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Original poster

Are we on a low income?

219 replies

biganlittle · 18/09/2025 16:30

I earn 33.5k pro rata’ to 4 days a week.
DH full time of 48k, I know there’s some high earners on here but I’m guessing the majority earn less, maybe not as little as us.

We have a little one in nursery still which I think makes us feel that much more skint!

Are we low paid? Both in jobs that we needed qualifications for and I have a degree but part time for years and 2 maternity leaves I think has held me back.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Northernladdette · 19/09/2025 08:27

That’s high!
Our combined income (two full time
salaries) was about £42k, but we managed to pay a mortgage, have holidays, and save £1200 a month 🙂

dayslikethese1 · 19/09/2025 08:30

I know what you mean OP; me and my DP both earn about the same as you and I have had a few ppl IRL say it's not a good wage plus there's always threads on MN of ppl earning 6 figures (and often saying they can't afford food/a holiday!) But as pps have pointed out, it's actually around the average wage and I can afford everything I need tbh. I wouldn't want to work a more stressful job or work longer hours to earn more.

Original poster
biganlittle · 19/09/2025 08:31

Thanks for your replies. To show are outgoings a bit clearer:

DH and I are both 35
My wage - £1681 a month (im 33.5k but on 4 days 9-4 so 26 hours a week)
DH wage - between 2.9k and 3k a month depending on overtime
Child benefit - £173

Outgoing:
Mortgage - £930 (on1.64% to next summer 😬)
Nursery - £586 (with 30 free and TFC)
Wrap around/ holiday club - £173 average
Council tax - £220
Car finance - £300
Gas and electric - £175
Water - £55
car insurance /tax (2 cars one is paid for) - £90
Phones and internet - £60

Lastly food - seems to be about £800 a month

left over about £900 which seems to disappear somehow!

OP posts:
Original poster
biganlittle · 19/09/2025 08:32

Oh and the kids are 5 and 2

OP posts:
eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 19/09/2025 08:36

When looking at average wages we must remember that a lot of people are not earning a wage at all. They are living on benefits and or salary tops ups.
We must also remember there is still a massive cash in hand economy.
So people on 'high wages' like your still feel broke all the time.

PrioritisePleasure24 · 19/09/2025 08:41

We earn similar ( a bit less) in the northwest. We manage fine and have decent disposable income my eyes but i grew up poor. However we don’t have children. we also don’t have debt bar the mortgage. If we had to pay nursery fees we wouldn’t be so comfortable. I don’t think it’s a high wage but it’s not a low one. I have friends on minimum wage.

PrioritisePleasure24 · 19/09/2025 08:44

This site is ridiculous. You get threads where people are claiming to be skint on mega high wages and everyone sympathises and agrees how hard it is. Op is not on a-particularly high salary in this climate and is getting all the vipers launching at her.

TheQuirkyMaker · 19/09/2025 08:49

biganlittle · 18/09/2025 16:30

I earn 33.5k pro rata’ to 4 days a week.
DH full time of 48k, I know there’s some high earners on here but I’m guessing the majority earn less, maybe not as little as us.

We have a little one in nursery still which I think makes us feel that much more skint!

Are we low paid? Both in jobs that we needed qualifications for and I have a degree but part time for years and 2 maternity leaves I think has held me back.

Excellent for Dorset! Most people I know here keep a family on about £45k or less with both working, it is a cliche but you tailor your clothe....

mirrorsandlights · 19/09/2025 08:50

Nowhere near a low income.

mirrorsandlights · 19/09/2025 08:52

PrioritisePleasure24 · 19/09/2025 08:44

This site is ridiculous. You get threads where people are claiming to be skint on mega high wages and everyone sympathises and agrees how hard it is. Op is not on a-particularly high salary in this climate and is getting all the vipers launching at her.

This site has had threads vilifying pensioners on pension credit and people on benefits this last week. UK state pension is about £12,000 and many, many people survive on that alone. THAT is a low income.

Wot23 · 19/09/2025 08:57

mirrorsandlights · 19/09/2025 08:52

This site has had threads vilifying pensioners on pension credit and people on benefits this last week. UK state pension is about £12,000 and many, many people survive on that alone. THAT is a low income.

