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

I get told this a lot: "Wow, your work must be so satisfying." It's kind of the same as when people refer to my tiny house as cute. Satisfying pays no bills and cute is a neat euphemism for crowded. For years, I too subscribed to this backward notion that if you were lucky enough to be able to serve the greater good through your employment, you were, ...well, lucky, even if you were also chronically under-valued, under-resourced and under-paid. I think it was a kind of psychological hack to protect myself from the glaring cynical injustice of it.

Wow, I would! Amazing 👏🏼

My perspective is that it's a range - those on benefits, low earners, middle earners and high earners....just like real life 😁

Consider me schooled.
it wasn’t meant to be patronising, the poster mentioned that the sector was highly competitive; ergo, to get into it would be rewarding/satisfying. I apologise if it sounded condescending.

I don't think most people are lying about their salaries because I refuse to believe people are that daft!

I do understand how high salaries can seem totally unachievable and unrealistic. I actually feel this way about my own previous salary!
I knew I was overpaid for the role at the time (working remotely for a London company) and would unlikely get the same salary again. I left after a couple of years for various reasons but mainly I wanted hybrid and I live in the North.
I now earn considerably less and would have to manage a huge teams of people to get close to my old salary but I'm happy with just the one direct report.

Top surgeons in the UK can earn 500kbplis, I don't think there will too many on those kind of salaries though

My partner and I are high earners on paper but of the £10k that is paid into our bank each month £5,500 goes on mortgage and school fees for the child we have who is autistic (mainstream state was a total non-starter). Then we have (very high) commute costs, council tax, utilities, insurance, car, food, other kids hobbies, put some money in the holidays / Christmas / birthdays pot and there’s no way I can afford Sky, fancy mobiles, etc etc. My mum pays for our Netflix, we cut each others hair, we watch every penny. But it’s worth it as the school means our daughter can cope with life instead of constantly trying to harm herself.

So yes we earn well but the money disappears rapidly every month.

I have an ex from years back who works in the same field, but his focus is bats.
He is not on great money either, but he is living dream life working in that field. He is autistic and has always had a special interest in bats.

Work takes up a large proportion of your life. You are winning if you have a job you love.

I think the issue is we have real income inequality in this country. And it's so localised by area. So if you earn £30k and everyone around you does, the idea of someone else earning 100k or 200k seems unfathomable. And similarly if you live in London in a (non trendy) neighbourhood where the average terrace costs £1m, you can't see how anyone could live on 30k.

We've had low productivity and stagnant wage growth for 20 years, which combined with the cost of living crisis means even people who thought they were earning well are struggling more. I think if you earn high amounts it's easier to avoid this - a 5% raise on 100k is a lot more than a 5% raise on 30k.

I don't really think it's beneficial to compare to the average, because I consider we're quite a low paid country. But we're all (salary earners) far more in the same boat than the super rich, whether we earn 30k or 400k , I think that's where we should be directing our ire!