Are we classed as "poor" or average

[FutureMrsBourne]

Sorry I couldn't think of a better word.
DH earns around £70k.
I only earn £12ph and work 3 days a week as we have 2 children under 5.
Most of my friends are on slightly more than me an hour but not massively, have maybe slightly nicer but similar houses, only really get their hair done in terms of beauty.. but most of DH's friends partners earn £50+.. have big houses with cinema rooms, bars.. have regular Botox, lip fillers etc.
we live in a 3 bed and semi and have saved since 2018 for a new kitchen.
Are we poor.. or average? I feel such a failure compared to DH's friends wives and I worked bloody hard for my qualifications that are rubbish pay!

Is this a joke?

if you are paying for childcare you could feel poor. Even with some free hours the cost of childcare, especially in the London area,is horrific

Our house hold income is £60k and we are very comfortable ..... but of course that's not providing any context. You might struggle on 60k you might not. Depends on your situation

😂😂😂

I am too busy attending to my own grass to notice if anyone elses is greener.

😂😂😂

One couple both went to turkey to get their teeth done

Lol, they'll rue the day they did this.

We were "poor" when DS was a baby. DH was on 11k a year full time after tax, I earned £200 a month on part time wages, and we had about 5k a year with tax credits and child benefit. Around £18,500 a year in total for a family of 3.

We worked our arses off to get out of that situation and for someone who's spouse earns more than our joint income (around 55k after tax) to class themselves as poor is, quite frankly, insulting to those who actually are (or have been).

@Waferbiscuit

OP says she does 3 days per week. Hardly tiny, is it.

This one for the UK make you happier? The global one helps people like the OP put it in to comparison in their mind at how lucky they actually are.

You are maybe less well off in your circle of friends. Happens all the time.

OP this thread just isn't going to go well for you......
In a cost of living crisis, where people are panicking about how they are going to pay their winter fuel bills, afford their increased mortgage repayments due to the hike in interest rates, and struggle to pay for the weekly food shop because the cost of food has increased, asking if you're 'poor or average' when your household income is £70,000 PLUS the extra money that you earn each year on top of that (even at £12 an hour, over an entire year this is going to push the annual joint income much higher than £70,000), you are being naive at best and horrendously offensive and insensitive towards others at worst.
Do yourself a favour: Never compare yourself to others.

If I had my time again, I'd stay in my 3bed 2 bath semi and never move. Instead I've wasted £000's on tax, fees, moving and for what? A mortgage at the age of 57yo in the middle of a financial crisis.
Stop worrying what others have got. Focus on what you have, buy only what you need and enjoy your life.

Your friends have more money then you but they're not rich, poor sods had to go to Turkey to get their teeth done and can't afford to get their botox in a proper clinic.

But on a more serious note... you're not poor and you're not average, you're above average so stop whinging!

Are you for real? You are well off. Think maybe you need to read the papers a bit, do some research, if your social circle is so narrow that you don't know anyone that works closer to average. And to get an average A LOT of people have to earn below the average.

Well that's water under the bridge. You have the kids - you can still work on progressing in a career. Do it now before you get older.

I wouldn't go to Turkey to get my nails done let alone anything more invasive!! - that couple is insane. Botox - wise up!! At least your face will still move and not look full of plastic.

Of course you have a great income. It's down to you if you want it to be more. Think ahead to your pension. Or what would happen if you and your DH were to separate?

And do something about it, because if you feel "useless" now, imagine how you will feel in the future?

Good luck.

I’m so sorry for your desperate situation. Thoughts and prayers…

@OhhhhhhhhBiscuits You've used an estimate of the OPs gross household income, not net. But your point does stand. Net I estimated £61,500 when accounting for tax and NI. Still puts them around 71% - clearly well above average.

I guess their actual spending power will feel very different depending on their exact circumstances. Eg. Expensive childcare, large mortgage etc.

But certainly well above average.

Poor is a subjective term.

Depends on your mortgage - if you're free then, no, you're not 'poor'. If you're paying 2k a month mortgage then I can see that you'd feel you were just getting by/average.

is this a piss take?

It's all relative I think you are rich!!! But we are on about 25k as a family of four lol

Are you like one of those people who say they’re poor because they’re down to their last million? Unless you are incredibly dense you know perfectly well £70k plus whatever you earn does not make you poor. You’re not even average, as well you know.

Destitute, certainly with a mindset that places value on having hairdo's and Botox as a mark of success. How utterly depressing.

You are well off. 70k is huge. Before tax we have household income 35k for two adults and 2 dcs aged 10-15. We are not poor. There are people with no food in the cupboard, no coins for the meter, no shoes for the kids, no sanitary products for dds. How can anyone think 70k plus a smaller wage on top is anything other than very fortunate?!