Show quote history

absolutely

Wordsmithery · 19/09/2025 09:04

What a ridiculous post.
Read the papers, OP. Talk to the volunteers at your local food bank. Look at the threshold for free school meals or for council tax rebate. That's what a low income looks like.

Icreatedausernameyippee · 19/09/2025 09:06

That's a decent income! I don't work, my husband earns >£100k but if I was to work it would be minimum wage. So while our household currently benefits from one (very, for where we live) good salary, I'm completely aware that it's not the average at all.

sweetpickle2 · 19/09/2025 09:07

Unfortunately you're not going to get much actionable advice OP because of how you've worded your question- no obviously you are not low income.

Your outgoings are the issue here.

£800 a month on food is a lot, could you do some budgeting here?

You need to write down where the spare £900 goes and figure out where you can make savings.

What is your plan for the mortgage when it goes up in the summer, which it will quite considerably from your current rate. I would focus on making budgeting cuts now in advance of that

CrownCoats · 19/09/2025 09:09

£800/month on food for two adults and two small children?! What on earth are you eating OP?

Pam100127 · 19/09/2025 09:12

Until 2 years ago, I would have said you’re on a medium to high income.
However, my 20 year old (writes AI code) earns £70k+, no university education. My 24 year old, first class honours from Russell Group university earns £35k+, has no loan repayments as she got an apprenticeship for uni.
I don’t say this to boast as I’m shocked, but to say that the goal posts have changed so much and certain sectors pay very high (a plumber or electrician can now earn £80k)
We’re in N Ireland where wages are generally lower than the rest of UK

CoralOP · 19/09/2025 09:12

biganlittle · 19/09/2025 08:31

Thanks for your replies. To show are outgoings a bit clearer:

DH and I are both 35
My wage - £1681 a month (im 33.5k but on 4 days 9-4 so 26 hours a week)
DH wage - between 2.9k and 3k a month depending on overtime
Child benefit - £173

Outgoing:
Mortgage - £930 (on1.64% to next summer 😬)
Nursery - £586 (with 30 free and TFC)
Wrap around/ holiday club - £173 average
Council tax - £220
Car finance - £300
Gas and electric - £175
Water - £55
car insurance /tax (2 cars one is paid for) - £90
Phones and internet - £60

Lastly food - seems to be about £800 a month

left over about £900 which seems to disappear somehow!

You have a good life with the money you have, you have a decent car costing £200 a month, £800 is a very healthy food budget (mine is around £120 a week and I buy whatever I want) and you have £900 left to do what you want with, you're fine!

Aethelred · 19/09/2025 09:27

You are not low paid.

SantanaBinLorry · 19/09/2025 09:28

800 a month on food... is that a typo? What on earth are you all eating?

LadyDanburysHat · 19/09/2025 09:38

Agree that £800 pm on food is a lot for a family of 4 with 2 small children. Also you are choosing to have expensive car finance. You could have bought something cheaper than that.

YippieKayakOtherBuckets · 19/09/2025 09:39

https://ifs.org.uk/tools_and_resources/where_do_you_fit_in

This tool will tell you exactly where you lie in UK income distribution.

InTheWindow · 19/09/2025 09:45

After a few unexpected expenses this month I had to ask XH (who was abusive) to sub me £100 till payday. That is what it’s like to be low income. Sorry you are struggling on your paltry 80k.

TallulahBetty · 19/09/2025 09:48

No. What a poor-taste humblebrag.

saomiguel · 19/09/2025 09:51

Definitely not low income!

Since you've 900 left over and it "disappears" that's probably something to look at. If you can find out where that's going and ideally direct some of it towards overpaying the mortgage (if you can overpay without penalty), and/or save to buy a second hand car and get rid of the one on finance when the time comes then that's going to bring your monthly costs down a lot.

Also more minor savings can be made: you could spend less on phones and internet (ours is £30) and probably the food. Your car insurance and tax are quite high but you probably can't do a lot about those.

usedtobeaylis · 19/09/2025 09:53

PrioritisePleasure24 · 19/09/2025 08:44

This site is ridiculous. You get threads where people are claiming to be skint on mega high wages and everyone sympathises and agrees how hard it is. Op is not on a-particularly high salary in this climate and is getting all the vipers launching at her.

People sympathise with decent earners struggling a bit but are absolutely vicious about actual low earners.

I think the OP on her own is into low income territory and would be entitled to help. Both of them together are mid income I would say.