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!

Yes but being ‘relative’ doesn’t really mean much in this context. Simon Cowell is poor in comparison to Jeff Bezos. Jeff Bezos is probably poor compared to the Saudi Royal family.

Isnt it just

OK, so my biggest regret is not looking after my career and earning capacity sooner. I was even in the fortunate position that DH did PT hours for childcare too.

As soon as you can change that situation as the older you get it just feels harder.

I'm not sure why you have posted this. You would know if you was struggling to do a food shop or buy clothes for your DC. Instead your comparing 700k houses a cinema room and botox. What a life......

Why are you even bothered about what others have?!

It only takes a quick google to see the MEAN household income in the UK is £32,000.

The poorest fifth of the UK is an average household income of £14,500.

The richest fifth of the UK is an average household income of £66,000.

So your blatantly among the richest.

(These are counted as after tax.)

@Mercurial123 no, it’s isn’t “insensitive” any more than it’s insensitive to post about a family income of less than say, £30k, because there will always be someone worse off than you. Are we really all in a race to the bottom and anyone who is perceived to have “more” is pilloried??

“Going to Turkey to get your teeth done” isn’t a sign of wealth. Being able to afford to get your teeth done in London, however, is surely a sign of being in the 1%.

We are a family of four earning much much less than you and even though we have no savings and find it hard at the end of the month I don’t consider myself ‘poor’ we have food on the table, a house to live in and are not cold at night! I know I’m lucky!

I earn one billion pounds an hour and feel very poor compared to my friends who have facelifts every Thursday

am I poor?

Here’s me worrying I won’t have the bus money to get to school this week! 😂🤦🏼‍♀️

I agree with @Barbiesback

Surely you'd know if you're struggling to buy food, heat the house, pay the water bill. If you're not worried about that then no, you're not poor in my opinion.

My household income is way less than yours but I have never thought of myself as poor. As long as we have a roof over our heads, clothes, food everyday, and we are able to heat our homes - I am happy.

OP, with the best will in the world, you're not even close to being poor or struggling.

Yes I know that folk in London and SE think that an income of less than £150k is impoverishment but you really aren't impoverished.

I remember this well. I'd walk an hour and a half each way to work as I couldn't scrape the 4.00 together for the bus. Whatever the weather, and it would mean often leaving at 4am for a 6.30 start in my old job. DH couldn't afford to run a car at the time.

It was thoroughly shit and quite frankly dangerous as a lone woman.

The OP is so tone deaf it is untrue.

This is probably worth a read for you: https://theconversation.com/wealthy-but-worried-why-the-uks-top-10-are-turning-their-backs-on-the-rest-of-society-213270

You're not 'poor' but if you're filling your life with keeping up with the Jones stuff then it's relative. It's not fair to think of yourself as poor because that's offensive and incorrect but maybe you're not as rich as DH friends due to inheritance or bonuses at work or something else.

Our household income is the same as yours Op and we are pretty comfortable, we don't save very much due to high outgoings but we're by no means poor. Bills are always paid, everyone is well fed, we have holidays and don't have to worry about the cost of Xmas.

There's a huge difference between "I wish we had more money, all our friends have so much more than us" (broadly understandable, being the least wealthy in a social group can feel tough) and the faux naivety of asking "are we poor "? When your husband earns £70k

(NB I earn around that amount, so I fully understand op won't be dripping in diamonds, but I also can't even begin to imagine thinking we were poor)

I haven't RTFT, I honestly don't think I need to. I just can't believe how bloody tone deaf some people are. It's astounding. I'd imagine this is a deliberately goady post because I can't believe anyone being so out of touch to think a household income of £70k+ is "poor".

Quite obviously your household income is well above average so if you think your income is poor or average you are probably somewhat lacking in basic intelligence.
Intellectually poor perhaps, and definitely insensitive.

Not even a household income of 70k. OP earns about 13k on top so 83k household income

I think you are a bit thick if you need to ask the question .

Presumably you are too wealthy to even qualify for child benefit?

You are massively above average. These threads genuinely disgust me that these privileged ignorant people so shelter themselves from the reality of life of most of the country that they genuinely think they are ‘average’ or poor.

Get your head out of your hair salon, read up a bit about the reality of life in Britain, and get a bit of appreciation for your life. You’ll feel better for it.

@Buildingthefuture OP isn't poor. Why is she asking if she is poor? She knows she is not. Sheer attention seeking.

Definitely not poor. By any standard. Same income as family and split, so I SORT of understand what you're asking. I think....but you're not poor or average. I think you mean you don't spend typically "high status" things.

I think the question is do you want these things?

It's not always about earning power, but your spending and lifestyle priority.

I'm quite happy to not have flash spending priority. It's bloody dull and frivolous trying to keep up with Jones's!