AIBU to think many Mumsnet posters seem to be high earners?

[Jane143]

AIBU to think that the majority of people on MN seem to be high earners? As a guide, income over £60k? Most people I know in real life earn closer to average wage which I think is around £35k

Well they say they are but it could feasibly be bullshit

Likely bull crap

I think there’s a broad range of posters on Mumsnet. A lot of the posters appear to be living in London and the South East were opportunities and salaries are higher.

Im 39 and earn around 80k but wouldn’t class myself as a high earner (Midlands).

Some, of course, will be high earners. The same as some will be low earners, or not earning at all.

I don’t see many high earners. And the ones who out themselves get raked over the coals for being too middle class.

Average is about £38k, but yes, Mumsnet definitely skews richer. The only place you see people furiously denying that they're high earners on £70k and insisting that they're just "middle class" people struggling to afford a middle-class lifestyle with a household income of £150k and stuff like that. It's the worst thing about the site, for me.

I think it depends what threads you spend time on really. I would say I see far more posters who say they are on a very low income/no savings/debt rather than claiming to be higher earners.

Seems to be that way!

I'm on benefits if that helps. 😅

Why though? It is true anyone can say anything on here, but I don't see why it would be out of the ordinary for lots of posters to be high earners.

Well… I’m a high earner (6 figures) and so are most of the people I know IRL. When I read MN I feel like everybody is on UC.
Perspective, I guess.

MN originally started as a patenting site for middle class Londoners. I'd say it still has a skew towards that, even though it's expanded and diversified since its inception.

Not me, since I retired. I do ok, but obviously my income is considerably less these days. We also have DH’s pensions and house is owned outright. It could be worse.

Same here

There's a current thread about MP's earnings in which several posters said they wouldn't take the pay cut to become an MP (apparently they earn £98,599 plus expenses). One poster said they were on £400,000.

It does seem skewed as most people earn far, far less than MPs.

Many pretend to be high earners. The same people who lurk on s&b and pretend they’re at the h ight of fashion and look amazing every day and everything anyone else wears is dated. They’re always teeny tiny, eat a huuugggeee salad for each meal etc .

There’s clearly a core of Mumsnet users who use it to live the life they want to live.

As you say, perspective. I certainly don't feel that everyone on MN is on UC. I understand that there will be a mixture of posters, who will fit into different economic groups.

Interesting that you don't consider that high when it's more than double the average.

Maybe the algorithm on what we get on our feed is skewed? I very rarely see anything about UC but see lots about people on huge salaries. Someone recently was talking about buying an average car for £60,000. I would say that’s out of reach of most people nowadays unless on a payment plan where you never actually own the car.

I agree. I’d class that as a high salary. Especially when you consider it’s in the higher tax bracket

Yeah and all the time in the world to post on internet forums seemingly.

Mumsnet does skew richer. And I don’t think it’s all bullshit because there are other clues posters unknowingly give away that aren’t “hey everyone I earn 100k”.

I cant imagine any job where someone would be worth £400,000! Even a top surgeon is surely on much less?

Yes that’s the other thing that puzzles me. How they have time for MN while busy earning £100k plus !

Ppl are more likely to post about their high income. And show off about their high achieving DC.
I'm not a high earner. Ppl i know irl mostly aren't either, though some are.

Not to mention the fact private school gets debated VERY heavily on here despite being something that would only cross a few families radars in the real world.

Its hard to believe it’s all fake and bullshit when they are going to the lengths of discussing it for 1000 post threads