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?

The ones I always think are bullshitters are the "i get paid loads for hardly doing anthing" " I earn £60k for about 10 mins work a day" brigade. Or at least I hope they are.

Really, what a bubble you seem to live in

Hospital porters, care workers, delivery drivers, supermarket workers many many more jobs pay minimum wage and that was what people do as jobs and careers. (someone is going to get pedantic about the word career now)

I’m not sure what you mean. Did you mean to tag me?

It's unlikely for a child to get all 9s without heavily invested parents. Not impossibly, but statistically unlikely.

Invested parents, mums predominantly, will look for info related to kids education and speak to other parents, in many cases it's not possible to be open with other class parents, so MN is a really good platform for such communication, I don't see why it's surprising to see these parents here.

As PPs posted, SPAG and quality of conversation here is very different to other SM means it attracts better educated audience. Better education statistically means being smarter and statistically leads to higher income. To stress - I'm talking statistically, not anecdata.

These aren't careers or anything I aspire to do for my entire life.

Some bullshitters probably, just because it’s the internet, but I doubt it’s as many as some may think.

Mumsnet was created by wealthy, London-based, highly educated, upper middle/middle class women, and primarily catered and appealed to the same. Netmums was the, for want of a better term, working class alternative.

Mumsnet has grown, and as a result has attracted a more diverse user, but it is still a site that attracts large numbers of its original demographic.

@Bundleflower are you not poster who said it was goady as hell to start a thread about 100k not going as far?

Toast is meant to be goady but my phone auto corrected!

Well it's lucky for you that others have to do those jobs isn't it?

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of times the words "middle class" are written on mn 😂😅
You are all obsessed with those words, why? Just why?
I don't think there are many of us Scots who use those words regularly, are there?

They are what many people do for their entire life. Good solid honest work.

I take it you're happy to be wheeled round the hospital by the porter though, and have a cleaner perhaps, and use supermarkets and the staff therein?

Another thing that seems to shock people purple, is

• houses with downstairs bathrooms
• concept of a family home that can be had for 2 people on NMW, which it can in many areas of this country
• siblings sharing bedrooms!

"Downstairs bathrooms?" clutches pearls.

MN skews better educated than most social media, and its threads are more varied. It astonishes me what people here know about quite oddball topics, and the range of opinions and advice on everything from politics to pheasant plucking.

I just quickly put 500000 into a pension website and it suggests that would give you 20000 a year (of course with lots of variables but just as an estimate). it’s very fortunate to have a private pension but there’s also quite a few compromises to be made to live on that income so I don’t think it’s wild that people question it. I think people often spend a lot of time with others who have similar lifestyles and money isn’t often discussed so it can be jarring to see it online. Personally, I’m more likely to be honest here and downplay my financial status amongst friends.

And then there are nosey old farts like me who've been there, seen it, done it, maybe saved a bit and are here for a window into Other Peoples' Lives.
And maybe advice, as relationships are tricky things.

We may be relics from 10 years ago when our kids were still kids.

We are probably skewing the data.

Honesty I suppose

There isnt a society or country in the world that doesnt have some sort of system of (what we call) class, status, wealth, hierarchy, 'better or worse' type of narrative.

Any country that is apparently classless, is absolutely class bound in the same way everywhere esle is. But they simply deny it or have another word for it.

The US and Australia spring to mind.

Maybe the more affluent (ditto retired) women have more time to post on whatever currently occupies their mind? There are quite a few threads on etiquette, or unpicking some trivial incident. Whereas the less eloquent posts are often dealing with a traumatic situation.

Re bullshitters, I was on a thread about pension savings and was asked what I reckoned I could set aside each year. The ridiculous amount I came out with would have made sense if I never ate or paid tax, but I wasn't trying to impress anyone - just genuinely a complete wanker when it comes to understanding and planning finances 🤦🏻‍♀️🤡

Many posters do seem to be in the southeast - how often do you see a slightly crowing "Well that would buy you NOTHING in London!" 🫣

Well 500k invested well at the moment would probaby yield about 30k, pre tax so Im not sure thats right

And unlike someone above, I view 30k as completely reasonable to live on

What with my downstairs bathroom and everything

I know it's decent work. Especially the hospital porter. But I just get confused why people seek out to do this and make this their entire working life? What happened at school?

Even then aren't there many people who aren't academic, do something "practical" and become really good at it and make a decent living out of it?

I see “middle” class used online to describe private school and pony lessons in the same way an incel will post a photo of a drop dead gorgeous woman saying “mid”.

A very skewed perception of what’s normal

"Well that would buy you NOTHING in London!

But again that’s often BS as there are places in London where you can buy a house for under 1m and they aren’t shit holes.

People confuse upper middle class with middle class.

Yes, but why is it relevant to your existence to bloody mention it all the time. Irl you don't intruduce yourself as "hi i'm Ophelia and just so you know i'm middle class" do you? 😁
So why, oh why is it so important, specifically on this site? What does it add to the plight/quandry of the poster?

When I wrote you/your it was not aimed at you personally 😁

This was my first thought too. Been on Mumsnet nearly two decades and originally it was set up as quite an NCT middle class mums site. With scorn poured on the nethuns group. Lentils Vs chicken nugs.

Even the user interface was/is a bit more Guardian newspaper compared to Take A Break mag.

I do find it interesting and eye opening as I live in a poor Northern area and live on a very small budget.

Someone might not seek it, what do you mean 'what happened at school', do you understand averages and means?

Not everyone will or should (Ive got an issue about this for another time) go to university, either they're not suited academically or its a complete waste of time in terms of what job and what wage they can earn

We're all for 'getting the unemployed back into work' without understanding that some people can manage or only want to manage that type of work and if that isnt around they're not going to be able to work.

In other countries hospitality is much more valued, people take pride in their jobs and the jobs of others. Here we are having a discussion becuase you're incredulous that someone can only, or seeks only, or will only do a portering or care job for their lives. Whats wrong with that exactly?