AIBU to feel deflated after payday despite a decent salary?

[Wtfisisfor]

Do you ever just get paid and think seriously is this it… I got paid this morning 3100 was put into my account, I transferred 1400 to the joint for bills and household expenses. And I’m left with the rest, but when I look at it, I just think, is this it? Anyone else? Just feeling a bit defeated today! I know to some people this is a lot of money. But these days it really doesn’t feel like it. Come and join for a moan

I didn’t suggest they were covering anything. They shouldn’t be chipping in towards it.
By the time you reach £100,000 a year, I think it’s safe to say you can pay for yourself.
And cover the services which you use, which actually youre not doing at 100,000 either.

What are you on about? There is no contempt! People are just stating that if they are paying £30k per annum in tax, then it is unreasonable to withdraw childcare support? Essential services come at all types of salary ranges!? Crikey. This is all very short sighted. Saying the tax system is unreasonably punative is not the same as having contempt.

So what number do you think you need to earn before you can stand on your own 2 feet and not rely on the state?
What’s acceptable?

My husband was a key worker. As was I. I don't think you really know what your on about and have got yourself whipped up.

£100k after tax, NI and student loan is just shy of £5,000 a month. £60k a year.

30 free hours + tax free childcare can be worth £15k. Plus child benefit at ~ £3k = £18k in support.

If you earn £62k less tax, NI and student loan you take home £42k a year. Add your £18k of childcare and child benefit and… your ‘take home’ is exactly the same as the £100k earner…

Do you think that is right?

Oh god, you lot 🤣 getting 2k for childcare when you pay 30k on tax is hardly not standing on your own feet. I think childcare should be universally supported to enable all people to better themselves and earn and be independent. It would see many more people pushing to earn more and up skill.

It isn’t fair to make people pay for everything twice however much they have - once in the pot for everyone else but also once out of your own pocket for you. If high earners choose to do that then that is up to them but you shouldn’t be forced to.

I know exactly what I’m “on about” and appear to be more rational than you. You might want to think about what I’ve actually said instead of leaping on the defensive.

Defensive. Big leap again. Point out the flaws in your logic doesn't equal defensive.

But you haven’t pointed out any flaws. This might be a remotely interesting discussion if you had.

I couldn’t agree with this more. The roles of lower paid people are valuable to society. Tax is one contribution, but labour is another. We need people to stack supermarket shelves, look after the children of working parents, support people with learning disabilities, provide personal care to the elderly and collect rubbish. It is not only people on high or middle incomes that are making a valuable contribution.

By contrast -
£1700 total (ball park, sometimes I do overtime) and is approximate to what I spend each value you posted on.

£700 - rent and utilities
£150 - council tax and water
£250 - food & groceries
£60 - dogs (food, insurance, general care)
£100 - TV licence, subscriptions, internet, phone (pay dd's phone an subscription while she's at uni)
£300 - car insurance, tax, fuel, repairs/sundries
£140 'left' - towards debt accrued from illness last year, things like prescriptions, extra fuel and parking when I need to travel to hospital appointments, send some to DD at uni, other items that always crop up like having to buy a new recycling bin because some scrote nicked mine because I was working bin day and couldn't get it straight in, getting grass cut and windows cleaned because I can't manage to do them.

Last dentist appointment I borrowed the money from my mum as I needed an extraction and couldn't get in with any NHS dentist, no yoga or equivalent (though I'm not sure my hips would allow it!) but I do do daily exercises from the (NHS) physio for the hip & back problems I have. Holiday is usually a few days in London staying with family for free, train fare is either from round up account or a birthday/Christmas present from family.

And by contrast I actually feel like I am living if not the high life, then a decent one where I can run a car, look after my animals, pay someone to wash my windows and cut my grass so I've got a decent environment to live in and support my DD a little bit (of course she comes home, uses all my electric and gas and eats all my food 🤣) have tv subscriptions and decent internet access.

I work as a care assistant with someone who has complex needs and profound disabilities, I've got qualifications and a wealth of experience and I do feel that I should (as should all care workers) be paid more, but I do also feel that what I do earn should go further, I'd be screwed if my car gave up the ghost, so I do get the deflated feeling of working and putting in the effort to then have very little at the end of it for 'yourself', and I do think it's all relative, I'm not earning what I do and expecting to live an extravagant life, but it would be nice to have the scope to create more of a buffer, go out for lunch somewhere nice rather than a homemade sandwich in the park while walking the dog, or go to the cinema now and again.
I also pay nearly a weeks wage in stoppages, some of that is my pension, which if everything stays the same will probably bring in about £50 a week if I'm lucky.

It's all relative, what I pay in tax & NI would make as much of a difference to my lifestyle as someone who's paying - but earning - a lot more than me. However it's the cheapest option for me, my DD used state schooling and college to get herself to uni, I have needed investigations and treatment on the NHS that's kept me healthy enough to keep working, no way on what I earn could I afford the private costs of those things.

She maxed out her pension she said.

Why is actually wanting to be able to enjoy life’s small luxuries “being greedy”?

Blimey, I think you're doing really well after all bills are paid! You can save £700 and have £1000 to spend, well done you. What do you think would be a good amount left after your bills are paid?

My DP works long, stressful hours in a role that is essential for society. He doesn’t earn 50k gross never mind 100k. We aren’t badly off. When people are taking home much, much higher net incomes it is difficult to see why they feel defeated and deflated. Being able to spend time with family, save, go on holidays etc. are good things.

It is INSANE that this threshold as not been looked at again in 17 years!

OP is able go enjoy life’s small luxuries and a great deal more.

I think sometimes people can’t see what they have or don’t value it.

Yes, I think the value of the work done that supports society is completely ignored by some, and undervalued by society in general, because it doesn't pay a lot, therefore doesn't generate a lot of tax income, and there seems to be a belief that the only worthwhile contribution is financial.

You said that there was contempt for essential workers. I've highlighted that it is possible to be an essential worker and high earner. You used really emotive language like sickening to describe a viewpoint that has not been expressed on this thread. I've explained that stating the tax system is punative is not the same as contempt for those in lower paid roles. You don't want to understand another side of the argument and that is absolutely your perogative. But their is no balance in your points made.

Each pay day im left with about 70 left over . Each penny is assigned somewhere ,tons of savings pots and various things for the children house ,car tax, flowers!
By 9am I'm down to 70

Nowhere on this thread has lower paid work been devalued. At all. In any sense. But as ever what has been completely devalued is that OP and others like this have perhaps invested a lot more to reach the point in life they have achieved. As per a previous poster, where is the accountability? It's okay to tear people down for feeling deflated at the situation they find themselves in. But only if they're high earners it seems.

Re lower workers we desperately need the lower thresholds raised

Where have I torn down the OP?! Or devalued them? My previous post explains my situation as the OP did theirs and empathises with the deflated feeling!

And accountability for what exactly? What am I supposed to be accountable for?

Watch that high horse of yours doesn't buck you off!!