was a university lecturer on £15 an hour. Preparation and marking were unpaid, so that doubled my hours, which meant I was getting paid £7.50 an hour. And it was term time only, no paid holidays, no sick pay etc.

I did it because I loved my subject and I was hoping the hourly paid work would give me a foot in the door to get a permanent job which would pay about 30k. But the universities weren’t keen to hire more permanent staff and pay them 30k - they preferred to hire more staff for £7.50 an hour. In fact they were making permanent staff redundant and replacing them with hourly paid staff because it was cheaper!

Eventually the hourly paid staff will give up trying and get jobs elsewhere, but there are always new recruits who still hope to get a permanent job. And this is how higher education is staffed. Young people are paying £9k a year to be taught by people who are being paid £7.50 an hour.

This is me. Post grad qualifications and paid less than a school leaver. Incidentally, I teach healthcare professionals

Notellinganyone · 28/02/2023 15:28

Orangeis · 27/02/2023 21:33

I'm a nurse earning 50k and living somewhere very cheap, so I live well. I'm always a bit bewildered when people give off pitying vibes that I must be on the breadline.

I’m a teacher and ditto!

manateeandcake · 28/02/2023 15:29

I'm a psychotherapist in private practice, and I think some patients and friends/relatives who know my hourly rate think I earn a lot more than I do. Overheads are high (consulting room rent, utilities, professional registrations, insurance, CPD, supervision etc) and I personally can't do more than around 20 clinical hours a week without getting burned out. Plus, I see a small number of people on a reduced fee based on what they can afford -- but I need to be careful about this or I would end up feeling resentful.

I also work in an NHS psychotherapy service a few hours a week as an "honorary" - ie unpaid. I do it because it's a fantastic learning experience, I get to work with patients I wouldn't see in private practice, and I believe people should have access to good quality longer term therapy regardless of whether they can pay or not. But I'm not sure I'll be able to give up that unpaid time indefinitely.

Bagatella · 28/02/2023 15:29

YourApplePie · 28/02/2023 10:32

I'm a part-time writer and content creator. I'm the main earner in our family but everyone assumes it's DP and his FT tech job.

Can you please tell me how you got started ? Very disgruntled FE teacher ...

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