Why do you think mumsnet has a more wealthy user base than average or do you think it’s full of bullshitters?

[Lurkinginthedarkness]

I’ve been reading mumsnet threads regularly for a while now and have noticed the userbase seems to be far wealthy than the general population, based on the income threads and also other little things that give that feel.
Obviously I’m not saying I think everyone is wealthier than average on here I’m personally a broke loser and I’m sure there’s others like me, but I’ve been blown away by the sheer amount of people saying they earn 60, 70, 80 or even 100k like it’s average.

I personally don’t think it’s full of bullshitters as there are other hints like the fact the spelling and grammar used on here is typically far superior to other sites like facebook and obviously you’re unlucky to have a brilliant job if you’re SPAG isn’t spot on.

Anyway I like mumsnet and have nothing against people being better off than me I’m just musing what do you think it is about mumsnet that attracts more wealthier people typically?

This is Mumsnet! A place where I saw a poster correct someone’s grammar on her post describing being the victim of severe domestic violence. People will start an argument about literally anything on here. If anyone was shocked that £500 was a lot for a skirt, 100% it would have been pointed out. Just goes to show the type of people that are on here

Agreed. From my experience on here in the last 10 years or so I’d say the average age is early 50s. I’m late 30s so it’s not cos I’m only looking on menopause/kids at uni etc posts that may only attract that age group. It’s throughout the whole site, although there are lots in their late 30s and 40s too. Rare to find anyone under 30 on here though

I think that many posters are in the South and are highly paid. I’m one of them, yet at just under £100k I’m no where near the top. I used to be £250k, but I hated that job…

I’m very well educated and write really well. Unfortunately, I earn next to fuck all, so Mumsnet makes me feel like a massive loser.

It does seem more like nansnet then mumsnet sometimes I’m genuinely surprised when I come across someone younger than me on here. I’m in my 20s but I discovered mumsnet in my 10s.

Just to make it clear I’ve got nothing against older people using it it’s just an observation

I have a shit job too I take what I read on here with a pinch of salt though not because I think people are lying but because it definitely dosent reflect the country in general. But then that got me wondering how mumsnet came to be this way and how it attracted certain people

A bit of both

I know when I joined a FB group of a smallish group Mumsnetters I was surprised at the gulf between how some of them presented on here and then actual reality of their lives....

Speaking in very general terms people who are wealthier generally have more time for small anxieties and that's what Mumsnet thrives on. Is my child having too much screen time? Which school should I choose? What should I feed my toddler? What should I buy for Christmas? Someone has parked on my drive what should I do? My child can't walk/talk/speak Mandarin yet are they ND? Etc etc.

Netmums doesn't have a private education board?

I think it skews towards lower income like most online forums and discussion boards. The “everyone on MN is wealthy” trope is just as silly and inaccurate as the “competitive undereater” trope. There are endless threads and posts about poverty and overeating that demonstrate this.

There are lots of people on here with terrible spelling and grammar. Haven't you seen the number of "should of/could of/ alot/abit" posts, confusion between their/ there/they're, use of "ect" instead of "etc."? Its all over the site.

I think there are plenty of lower income people on here given the number of people talking about how it's hard to budget, talking about their benefits etc.

I don't think there are that many bullshitters when it comes to salary. What would be the point? My son and DiL, my nieces and nephews and their friends are in the age range of late twenties to early thirties, a couple are London based but most are not. They are all graduates and in managerial and professional careers. That generation seems to be much more open about salary and they all earn around 65 to100k from what I hear. So to them those salaries are perfectly normal for the circles they move in.

There are people on here who make small grammatical errors, I’m probably one of them, but compared to other sites like facebook it’s night and day there’s no denying it, a lot of people over there are barely able to string a sentence together. I haven’t seen too many low income threads on here the ones I do see struggling say they’re on like 50 or 60k which is still above average like almost double average I think. While on facebook when someone pleads poverty they have lost their job and live in a bedsit.

I agree I don’t think people are bullshitting it would appear there are just more high earners on mumsnet

Maybe it depends what threads you end up seeing but I would say personally I notice/see lots of people at both ends of the spectrum but not many in the middle. There are threads about private schools and there are also threads about being on UC and struggling, debt etc.

There are people on here who make small grammatical errors, I’m probably one of them

I think a lot of posters lack basic comprehension skills so I question the highly educated label.

I'm highly educated, I have 2 degrees. My SPAG is good, knowledge wise, however I read back what I've written sometimes and notice I've written the wrong 'their' or 'to' or 'wear'.

It's age, I never could understand why my dad's emails started to look all badly spelt and now I know. Know I no. I'm writing words phonetically and don't know why.

I noticed it earlier on a post I'd written yesterday, I wrote to, instead of too. I know the difference. That's just how it came out and I didn't notice.

I don't think writing on a forum is much of an indication about someone's education or intelligence or knowledge.

@Bundleflower I dont see why it’s toast to start a thread. I think its much harder for young people so they have less choices than I have.

So many posts about affluent London boroughs and posh private schools.

I think there are fewer London posts now & there is a lack of school posts when you consider the supposed cohort. I think the users are older and maybe younger users don’t use it much. There isn’t really anywhere else to discuss private schools tbh.

@likelysuspect I don’t think you need an excellent grasp of SPAG to comprehend a post though.

I tend to assume that some users post using the app and dictate their posts. Predictive text makes truly awful errors.

Not bullshitters

I remember a post where a lady had been out all day and only had a few pounds on her. She really wanted a hot chocolate but decided instead decided buy a bar of chocolate and a jar of hot chocolate so she could have one at home everyday for a couple of weeks.

I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t be able to buy themselves a drink out whenever they want.

I think we notice what seems unusual. I am always surprised how often people casually mention qualifying for certain benefits, especially when women are divorcing. I doubt those posts are actually happening that often, but I notice them because that is not my lived reality where all the women have professional jobs and can easily support a household.

Its always been London centric and many aspects of it appeal to a london professional audience, simultaneously being offputting to other groups, e.g.

1. open critique of spelling, grammar and writing style that put off less educated users
2. a culture whereby it is expected or encouraged that users opine bluntly on life choices of others, which is perceived as unsupportive and deters many less well off people who may have made mistakes along the way
3. the fact that people in manual or lower paid occupations sometimes face prohibitions on having phones out during working hours
4. the fact that many users regularly name change, giving the impression of a huge pool of high earners when the same people will post on many threads under different names

People don't realise - there are hundreds of thousands of people in London/south east earning over 100k. I live in a naice commuter belt village and most of my social circle have household incomes well over £200k.

This!! The pupil premium report at my kids school makes it clear from the number that there are less than 5 kids in the whole school qualifying for FSM. I was on the committee for a local pre-school and helped with the financial reports and budgeting, very few of the kids qualified for the full 30 hours funded childcare or tax free childcare, most had at least one parent earning 100k so only qualified for 15 hours and no tax free childcare.

That's really interesting. Richer, thinner, poorer, fatter, older, younger?

I mentioned on another thread, and have before on others anyway, this concept of 'just earn more'

Even worse, just move

Just get another job

People's lives are just not like that.

@likelysuspect but loads of posters like to be contrary so they say shit like that even though they know its unrealistic.